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CPI Statement on Julian Assange Extradition

By Center for Political Innovation12/14/2021
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The UK high court’s ruling that Julian Assange can be extradited to the US has shown us more blatantly than ever the sham of liberal democracy, especially in regards to America.

Assange has been accused of a variety of accusations: rape, spying, hacking, helping Trump win the 2016 election, all of which have shown to be false. Despite this, that hasn’t stopped the mainstream media and even progressive media outlets from vilifying him.

Regardless of how you feel about Assange, his extradition to the United States is a major blow to press freedoms and resistance to imperialism. Past precedent has shown that the US has no qualms in silencing dissent: from the arrest of Edward Snowden, Chelsea Manning, Mumia al-Jamal, and Ruchell Magee to the seizure of PressTV and various foreign news outlets. The dissemination of propaganda and the silencing of dissenting voices from the “mainstream” and “reputable” sources help perpetuate US imperialism. The US relies on an ignorant and docile population in order to leech off of taxpayer dollars to fund regime change operations, color revolutions, and structural adjustment programs in the Global South. Any attempt that is remotely successful in stopping that must be crushed immediately.

However, it’s important as socialists that we remain optimistic even in the most desperate times. Pessimism gets us nowhere. We must reject this harmful tendency and instead honor Julian Assange’s legacy by agitating and educating workers about the nature of capitalism and fighting for a government of action that fights for working families.