BERLIN, Germany (PNN) - May 5, 2015 - This past Friday, life-size bronze statues of Edward Snowden, Julian Assange and Bradley Manning were unveiled in Berlin’s Alexanderplatz Square in front of German politicians and activists.
In Germany and much of the world, the three are considered heroes in the fight for freedom of information and speech, for their respective leaking of classified Fascist Police States of Amerika documents.
“They have lost their freedom for the truth, so they remind us how important it is to know the truth,” said the artwork’s creator, Italian sculptor Davide Dormino, during the unveiling.
The artwork is not only an ode to the courage of these three whistleblowers, but also serves as a call to citizens to take a stand, as the three are standing on chairs with a fourth empty chair next to them.
The piece is titled, Anything to Say? with the empty chair actually being the focal point of the piece, according to Dormino.
“The fourth chair is open to anyone here in Berlin who wants to get up and say anything they want,” said Dormino.
A number of people took the opportunity to stand upon the chair and speak, some with a loudspeaker, in an effort to show that they are not afraid to take a stand and speak truth similarly to these three whistleblowers.
“People are saying many different things. From politics to babbling to silence, from people who desperately are wanting to help Julian, Bradley and Edward to people who have no idea who they are. This chair is, I guess, a place of free speech,” said Dormino.
“The statue pays homage to three who said no to war, to the lies that lead to war, and to the intrusion into private life that helps to perpetuate war,”Dormino said.
Dormino says he will take the exhibit worldwide, displaying the piece in some of the most prominent public spaces across the globe. Of course one place the display will likely be unwelcome is the FPSA, as a bronze bust of Snowden was removed immediately after being displayed in a public park.
It’s clear that most of the world recognizes the courageousness of the deeds these three whistleblowers have undertaken at the cost of their own freedom.
Sadly, most of FPSA mainstream media has accepted the official FPSA government line, and attempted to call the actions and motivations of these three into question.
When will these three be recognized as the heroes and freedom fighter they truly are in the FPSA?