Oedipus' Sphynx · @OedipusSphynx
3rd Oct 2019 from TwitLonger
Open letter from a newcomer to older JA's supporters
As said in the title, I am a newbie; I reluctantly (re)joined Twitter in July 2019, winning my hopeless wordiness, to connect with other supporters of Julian #Assange. Recently I found out that, as it could easily be expected, there are several rifts within the supporters front and they seem to have grown so deep that they can no longer be fixed. Ok, I'll deal with it.
Yet, these rifts seem to have sown a lot of suspicion among older supporters towards the newbies regarding who they follow, who they interact and which opinions they voice/embrace. It's perfectly legitimate to fear that among new supporters there can be trolls, or even worse, people who cunningly try to breach support and spread or further division by instilling corrosive doubts. It's not legitimate, though, to assume that any newbie and any criticism/doubt/perplexity is meant to achieve this goal. It's not reasonable to jump down someone's throat because they have echoed something that has been previously said by those who are deemed to be fake supporters. Why it's not? Because:
1) this echoing could have happened accidentally; it doesn't necessarily mean that newcomers are swayed or that they are tools in the hands of nasty individuals aiming at shattering support or are nasty individuals themselves. It could simply mean that a certain feeling/impression is shared by a variety of people.This is obviously the case of the widespread concern re the conduct of JA's legal team; it would be unfair and untrue thinking that nothing has been done by them to help #Assange, but after being told repeatedly that he's held in solitary confinement in Belmarsh, that he's denied access to a computer and a library, that his health is deteriorating dramatically and very quickly, that he is heavily drugged, etc..., it's pretty obvious that a number of supporters will start questioning why apparently an application to get him out of there hasn't been submitted yet and if/when it will be. It's not a question of trying to discredit his lawyers, but in my eyes a perfectly legitimate request to receive more information and not just a series of bulletins telling that he's dying, but there is nothing we can do about this. This just increases despair, despondency, anguish, passivity and renunciation, because no one likes to watch a man being murdered w/o being able to help somehow. You may say that there are things that cannot be divulged without jeopardising the defence strategy; ok, that's true, but here we are talking about basic updates such as hearing dates. Even a simple statement like "his legal team is working on/looking into it" will help dissipate the lingering suspect that he's been forsaken by those who are meant to represent him (and I am talking of Wikileaks too).
2) the latter and most crucial aspect of this issue is however the way this criticism is dealt with, which comes down too to a question of communication. People expressing concerns (sometimes angrily) are not necessarily division and disunity sowers; often times they are just people who care. Accusing them of promoting a hidden agenda is a great way to put them off and turn them away from supporting Assange; yes, perhaps by doing so you have ensured that only true, staunch supporters are backing him, but perhaps you have actually attacked and kicked out sincere new supporters who just happen to be little informed or misled/mistaken. Be patient: everyone has been a newbie, everyone has made mistakes. It's not by telling them that they are US government agents, spies, dodgy individuals with a hidden agenda that you will make them aware of their mistakes or win their loyalty. As I said, it's ok to be cautious, not so much to be paranoid and suspicious before you have valid elements to back your suspicion. Give newcomers the benefit of the doubt and don't ask them aggresively where they have been up to now (or what is their field of expertise). They may have been active for years, only recently joining Twitter or Facebook (or any other social media) or they may be real newbies, but that's good: it means that awareness and support are growing and it would be a pity to waste such an opportunity to earn their trust and staunchness because they accidentally mingled with people you don't trust or voiced opinions you didn't like. Be open to discussion. You might find that this newbie is not a sleazy guy or you might have your suspicions confirmed, but don't let them turn into prejudices because this is harming unity more than anything else and this is exactly what the division seekers and promoters want you to do.
I apologize 1) for being so helplessly wordy, 2) for what may look as a patronising tone. It's not: it's just an attempt to reach out to other supporters and extend them an olive branch, before little tiffs grow into deeper divisions and a long lasting mutual resentment. Thank you for reading.