Saturday 20 May 2017

So the rape case against Assange

has been dropped has it? 
Manning has been released.
I am sure that anyone who wants to subscribe to a conspiracy theory will see a connection between the two things. There might be. I have no idea.
Assange is not yet free of course. He still has to face court in England over his failure to appear. He still believes that there is an arrest warrant out for his extradition to the United States. 
I don't know whether there is an arrest warrant out for him or not - although I am sure that there are many people who would like the opportunity to question him. 
At the present time it seems he won't be going far. But, I wonder how much longer the Ecuadorean Embassy will put up with the presence of their "guest"?  If politics changes there - and it might - then he almost certainly won't be welcome to remain. What then?
All this has led me to wonder yet again about the business of betrayal. What makes people act that way? Power? Jealousy? Money?
Betrayal is like murder. It can lead to murder and often has of course. Even when it doesn't lead to that it can, and usually does, destroy lives - and yes, usually more than one life. I wonder about that too. 
Is there a time when betrayal is justified? I suppose asking that question is like asking is murder ever justified? 
There was an incident in New York this week. Someone drove a car into the crowd. He killed one person and injured many more. He apparently told the police who arrested him that they were "supposed to kill (him)". Apparently drugs were found in his system. Perhaps he is insane as well. Is he a former serviceman who has simply become unable to cope with the world around him? I have no idea but it all raises questions in my mind about motives for actions and ideas about whether people are always responsible for their actions. How do we treat such people? 
I know, there aren't simple answers to any of these questions. Each case is different. 
What I do know is that I don't know enough to condemn or support most people who betray. I need to keep an open mind. 
I need to do the same thing today when I see the person I tried to support. That person betrayed us all - but doesn't understand what they have done. Perhaps there are other people like that too.

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