Update 6/20/12: Interview with Kevin Gosztola, Assange fears U.S. persecution, and a poem for Bradley
‘The Political Persecution & Inhumane Punishment of Pfc. Bradley Manning.’ In an interview with Revolution, Kevin Gosztola discusses a range of issues in Bradley Manning’s case, from his motives, to what he allegedly revealed, to how he’s being prosecuted. He explains the importance of supporting Manning now:
So, the case is important because of the information. It is worth following because of the fact that Manning could be in jail for life because he allegedly released this information. And it is something people should tune into and care about regardless of whether one thinks it is a done deal that Manning will be convicted and imprisoned in some supermax prison for life. People who pay attention now and show support can have an impact on the proceedings. Protests by people in the United States already forced the Pentagon to move him from Quantico. There was no guarantee that would happen. If people stand up as they did then and bring attention to how the government is prosecuting Manning, they could get charges dropped. They could force the government to drop the “aiding the enemy” charge, which would be huge because the government would like nothing more than to put him away in prison and have history remember him as a traitorous individual who betrayed his country after 9/11 and helped al Qaeda by leaking national security secrets. Supporters are certain that Manning is a selfless, courageous individual, and people can help him clear his name by standing up for him now.
Gosztola also discusses the legal petition he’s a part of to bring transparency to Bradley’s court martial. (Read more…)
Julian Assange seeks political asylum, fearing treatment brought to Bradley Manning. After UK’s high court ruled that Assange could be extradited to Sweden for questioning on sexual assault allegations, the WikiLeaks publisher requested Ecuador grant him political asylum. It’s important to note that Assange fears not Swedish questioning but instead the potential to be rendered to the United States on Espionage charges. As Glenn Greenwald notes, Assange has seen how the U.S. treats Bradley Manning and likely believes a similar fate awaits him:
Assange need merely look at what the U.S. has done to Bradley Manning, accused of leaking documents and other materials to WikiLeaks: the Army Private was held for almost a year in solitary confinement conditions which a formal U.N. investigation found were “cruel, inhuman and degrading,” and he now faces life in prison, charged with a capital offense of aiding Al Qaeda.
This is an immediate example of the chilling effect of the prosecution of Bradley Manning. Bradley was held in cruel confinement conditions and the U.S. refuses to allow the U.N. Torture Chief to visit him. We can only expect this chilling effect to spread as the aggressive persecution of Bradley intensifies. (Read more…)
A poem for Bradley Manning. Supporter j weinberger shares this poem written for the Nobel Peace Prize nominee:
Bradley
in your cell
your self
and we in ours
our
selfs
composed
of atoms
atomized
exposed
we tell truths too
debate
go off
it’s not so bad
make plans
protest
even for you
dinner at 8
I read they isolated you for so so long
solitary confinement and
it’s killed your soul
Bradley
I see your photograph on the screen
each pixelated frame
locked
in the synapse of a dulldoomed culture
in the space
between ten million unlocked rooms
beckoning these thresholds of freedom
we must surpass
to the blindly stubborn or stubbornly blind
a blade to shred deadly fear
dull from abuse we let shed on ourselves
between celebrity and martyrdom
balanced like
they like
your image hovers
a misshapen beacon
equilibrium lost
dramatic tension preceding the fall
the vapid vulture fest
time to change the channel
(or turn turn turn?)
as from your cell
your self
to we in ours
atomized
composed
you shout to us some secret
with the secrets you
exposed
j weinberger / june 2012
I think of you every day. , I know how hard it is to watch injustice.
You can live with your heart. I am proud of you!
Great info and straight to the point. I am not sure if this is in fact the best place to ask but do you folks have any thoughts on where to get some professional writers? Thanks