Comments on: Psychologists for Social Responsibility open letter to Robert Gates on Manning’s confinement

By: Nick

Nick — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 09:46:00 +0000

This is completely hypocritical of the US. We charge the cogs of the Nazi Party with death for following orders, when we argue that they should have disobeyed them because they were fundamentally wrong, yet we prosecute PFC Manning for doing the exact opposite under conditions that aren’t too far off from what the defendants in the Nuremburg Trials faced? Everything the US has said in its defense of the sickening treatment of PFC Manning is clearly showing its lack of respect for democracy and the system our founding fathers implemented. The Constitution was meant to be revised periodically-I say we add a clause specifically for our nation protecting whistleblowers. Maybe next time, we won’t have another Iraq or Vietnam.

By: Judith

Judith — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 04:22:10 +0000

Bradley Manning is one of 50,000 people in our prisons who is being held in solitary confinement, although I do not know if they are deprived moving around in the day time to do exercise, or a blanket and pillow on his bed. He is being psychologically tortured hoping that he will not be able to aid in his own defense. I have great sympathy for him.
It is interesting that Obama will go to bat for Michael Vick the pit bull fighter who hung or shot the losing dogs after making them fight until their skin was ripped off, and often killed during the fight while the attendees cheered for more blood to support his getting his position back with the Eagles and go to bat for his having another dog. But Obama does not care about the children in Gaza who were dying when he came into office, nor does he care about them now. He has never spoken out against the crimes that Israel commits with our governments permission and nod and $3billion a year in foreign aid to one of the wealthiest countries in the world.
WikiLeak records may very well expose the career criminals who have a tight hold on our government. If Manning had anything to do with it, he would deserve a metal of honor. Did Daniel Ellsberg to to prison under these conditions, no, because our government has become the mean violator of human rights. Obama promised our rights restored that were illegally and criminally taken under a false pretences in the Patriot Act. I donated to his candidacy, and voted for him under the promises he made. It should be criminal to lie about your intentions to get elected, when you have no intentions of fulfilling them.
Yet, here is poor Manning being treated in my opinion illegally in a military jail. The Wikileaks which Manning may or may not have had anything to do with since he has not had the benefit of a trial can rot in jail if Mrs. Clinton, Gates, and Obama can arrange it.
Maybe you can have someone pull his toenails off which would give some of the pro torture people some feelings of power. Frankly, as a 68year old woman I am terrified at what our government has become and what they are willing to do.
This is indeed a very sad day in American history because we all know that we have been overtaken by a bloodless coup when the Supreme Court appointed GW Bush as President before Florida could complete their count.
You want to add me to your terrorist list for writing this, do what you feel necessary. I am so ashamed of my country in front of the whole world, and know that they have lost respect for us. You have put us in grave danger of invasion because of the more than a million lives you have taken without cause and without regret. The wrong person is in jail.

By: Silver Wolf

Silver Wolf — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 02:59:14 +0000

Really? US citizens being held under control by terror?

Isn’t that called dictatorship?

By: Foggy

Foggy — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 23:48:32 +0000

It’s easy to see what the people want! No one wants this kind of shit going on. Like Celia says, Mannings situation is far from a rare one! But whilst we know what’s right, and we know what should be happening in these scenarios, it’s the government, the people in control, that want to keep the truth away from us.

Fuck that, and fuck them! If you’ve just been assassinated, or you’ve been shoved into prison, it would seem your on the right tracks to doing a good thing! Mannings is a true hero. And although it wouldn’t see that way if you believed the daily newspapers, that is a very rare trait in the army. In fact, it’s getting pretty damn rare in the whole world.

Well I haven’t got the power to do anything about it, it’s true. But if you are the Vice President or someone high up on politics and you’re reading this-you do have the power! You can do something about it, and until people truly stand up to it, the real hero’s are gonna keep getting arrested or shot. This is FAR from what Bradley deserves!

Keep it real
x

By: Celia Harrison

Celia Harrison — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 09:20:50 +0000

Do they send these letters for the thousands of others held in these kinds of conditions and much worse in the prisons in the U.S.? Manning gets some things others don’t. This kind of treatment is horrendous for everyone, we should be protesting all over the country about what goes on in the justice system and prisons.

By: FAY SMITH

FAY SMITH — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 02:45:35 +0000

Nobel Peace Prize indeed. I have lost all respect for Barack who does not appear to have the ability to think independently. Commander in Chief is a confusing name bestowed on US of A presidents methinks.

By: Sairz

Sairz — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 12:19:04 +0000

I understand that when he joined the military, he lost all his rights, but when you act out (allegedly) against a government who is acting against it’s general purpose; then I think all actions are justified. Sadly, he made the choice to trust another person who told on him. The problem is that the way our military is treating him is on par with a bunch of high school bullies beating up the school nerd in the locker room showers out of the view of anyone who would or could help. I think the greeting of “honorable” for the beginning of this letter was a horrible lie, there’s no honor in treating a person like we treat our mass produced food stock. I am so ashamed to live in this country these days.

By: Beryl Williams

Beryl Williams — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 10:38:15 +0000

I write to ask you to kindly spare the time to examine the treatment being meted out to Bradley Manning in prison.
Apparently he is not being granted the minimum human rights of any prisoner, due to an alleged offence which is merely political, and not a crime against society or humanity as such. It appears that his mental health has been impaired due to this treatment, which is contrary to the terms of the United Nations Charter of Human Rights.
I would urge you to ensure that he be allowed adequate exercise, a cell which is of reasonable size, and equipped, such as to be conducive to his sanity, that he be given access to literature, if not the media, and that his psychological and mental health be positively addressed by professionals.
Whatever his crimes against the machinations of the State, and whatever justification there may be for his detention at this time, this young man does not deserve to have his sanity impaired due to the conditions of his detention. I would therefore repeat, I urge you to remedy his living conditions at your very earliest convenience.
Thank you in anticipation of your kind concern, in the name of humanity.

By: Nicki

Nicki — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 10:03:00 +0000

Thank You.

Bradley Mannig deserves so much better that to be treated WORSE than a vicious animal.

the best thing for obama would be a PRESIDENTIAL PARDON.

If he ever heard of such thing.

Forget the nobel peace prize, this kid has suffered enough. PARDON HIM!