Assange Quote by Noam Chomsky
“WikiLeaks is a service to the population. Assange should get an award for - presidential medal of honor.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Interview on WikiLeaks, 2010
The speaker praises WikiLeaks as a public service and suggests its founder deserves high national honor.
In simple terms: WikiLeaks is valuable; its founder should be honored.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and support transparency initiatives.
Themes
transparency
politics
media
activism
recognition
Mood
critical
thoughtful
Type
political
commentary
When to use this quote
- journalism
- government oversight
- civil society
- policy debate
Key Concepts
whistleblowing
public interest
award advocacy
Questions to Reflect On
- Should transparency be rewarded with state honors?
- What are the risks of politicizing whistleblowing?
A Different Perspective
Awards may be politically contentious and could legitimize controversial actions.
![“[General-in-Chief of the army, Lieutenant General Winfield] Scott not only believed that the idea [for a battlefield decoration, to wit, a Medal of Honor, or valor] smacked of Old World vanity, elitism, and snobbery, he also thought that such an award was entirely unnecessary.” quote by Russell S. Bonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0ca/russell-s-bonds-89935_american-civil-war_general-in-chief-of-the-army-lieutenant_1203312.jpg)
![“I wrote an article about the marine landing [in Haiti] right away, but barely mentioned the oil, because my article would come out two months later and I assumed by then, "of course, everybody knows." Nobody knew. There was a news report in the Wall Street Journal, in the petroleum journals, and…” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/dc5/noam-chomsky-42_articles_i-wrote-an-article-about-the-marine-land_13341.jpg)
![“I'd love to meet Julian [Assange], and time permitting, and his will permitting, I'm sure it will happen at some point. Even though he's been very critical of the film [The Fifth Estate], he's been very polite about me and my work, and I feel the same way about him.” quote by Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/733/benedict-cumberbatch-1156_assange_i-d-love-to-meet-julian-assange-and-time_290842.jpg)
![“I had to imagine myself into certain aspects of [Julian Assange] character for our version of events. That involved extrapolating based on clues in his biography, his public persona, photographs, and other accounts of him by people who encountered him during that extraordinary period from 2007 to…” quote by Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f3e/benedict-cumberbatch-1156_accounts_i-had-to-imagine-myself-into-certain-asp_359165.jpg)
![“I understand from those who adore him, he [Julian Assange] has a great sense of humor which rarely gets an airing because he's dealing with such serious issues.” quote by Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/31c/benedict-cumberbatch-1156_adore_i-understand-from-those-who-adore-him-he_1069671.jpg)
![“My assessment of Julian Assange is a professional one, really, of what he's managed to achieve, and the idea that he came up with, which set the world alight and continues to inspire others like Snowden [NSA leaker Edward Snowden], about the secret goings-on that are done in our name with our tax…” quote by Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/27f/benedict-cumberbatch-1156_achieve_my-assessment-of-julian-assange-is-a-pro_1376286.jpg)
![“I know he [Julian Assange] is a man of fierce determination, and now living under the strain of house arrest in the Ecuadorean embassy as a "political exile," as he calls himself.” quote by Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6f3/benedict-cumberbatch-1156_assange_i-know-he-julian-assange-is-a-man-of-fie_1621360.jpg)