People will accept the most inhumane atrocities so long as the government they trust defines it at legal. It goes like this...
- Is my preferred candidate the elected head of state? Check!
- Is my preferred party represented as the majority in the legislature? Check!
- Are the appointed judges representing my preferred party? Check!
- Will I voice any dissent against any decisions made by the government? Nope!
The cool part it is also works in reverse if you are living under an oppressive government that restricts your rights and free speech if you belong to the opposition party.
- Is my preferred candidate the elected head of state? Nope!
- Is my preferred party represented as the majority in the legislature? Nope!
- Are the appointed judges representing my preferred party? Nope!
- Will I voice any dissent against any decisions made by the government? Not if I value my own life!
I really do hope Assange will be okay, but I suspect he has already been through far too much torture. It's not looking good. It's not a conspiracy theory when we already know the government wants him dead for treason.
Classic check list alright pretty much sums it all up. I don't think Assange will be alright sadly, in reply to your last part of the above - I think it will just get worse now. Its kind of past the line of any return - if he has trouble speaking, its really hard to come back from this to a normal world - which maybe the point of all this. To destroy his mind. But we can always hope I guess, and it is good to believe maybe it could change. Thanks for the comment!