Welcome to the 223rd week of Julian Assange Sydney Town Hall gatherings.
In the early 1960s Stanley Milgram conducted a series of interesting psychological experiments at Yale university, in the US. These experiments were conducted shortly after the Nuremberg Trials, to investigate obedience to authority. The typical claim of war criminals who participate in genocide is that they are “just following orders”. This claim was considered invalid during the Nuremberg Trials. The results of Milgram’s experiments suggest that a high proportion of people are prepared to carry out unethical orders, as long as they are ordered to do so.
In the Milgram experiments, participants were given the task of administering electric shocks to a man whenever he failed to supply the correct answers during an experimental learning situation. Participants were instructed to incrementally flick a switch in a row of switches, which were marked from 15 volts all the way up to 450 volts, if the man gave incorrect answers. The switch marked 300 volts was labelled ‘Dangerous’ while the switch marked 450 volts was labelled ‘XXX’. The participants were not told that there was actually no power in the electric shocks and that the man being trained was an actor, who merely feigned experiencing pain when the pretend electric shocks were administered.
The results of the Milgram Experiment are interesting because all participants administered shocks up to 300 volts, while 65% of participants administered shocks all the way up to 450 volts. There was strikingly little resistance to following these unethical instructions, which would have appeared to cause pain and potential death. On the positive side, 35% of participants eventually stopped administering the shocks, showing that people can stand up against a perceived authority.
We must recognise that people have a tendency to carry out unethical behaviours, if instructed by someone who is perceived to have authority. Obedience of this kind is what makes hierarchical organisations functional. Unfortunately, people who are prepared to carry out unethical orders often climb the corporate ladder, because they can be trusted NOT to argue against authority. Hierarchies create a very dangerous situation for humanity, so ideally we need them to have democratic oversight. History shows us that hierarchies, without democratic oversight, permit great injustice and this is something that we all need to be concerned about in western society today.
If we wish to live in a just society, where we can enjoy freedom and dignity, it is important that we are able to speak up, whenever we see injustice. Julian Assange is often quoted as saying, “Every time we witness an injustice and do not act, we train our character to be passive in its presence and thereby eventually lose all ability to defend ourselves and those we love.” This means we always need to stand up for justice if we are to live with freedom and dignity.
We have seen great injustice administered to Julian Assange. He has been denied his freedom and all his human rights for more than 13 years and held in solitary confinement for most of the 5 years he has spent in Belmarsh Prison, yet it is clear that Julian is completely innocent, and that his freedom is being restricted for political reasons. If we fail to stand up for justice for Julian Assange, we can expect further injustices. In fact, we have seen further injustices occurring.
In Australia, the Database of Adverse Event Notifications lists thousands of people who have been reported being harmed or even killed by ‘The Jab’, yet these unnecessary medicines are still being widely promoted with the denial and complicity of most of our politicians. We are also witnessing a criminal injustice with the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. This genocide is being enabled by Western governments that make out they are democracies.
We must all stand up for justice to ensure there is justice for all of us including for those we love. We need to realise this is essential for maintaining true democracy! One thing we can all do is engage in free speech regardless of the perceived consequences. We must all realise that by speaking up against injustice we become powerful and more people will gain courage to do the same. This is happening!
Courage is contagious! Truth is our power! Our voices will free Julian Assange and in speaking up for justice for others, we will bring justice for all.
Free, free Julian Assange!
Free, free Julian Assange!
Free, free Julian Assange!