The Dark Side of Wikileaks
Unless you’re plugged into the feeds of international news organizations or you get your news directly from the Wikileaks site, you wouldn’t know that many of the Wikileaks cables delve deeply into issues which impact the continent of Africa and other brown and black countries. You wouldn’t know because the brown and black mouthpieces responsible for connecting the dots have been – by in large, well…silent.
In the last few weeks, we’ve learned that the cables reveal that the Saudi government believes that Hezbollah is setting up bases in Africa and that China is operating on the continent in partnership with ‘unsavory’ regimes. No surprises here. Africa has become a veritable wasteland to an array of world leaders for whom the road to economic dominance meanders through Africa’s limitless pool of slave labor and mineral-rich resources.
It is also no surprise that, as usual, the global community doesn’t give a rat’s behind about the plight of the dark continent or its inhabitants. For the most part, establishment journalists have gone on the hunt for Wikileaks founder Assange in lockstep with the governments that he offended by leaking the official diplomatic cables. Instead of directing their critical voice at the corrupt governments who lie, steal, and break both national and international laws, pseudo-journalists have their crossairs aimed at Assange. Mixed in with the meshing of pretend journalists and administration officials, however, is the deafening silence of African American leadership (if such a thing still exists) on the Wikileaks revelations on Africa.
Rev. Jesse Jackson said that the release of some decades old cables in which Mandela’s attorneys expressed concerns that Jackson was working too closely with the South African government to secure Mandela’s release unearthed painful memories (Note: Mandela’s attorneys were probably right). Here we are in the midst of what may be the largest dump of raw government information in American history and our default civil rights leader is worried about his emotions, further undergirding the false narrative pushed by the establishment media that the Wikileaks releases are merely gossip. Move on folks…nothing to see here.
In order for the life’s blood of truth to pump through the veins of a fully functioning democracy, the organism’s fitness must be maintained by a steady intake of information revealed which can only be revealed through investigative journalism. And actions must taken by active dissident factions to follow up on those revelations. These dual functions are necessary to enrich truth. In America, we have neither. Flatline.
Those who are coming to the defense of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange are not the familiar copycats who boldly go where every rebel has gone before. They are not rioting in the streets, risking having their brains splattered on the concrete, or peacefully marching arm in arm as a show of civil disobedience. They are hackers.
At a gathering of hackers in Germany for the annual Chaos Computer Club (CCC) meeting, the group reiterated their core beliefs: “All information should be free. Mistrust authority. Computers can be used to create art, beauty and help transform life for the better. Access to computers, and to information that shows how the world functions, should be limitless and complete.” As we speak, hackers are mirroring the Wikileaks site and working to build new alternatives such as Openleaks, a project started by former CCC attendee and Wikileaks spokesman Daniel Domscheit-Berg.
Unlike the relics of the civil rights era, hackers are doing more than just going on the record about Wikileaks. They are actively preparing for a new generation of struggle and oppression. Whether we agree or disagree with their methods, we must acknowledge that hackers recognize the chaos afoot and are plotting a new way forward. Increasingly, we must examine the ever apparent reality that people like Jesse Jackson and Rev. Al Sharpton, who appear on cable news shows only to tell us what we already know and leverage their own financial interests, are relics of days long gone. They are not only expendable, but detrimental to the causes for which we care about so deeply.
We’ve seen Jackson and his cadre jettison off to South Africa and to a variety of other locations as surrogate diplomats for the U.S. government. But whatever happened to standing up to – not on behalf of – government? Well, it still happens. It’s happening now. If you don’t smell revolution in the air, it’s probably because you’re sniffing around in dead grass. The revolution will not be televised, probably won’t be tweeted, and most certainly won’t be instigated by the sames names and faces which we relate to the 1960′s Civil Rights movement. It’s time to move on.
Yvette Carnell is a former Capitol Hill Staffer turned political blogger. She currently publishes two blogs, Spatterblog.com and GoGirlGuide.com.
Nice post.
Unfortunately, I lost all faith in Jesse Jackson from “child out of wedlock” episode. I understood that it was a personal matter but if he doesn’t have enough self-control to not sleep with people outside of his marriage he doesn’t have enough self-control to say no to corruption when he gets power.
As a result I saw his works as motivated more from envy than from genuine desire for equality.
Thank you for clarity and courage. “The order is rapidly fadin’” (Dylan, 1963)
Agreed with 1st comment. Jackson/Swaggart….
are a joke. But then is not USA the biggest joke on the world & themselves? Give Jimmy Baker a Diplomatic roll, so all can really have a good laugh. Laughing is good for you!!!
I think the author is confuzed of the meaning of the word “hacker”. While I agree with most of this article, the word “hacker” is used to describe anyone who knows how to use a computer well. Those with information confidentially send information to wikileaks, and it is then published. The claim that the people behind Wikileaks are hackers is completely baseless.
Yeah I can understand your point that it is not purely hackers because if you watch the documentary on Wikileaks, it shows you what lengths they go through to protect the people who provide them with information.
So to label it as a bunch of ‘hackers’ is a bit off base. But the other significant points made in her article were great. The fact that were more concerned with Chris Brown and Raz B shows that we still have not grasped what is going on in this world by those who run it.
I love how you glorify hackers. They’re the ones that steal your identity idoit. All information should not be free. Utopia will never exist on earth as long as there’s free will. Stop trying to create it. Revolution? What is this womens lib or something? This is me laughing. I’m still laughing.
Rob, you said, “Utopia will never exist on earth as long as there’s free will. Stop trying to create it.” Did you enjoy the freewill of posting that?
Did you check your logic when you used your freewill to “stop” free will? You did realize, of course, that it was circular logic, and everyone on Earth would see that too, right? Since all you did was contradict yourself, I’m wondering if you really had a point to make?
Near 7 billion people on this planet and its some fraction of 1% that are causing the rest of us problems that really don’t need to exist, especially considering how better to use the resources used by that fraction of 1%.
You don’t need to be a hacker to know this.
The only way to change this is to expose the fraction f 1%, for the destructive force they produce.
Great article Yvette, thank you. (Shared on FaceBook). You have a great way with words and you’re obviously in touch with what’s really going down on the ground.
One warning I need to interject here though is about Openleaks because I do *not* want anymore Bradley Mannings’ wasting away illegally in prison.
Daniel Domscheit Berg, founder of Openleaks, was married in July this year (right before he deserted and backstabbed WikiLeaks). This is his new wife Anke:
http://www.slideshare.net/AnkeDomscheitBerg/2010-09-23-gov-20-pep-net-summit-ankedomscheitberg
So you can see (from the link) he is now intimately tied to the German government and Microsoft. Also, he has stated as part of his reasons for attacking and then quitting WikiLeaks that he would not be releasing the documents that WL and Julian Assange are releasing. I do not believe Openleaks is to be trusted, at the very least not for anything government or Microsoft related.
Again, thank you for this article.
Much is being written about Wikileaks, mainly con. The American Plutocracy is fast at work to destroy the credibility of anyone who would cry foul against the opressives sytsems that render 10% of us unemployed, 50 million w/out healthcare, and a dismal education system that lags in 9th place worldwide. We are involved in 6 wars, 2 major ones that have cost over a trillion dollars and lost hundreds of thousands of lives. Who are we as a nation? Do we care? It is refreshing to see a voice for change that embraces an alternative approach. And to the reader who does not see a need for radical upheaval to the status quo, in these moments I would encourage you to look deep inside of your own heart and be honest. Are you offering solutions, apathetic, or are you part of the problem? Wikileaks: the truth CAN set you free, but you must be willing.
The gov. does not like people to know the truth about their dirty allies.
Good article, but you know Wikileaks is not such a revolution , after i read the cables it is just what AlJazeera said and still sayin since 1996.
The cables are just the ULTIMATE prooves of what we ALREADY know.
this is was one of the most well written pieces i have even read on this site. i also thought that the media was conviently overlooking all the facts that had been released.
@ CertainQuirk lol great way to dumb it down for the brainwashed.
Yvette Carnell is so right in pointing out that the battle for social justice is now in our hands. Those who were leaders – as individuals, as news organizations etc. – have abdicated their positions and are no longer serving we the people.
“It’s time to move on.”
Right on.
Everyone & everything about this wikileaks conspiracy is about money. if were not playing rough with a bunch rough necks. were gona get hurt. so wiki leaks doesn’t do it for me. Time to move on. Tell me more about Utopia.