Do you know the tale of Josh Wolf? He’s a video blogger who filmed people taking part in a protest and who was then ordered to turn over his footage to a Grand Jury investigating the protest. He refused, citing journalistic privilege, and promptly found out the government doesn’t consider videocasters to be journalists, at least not when it doesn’t want to. He’s currently serving his indefinite sentence in Dublin, California; he’s been told he’ll be released when the Grand Jury ends, which is projected for July of next year.
At the recent Vloggie Awards, Josh won the People’s Choice Award for Best Male Vlogger (they split these things up by gender? You’ve got to be kidding me!) and his video, All Empires Must Fall, won the Judge’s Choice Award for Most Controversal Video, which it undoubtably was. The goverment declined to let Josh out to pick up his award, figuring no doubt that someone there would surely throw a blanket over him and smuggle him offshore to some copyright-free banana republic, from whence he would fire YouTubes of such intensity that they would shake the very foundation of the nation.
Or maybe they just thought nah, fuck ‘im!
In any case, Josh’s big day came and went with no Josh, but with a letter written from prison and read out on the podium, and here it is, although Robert Scoble had it first.
It seems like mere moments ago that I was here in this venue for blogger con. I remember telling my story about how the federal government was trying to send me to prison for refusing to turn over my unpublished material and testify in front of a grand jury for asserting that I am a journalist, and for refusing to be an agent for the government by providing intelligence to aid in an anarchist witch hunt. Some were shocked by my story, others were not surprised that the government would go to such lengths, and still others maintained disbelief, preferring to think of me as the boy who cried wolf, rather than opening themselves up to the idea that their government would do such a thing.
That weekend at vlogger con was one of the best in my life. It was euphoric getting to hang out and party with so many stellar individuals, and I am disheartened that I can only join you in sprit to tonight. I’ve always heard that the best par t of award shows are the after parties and I’m sure that it will be a rocking good time. I’ll be there for the next one.
Thanks for the awards guys. It feels good to know that I’ve been able to stir up a bit of controversy in the blogosphere and I’m touched by being awarded best male blogger.
I’d like to thank everyone who has blogged or vlogged about my situation, whether you are in agreement with what I’m doing or not, and I’d also like to thank everyone who has supported me throughout this endeavor, whether its through sending me books or letters, donating money to my legal fund or helping out with my blog, wiki or the various projects I’ve been involved with.
Thank you all and have fun tonight I’ll be out soon enough.
21 Comments
What the fuck the protest was about?People who took part went to jail too?Or just the doer of the amateur film??
(Sure the big TV companies coludn’t be punished…)
(Sweet land of liberty…..)
Well,if he was intentionally in a cause before the episode,he would be not in jail,but he would insist away in his fight at distance in a…what????”Banana republic”???
Welcome to my country,Josh!!!Don’t you wanna come???Yeah,alright,I suppose the conditions of the jail you are,they are not so bad.Yes,Big Boy!!!Heroe!!!Martyr!!!From here to eternity!!!
So many things seem artificial…the people who voted in you,that seems a confused notion of decency…
Sure,the text are obscure,but…don’t you want to come to my country,Josh???There is more than bananas …there is RICE,too!!!
(Sincerely,sure I do not hate all that is united-staters…)
It is no surprise to me that you “do not read well English.” You do not write it well, either, nor, apparently, do you think very well or accept that fundamental human rights apply to everyone, even Americans.
That words sound pretty ridiculous,it is like a delirium of utopia. My life represents a advanced stage,mainly compared with a country that proliferates sinister works from C.I.A. , F.B.I. ,Pentaghon and where is common (there is much time) psychopats and serial killers shooting from the heights.
Happy the citzen which not had contact with the rulers,the spreaded evil minds of United States.
Do you realize you’re not talking to an American? No, you do not. Because you are not very bright, but you ARE very bigoted.
Look, sweetie, my ancestors looted and burned the White House. I’m not all gung-ho Yankee. But I know a narrow-minded bigot when I see one, and I see one in your comments. Comments you can never erase or mealy-mouth away now that they’re on my site.
Well,now I discovered you are a Englishman – oh,no,that is very good!!I cannot believe!!!(laughs!!) – oh,raincoaster,excuse me,but your ancestors populated U.S.A. and in the U.S.A.,by what I know, the W.A.S.P. are the dominant class,so….better I stop,I do not like to fight…I will just say the U.S.A. are the U.S.A.,and the WASP are the WASP,at less you do not have ancestors in common with Thomas Pynchon,isn’t…?
There is the West Coast, the East Coast and I thought you were form the Gulf Of Mexico,something like that (“Raincoaster” !!!)
Sorry ,raincoaster,I do not even know the United States,I have no idea,it is a large country…it is common a brazilian “dislike” the United States because of the Militar Regim here,everybody says the Militars Governments were delivering our money to ‘em,there was the F.M.I….History always have been my worst discipline in school,but there was no this american speech putting democracy above everything on the 70’s…sorry raincoaster…
(but WASP’s are WASP’s…laughs)
No, do NOT believe.
I am not an Englishman. You are a fool.
Well,so I wish when the things become elucidative to me and my will manifest,I will put some good words here.
I will not ask your ethnic origins. Not now.
BUT I HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE JULY 28 1:13 AM IS THE BEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!
ARE YOU BRUIIIISED,RAINCOASTER?????????????
I AM,YES I AM,I AM THE MAN OF WHAT???? BANANA REPUBLIC….nnnnnooooooooooo wwwwwwwwaaaaaaayyyy
No. I am sane, which is more than can be said for you. If you’re going to be deranged, you could at LEAST be entertaining.
DID YOU LOOSE,RAINCOASTER????
IT WAS THAT EVILISH ZARATUSTRA,MY DARLING…YOU DON’T KNOW OF WHAT A COMPREENSION OF THAT BOOK DO TO THE MIND….YYEEEESSS
EXPLAIN-ME THE BANANA REPUBLIC,RAINCOASTER???PLEASE????
BE MORE VOLITIVE…HEY,RAIN…BE MORE VOLITIVE,SEEMS THAT YOU ARE OWING SOMETHING….YOU ARE LOW AND LESS INTELLIGENT THAN ME…THAT ONE RULED,TALK THE TRUTH????
“WE” ARE WILL BE AROUND,ISN’T????THAT’S rigght!!!!!
Oh, absolutely, going to ALL CAPS makes you look more rational. By all means carry on.
BANANA REPUBLIC – YOU ARE LOW – I DO NOT KNOW THE USA,BUT YOU DO NOT KNOW MY COUNTRY…..RIIIGGGHHHHTTTTTT????LAUGHS
Ha, idiot, you think your IP is untraceable?
Also, I do not understand why, with your prejudices, you are not commenting on my latest post:
http://raincoaster.com/2009/07/28/palin-poetry/
You are the idiot.
Sure I am Umberto.I thought that almost anyone could repair.
I asked the motives of the protest (what is relevant) Josh was covering and the response I get is that I ” really do not write English well” .Beyond I am brazilian,and these insult ” banana republic” I heard more than one time.That made me stressed , so I criticised Josh because he denied going to exterior and go on with his fight;he put down his fight.(Should be not too much important,is not even cited).
Well,banana republic…by example there is a plane industry at 20 miles from my house (Embraer,which compets with Bombardier and anothers).
(” fundamental rights applies to everyone,EVEN americans” …
well,so why he is in jail??)
Why “EVEN”?United States are in a lower level in these point??Maybe!!They kill in the name of democracy!!
I do not know what you mean with all of your expression,like ” MEALY-mouth” …are you talking about cocaine?My God,the last contact I had with cocaine was in 2004!!(Well,I do not know what means ” mealy”,in the case).
” Use all caps to be rational” .You are fucking fresh,raincoaster. I used only caps lock.Do not need to say my computer is cheap and my monthly rent is not high.I am sure of your hidden intentious. Indecent of you, but these do not hit me hard.
Well,you see my name -” witches on judge” – my fight is for something bigger than I supose the Josh’s one.
Seems too I am not very bright,cause I did not discoverd if
raincoaster in Canadian or what else.
You are fresh,raincoaster!!!
So,let’s go to big deal,now -COS THERE IS A THREAT I JUST CAN BEAR.ARE TOU THREATENING WITH THE POLICE,RAINCOASTER??
RAINCOASTER,I WAS TORTURED BY THE FBI.RAINCOASTER,BECAUSE OF THE RELIGIOUS VOMIT OF THE MULTIPLE MEN SAYING ALL THAT BULLSHIT I ALREADY WROTE ON THE HARRY POTTER’S PLACE,CONVINCING ME THAT I WAS NEVER IN THE UTER OF MY MOTHER,I BECAME A CRACK ADDICT AND SPENT ALMOST TWO YEARS AND A HALF INSIDE A SMALL PLACE.SO CALL THE JUSTICE,I HOPE AT LESS PUT SCHNEIDER IN A CAGE.IF I WAS LICENSED,I WOULD KILL HIM WITH MY OWN TWO HANDS.YOU DO NOT KNOW THE VIOLENCE I HAVE IN MY HEAD.NEVER THREAT ME THESE WAY,FRESH.I’LL NEVER BE IN THE USA,AND,IS MORE THAN OBVIOUS – ABSOLUTELY NO LOVE LOST.I CAN DEFENSE MYSELF – AND MORE,ACUSATE – PERFECTLY.
(raincoaster put down banana republic people because he thinks they eat only mealy)
You are the bigot!!!
BIGOT,BIGOT,BIGOT!!!