Freedom - A Petition to Free Darko Milicic

Politicians say the word as though a mantra, repeating it ad nauseum until it has lost any semblance of a meaning. But what is it really? It's more than just the ability to go to the nearest superstore and buy a discount dvd. It's more than just a voting booth with the unclothed wizard behind the curtain. And it's more than just another word for nothing left to lose.

Freedom, ultimately, is about opportunity. And opportunity is, ultimately, what we Masters of the Klondike seek. We've taken our name from the renegade band of ragtag missanthropes, swindlers, heroes, adventurers, malingerers, patriots, mercenaries, and desperadoes, whom, in the early days of her statehood, turned Alaska from a vast and desolate moonscape and transformed her into a veritable final judgement and test on the limits of the human spirit in conditions of unknowable harshness. Against the wishes and orders of their governmental superiors the Masters of the Klondike, taking their cue from Lazarillo and the new world adventurers, turned the demonic Alaskan landscape into a process of discovery. Young men sallied forth like majestic, indeed, divinely ordained picarros, past crevasse and canyon, past blank and barren calderas, past frozen rivers and ravenous wolves, to discover, again and again their manhood. Although many, indeed most, perished on their search for the mother lode, falling to the extremes of cold, hunger, the crushing power of polar bears and wolves, a place in history was carved by these Pale Riders. They were tested and proven worthy. The Masters of the Klondike carved gold from frozen mountains and etched their visages into history.

And that is what we too seek, greatness. Though the wilderness is vast and terrible, we seek the opportunity to sally forth and test our mettle. That is why we have joined together to free the enslavement of one held in check far too long. To give him the opportunity others have had to discover the greatness buried within him. We seek to free Darko Milicic!

Ever since he has entered the league Darko has had to silently bear the insults and indignities of being restrained, denied, the chance to show what he could do. Unfairly compared to those who have been given the freedom to show their abilities Darko has been openly maligned as unworthy. All we ask is that this be rectified, that Darko have the chance that his forbears have.

In his own words, "Everybody has got a chance to play, even the rookies who just camethis year," Milicic said. "I didn't get a chance. I was playing and everybody said great job, great job - then I don't play."

Our demands are not unreasonable, just a spot in the rotation. Twenty minutes a night is all we're asking for, and we're not willing to wait any longer. Unleash the hidden tiger locked inside this strange and wayward boy, LET HIM PLAY. Though at times he seems trepid, there is boiling blood in those veins ready for a challenge. He is not, as so many claim, talentless. He is merely miscast in a play. He would have made a perfect knight in a different century, or a very good pagan prince in a time of heroes. He was just sent to the wrong team, on the wrong side of river, with the ability to do anything and everything with a basketball, but finding nothing he's able to do.

The time for patience is past, the time for play is now. Join us, sign our banner, unleash the beast within.

Sign here to FREE DARKO!!!!!