Rock legend Chrissie Hynde, lead singer and a founding member of The Pretenders, has posted a letter she wrote to President Trump asking for him to consider freeing jailed activist Julian Assange.
Hynde posted the letter to her Twitter thread on Monday, explaining how she often thinks of how much her father would have enjoyed Trump’s presidency and admitting she didn’t always agree with her dad.
“But isn’t that the American way? The right to disagree without having your head chopped off?” she asked.
The Pretenders vocalist also asked President Trump to think about pardoning Julian Assange as she prepares to head to London to protest his extradition from England’s Ecuadorian Embassy to the United States.
“I feel strongly enough to do what I believe is the right thing; to protest further punishment of a man who sought to defend Freedom, albeit in a way you rightly disagree with,” she wrote. “I know Mr. Assange broke the law (as i have done defending the treatment of animals) but I believe he has been duly punished and should now be set free. Please consider my plea.”
Dear Mr. President,
I often think of how much my father, Melville “Bud” Hynde, who proudly served his country as a Marine on Guadalcanal, would have enjoyed your Presidency. The other day when you gave that award to Rush Limbaugh, my father would have been so delighted. He loved listening to Rush, which is why I allowed my song, ‘My City Was Gone’, to be used on his radio show. My father and I didn’t always see eye-to-eye. We argued a lot but isn’t that the American way? The right to disagree without having your head chopped off?
My father and I didn’t always see eye-to-eye. We argued a lot. Soon, I will be participating in a protest in London against the extradition of #JulianAssange (@wikileaks). I know my father would be mortified, but I feel strongly enough to do what I believe is the right thing; to protest further punishment of a man who sought to defend Freedom, albeit in a way you rightly disagree with.I know Mr. Assange broke the law (as i have done defending the treatment of animals) but I believe he has been duly punished and should now be set free.
Please consider my plea.Yours truly,
Chrissie Hynde of @ThePretendersHQ
The other day when you gave that award to Rush Limbaugh, my father would have been so delighted. He loved listening to Rush, which is why I allowed my song, 'My City Was Gone', to be used on his radio show.
My father and I didn't always see eye-to-eye. We argued a lot.. [p2.]— Chrissie Hynde (@ChrissieHynde) February 17, 2020
what I believe is the right thing; to protest further punishment of a man who sought to defend Freedom, albeit in a way you rightly disagree with.
I know Mr. Assange broke the law (as i have done defending the treatment of animals) but I believe [p4.]
— Chrissie Hynde (@ChrissieHynde) February 17, 2020
he has been duly punished and should now be set free.
Please consider my plea.Yours truly,
Chrissie Hynde of @ThePretendersHQ
— Chrissie Hynde (@ChrissieHynde) February 17, 2020
Hynde’s letter was published at the perfect time as President Trump pardoned seven individuals and commuted the sentence of eleven others on Tuesday.
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