Addressing confusion about Bradley Manning's case
Our new article answers
common misconceptions about Bradley's case-- for those who have just begun, or those who have been following his case for awhile. Here are just a few excerpts from some key points. Please read and share the
complete text here.
Bradley Manning fits the definition of a whistle-blower (not a traitor). In online discussions attributed to Bradley, he says that he hopes his actions will spur "discussion, debates, and reforms" and that he "want[s] people to know the truth, no matter who they are, because without information you cannot make informed decisions as a public." This is the classic definition of a whistle-blower...
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It is inappropriate and abusive to attempt to use the Espionage Act against Bradley Manning. Bradley was given access to classified documents (of various levels of secrecy) as a military intelligence analyst. In the course of doing his job, it appears that he became aware of information that was classified not for legitimate purposes, but for purposes of political convenience...
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Did Bradley leak documents "indiscriminately"? Bradley held a Top Secret clearance while working as an army intelligence analyst in Iraq. Yet the vast majority of documents he is accused of leaking consisted of low-level classified documents—about half of the documents were even "unclassified". Of those that were classified, most were simply "Confidential." About 11,000 documents were "Secret." None of the released documents were "Top Secret," the highest classification...
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Council of Europe condemns U.S. treatment of Bradley Manning
European Human Rights Watchdog Blasts "Cult of Secrecy"
Two days ago the Council of Europe issued a draft resolution today condemning a "cult of secrecy" which the human rights organization says has allowed Western security and intelligence services to routinize the concealment of violent crimes and other rights abuses. The Council's Rapporteur, Dick Marty, stressed the "fundamental role" of whistleblowers like PFC Bradley Manning in holding governments accountable for their illegal and unjust behavior.
"Bradley Manning acted as a whistleblower and should be treated as such," the report concluded. "We therefore join Amnesty International in expressing our worries as to the treatment he receives."
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Please help us continue to advocate for Bradley Manning!
From the earliest days of the Bradley Manning campaign, the mainstream media has painted a false portrait of Bradley. Bradley is a young working class man who overcame great challenges in his life. If Bradley did what he is accused of, he is a hero who risked everything for justice and transparency, to help make our country live up to its best ideals.
But too often the mainstream media has ignored the truths revealed by the WikiLeaks cables. Instead, they focused their stories on Bradley’s sexual history and working-class childhood. The articles about him were filled with gossip, not insights into U.S. foreign policy. And few journalists covered the prolonged solitary confinement Bradley was suffering — conditions which have been likened to torture. Read More.
Will Your Help Us Keep the Media Advocacy Work?
Donations to the Bradley Manning campaign have dwindled. While at the outset there was a fund specific to the media advocacy for Bradley, the Support Network has had to absorb this expense for several months.
We’ve reached out to major donors to
help cover the costs, but so far no one has stepped forward to ensure this effort continues.
Our organizational costs are minimal. We pay hard costs – like postage, website maintenance, and t-shirts – as well as the salaries of two part-time employees. While we sometimes have other costs (like a video or part-time help for big projects), our operating costs are remarkably low because we are mostly volunteers. Our only major expenses are Bradley’s legal fees and the media advocacy campaign.
Covering the costs of the media advocacy work for September and October will necessitate us raising $16,000. As a network, we’ve previously raised over ten times that much,
so we know this is possible. But we need
you. Will you
donate today to help us win Bradley’s case in the court of public opinion?
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