Aaron Swarz is dead. The 26 year old champion of internet freedom was being dogged by a government gone rogue, seeking to snuff out anyone in possession of true power. By true power, I mean the kind you can't amass from campaign contributions and publicity provided by the corporate funded media, whose front men and women are now, by definition, bubble-headed models.
Aaron could write, and he understood how to light a fire under people through the power to communicate. He was also possessed of an unsinkable morality. This combination made him dangerous. The powers that be rely on the masses being passive, not really capable of communicating clearly and powerfully...and generally morally neutral. No? I bet Joe Biden never says another word about Hollywood and the gaming industry's hand in f*%&!ing up young minds when it comes to talking about gun control. Nope, Hollywood will get a pass. So will the pharmeceutical industry, whose mind f*#!ing drugs play such a large role in our national state of utter madness. And the so-called mental health system? Give me a break! You want to be mentally healthy these days? Then you'd better wake up, and GET with the fact that your first job will be to process your anger. Not at your parents or teachers, but at the powers that be who hide behind stooges like Obama and Biden.
It has been said that Aaron took his own life. I don't know, but this brilliant communicator left no note, and why in the world would the government, who can't wait to snuff out dissent on the internet want a public trial allowing this young man to have his day in court? He could move people with words. Too scary for these hollow hearted weasels.
To be outspoken about what is going on with our government is really unpopular around Evanston. That's too damn bad. How many more executive orders is Obama going to have to sign before you all wake up? It's way over twenty now, going on thirty. Do you understand the implications of this?
Stephen Lendman is a writer and blogger from Chicago, one of the voices in the wilderness I hope you get to know. Here's his take on Aaron's death.
Aren't you mixing apples and oranges comparing Assange to Swartz? Assange obtained and published secret information for the purpose of disclosing lies our government feeds us about our endless wars. Swartz, on the other hand, was not seeking to disclose anything that was secret or otherwise unavailable to the public. He was being hounded for copying academic articles that had already been widely published and were available to anyone that cared to pay a license fee. Lumping these guys together misrepresents their actions and intent. Swartz' alleged suicide is a lightening rod for so many of the issues sweeping our nation. It demonstrates the ability for violence without guns. It highlight the problems increasingly reported to be caused by drugs prescribed to treat depression. It surfaces how government agents - keen on earning reputations that will lead to promotions in government and lucrative jobs in the private sector - abuse their prosecutorial powers by pursuing remedies disproportionate to the "crime" and the person charged with the crime. It points to the problems of dealing with "mental health" - despite the respect, and love expressed by hundreds of people for Swartz and what seemed to be a strong network of friends and family - he still, we're told, found himself alone and hopeless. Eric Lieberman ejlieberman@gmail.com