FREE CHELSEA MANNING
On 22 August 2013, Chelsea (formerly Bradley) Manning, whistleblower for the global public, was sentenced to 35 years for exposing governments' crimes to Wikileaks. For three years, an international movement has campaigned, first, to stop her torture in detention, and then to demand her release. This movement helped defeat the life sentence charge of "aiding the enemy", but Chelsea was convicted of unprecedented charges of "espionage". We must continue to press President Obama to pardon Chelsea and free her now!
"I want to thank everybody who has supported me over the last three years…I want everyone to know the real me. I am Chelsea Manning. I am a female. Given the way that I feel, and have felt since childhood, I want to begin hormone therapy as soon as possible. I hope that you will support me in this transition. I also request that, starting today, you refer to me by my new name."
22 Aug 2013
In San Francisco, the Gay Pride Board was defeated after withdrawing
Chelsea’s nomination as Grand Marshall.
Thanks to Chelsea Manning, now we know about:
· The “collateral murder” video showing a US helicopter gunship crew deliberately killing Iraqi civilians· The officially sanctioned cover-up of rape and other torture in Iraq and Afghanistan by the occupation · The extent of killer drone strikes · The US attacks on popular government & movements in Haiti and Venezuela· Israel consulting with Egypt and the Palestinian Authority before invading Gaza · Corruption by Tunisian dictator Ben Ali, which spurred the 2011 revolution
Snowden
Assange
DEFEND ALL WHISTLEBLOWERS – ASYLUM FOR ASSANGE
The work of Wikileaks and its founder Julian Assange has been crucial in spreading Chelsea Manning’s evidence of governments’ crimes and brutality, and for organising against US persecution of Edward Snowden, another whistleblower of US and UK governments' outrageous surveillance methods.
"The decisions that I made in 2010 were made out of the concern for my country and the world that we live in. Since the tragic events of 9/11, our country has been at war.
I initially agreed with these methods and chose to volunteer to help defend our country. It was not until I was in Iraq and reading secret military reports on a daily basis that I started to question the morality of what we were doing. It was at this time that I realized that in our efforts to meet the risk posed to us by the enemy, we had forgotten our humanity. We consciously elected to devalue life both in Iraq and Afghanistan. When we engaged those that we perceived were the enemy, we sometimes killed innocent civilians. Whenever we killed innocent civilians, instead of accepting responsibility for our conduct, we elected to hide behind the veil of national security and classified information in order to avoid any public accountability.
In our zeal to kill the enemy, we internally debated the definition of torture. We held individuals at Guantánamo for years without due process. We inexplicably turned a blind eye to torture and executions by the Iraqi government. And we stomached countless other acts in the name of our war on terror.
As the late Howard Zinn once said, there is not a flag large enough to cover the shame of killing innocent people.
I understand that my actions violated the law. I regret that my actions hurt anyone or harmed the United States. It was never my intent to hurt anyone. I only wanted to help people. When I chose to disclose classified information, I did so out of a love for my country and my sense of duty to others.”
From Chelsea Manning's statement, 22 August 2013, the day she was sentenced
WHAT WE CAN DO
· Write to Chelsea who "looks forward to receiving letters from supporters and having the opportunity to write back".
Bradley E Manning 89289
1300 N Warehouse Rd
Fort Leavenworth KS 66027-2304
· Organise actions to press Obama to pardon. Sign the Petition.
· Sign the petition to press the military to provide hormone therapy
· Translate and circulate this leaflet; write to the local press asking others to sign.
More info:
Payday men’s network payday@paydaynet.org UK: 020 7267 8698 US:215 848 1120
Queer Strike queerstrike@queerstrike.net
UK: 020 7482 2496US: 415-626 4114