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Statues of Assange, Snowden and Manning Go Up In Berlin
HughPickens.com writes: RT Times reports that Alexanderplatz square in Berlin has become the stage for a provocative art piece which celebrates whistleblowers and encourages ordinary citizens to speak out. "They have lost their freedom for the truth, so they remind us how important it is to know the truth," says sculptor Davide Dormino. The life-sized statues of the three whistleblowers stand upon three chairs, as if speaking in an impromptu public meeting. Next to them is a fourth, empty chair. "The fourth chair is open to anyone here in Berlin who wants to get up and say anything they want," says the artist. Dormino, who came up with the idea together with the US journalist Charles Glass, specifically chose a classical bronze statue for his depiction – and not an installation or abstract piece – since statues are usually made of establishment figures. According to Domino while men who order others to their deaths get immortalized, those who resist are often forgotten, so "the statue pays homage to three who said no to war, to the lies that lead to war and to the intrusion into private life that helps to perpetuate war." Activists and members of Germany's Green party unveiled the life-size bronze statues on May Day.
I'm serious about this. Unless we actually have made societal changes based on what they've done, making monuments to them is stupid. Or, is all we want a pretend society?
No matter what you agree with what Manning and/or Snowden and/or Assange have done, no one can deny that they are ordinary folks, just like you and me
What makes them special is the system
What I mean is, if the supposingly ' Democratic System ' that we have is truly democratic, that the system would never do despicable things it accuses THE OTHER SIDE (them 'Commies') of doing, such as Trampling on human rights, violating the Constitution, spying on its own citizens, and so on, neither Manning, Assange nor Snowden would have any reason to do what they have done
It is The System which makes them what they are --- Because The System has become so goddamn rotten that the three ordinary folks had no choice but to tell the truth
I have tried to imagine what I would do, given the same circumstance ... and the only honest thing I can say is, I simply do not have the guts to do what they did ... yes, I have yet to grow my own pair
Isn't it? Building monuments to these guys now before determining the historical significance of their actions seems premature. What's changed, really? We're more knowledgeable about the things that Snowden, et al. revealed, but whether that knowledge has, or is going to, lead to a major paradigm shift about ubiquitous surveillance and its inherent conflict with our notions of free society has yet to be played out. Those guys are just footnotes right now.
Slashdot's feeding the Russian propaganda sites now?
Why not, most newspapers here in the US feed US propaganda. They don't report the true news or else they omit what is really going on. Just look at the NY Times in the leadup to the Iraq war, they help Cheny/Bush go to war for non-existent weapons of mass destruction. Look at the mess we're in now. We're recruiting terrorists like mad now. We're really hated by lots of folks. Just because of our wanting to take Iraq oil.
These are monuments representing those who would SPEAK THE TRUTH. It doesn't matter what your opinions are regarding these truths. These men all did great services for people of the world. Their actions go well beyond US borders.
Statues erected to promote freedom of speech and tell people they should not be afraid to say when there is something going wrong are considered "provocative".
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
Well, I don't know about you, but to me not wanting to go to war to die senselessly to protect the interest of a few and participate in the dick-measuring contest between US and USSR sounds like a really sane reason to get out of it.
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
Germany should be more concerned about its own domestic spying programs, the massive data collection by the German government, and the widespread restrictions on free speech and free exercise of religion in Germany.
While you might say that perhaps putting up statues to US whistleblowers might encourage Germans to do the same thing, in reality, this is just an outgrowth from a widespread political effort in German (and similarly other European countries) to distract people from domestic problems by pretending that it's all the Americans' fault.
Sure, tell the truth:
The truth about innocent names and people trusting that they would have their confidentiality kept in dangerous parts of the world. Whose families got killed after the native governments found out who they are.
The truth about how ISIS was being monitored, which allowed then to now conduct operations without worry... had that "truth" not be out, the guys at Charlie Hebdo would still be alive.
The truth about US counter-espionage, which now gives hostile powers like China a greater hand.
I don't get why these guys are given any treatment other than contempt. They have helped greatly to empower repressive, brutal regimes, while damaging open governments. As for a higher standard? The offering of asylum and money is not exactly a higher cause. That is just plain treason.
I hope the Triad of Treason faces justice and responsibility for the people they killed. They did no honorable or valorous acts, except sell their government out.
What about Dave Patreus, why aren't you calling for his head? He leaked classified docs but rather than face prison he got a slap on the wrist, and the prosecutors didn't even want to do that.
"A guy who went straight to the Russians"? you mean, a guy whose passport was revoked by the Americans while in Russia. You just responded to someone's claim of paid shills by raising your hand--God, you guys are so bad at this!
These victims have already been paid their respects. The country that tried to send them to the stone age, that poisoned their landscape and murdered their children has not acknowledged its complicity.
The United States never learned from the Vietnam War. The folks who refused to fight for this lie and emigrated, who built themselves a new life as solid citizens of another country, are not granted the respect they deserve. This simple memorial to their participation in their new homeland became a target for the US right wing hate machine, the same media machine that continues to send us into wars.
The draft dodgers were right. if we had listened, we would not be involved now in the destruction of the Middle East.
People do not leave their homeland to become lifetime emigres for frivolous reasons. The former Americans who moved to Canada and contributed to their adopted homeland deserve credit for what they accomplished.
If your children ever found out how lame you are, they'd murder you in your sleep
Russia Today is quite literally government controlled and run propaganda. Can you honestly make that claim about the US media?
Yes, the US media are propaganda mouthpieces of their own recognizance.
At least the Russian propaganda is honest about being propaganda.
Every Eastern European I've met has told me this, "the difference between American propaganda and Russian propaganda is that we [Russians] didn't beleive our propaganda".
Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.