What Can I Do?
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I’m just one person, what can I do to help save Bradley Manning?
Our network is made up of people as well as organizations. Even if you are all on your own, there are many ways you can reach out in your community and beyond. Here are 10 ways people can get involved. Have other ideas? Leave them in the comments!
- Sign our petition to free Bradley Manning! Sign the petition at www.standwithbrad.org
- Write a letter to your representatives. Send a letter to your representatives in Congress and the President expressing your support for Bradley Manning and calling for his release.
- Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Explain that you and thousands of others believe that the Collateral Murder video belongs in the public domain and should never have been classified. If Bradley Manning did release that video, he was exposing war crimes and the charges against him should be dropped. You may be able to find your local newspapers’ contact information here.
- Reach out to activist, government transparency, media reform and peace organizations in your community. Many of these organizations are already concerned about Bradley Manning. Ask them to pass resolutions in support for Bradley Manning and calling for his immediate release, and to let us know by emailing press at bradleymanning dot org.
- Link to bradleymanning.org. Put links on websites, Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, blogs or anywhere else. In your own words, explain what we’re trying to do and why you think it’s important for everyone to stand up for Bradley Manning.
- Volunteer. Your skills can make a difference. We need people writing articles, soliciting organizations for support, making YouTube videos, creating posters and working on our campaign. Visit bradleymanning.org/stay-in-touch/ to learn more.
- Donate. The Bradley Manning defense fund, hosted by Courage to Resist, will be instrumental in this case. Every donation – even just $10 – can make a difference. Please visit www.couragetoresist.org/bradley or write a check to “Courage to Resist” and mail it to Courage to Resist, 484 Lake Park Ave #41, Oakland CA 94610. Make sure to note “Bradley Manning Defense” on the memo line.
- Hold a whistleblower houseparty. Everyone likes to party, but why not use a gathering of friends as a way to spread awareness about Bradley Manning? Hand out whistles as party favors and collect donations for the Bradley Manning defense fund.
- Organize a public viewing of the Collateral Murder video. You can find local theaters, coffee shops, art spaces or even private homes that might let you screen the video. Announce it on the Internet and in community calendars.
- Talk to your friends and family. Many people still don’t know about Bradley Manning’s imprisonment. Others haven’t seen the Collateral Murder video. Show them the video, tell them about Bradley Manning and tell them why you believe in the campaign. Then ask them to join us.
Together, we can make a difference.
Add a banner to your emails that links to bradleymanning.org.
Instructions for adding a banner that generates automatically every time you create an email can be found at:
http://backstabberreport.com/add-email-siggy/
This is a fine page if you already know what it’s all about. But the only place easily found that tells is under the ABOUT button.
There should be a button that’s says: WHY BRADLEY SHOULD BE FREE!! So those in total/partial ignorance can easily find out why.
Thank You Bradley Manning;
My family and I are forever in your debt for your contribution and leadership in protecting freedom by standing up to those that abuse it. I hope that your supporters find a way to free you.
Peace,
Kyle Wyenberg
Canada
what did he do wrong
I have a few questions.
Isn’t there some law that was passed by your president Bush to have all the information on JFK released? Wouldn’t those laws apply to this case? What is his lawyer doing with the Freedom of Information Act? I’m a Canadian and I really don’t know much about politics but I do know that if your willing to do something you better be willing to stand up and say you did it. That’s just a moral human standard that all should live by. There seems to be no problem in pointing fingers and rallying the American citizens when another country’s citizen(s) kills an American(s). I believe it is referred to as a “terrorist attack”. That is usually big news and mentioned on all media. Well, what do you call what this video shows? Shouldn’t these soldiers be held to the same standard as the rest of the world? Why have you arrested the man telling the truth and set the American soldiers committing a terrorist attack free? Doesn’t your country pride itself on freedom of speech or is that just an illusion?
We raise our children to have values, morals and courage; and your country condemns it’s son for standing up for what’s right and not hiding a hideous truth that your other sons committed. Your spanking the wrong child. What message do you think your sending? Shame on you for that.
If you find he was in the wrong or went about obtaining justice the wrong way and broke some security law in the process by all means correct the young man. But you have not done your job. You forgot to prosecute the ones involved in the terrorist attack. If the tables were turned and the exact scenario was performed on a group of Americans this news would be front page for a long time. Not brushed under the rug because you are ashamed. Not taking it out on the messenger to cover it up. This is a black mark on the other 98% of soldiers who are dedicated to protecting and serving your country. Not to mention the faith in the leaders of your country for allowing this horrible situation to be brushed under the rug. They should be protecting from the racist ideals that caused the attack in the first place. The soldiers acting like judge, jury and firing squad should not have preconceived notions or emotions to base justifying the killing of innocent civilians of any country. Hard facts. These soldiers saw something in the hands of these men but had not confirmed what was in the hands of these men. Through assumption based on fear or racism these soldiers made a false diagnosis obtaining permission to open fire on civilians and they should be prosecuted on the evidence and facts.
Well done for having the courage to stand up and inform the world of the crimes of the US military.
The Army is at fault in not providing an explaination.
Pvt. Manning was morally right in telling the world of this horrible event.
The army must examine the action and determine if firing at the target was justified or even intentional. There is a question here ? as firing an automatic weapon from a whirrling, turning gunship is not pin point accurate. The experience of the gunners and the mission they were assigned are a question for the army to answer??
How can we win the war on terrorism if we are terrorists ourselves? Praise Manning for leaking this video. After watching “Collateral Murder”, I legitimately asked myself how proud I was to be an American. And I can honestly say not very.
HiI´m Stefan and I am from Bavaria;Germany.I just read Bradleys story in a newspaper and feel very sorry for him.I think it´s not a crime to expose war crimes and for me it`s a horrible thought that this brave young man will be in prison for the rest of his life.There are many poor people on this planet,but I can understand brad in a special way,why he felt so isolated,cos I´m gay like him and also often was very isolated,because Bavaria is very conservative,very catholic and so a lot of people dont like homosexual people.My big problem is,that all the supporters seem to be american,what can I do here in Germany,I really want to support him ,because I had ters in my eyes when I read his story.I want him to know that many people fight for him,also in foreign countries,he should never have the feeling he is alone.It`s a scandal when he goes in prison for fifty years and soldiers who committed this crimes are in freedom,it would show me again that the worlds very unfair and disgusting sometimes
Can he use the internet in jail ?
Dude what you did is something unbelievable.Surely you have many offers, I saw that they moved Wikileaks servers, but if they/you need some help, i´m from Argentina, we can help you guys.
You started this in a very brave way and now you’re, unfortunately, paying for it, but the information can not be stopped, if you need help do not hesitate to contact us.
I hope you get your freedom soon !
Hey dudes,here is again stefan from Germany.Can anyone tell me,how I can help him the most,because I feel so powerless.I do not want him to spent the rest of his life in prison.Although he is a hero for many people,it does not help him,when he is in prison til he is an old man,this thought breaks my heart,that sounds ridiculous but I really feel sympathy for him.It was really brave,he is a kind of hero,but heroes often have a cruel life.As you see Sophie and Hans Scholl were German heroes,who fought against nazi ideology,but they were executed by the state.Rosa luxemburg was also a brave woman who fought for better conditions in the society and for freedom in the fist world war,she was also tortured and sent to prison many times.She was then executed by a military person,very cruel.you see,it is not always good to be a hero,but I am really,really afraid of him and I have the feeling I canot do something as a poor student from Germany.Please answer me,what I can do and communicate with me about Bradley,I would like to have some communication here,so please write back to me,if you do not want it is also ok
Dear Bradley,
People like you, Daniel Ellsberg and Julian Assange are the bright lights in a dark, dark world. You dared to put your own freedom on the line for a chance to do right thing. It is a rare thing to see such courage and responsibility.
As a concerned citizen of this world, I thank you for restoring a bit of hope for all of us.
Keep up the good fight. We are with you.
Quote from Ron Paul, a republican Tea Party endorsed politician I usually disagree with. But on Wikileaks I do agree with him:
“In a free society we’re supposed to know the truth. In a society where truth becomes treason, then we’re in big trouble. And now, people who are revealing the truth are getting into trouble for it.”
Truth is a crime in an empire of lies…
2 Stefan: I know 2 small things you can do:
1-use your own email addresses and facebook (or hyves or twitter) account to spread the word; I am quite sure none of my friends here in the Netherlands had heard of Bradley a week ago but now I’m sure many of them know and thanks to Wikileaks there is much to refer to with hyperlinks these days:)
2-throughout life (try to) maintain integrity when facing injustices and help those who are in need. Bradley showed the way, we all can follow his example on a smaller scale and speak out when our fellow human beings are confronted with injustices…
“alle Menschen werden Bruder”
2Patrick,thank u for answering me,the idea is good,we must help our brother and built a strong community against this injustice.Without Manning,the world woud not have seen this warcrimes and for that he should go in jail,thats stupid.I read an chat of bradley when he talked to Lamo the…….who was the reason,why he is in jail.In this chat you could see he is an idealistic man
Dear Manning, really wanna protect you!
Just hold on, and the weight of the world will give you the strength to go!
Hold on, you are our personal hero!
Bradley Manning is a hero and so is Julian Assange. In my opinion the most we can do for these people is to never forget the sacrifices that these two are making in the name of true freedom of information and true freedom of speech. I only hope the day will come when I can also step up and make the kind of impact that these two have.
Now we finally see the true power that one person can have against the entire world in the name of truth and justice. Long live the power of one!
2 Josh,do not be angry with me,because what you say is right,but it does not help Bradley to see him as a hero and do not forget what he did,when he is in jail and his life ruined.He should get out of jail,but i am afraid he will not.This rally makes mme wanna cry,we have have to do everything to fight for his freedom,so that this brave young man has a good life and is not in jail until hhe is an old man.HE MUST GET FREE,but you are right Josh we are not allowed to forget him,but that is not enough we have to do more
I can understand how the actions of the gunner and everyone else involved can be justified. There was a man with an RPG aiming it at the heli. What cannot be justified, and what I find hideous, disgusting, and against the core of American morals is that he was imprisoned for this. This is the ultimate act of patriotism. If anything he should be rewarded.
Hope they didn’t hurt him in there.Prison is not what he deserves.Some time I wonder what they do that for?
I would just hope that Bradley can hold out until he is released.
I will do all I can to help spread the word. And I also hope that Julian Assange stands alongside Bradley for I reckon Assange will get released sooner than B. Manning.
Someone wrote something from Beethoven’s 9th in their post.
“Alle Menschen werdet Brüder”
Indeed. There’s always hope. And I hope Bradley Manning will be able to listen to music very soon. The word needs to spread!!! It cannot be possible to imprison someone for this length of time without a conviction!
I hope you all read the article in Salon today
http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2010/12/14/manning/
This injustice has to end.
can we write letters to Bradley, send him books or films, and if so, how? if we are located outside the USA, can you help us send him letters/books/films? does he have access to a computer/tv/dvdplayer/mp3player in his cell?
pls reply to my email address (but keep it private). many thanks.
It’s now obvious that all governments are just big wealth redistribution programs, serving the apex of the pyramid.
Military justice is to justice as military music is to music.
A Typical Day for PFC Bradley Manning
http://www.armycourtmartialdefense.info/2010/12/typical-day-for-pfc-bradley-manning.html
What else can one do?
Send him a card or letter from anywhere.
He is not allowed to receive items, books, CDs, etc., he hasn’t ordered and gotten prior approval.
He has no access to the web or phone.
http://bradleymanning.org/15364/holiday-cards-for-bradley-mannings-freedom/
If you’re on Facebook invite others worldwide to write to him.
http://www.facebook.com/event.html?eid=174899742523541¬if_t=event_wallwall_posts
Save the private Manning ! Save the private Assange !
No one deserve this treatment if he’s not a violent terrorist.
America, what’s your motto here? Save the bankrupts and accuse free thinkers? Shame!
People should know about one result of the Wikileaks “collateral murder” video. When one of the soldiers, Ethan McCord, saw it and recognized himself in the video, trying to save the lives of children but being told to leave them behind, that cemented his opposition to war.
Look up Ethan McCord on the internet. Good stuff there. He has stated: “I saw no accomplishments whatever in Iraq. We are causing more harm than good.”
He urges taxpayers to remember that they contribute to war with their taxes.
I am a conscientious objector to military taxation. If we had lots more such COs, the wars would have to stop.
Thank you everyone for sending cards and donations for Bradley Manning!
all the best, Jan
The 1st amendment lies in tatters. A man standing up for freedom and exposing murder is falsely imprisoned whilst war criminals walk free. Shame on the USA and the rest of the complicit world and media.
There is something disturbingly Nazi-esque about this.
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
Jamie, It is not only the 1st amendment that lies in tatters…it is the entire constitution and the ten commandments of this so called “christian” nation. Oh…yes all the jewish laws as well. Actually the basic laws of all religions. There are few crimes that the us government is not guilty of. Bradley Manning is an honorable young man who should be praised and not punished.
I have signed the petition, written to the base commander and sent a small donation. I hope there will be a group formed in my city soon.
Bradley you are in my thought daily and will do everything in my power help free you.
I read every comment left by people on this site as I get them via email.
I must say, it’s nice to hear from people who have a heart and mind. And like Susy, every single day I think about Bradley Manning. Everyone supporting him is great. It takes courage to step up and swim against the current, Bradley more than most. He deserves nothing less than the most deepest respect for doing what he did. The US is funny that way: the government and the military nestled within that structure is almost draconian as an entity against anyone who dares to challenge the codex. Bradley Manning challenged that in a very profound way.
Yeah, all I can say is: I’ll defend what he did towards anyone I know and spread the word as best I can.
I wish i had his courage, but i have the strength to fight to fight for his freedom! anyone interested in organizing a rally for him in new orleans, feel free to respond. you can friend me on FB- natalie paesani, and lets help this guy the best we can. This city has a good response to activists. i will start organizing while i wait to hear from you- and if not, look for me in jackson square- i will stand there with a sign all day alone if i have to. educate..and change the world
I am a South African citizen who lived through the dark days of South Africa’s ‘Apartheid’ state. What USA gov is doing to Bradley Manning reminds me so much of what South African Apartheid gov did to so many South African citizens. Just as your state is arguing about Bradley, our apartheid government told us the violation of human rights was for our own good and defence from terrorists. WAKE UP the good people of United States!!. This is how the erosion of democracy begins and tyrants start to rule. First they will start by picking on champions of human rights, just like Bradley, and before you know it you will have terrible dictators in your government and liberty freedom and democracy will be no more in your country. The real threat to your country is not from terrorists, it is when human rights and the rule of just law begin to be eroded. Just like what is happening to Bradley.
Val
Here is a video of a song about the Wikileaks revelation of 3 Middle East oil kings asking the US to attack Iran:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDiligJLvoU
We Three Sheiks
(to “We 3 Kings” carol and “We will rock them” chant by Queen)
by Dick Ochs
We three sheiks of petroleum say Em B7 Em
Wikileaks exposed us today Em B7 Em
Bomb Iran – that was our plan Em D G
to be done by the USA Em B7 Em
Oh, Oh, D D7
Bribes of wonder, bribes of fright G C G
To send our bombers in the night G C G
Eastward leading, still proceeding Em D C D
Blood for oil – a dreadful sight G C G
Saudi, Qatar and King of Bahrain Em B7 Em
With mud on their faces, looking inane Em B7 Em
Money that talks, oil that hollers Em D G
Our mercenary shame Em B7 Em
(transition to “rock them” chant, accompanied by “stomp,stomp,clap” or percussion equivalent)
Mud on their face! Big disgrace! Em
Wagging the dog all over the place! Em
Wi … ki … leaks … will … STOP THEM Em C
We will, we will STOP THEM Em C
We two heroes of Wikileaks are Em B7 Em
Bradley Manning and Julian Assange Em B7 Em
We stopped the next war – pain, blood and gore Em D G
following yonder star Em B7 Em
Oh, Oh, D D7
Bribes of wonder, bribes of fright G C G
To send our bombers in the night G C G
Eastward leading, still proceeding Em D C D
Blood for oil – a dreadful sight G C G
Bradley Manning thrown in a hole Em B7 Em
Julian Assange is next to go Em B7 Em
Fighting for us and facing their martyrdom Em D G
Unless we all say “hell no!” Em B7 Em
(chant accompanied by “stomp,stomp,clap” or percussion equivalent)
Hands off Assange! Free Bradley now! Em
Raise lots of hell and we know how! Em
We … owe … them … their … FREEDOM! Em C
We will, we will FREE THEM! Em C
These three wars for oil and pipelines Em B7 Em
Insanity, torture, drones and war crimes Em B7 Em
Provoking more terror, blind to the error Em D G
Tit … for tat a long … time Em B7 Em
(chanting to the end, accompanied by “stomp,stomp,clap” or percussion equivalent)
Lying to our face! Big disgrace! Em
Running their dogs all over the place! Em
Mer-cen-ary contract! Em C
Our dem-oc-racy hijacked! Em C
Oil on their face, big disgrace! Em
Stop occupations, putting lives to waste! Em
We will, we will stop them! Em C
We will, we will stop them! Em C
No war for oil! Squandering our toil! Em
Blown minds and bodies, blood in the soil! Em
We will, we will stop them! Em C
We will, we will stop them! Em C
My heart breaks for all political prisoners around the world. Mr. Manning, the fact that we are not honoring your fearless act and yourself, as a hero of our time, I don’t understand.
Countless Americans and citizens of the World know your name and keep you in their thoughts, as I do. We blend into our urban backdrops but we will stand with you, where it counts. Thank you for your sacrifice. I wish we had the Power to instantly correct the injustices before us, but it will take time to move the forces we are up against. Together in the fight for Truth and Justice!
the pictures are telling everything….. Who don´t understand what is humanity, is a sick poor devil. Is this the american way of life? I think it´s the way of a sick society of
conservative, piggy and smug people like George W Bush´s clan and the new tee party too. they changed the american dream of freedom to a dream of a new worldorder with the help of their weapons, where they are the only leaders and lawmakers. but they forget that:
“everybody in the world wants to be free and all informations for all means real democracy.”
all germans philosophers and all real humans in the world are on the site of organisations like wiki-leaks and peoples like Bradley Manning are the real heros in the world.
keep up the good work. good things are existing because people existing who believing in it.
the truth will be winning!
Bradley Manning is reportedly gay; what is being planned to actually rescue of Bradley Manning?
Does anyone believe that he is receiving the treatment that is best for him, medically speaking, or legally? So, what are the avenues for taking him out of the prison he is in and getting him the environment which is appropriate? He can be physically removed by thousands invading the place, or the buildings can be surrounded by thousands of supporters, just like the people of Egypt are doing, or Congress can be mobbed to shame them into some weak, sniveling, gestures, as they usually do. But, hey, this guy has done a lot for us Americans who have been itching to have better documentation about the US military thugs who are robbing us blind so that they can play their “arcade games” with real victims.
Lets get Bradley Manning out of their bloody clutches. So how? How about a march on the facility? Set a time and where to assemble. Lets get as many a possible. Mobilize the gay community. Don’t ask, don’t tell is out, so lets ask and tell them we want Manning out now. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’ve just seen a broadcasting on german TV that included parts of the video. Although I already knew what had happened I was shocked. There is no justification for the killing of civilians or wounded people, and hence no legitimacy of accusing Mr. Manning. He has my deepest respect and admiration. I hope I will be as brave as he was when I’m challenged to show courage.
Just saw the video on German TV.Incredible please let Bradley free.He has nothing done wrong
Das Verhalten der Mörder im Hubschrauber sowie ihrer Vorgesetzen ist eine Schande für die USA. Auch das die Tat vertuscht wird und die Mörder frei herumlaufen ist unerträglich. Ich bewundere Bradley Manning für seinen Mut und ich verabscheue seine Folterknechte. Als deutscher weiss ich dass man zu den Verbrechen seiner Landsleute stehen muss, dass man dafür Sorge tragen muss solchen in Zukunft zu verhindern. Wenn die USA eine ordende und akzeptierte Weltmacht sein wollen, täte Präsident Obama gut daran für Gerechtigkeit zu sorgen. Die Mörder und ihre Vorgesetzten müssen bestraft werden. Bradley Mannings ist sofort auf freien Fuss zu setzen.
Bradley,(Bra) Arkadasim uzulme 100 yill da hapiste kalsan sen vijdanina yalan söyleyemedin huzurlu ol sen ve Asker mccard iyi insanlarsiniz. (Türkis)
Liebe Bradley und Soldat Mccard seit ihr gute Menschen habe keine sorgen eure Sele ist Reibn wie Kleine Kinder unschuldig. (Germany)
Gelek Hewalan, Bradley u Lesker Mccard wen Merfen basin, win 100 saliji kewine Zindani ne tirsin wir bi wijdane ne win merfi temiz bina zaranin.(Kurdi)
Salom, Grüße, Selamlar
Baran
One of the most disturbing aspects of WikiLeaks and Mannings controversy comes from the Neurenberg Trial which concludd that anyone who knew of Hitlers crimes against humanity and did not reveal them were equally guilty. Manning and WikiLeaks had a humane obligation to expose what they knew. Anything else would have been criminal (or should be). I think that’s what scares those in Wash D.C.
Thank you, Richard Ochs for song to march with (Jan 26 and youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDiligJLvoU )- it makes so much difference to have songs for the struggle; this really works. xxxxx
Bradley is being crucified slowly for loving humanity more than the country of his birth. He chose justice over law. I salute this man. His name is now gold.
Manning’s lawyer David E. Coombs has also been posting information about the conditions under which Manning is being detained on his blog. So how is a suspected military whistleblower treated? Here’s Coomb’s on a day in the life of Bradley Manning on 18 December 2010.
Things can change fast. Manning was placed on suicide watch on 18 January — over the recommendation of two forensic psychiatrists. Is suicide watch a protective or a punitive measure? On filing a complaint about Manning being deemed a suicide risk, Coombs posted the following on 21 January:
“The suicide risk assignment meant that PFC Manning was required to remain in his cell for 24 hours a day. He was stripped of all clothing with the exception of his underwear. His prescription eyeglasses were taken away from him. He was forced to sit in essential blindness with the exception of the times that he was reading or given limited television privileges. During those times, his glasses were returned to him. Additionally, there was always a guard sitting outside of his cell watching him.”
Coombs’s appeal was successful and Manning was returned to prevention of injury watch (POI).
“Life for PFC Manning, however, is not much better now that he has been returned to POI watch. Like suicide risk, he is held in solitary confinement. For 23 hours per day, he will sit in his cell. The guards will check on him every five minutes by asking him if he is okay. PFC Manning will be required to respond in some affirmative manner.
“At night, if the guards cannot see him clearly, because he has a blanket over his head or is curled up towards the wall, they will wake him in order to ensure that he is okay. He will receive each of his meals in his cell. He will not be allowed to have a pillow or sheets. He will not be allowed to have any personal items in his cell. He will only be allowed to have one book or one magazine at any given time to read. The book or magazine will be taken away from him at the end of the day before he goes to sleep.
“He will be prevented from exercising in his cell. If he attempts to do push-ups, sit-ups, or any other form of exercise he will be forced to stop. He will receive one hour of exercise outside of his cell daily. The guards will take him to an empty room and allow him to walk. He will usually just walk in figure eights around the room until his hour is complete. When he goes to sleep, he will be required to strip down to his underwear and surrender his clothing to the guards.”
Bradley Manning exposed a war crime by the US military and is now awaiting a trial by US military. A disturbing paradox. Is there any way someone in Australia can make a protest to an office, department or congressman in the US?
Hi,
Saw the WickiLeaks program on Australian television last night.
The video footage of news men and innocent by standers being blown to bits with hollow nosed cannon shells was chilling, but no more chilling than the war crimes committed in Vietnam in the 70s, when men women and children were herded into a ditch and slaughtered on the orders of a certain Colonel C.
That guy and his men were arrested too. But an outcry from average Americans, who presumably thought it was o.k for their soldier boys to butcher women and children, meant that those Vietnam mass killers went scot free.
Like it or not, there are some people who do not care how many innocent people are tortured or blown to bits in over seas war zones, but those same people went ape shit when the twin towers were attacked.
When will people realize that WAR is a war crime, that men in wars become brutalized and will act like wild beasts just to survive. Democratic purity sounds pretty hollow when you’re spilling innocent blood in brutal, pointless wars.
Bradley Manning is a hero to any right thinking person… The war loving neo nazis will go on calling for his blood and shiny medals for their mass killing war criminals.
Alan
So if me and my friends write a letter to Bradley, what is ‘contraband’ that will be disposed of?
I mean, can I say what I think about what he did, how supportive I really am and how unjust I think this war is? or would that be thrown out?
I really do want to know…
I can adjust the letter to be vaguer, just generally supportive, if that’s what it takes to get through.
I worry that all the solitary confinement is getting to him, and think letters might help him keep his sanity. If he knows there are people supporting him…
What kind of leaked intelligence are we talking about?
It is worth bringing up the question of sensitive as opposed to top secret intelligence.
Top secret, battle field intelligence…
is what they gathered from the ‘Enigma’ machine in the second world war. The capture of this encoding machine in a German submarine meant that the allied forces could pinpoint german U-boats before they attacked vital shipping in the Atlantic. The allied navy sank many German subs this way. The German admiral knew nothing about the capture of the Enigma machine, he thought he had a mole who was feeding the allies vital naval intelligence.
Nobody would have defended a person who made the capture of the enigma machine public. That man would be the worst kind of traitor, pure and simple. Because the intelligence he made public would certainly cost the lives of brave seamen who were trying to supply the UK with vital supplies and weapons to defend herself from an all out attack by the nazis.
This hypothetical traitor would have been hanged if convicted… No problem from me, the death penalty would have been just. Britain was fighting for it’s very survival and traitors were helping the enemy to kill their own countrymen on mass.
Sensitive intelligence…
is not top secret battle field intelligence, but the kind of thing the army, any army does not want the general public to know about. It will endanger no man on the battle field or working under cover, because said intelligence is already history, as useless to a potential enemy as the vintage enigma machine.
Old cases of blue on blue, or so called, friendly fire. It should not happen, but it does. Vintage cases of soldiers not following the rules of engagement. Old cases of soldiers handing prisoners over to the locals to be tortured. Vintage war crimes that give the generals red faces but do not lead to dead soldiers or undercover agents.
The army will need to decide if, Bradley Manning made top secret, or sensitive intelligence public. From what I can gather, it was the latter and not the former. I hope the trial is fair and the outcome just.
Alan
usa is a sick country
Bradley did, what anyone with a humanitarian consciousness should do: show obvious crimes to the world. US soldiers have been shooting into a crowd of innocent civilians just like Nazi-officers did in Poland and Russia. Just like Ghaddafi mercenaries are acting right now. To me Bradley is a hero.
I do not understand why this man is being kept in solitary confinement. Any intelligence that he wished to make public, has already been made pubic… Always assuming that he leaked any intelligence in the first place. A person is innocent until proven guilty, even in a military court.
Solitary confinement is actually a subtle kind of torture, a softening up process, used extensively by German and Japanese forces in the second world war. To break a person’s spirit and make them go mad with fear, to extract intelligence or confessions, including false confessions.
The Australian Gitmo detainee, David Hicks said he would have confessed to anything by the time they had finished with him. To say that solitary confinement is not torture is like saying water boarding is not torture. It insults even the meanest intelligence.
Because a high and mighty president or military general repeats a lie does not make it true.
Because the liberal media is gagged and the war mongering, ‘Fox News’ is allowed to broadcast it’s racist bullshit, certain ill informed Americans still think the Iraqi people are responsible for flying planes into the twin towers.
Talk about spreading confusion and fear… In fact Iraq had nothing to do with that attack. It had no WOMDs either, the CIA knew it and if they knew it the government knew it.
Why do certain people want to bullshit the American people, to feed them lies and make the truth a military secret?
The powers that be are now telling the public that the Afghan war is necessary that it‘s winnable… Wrong on both counts.
You do not go after a hand full of committed terrorists by making war on a whole country. You do not promote democratic ideals by slaughtering men women and children and then mumble some crap about collateral damage.
What Bradley leaked was the premeditated collateral murder of innocent civilians.
The Afghan people will not thank us for waging total war and then leaving them with a legacy of unexploded cluster bombs.
Bombs that their kids find and use as toys. Ever seen what a cluster bomb does to a child? These kids do not want American style democracy, they want to play in the bush without getting their limbs blown off.
War is not cool, it is a crime against humanity. People need to realise this… Bradley Manning tried to make people aware of this as a person who saw cold blooded war crimes and wanted to make them public.
Some people think that bombs are just fine… Fired into some Afghan or Iraqi house.
But how would they feel if that bomb was entering their house, killing their loved ones, their precious children… Not just a computer game then. Not even for the right wing gung-ho viewers of ‘Fox News.’
Go after the local terrorist nut jobs and bring them to justice by all means… But leave the over seas innocents alone.
Alan
By the way…
In British and Australian courts, if it is proved that a suspect has been tortured or pre judged by the media, the case is automatically thrown out of court.
If there was any real justice in America, that would happen in this case.
But we are talking about a country that threatens suspects with solitary, with life behind bars if they do not go in for what is laughably called, ‘Plea Bargaining.’
An expedient practice in a country where virtually everything can be called a crime if some state functionary wants it to be, including the act of reporting serious war crimes to.
Do Americans really want a police state were good men are imprisoned and war criminals decorated as heros?
The US has the highest prison population in the world. Why am I not surprised? Go straight to jail I call it. Leg irons, hand cuffs and all. Britain stopped putting shackles on prisoners decades ago.
Americans assume that the right wing media is judge jury and hang man… They assume correctly I fear.
What Mr. Manning did is shouting : ” The King is naked “
Torture In The Good Old USA
I hear that, Bradley Manning is now not only in solitary confinement, but has been striped naked in his cold cell. His torturers say it is to stop him harming himself.
They must think they can con 100% of the people 100% of the time. They think we are all moronic, Forrest Gumps who can be brainwashed at will.
I’m not saying that 50% of any population can’t be programmed to swallow their nazi crap. You only have to read the sick comments in the racist rags to see that.
Those war loving rags have convicted, Bradley already. All they need is a length of rope and a lynch mob and they’re in ‘Hang Em High’ heaven.
Striping a prisoner, keeping him in solitary, using shackles, using death threats… They are all basic torture methods.
Watch any movie about nazis trying to torture information out of captured resistance fighters.
Or better still, read the torture manuals printed by the CIA and distributed to military torturers in Chile during, Pinochet’s military dictatorship in the 70s. Military brutes tortured little children in front of their parents and then adopted said children when their parents had been beaten to death.
Why don’t they hang, Bradley up by his thumbs or strap him to a plank and water board him.
Military brutes would still say that it was not torture and that, Bradley was being restrained so he will not self harm.
All Obama’s hollow, sanctimonious speeches about freedom and democracy… And he can not stop one of his own from inhuman torture, from being pre judged by the right wing racist rags?
Obama and his crew are as phoney as a two cent bank note! His over blown military is out of control… It’s a case of the tail wagging the dog. It’s been that way since the end of the second world war, when a responsible US president used his military as a last resort. Now they use it if some guy looks at them the wrong way.
I was working on Bussolini’s article Critical Encounter Between Giorgio Agamben and Michel Foucault in the part on Sacred Substance versus Zone of Indistinction and came to the following conclusion that I hope may come of use in the defense of Bradley Manning.
A ‘criminal’ like Bradley Manning today is a criminal only to the status quo acting against the people’s right to transparency, that is, to know what those in power are doing against human beings no matter in what corner of the Earth. The United States government stands against Manning’s act because his act reveals their actions against other human beings in other parts of the world. With that action Bradley Manning stands as human consciousness beyond national consciousness and in it resides its legitimacy. It must be so in the wake of globalization and consciousness of our selves as human beings.
71
Sacred Substance versus Zone of Indistinction
Agamben draws on Benveniste’s re-interpretation of the Greek term for oath, ὅρκος, horkos,
via ὅρκον ὄμνυμαι, horkon omnumai (to swear an oath, call to witness),
as ‛sacred substance,‛
rather than the traditional etymology in terms of ἕρκος, herkos, which means ‛fence, barrier,
bond,‛ in order to clear the ground of a ‛prejudicial misinterpretation‛ that he says impedes
the archaeology of the oath.72 Benveniste writes that horkos signifies, via his alternate etymo-
logy, ‛not a word or an act, but a thing, the material invested with the malevolent potency
which confers to the promise its binding power.‛73 This would seem to be attested given that
one of the meanings of horkos (Horkos the son of Eris) is ‛the witness of an oath, the power or
object abjured.‛74 Nevertheless,
____________
Agamben wishes to counter the almost-unanimous interpre-
tation according to which the ‛force and efficacy of the oath are sought in the sphere of
magico-religious ‘powers’ to which it belongs in origin and which is presupposed as the most
archaic: they derive from it and decline with the decline of religious faith.‛75 He finds this
unsatisfying since it relies on an ‛imaginary‛ notion of the homo religiosus, a ‛primitive‛ hu-
man intimidated by the forces of nature and the divine. This is unsatisfying because the sour-
ces treated, Agamben points out, present a human who is both religious and irreligious—both
loyal to the oath and capable of perjury.
___________
76 Thus he believes that this traditional explanation is
in need of further exploration, and in particular he wishes to dispel the interpretation in terms
of recourse to a ‛magico-religious sphere.‛
Agamben notes that even scholars as ‛perspicacious‛ as Benveniste and Bickermann
have erred in uncritically repeating the explanation by recourse to the sacred, indicating that
they several times refer to that explanation as one which is ‛always and everywhere‛ given to
account for the oath.77 The problem with this explanation refers back to Agamben’s earlier
work on the sacred (sacer), especially in Homo sacer: il potere sovrano e la nuda vita. At issue are
the insufficiency and the contradictions of the doctrine of the ‘sacred’ elaborated in the scien-
tific and historical studies of religion in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Much of the
confusion, he says, comes from the encounter and uncritical mixing between the Latin sacer
and the Melanesian concept of mana seized upon by anthropologists. Citing Robert Henry
Coddington and Max Müller, Agamben indicates that mana became the way in which ‛the
idea of the infinite, of the invisible, and of that which we will later call the divine, can appear
in vague and nebulous terms among the most primitive peoples.‛78 Agamben attributes this
to a lack of historical and interpretive knowledge on the part of the scholars, rather than to any
actually-existing concept or category. He also points out that, by uncritically joining the con-
cepts (sacer and mana), such commentators failed to pay heed to both contexts of study.
He says that mana pertained to contexts outside the cultural frame of reference of these
European scholars and sacer to contexts beyond their historical knowledge (often, specifically,
as that which was cast as ‛pre-history‛ or ‛pre-law‛ or the like). As, by the end of the 19th
century and for those seeking to establish a science or history of it, religion in Europe had be-
come something so ‛extraneous and indecipherable,‛ these scholars sought the keys to it in
concepts such as mana.79 They found it easier to assume that the ‛primordial‛ religious con-
texts of Europe must be similar to the ‛magico-religious‛ life of the so-called ‛primitives,‛
thus failing carefully to examine the historically specific genealogy of religion in each context.
Because of this he says that ‛they could not help but to reestablish, as if in a specter, the same
extravagant and contradictory imagination that these scholars had projected.‛80 A more fruit-
ful understanding of the concept, he says, would await the pivotal interpretation of Claude
Levi-Strauss.
Agamben maintains that Levi-Strauss put the understanding of the concept of mana
(and associated ones like orenda and manitou) on new ground because, unencumbered by the
same attachment to the notion of the ‛sacred substance,‛ he was able to recognize the crucial
facet of the concept: its indeterminateness. Levi-Strauss equates the term to those such as truc
and machin in French (which Agamben renders as coso and affare in Italian)—‛thing‛ and
76
Agamben, Sacramento, 18.
77
Ibid., 19.
78
Ibid., 20.
79
Ibid., 22.
80
Ibid. He says that the sway of this interpretation was such that it manifests in different ways in the work of
Durkheim, Freud, Rudolf, Otto, and Mauss (page 21).
Foucault Studies, No. 10, pp. 108-143.
124
‛contraption, thingamajig, doohickey, gadget‛ in English—words which, notably, stand in for
something else, or refer to an unspecified quality. Agamben says they are ‛unknown objects
or objects whose use we can’t explain… a void of meaning or an indeterminate value of signi-
fication… whose sole function is to fill a gap between signifier and signified.‛81 So, rather than
a pervasive magical force, Agamben, following Levi-Strauss, thinks that such concepts have
more to do with an indeterminate, ad hoc, function in language on the part of anthropologists
and historians of religion. It is on this basis that Levi-Strauss commented that in the thinking
of the scholars, mana really is mana, implying that there it did function as a pervasive magical
force.
Citing Louis Gernet’s concept of pre-law and Paolo Prodi’s ‛primordial indistinction,‛
________
fuller understanding is given to the ‛ultra-historical fringe‛ as a phase in which law and reli-
gion were indistinct.
________
The difficult part, says Agamben, is using these concepts in a way that
doesn’t simply involve the simple retrospective projection of current notions of religion and
politics onto this fringe, such that we see it as the simple addition of two parts. He recom-
mends ‛a type of archeological epoché to suspend, at least provisionally, the attribution of
predicates with which we usually define religion and law.‛82 Instead he’d like to pay heed to
the zone of indistinction between them, trying to understand this as an internal limit that may
give rise to a new interpretation.
As against the interpretations of the oath that distinguish between an ancient religious
rite and a modern inclusion in law,
________
Agamben notes that the oldest documents in our posses-
sion show it to have an unmistakably juridical function, even if also serving religious ones.
83
He says that ‛in the oldest sources the Latin tradition allows us to reach, the oath is a verbal
act destined to guarantee the verity of a promise or an assertion,‛ and that the ‛same goes for
the Greek tradition.‛84 He also reminds us that for the Romans the sacred sphere was con-
sidered an integral part of law. On the basis of several examples he maintains that
the entire problem of the distinction between the juridical and the religious, in particular for
the oath is, therefore, wrongly put. Not only do we not have grounds to postulate a pre-
juridical phase in which the oath belonged only to a religious sphere, but perhaps our whole
habitual mode of representing to ourselves the chronological and conceptual relation
between law and religion should be reexamined.
__________
Elena: It’s good to find this unity in religion and the juridical. I think I’ve been looking for it all along! I don’t quite understand his argument against previous researchers on the exclusively religious and mana, it seems that if the oath is indeed both religious and juridical it would not stop the connection with the religious and would in fact presuppose it. “Agamben indicates that mana became the way in which ‛the
idea of the infinite, of the invisible, and of that which we will later call the divine, can appear
in vague and nebulous terms among the most primitive peoples.”
What all that is telling me is that they are both dealing with the dimension of the sacred and the dimension of the juridical and that there is no opposition in that continuity. They are the same “lawfulness” in different dimensions and are ‘connected’ by the human being. In the realm of the sacred, the infinite dimension, within each and every human being, in the realm of the juridical, society, the lawfulness with which the individual from his inner connectedness with the ‘divine’ acts in the plane of the earthly: society: the divine divided into multiple human entities acting on each other, ‘climbing’ towards self consciousness. But why? If the human being already possesses the divine within why do we have to ‘climb’ towards its consciousness? Is it a ‘climbing’ or an ‘actualizing’? And then the possibility of ‘failing’, of ‘falling’, in breaking the oath and attracting ‘the malevolent potency’ in the religious sphere and ‘crime’ in the juridical sphere do not contradict each other, on the contrary, they would attest for the fact that the individual commits an act of crime only when he or she “falls” outside of the ‘infinite’ ‘invisible’ ‘divine’ or the ‘whole’ ‘God’ in the religious sphere and the ‘integrity’ of the human in the juridical sphere. The homo sacer is outside of the law because he has fallen out of the circle and death inflicted on him is ‘lawful’ but when those inflicting death on the homo sacer are themselves outside of the circle killing those who are inside the circle, when the status quo is upside down and backwards to lawfulness, then that society has turned against his and her own integrity and is in a process of destruction. In suicide cults the self-annihilation shows the inability of the people to affirm the process of life and hold to its legitimacy. In the process of unhealthily separating from the rest of mankind, cult members gradually implode: they condemn themselves to the homo sacer status and self annihilate. It is interesting that as a reaction (meaning a mechanical response to the status quo), cults tend to self annihilate although the initial aim is to recover the lost integrity that people perceive in the status quo. Gadafy killing his own people is in a similar process of self-destructiveness within the nation.
Interesting also that the hero usually stands against a status quo that has turned against the integrity of the whole and privileges a few. The hero re-invokes the whole and calls on the spirit of the people to reinstate it in society overthrowing the status quo.
All that would bring us back to the circle, the whole. What those in power appropriate is the ‘whole’ represented in the divine authority with which they claim to act in ‘governing’ the people. Their acts are justified because they are supposed to own the sovereignty to exercise, ‘own’ it in their personal qualification: their ‘being’. ‘Sovereignty’ implies the lawful connectedness with the ‘whole’ ‘God’ ‘the people’ or ‘the human’ and it is what gives legitimacy to the ‘rule’ and its expression in the earthly sphere: the juridical status quo. When those in power lack the consciousness of the whole and appropriate a great deal for themselves against the well being of the many, they are acting without the ‘being’, that is, the consciousness of the whole and consequently, their acts are in themselves, outside of the whole: criminal. “Criminal” is each and every act that is performed outside of consciousness and consciousness is the awareness of the whole. The capacity of the human being to ‘fall’ out of consciousness and act against the ‘whole’ whether it is acting against their own self or that of others is ‘apparently’ what we are here to check! The ‘oath’ would come in as the “intention” to act lawfully and accept ‘punishment’ if unable to. This reminds me of the practice of suicide in high-ranking Japanese culture in which it is legitimate to take one’s life if one has dishonored the sovereignty of ones role.
All these would bring us to further questions on the meaning of life itself. Is life meant to be a process of realizing consciousness? Of walking from one’s self to our selves? That is, from individuality to sociability through one’s work? Is that not education? The preparation to legitimately participate in society through one’s work and action? Is that not what people are ‘prepared’ for, educated for? At birth, is the human being an individuality with the potential of becoming conscious of ‘the human’ in his own particular reality as much as internalizing and externalizing the reality of all human beings? Is ‘essence’, that is, all that is innately human at birth, the seed of consciousness but only the seed? Is life the road between the ego and the self? “Life”, the social earth on which the individual actualizes the human, the soil on which consciousness is developed through the actualization of the infinite wholeness within every individual in the practice and experience of a lawful life? What is a ‘lawful life’ if not the capacity of the individual to strengthen the whole through his and her life’s work? The ‘community’, NOT the status quo that acts against it but the integrity of the people that co-participate in it. A ‘criminal’ like Bradley Manning today is a criminal only to the status quo acting against the people’s right to transparency, that is, to know what those in power are doing against human beings no matter in what corner of the Earth. The United States government stands against Manning’s act because his act reveals their actions against other human beings in other parts of the world. With that action Bradley Manning stands as human consciousness beyond national consciousness and in it resides its legitimacy. It must be so in the wake of globalization and consciousness of our selves as human beings. Like all heroes before and after him, Manning stands for the well being of the whole of mankind versus individual interests.
Thinking about this situation with Bradley, it seems that what needs to be pointed out is that he is outside the law of the United States in as much as he is under the law of human integrity and decency. No person can be punished for acting for the well being of all of mankind even against his family, friends or nation. The hero stands above the institutions and reinstates the vital principles of human life. There is a greater law than that of the nation and it is the one that encompasses the integrity of the human being as a whole. Nations acting against the people of other nations as clearly showed the videos of army men killing civilians, are not lawful and an individual exposing their action cannot be a criminal. The crime is in the militaries who allowed for such crimes. Transparency in power is what legitimizes power. When power turns against the people, a process of self-destruction takes place within the society suffering it.
Another suggestion – put ‘Free Bradley Manning’signs or your fences or gateposts, or the front of your houses.
Obama is a massive disappointment, no better than a mouthpiece of the Pentagon. Rather than accept their assurances, shouldn’t he at the least send someone with an ounce of human decency to check on Bradley Manning’s treatment and wellbeing.
Respect for Mr Crowley. Many more people working for the Administration and the military should also resign in protest, or threaten to do so unless Manning is freed or his conditions greatly improved.