Obama Declares Bradley Manning Guilty!

Word of the movement of PFC Bradley Manning to the Ft. Leavenworth detention facility spread quickly across the net earlier this week.  Facebook, a popular destination for such happenings was already seeing members mobilizing their friends and communities to take part in actions to bring awareness to the need for local support and unity.  It is amazing to me to see this organizing up close and personal as I was added to a group of fervent activists, artists, and performers ready to pounce on this latest news of the Manning saga.  It peaked my interest as an organizer in a typically quiet locale that has been seeing more attention with the work around Operation Recovery in Manhattan and Ft. Riley, Ethan McCord's vocal testimony in Wichita, and the return of Josh Stieber after several months of active bike riding across the country promoting peace.  It also made me aware of the critical role that we can play in the narrative of GI rights.  So many of our brothers and sisters have found confinement in Ft. Leavenworth prison for nothing more than refusing deployment to undeclared and thus illegal occupations around the world and in the Middle East.  They too have suffered for their principled stance and beliefs and for defending their oath's to the Constitution.  Such a perspective, to go against unjust orders has found little sanctuary in the past decade of war waging, not to mention the long history of US engagements in general.

So it comes as no surprise that for Bradley Manning, that a Constitutional scholar and major public official has come out  in support of an all too common narrative of dehumanizing and subverting the rights of our service-members.  At a recent fundraiser in San Francisco, President Obama was reminded of Bradley Manning and his detention by some creative performers seen here.  Calling themselves the Fresh Juice Party they committed to donating $76,000 to participate in a breakfast to sing their views to the President and advocate for Manning's release.  Recently, video of the interaction and Obama's response to the activists have been released across the web.  In his final statement at the event, Obama claims that the confidentiality of the materials leaked by Daniel Ellsberg, as opposed to PFC Manning, were completely different and that Bradley "broke the law."  What is most disturbing is that the President states that this country is ordered by the rule of law and in the same breath passes judgement against Manning as a law breaker before he has even been afforded a fair trail.  

Speaking of the rule of law, what about cruel and unusual punishment of the detained?  It has become national news that Manning has suffered cruel and unusual treatment during his stay at the Quantico facility.  Congressional leader Dennis Kucinich has been denied access to the soldier to inspect the conditions of his detainment. This request was also denied an inspector from the UN.  Additionally, Manning was forced to wait months before even receiving a clear grounds for his arrest and charges.  Such injustice has caused growing support for his release.  Now he is being relocated to the Free State of Kansas, likely, away from the civil disobedience and descent cultivated by several actions as of late.  However, it appears that many in the central region are rising to the occasion and are coming to Bradley's aid.  One such group is calling themselves the MO-KAN Bradley Manning Support Network.  The online discussion has exploded in the past few days with planning and activity.  The group is calling to unify the two states to begin protests that will include live music, dance, and public outcry.  Such news is already hitting the local news outlets including the Kansas City Star.  It might also be the first time that such an event has happened to such a degree at a base that houses GI war resisters.  Such a point should not be neglected.

Our campaign must take root here and we must stand with those that resist.  It is important that Bradley Manning has a support network, in fact, seeing as our Commander-In-Chief has already made judgement as to his guilt, his life, more than ever, depends on it.  Likewise, the challenge to save other GI and Veterans from military pressure to conform to illegal orders should not be missed.  Let's declare our rights as human beings as well!  We are people too!  Some of the bravest among us are sitting in cells in Ft. Leavenworth and it is our duty to expose it, organize, and declare our rights.  A tentative date of June 4th has been set for the first of many actions.  I hope you will aid us in advancing GI rights and redefine what it is that hero's of this country have an obligation to do.