Julian Assange's plea!

Julian Assange made his plea to the world today, and although in many ways many of us can sympathise with the words, his refusal to defend himself against the accusations against him, does not endear him to us. Anyway, watching the speech he made from the balcony of the Ecuadorian Embassy today reminded me a bit of Juliet, so here is my attempt at a pastiche.

Oh freedom, freedom! Wherefore art though freedom?

You have been denied me;

By that which was founded in that name, but be aware, I will not be crushed.

Even though thou art my enemy, and continue a witchhunt against me;

And thou does not act in the name freedom but as a watcher on the world.

But the world was watching too, and so the convention was maintained.

You hold a man who upholds that freedom, as Russia does those who ask for it,

Freedom is not just a word it is a concept, and I applaud the resolve and generosity of this support,

And so I say to the Americans, look to your past, re-affirm that spirit of freedom or you will

" lurch off the precipice, dragging us all into a dangerous and oppressive world in which journalists fall silent under the fear of prosecution and citizens must whisper in the dark."

(P.S. I do not claim to be a poet)