Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is showing a lot of concern over freedom of expression and speech for the depressed and censored countries of the Middle East.
During a recent speech she gave at George Washington University on Feb. 15, she outlined the US “vision” for the internet in the wake of the chaos that’s sweeping the Middle East.
Clinton stated US support “for a free and open internet and underscore the importance of safeguarding liberty and security, transparency and confidentiality, and freedom of expression and tolerance".
But, (there is always a “but” when speaking of Washington and freedom), that is unless you are Wikileaks and web sites that use “unapproved speech”(my words).
Clinton says “countries that clamp down on bloggers, opposition websites, and news outlets do so at their own risk.”
Does that include the United States? Are the leaked diplomatic cables being published on Wikileaks, the NY Times or the UK Daily Telegraph, not really “news outlets”?
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She goes on to say, "History has shown us that repression often sows the seeds for revolution down the road. Those who clamp down on Internet freedom may be able to hold back the full impact of their people's yearnings for a while, but not forever."
Yup…this is so true.
One thing that hasn’t been mentioned concerning her speech was the fate of 71-year-old Ray McGovern. McGovern, a veteran Army officer who also worked as a C.I.A. analyst for 27 years, was dragged from the audience in plain view of Mrs. Clinton while she lectured the crowd on “condemning governments that arrest protestors and do not allow free expression” according to the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund (PCJF).
Sporting a T-shirt that said “Veterans for Peace”, he was beat by police and jailed. McGovern was reportedly silent when Clinton’s speech started and he turned his back.
PCJF Attorney Mara Verheyden-Hilliard stated in a press release, "It is the ultimate definition of lip service that Secretary of State Clinton would be trumpeting the U.S. government's supposed concerns for free-speech rights and this man would be simultaneously brutalized and arrested for engaging in a peaceful act of dissent at her speech."
I guess its freedom of speech and expression unless your speech and expression is against the establishment.
Comments
Why are people so surprised by this? Its SOP at Clinton media events. Bill or Hillary. All Mr. McGovern did was wear a Tee Shirt. God only knows what happened to the man that had the nerve to ask Billy boy at a similar event about the WTC Building 7 problem. I still think Bubba should have been nominated for an Oscar or at least an Emmy for his, "SHAME ON YOU SHAME ON YOU" performance.
eh? Private property
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