[cpks]

Anyone who runs something like WikiLeaks will be vilified. We all have something in our past -- whether a jilted lover willing to make things up about you, or a conflict at work, or whatnot. We all have some slightly unpopular political views on some subject. At the time you get into a position where you have real enemies -- which the founder of WikiLeaks does -- those become publicized and twisted. It doesn't matter who ran WikiLeaks -- the outcome would be the same.

Source: I've been in a couple of positions of minor fame, and through a divorce. In both cases, I had enemies maybe 2-3 tiers down from Julian. My past -- factually -- is squeaky clean. I know what happened to my reputation in both cases.

Footnote: Jochen Bittner is a judgmental jerk.

[jacquesm]

Any whistleblower ever - or enabler thereof - has been vilified, thrown the book at, alienated, imprisoned, tortured or even murdered.

It's a path that one does not choose lightly.