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Thread: I'm going to explain what it was that had me so frustrated on Feb 28. It's taken me 20 days (& 7 years) to fully form my thoughts on the topic. I am both seeing it, and living it. My best attempt to describe it will now follow.
Every single day I am contacted by people around the world who are in precarious situations - people to whom few will listen and even fewer will offer any meaningful support. Whistleblowers in various stages of litigation; or who are wanting to litigate; targets of intel agencies
They think because I am a journalist and because I have a public profile, that I will be able to help to get them justice, or to inform people, or to protect them, or to comfort them. Whistleblowers and intel agency targets desperately need that comfort, support and assistance.
Many of them are trapped in geographical locations where the persecution is ongoing, relentless and tormenting. They think because I physically escaped by persecutors, that now things must be rosy for me. They aspire to be in my position. They don't understand you can't escape it
They don't understand that the threats, the legal jeopardy, attacks on your relationships, reputation, the undermining of everything you do, the sapping of your resources, the degradation of all you hold dear continues regardless of if you physically escape it or to where you do
As things stand, with intel agencies doing whatever the f**k they want to people, with powers no election granted them, with little oversight and near total impunity, once you are on their shitlist there is no way to ever be free of their toxic, immoral, interference & meddling
The net result is that I am so busy already trying to help/assist the people I do, and somehow keep my own head above the water, that it is virtually impossible for me to try to provide any meaningful assistance to the myriad people who keep contacting me, & that haunts me daily
Which brings me to the crux of what my original urge to rant was about:
We do not currently have the systems in place to provide salvation or support to some of the most at-risk targets of intelligence agencies on this planet. Particularly those trapped in Western countries
We do not currently have the systems in place to provide salvation or support to some of the most at-risk targets of intelligence agencies on this planet. Particularly those trapped in Western countries
We don't have them for 3 major reasons:
1. Public ignorance
2. It is difficult, and downright dangerous to try to support whistleblowers. Any org established to assist them will itself be targeted for destruction
3. We all expect someone else to do it. Someone else to help.
1. Public ignorance
2. It is difficult, and downright dangerous to try to support whistleblowers. Any org established to assist them will itself be targeted for destruction
3. We all expect someone else to do it. Someone else to help.
All the time I get asked "why doesn't @wikileaks help?"
1. Julian Assange & WL have done more than anyone on this planet to help targets of intel agencies
2. Julian & WL are themselves massively targeted
3. Julian & WL don't themselves yet have the level of support they need
1. Julian Assange & WL have done more than anyone on this planet to help targets of intel agencies
2. Julian & WL are themselves massively targeted
3. Julian & WL don't themselves yet have the level of support they need
I always felt the mission of @couragefound was one of the most important in our modern age. That fact has been under-recognised.
They have received insufficient support, funding, resourcing, solidarity and attention from the public and from media, given the scale of their tasks
They have received insufficient support, funding, resourcing, solidarity and attention from the public and from media, given the scale of their tasks
We have become a society of watchers instead of doers. How can @wikileaks have 5 million followers & @couragefound have only a couple % of that? Cos we consume but don't replenish. The cycle of consumption wreaking havoc on our planet is replicated in how we treat whistleblowers
We call for more whistleblowers, more whistleblowing, because a planet as corrupt as this one desperately needs them. But we can't look after the ones we have & have virtually no capacity to protect new ones unless their revelations or nationalities suit establishment NGO agendas
When I say "we" I am not talking about WL or CF - I do not work for or speak for either. I speak only as an observer.
When I say "we" I am talking about YOU, ME AND US - HUMANITY!
We are failing to protect and support the potential providers of our own hope and deliverance.
When I say "we" I am talking about YOU, ME AND US - HUMANITY!
We are failing to protect and support the potential providers of our own hope and deliverance.
While I hope someone drops a few million dollars in Courage Foundation's lap tomorrow - our response has to be so much more magnanimous. We need more support organisations for whistleblowers - many, many more than currently exist. With focused missions & deft response times.
I rack my brain every time I get another email - how do we help these people? How can I help? It takes so much for people to even ask for help, to reach out - now I am part of the resounding silence their courage is rewarded with? What more can I do? I want to know your thoughts
