How you can help Bradley Manning while supporting the Occupy Movement
Bradley Manning supporters at #OccupyCharleston
By Emma Cape, Bradley Manning Support Network. October 19, 2011
The high-profile whistle-blowing of which PFC Bradley Manning is accused links closely to the issues that #OccupyWallStreet and other #Occupy protests seek to address. Back door deals between high-level government officials and large corporations prevent the public from being able to keep Wall Street’s influence on government in-check through democratic means. In our statement of solidarity with the #OccupyWallStreet movement, we explain:
Similarly to the Arab Spring, the Occupy movement can draw from information revealed by WikiLeaks that exposes corporate manipulation of our foreign policy. An October 2009 diplomatic cable shows how U.S. diplomatic officials shared sensitive intelligence with Shell to give the oil corporation unfair economic leverage in Nigeria… Another series of cables illustrate how diplomatic officials successfully squashed a proposed increase in the Haitian minimum wage. Pressure from U.S. diplomats on Haitian officials enabled major American clothing companies like Levi’s and Hanes to continue exploiting sweatshop labor in Haiti. Other cables show that Chevron executives worked in tandem with U.S. officials to avoid paying $18.2 billion in court-ordered damages after the energy giant acquired Texaco, which had dumped billions of gallons of waste in indigenous areas.
We know that many people who advocate for democracy and social justice by supporting PFC Bradley Manning have also attended #Occupy protests. Therefore, we’ve decided to put together this post explaining how you, as a supporter of PFC Manning, can help him while attending your local #Occupy protest. Your actions of support for PFC Manning will in turn help create a safer environment for future government whistle-blowers who wish to hold officials accountable to the people who elected them.
1. Collect petition signatures
Our Stand with Bradley Manning petition calls for Bradley to be acknowledged as a whistle-blower and freed. It is directed toward the Secretary of the Army and the Army Chief of Staff, two people who have crucial decision-making power in the outcome of Bradley’s case. Signing the petition is also a way for people to be put on our e-mail list to receive weekly updates about the case and actions they can take to help Bradley. Each person who collects 100 petition signatures will be welcomed to our activist team with a free “Free Bradley Manning” t-shirt.
Please go here to download the petition.
2. Collect photos for the “I am Bradley Manning” blog
Our website, iam.bradleymanning.org, showcases thousands of photos of people around the world who are expressing their solidarity with Bradley Manning by helping to put a human face on the campaign. The photo of filmmaker Michael Moore was collected at #OccupyWallStreet. If you have a camera, then simply make a sign which says “I am Bradley Manning” and after someone has signed our Stand with Bradley Manning petition ask them if you can take their photo for the website. If you see a prominent community figure or celebrity at the demonstration, ask them to participate as well. You can upload photos individually here. We regularly feature creative and otherwise notable entries on our facebook page, Save Bradley Manning.
3. Pass out public education resources
As you talk to the #Occupy protestors about PFC Manning, you may find that some people are more familiar with his case than others. The following articles and fact sheets are useful starting points that will help you talk to the public and answer their questions:
- Bradley Manning 1-pg fact sheet
- Bradley Manning Support Network in solidarity with Occupy Movement
- What did WikiLeaks reveal?
- Addressing confusion about PFC Bradley Manning’s case
- Stickers, buttons, and 6″x4″ info cards
To contact the campaign team, you can fill out the form here and the right person will get in touch with you. Select “Donations and Material Orders” to receive stickers and campaign cards. For all other questions about activism and outreach select “Volunteers and Campaign.”
4. Ask others to join you
Public education can be fun with a group. Try asking friends to join you so that together you reach out to more people. If someone from your local community checks the box on the Stand with Bradley Manning petition indicating they are interested in volunteering, ask them if they’d like to help you do local Bradley Manning support either at present or future events before forwarding the petitions to our national office. If you can take photographs of a group doing Bradley Manning visibility at the #Occupy protests, please share them on our facebook page!
Truth is the first casualty of the war of propaganda, and Bradley, you are our Hero, showing light in a dim and controlled world. Bless you, and may you keep the strength necessary to keep on.
Mr. Bradley Manning is the bravest of us all!
The adherence to solid values exhibited by Manning
and supported by us progressives is inspiring and should be held as a role model for society.
If only..
Bradley: We have not forgotten you – you remain a hero and we will keep fighting for your right to be FREED!! Stand tall and proud, my man.
hero
My sister loves Bradley but works six days a week so she can’t go to the D.C. occupation with me. She had a great idea yesterday. She’s going to put up a big sign in her yard showing her support for Brad and the occupation. She thinks that if all of us did that, it would show people there are many more of us than they see on the “news” and that we mean business. It takes more guts for her and her husband to do that in their small town than it does for me to carry a Bradley Manning sign in a protest in D.C. I’m making a sign for my yard, too. My sis is an artist and super-creative, so wish me luck trying to outdo her! This will be fun.
It took great courage to do what Bradley has done. To not turn a blind eye to the great injustices that are going on around us every day. We must keep fighting for the release of Bradley and honor him for the hero that he truly is.
If everyone had Bradley’s integrity we wouldn’t need “#OccupyWallStreet”!
How Bradley has been treated is one of the many reasons we must support both him and OWS. It is all connected. I like the idea above of yard signs for both. Excellent idea. Also, some of us are talking about pitching tents to stay in a local field and I think we need signs for not only OWS but Bradley there.
Bradley Manning deserves the Medal of Honor for sharing the war atrocities with the public.
It is ALWAYS great to have materials!!Thanks, Bradley Manning NEEDS more exposure at ALL Occupy Events. I have been LUCKY and have met supporters at Occupy Los Angeles from ALL OVER who participate in other Occupy Events AND Protests at Quantico and Leavenworth as well! Being VISIBLE to other Supporters helps too Even a Sticker, Sign (or maybe even a COOL Union Made Bradley T-Shirt from here)helps us be able to easily find each other and helps to explain when there are a few of us sometimes.
The only thing necessary for the triumph [of evil] is for good men to do nothing.
Bradley Manning, your a good man, A brave man & you put the greedy, lying American politicians to shame..
My friend Russell is interested in helping me form a support group and possibly have a musical event to raise some money, were both Vietnam veterans for peace and my friend says Manning is the real hero and I agree with him, we were both duped an lied to by the government, he went to Nam and I did time in the USDB for refusing to serve. My friend Russell feels shameful for be an accessory for murder in 101st airbourn, but I told him he was just following orders and was indoctrinated like me and its not his fault and he is more of a hero now, and now we can help somebody even though nobody helped us in the sixties. We’ll find out how many people are sincerely against war and occupation when I organize our event, any speakers or musicians interested in performing E-mail me [email protected] or480-242-1574. Peace
I send you love and blessings Bradley Manning for standing up to the establishment.
As hard as it is to hear what our government really does, I am so thankful that I have access to websites such as this and the other independent media that keeps me informed with the truth. I totally support Bradley Manning, what he did and what he stands for, and I lend my support to him always.
Free Bradley Manning.
Wir fordern die sofortige Freiheit für Bradley Manning, wir sind gegen Folter und unmenschlicher sowie erniedrigender Behandlung und für Whistleblowerschutz!
Seit 2010 befindet sich Bradley Manning in Haft und wird beschuldigt, geheime Daten an Wikileaks weitergegeben zu haben. Amnesty International bezeichnet seine Haftbedingungen als „menschenunwürdig“, der Menschenrechts-Ausschuss des Bundestages sieht seine Behandlung als Verstoß gegen die Menschenwürde.
Bradley Manning befindet sich jeden Tag 23 Stunden in seiner Zelle in der er weder Sport treiben noch persönliche Gegenstände haben darf. Eine Stunde täglich befindet er sich außerhalb seiner Zelle – stets gefesselt – in einem kargen Raum, in dem es ihm erlaubt ist zu gehen.
Jede Nacht muss sich der schon vor seinem Militärdienst offen schwul lebende 23-Jährige nackt ausziehen und seine Kleidung den Wärtern übergeben. Erst nach der morgendlichen Inspektion vor der Zelle erhält er seine Kleidung zurück. Zusätzlich überprüfen die Wärter alle 5 Minuten was er tut, denn Manning darf nur zu bestimmten Zeiten schlafen und muss jederzeit sichtbar sein. Dies alles begründet der Leiter des Militärgefängnisses in Quantico mit der Suizidgefährdung Mannings. Ihn untersuchende Psychiater haben wiederholt betont, dass Bradley Manning nicht suizidgefährdet ist.
Bisher wurde Manning weder verurteilt noch fand eine Verhandlung statt. Sollte er verurteilt werden drohen ihm bis zu 52 Jahre Gefängnis oder gar die Todesstrafe.
Die Enthüllung von Kriegsverbrechen ist kein Verbrechen!
Die vorgeblich von Manning veröffentlichten Daten enthüllen Kriegsverbrechen.
In einem ihm zugeschriebenen Chatprotokoll äußert Manning, er habe die Informationen veröffentlicht, um „weltweite Diskussionen, Debatten und Reformen“ auszulösen und die Wahrheit für alle Menschen ans Licht zubringen, „weil man ohne Informationen als Öffentlichkeit keine begründeten Entscheidungen treffen kann”. Durch die Wikileaks-Dokumente wurden nicht nur grausame Kriegsverbrechen öffentlich, auch die Revolution in Tunesien wurde maßgeblich durch die Botschaftsdepeschen gefördert.
Unsere Forderungen
1. Sofortige Einstellung von Folter, unmenschlicher oder erniedrigender Behandlung
Wir fordern die Vereinigten Staaten dazu auf, sofort jegliche Folter unmenschliche oder erniedrigende Behandlung einzustellen und alle Gefangenen mit Menschlichkeit und Respekt zu behandeln.
2. Bradley Manning freilassen
Das Aufzeigen von Verstößen gegen internationales Recht darf in keinem Fall als Verbrechen gelten. Wir fordern daher die Freilassung Bradley Manning und allen anderen Whistleblowern!
3. Etablierung eines Whistleblowerschutzes
Whistleblower sind ein wichtiges Korrektiv in jeder freien und demokratischen Gesellschaft. Wir fordern allgemeine gesetzliche Regelungen zum Schutz von Whistleblowern.
I think that the authoritities who are keeping Bradley Manning in prison should be ashamed of themselves. That include president Obama and the Secretary of State. As a whistleblower Bradley deserves the full protection of the law while the real criminals (the ones that he is alledged to have put ib the open) are prosecuted and punished.
I have supported a Bradley Manning rally ib the Hague (in the Netherlands) now some time ago. Unfortunately shortluy after that my computer crashed and I lost contact with the organisers. If there are activities in the Netherlands I would like to be informed, please,