Moore Vows to Post Bail for Assange: 'We All Owe Him a Debt of Gratitude

In a legal statement posted on his website, Michael Moore has promised to post Julian Assange's $20,000 bail and says we owe the Wikileaks founder a "debt of gratitude."

The statement repeatedly refers to Assange as a "journalist" who has worked hard to expose the follies of the government, even calling Assange's actions "an act of patriotism." It says that while Moore is out out of the country, he has already deposited the money into a specific account.

The most substantial part of the statement reads:

I support Julian, whom I see as a pioneer of free speech, transparent government and the digital revolution in journalism. His commitment to exposing the follies of government and business offers the greater society a chance to protect itself from these follies. Some aren't just follies. Some are crimes. What do we do with someone who informs the authorities -- and in this case it is the free people in a democracy who are the "authorities" -- that a crime has been committed? Do we arrest HIM? Do we try to shut his mouth? Do we hound him, threaten him, track him down and hunt him as if HE is the criminal? He bravely informed the citizenry of what was being done in their name and with their tax monies. That is no crime. That is an act of patriotism. He should be thanked and honored, not abused and jailed. It dishonours this court to be used in this way, holding this man without bail. Julian has made the world, and my country in particular, a safer place. His actions with WikiLeaks have put on notice those who would take us to war based on lies that any future attempts to do so will be met by the fierce bright light provided by WikiLeaks and intended to expose those who commit their war crimes. His actions will make them think twice next time -- and for that we all owe him a debt of gratitude.

UPDATE:

The $20,000 that Moore put up was only part of the total amount of Assange's bail.