On The Arrest Of Julian Assange

[poliphilo]

When you set out to make enemies of the governments of the world you would be well advised to live like a monk.

Comments

[chiller.livejournal.com]

Under Swedish law, he is accused of rape.

You may not like it, but I'm afraid nobody cares about that.

[michaleen.livejournal.com]

Strangely, the Swedes actually know what rape is, they have a legal definition for it and everything. What Assange is accused of is not rape.

Do make an effort to inform yourself properly before gassing off like this. It will save you no end of embarrassment.

[chiller.livejournal.com]

Hmm, let's see: I am exactly as embarrassed as every news and media organ in the UK including the BBC, since they're all referring to the charges he faces as rape charges.

If widdums doesn't like women bandying about the word "rape" - it is after all, a very ugly and difficult word that men find painful - that's a real pity, but I'm afraid a man sticking his penis into a woman in a way she has not consented to is rape, both in law and in the understanding of every decent person of the word "rape", and you need to get over it.

Let me be crystal clear: I am not suggesting that Julian Assange commited rape. He has not yet been tried for it and I have no opinion one way or the other. I want to be very plain about that.

But what we do know is that the accusation he faces is one of rape, under Swedish law.