Just in case your political opinions are influenced by celebrities, actors, and activists, a new video featuring all of the above has emerged in support of PFC Bradley Manning, who is currently on trial for leaking videos and documents exposing war crimes on the part of the U.S. military personnel stationed overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In the video, celebrities like Russell Brand and Maggie Gyllenhaal and activists Lt. Dan Choi and Angela Davis attempt to educate the viewer on exactly what Bradley Manning is being tried for, with a very, very heavy emphasis on their own beliefs that he is being persecuted (and prosecuted) for being a whistleblower.
No matter what you think of the trial, or PFC Manning, or overbearing celebrities foisting their political opinions on ill-informed masses who are influenced by star power, the video is worth a look.
Meanwhile, in the courtroom, there were a few major developments last week. We’ve aggregated with a huge thanks to our friends at FireDogLake.com who are doing some major reporting from the scene of the trial at Ft. Meade, MD:
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- Since the military would not allow court transcripts, thousands of dollars were raised via outside sources to send stenographers to cover the trial, thus further lifting the veil of secrecy on the happenings inside the courtroom. The defense supported this, and the judge, Col Denise Lind, ruled favorably.
- The prosecution is now working overtime to defend the evidence that links Manning with WikiLeaks. In question are tweets that WikiLeaks sent out requesting .mil email addresses and asking for help decrypting visual material which would later become known as the “Collateral Murder” video. Since PFC Manning isn’t charged with conspiracy, this evidence is being used to try to bolster the initial “aiding the enemy” charge.
- An Apache helicopter pilot testified that the “Collateral Murder” video revealed “sensitive Army aviation information.” Whether the leak of the video and other info was or was not “aiding the enemy” is a crucial part of the trial, and the testimony could be used to bolster the prosecution’s case that the leak was harmful to American interests and put soldiers in danger.
PFC Manning’s trial is set to continue throughout the summer, and we’ll be right here for you with updates every step of the way.
2eo
You left out the most important opinion.
Those that are correct based on the legitimate facts of the case. We’ve already established that the less intelligent the poster the more they support the lying and torture of someone totally innocent of any crime whatsoever, and these people also loathe morality and conscience too.
The facts show Manning is a hero, the facts show this beyond any doubt whatsoever.
2eo
No matter what the US government and the cretins say, loving your country is NOT a crime, doing what is best for the people in your nation is not evil, it is the best thing you can do.
yaoming
Has Phil Donahue aged a day since 1978?
jeff4justice
These mostly hetero allies have defended Manning more than Gay Inc. They keep being Democrat puppets even though the Democrats have become as evil as Republicans in just about everyday except on LGBT issues. We see uprisings in so many countries like Brazil but the docile 2-party system zombie sheeple just keep voting for the same failed, lying, murdering 2party system over and over.
Never have blind patriotism.
Never blindly be obey government.
Never blindly follow either side of the 2-party system charade.
Jeremy Scahill On Bradley Manning SF Pride Debacle http://youtu.be/4aoE2guMqRY
jeff4justice
@jeff4justice: Typo: Every way, not every day.
Fawkes
One day the nasty little quislings and the forces of evil and hatred who are rooting for the blood of the hero Bradley Manning to be spilled will have to live with the consequences of the tyranny they helped create. If any of you think you are safe from this out of control government then you have no idea how absolutely wrong you are. There is no better example of this than the recent revelations about the NSA’s Prism program, from which we found out (thanks to another heroic whistle-blower) that the government was monitoring all Americans, regardless of political orientation. The government is afraid of us because they know we have the power to unlock our own potential and to live for ourselves. They know that one day even their most sheepish supporters will wake up to their evil, so to them even their most ardent supporters must be held under suspicion. Every tyranny the world has had to suffer through has been this way. Learn the lessons of history or be doomed to repeat humanity’s many errors.
jeff4justice
@Fawkes: Agreed.
hamoboy
Where is GLAAD in all this? Isn’t protecting LGBT people from defamation their primary mission statement? Hypocrites.
Fawkes
@hamoboy: GLAAD only protects pro-police-state LGBT people. That organization is a laughing stock. Just look at how they honored Bill Clinton – the single worst thing to ever have happened to LGBT rights in America. GLAAD has shown repeatedly what its agenda is, and it sure as hell isn’t protecting LGBT people.