Monday, December 20, 2010

Julian-Christ? Crucified? By the Empire? French Newspaper of Reference Prints Opinion Comparing WikiLeaks' Assange to Jesus

First Che Guevara… Now Julian Assange.

Among the half dozen letters to the editor that Le Monde (aka France's newspaper of reference) chose to publish over the weekend in its print edition on the subject of WikiLeaks — besides the letter bemoaning the fate of "the poor American soldier" (PFC Bradley Manning,) who "is risking some 50 years of prison" — is one comparing Julian Assange to none other than Jesus Christ (and Julian's followers to Jesus's disciples).

In the rest of his letter (from Montreal — must be another of Québec's fanatic Anglo-Saxon-haters), Christian Feuillette builds on this comparison with bromides such as the one that "in 2000 years, humanity has not evolved and truth is still as hated as ever" and that (therefore) this "enemy of hypocrisy [Julian Assange] will probably end up like Jesus-Christ, crucified by the empire" (Uncle Sam — naturally). But not to worry: the message of this "Christ of modern times" — and what follows is, just to make sure and in so many words, repeated twice in the letter — "will survive him through his disciples and will end by emerging triumphant."
Julian Assange, celui par qui le scandale arrive, et qui menace avec WikiLeaks l'ordre du monde, tout comme l'Evangile le faisait il y a deux mille ans, peut être comparé à un Christ des temps modernes. " Ce fou, cet insensé sublime " (comme disait Nerval), ennemi de l'hypocrisie, était alors celui qui menaçait l'ordre établi et ébranlait les colonnes du Temple. Traqué, condamné par les docteurs de la foi, son message lui survivra à travers ses disciples, et finira par triompher. Julian Assange, sur qui pèse déjà une fatwa des docteurs de l'establishment, finira probablement comme Jésus-Christ, crucifié par l'empire. En deux mille ans, l'humanité n'a guère évolué et on déteste toujours autant la vérité. Pourtant son oeuvre de salut public, relayée par ses disciples et par la magie de l'Internet, finira aussi par triompher.

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