John Shipton Interview: Daring to Hope for His Son Julian Assange
People around the world need to add their voices to the call for Julian’s release from the dungeon in Britain. | Tirelessly, John Shipton has traveled the world appealing to parliaments, politicians, civic bodies, and ordinary public members for the release of his son. John tells how a rallying call for Julian’s release is growing. Every parliament in Europe, for example, now has members explicitly calling for freedom. So too has the Australian government finally wakened up to demand the end of the barbaric mistreatment. In Latin America, North America, and other parts of the world, the clamor for justice is growing. ● Only two weeks ago, major newspapers in the United States and Europe published joint editorial statements urging the Biden Administration to end the imprisonment of Assange, stating that “publishing is not a crime”. That renewed appeal for freedom is a reflection of the swelling sea-change in public support around the world for Julian Assange. ● John Shipton says he is not “into hope” in the superficial meaning of the word. By that, he means a sort of cheap hope, blithe optimism, or cheery, glib ignorance. A sort of “consumerist hope” that is fickle and vanishes at the slightest obstacle. ● However, what he displays in his tenacious, resilient, courageous support for his son is a much deeper hope. One of faith and commitment in the face of immense adversity. That strength inspires profound hope. An audacious hope. One that defiantly smiles in the face of cold barbarity. The kind of hope that can break chains. It is way past time that Julian Assange should be freed so that he can “come home to his kids”.