Bradley Manning Supporters Heckle Obama During Fundraiser

By on April 22, 2011 in News 20

manningReuters reports:

Protesters interrupted President Barack Obama at a campaign fund-raiser on Thursday to complain about the treatment in detention of a U.S. soldier accused of leaking documents that appeared on the WikiLeaks website.

Obama’s administration has been criticized for Bradley Manning’s treatment, although the president says the Pentagon has assured him the soldier is not being ill-treated while he is awaiting trial.

Obama was addressing a room of about 200 people — many of whom paid as much as $35,800 to see him — when a woman in a white suit stood up and announced that she and nine others sitting at her table had written a song for him.

Despite Obama’s protestations, they then broke into a song that called for the 23-year-old soldier’s release. They passed out “Free Bradley Manning” signs and the woman took off her jacket to reveal a black T-shirt with Manning’s image.

“Now, where was I?” the somewhat flustered president said after the group stopped. “There’s an example of creativity.”…

For more information, see original article.

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  • Badguy

    You know we hate crooked cops and we cheer when we they arrested and shamed. Manning was an Intelligence troop, they police the military for intel leaks and corruption that puts the country in danger. If he was a normal troop I doubt he would have been hammered near as hard.

    • quartz99

      Yeah, he would be. They’re making an example of him. It doesn’t matter if he was even involved; if it hadn’t been him they would have found someone else who seemed somewhat likely. The intent is not to punish him particularly, and nobody in power has a vested interest in trying him, let alone giving him a _fair_ trial. They are not stupid enough to think they could implement the tortuous treatment he’s receiving without word getting out. If that was what they wanted, they’d deny him all visitors, all the time, even his lawyer. No, they want people to know what they’re doing to him. This is strictly deterrence against others who might do the same thing he may or may not have actually done, who might try to do anything that was actually effective against the govt. It’s part of the campaign of fear being waged against American citizens to keep them docile serfs to their moneyed lords.

      • Sammy

        Do you have evidence of your opinion or am I supposed to believe you some guy on the internet over the government, the media and my military friends?

        • Pookie

          you are supposed to believe the anonymous commentator on the internet

          • Sammy

            Oh ok Thanks Pookie

        • Tuna Ghost

          Well, the “The intent is not to punish him particularly, and nobody in power has a vested interest in trying him, let alone giving him a _fair_ trial” bit pretty ridiculous, but he’s spot on about an example being made of Manning. I doubt it is really for the public, but rather more likely for other military people who may have been getting ideas. Regardless of one’s opinion of wikileaks, the notion of military personnel giving away military secrets should make all of us wary.

  • Badguy

    You know we hate crooked cops and we cheer when we they arrested and shamed. Manning was an Intelligence troop, they police the military for intel leaks and corruption that puts the country in danger. If he was a normal troop I doubt he would have been hammered near as hard.

  • Anonymous

    Yeah, he would be. They’re making an example of him. It doesn’t matter if he was even involved; if it hadn’t been him they would have found someone else who seemed somewhat likely. The intent is not to punish him particularly, and nobody in power has a vested interest in trying him, let alone giving him a _fair_ trial. They are not stupid enough to think they could implement the tortuous treatment he’s receiving without word getting out. If that was what they wanted, they’d deny him all visitors, all the time, even his lawyer. No, they want people to know what they’re doing to him. This is strictly deterrence against others who might do the same thing he may or may not have actually done, who might try to do anything that was actually effective against the govt. It’s part of the campaign of fear being waged against American citizens to keep them docile serfs to their moneyed lords.

  • Teilomsas

    “He was kept alone in his cell 23 hours per day and forced to sleep naked while being awakened repeatedly during the night. The Pentagon said this was done to ensure his well-being and that it had only happened on a few occasions.”

    What?

  • Teilomsas

    “He was kept alone in his cell 23 hours per day and forced to sleep naked while being awakened repeatedly during the night. The Pentagon said this was done to ensure his well-being and that it had only happened on a few occasions.”

    What?

  • Targeteer

    I’ve said it before in the Disinfo forum regarding Pvt. Manning: he is not a private citizen living within the jurisdiction of Constitutional law. He is a member of the US military and subject to the UCMJ. Not only that, he was also cleared TS with a Special Background Investigation & SCIF access(Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility).

    When he was briefed into the intel program or programs which he was granted access to, he signed a solemn, binding, irrevocable agreement that prohibited him under the pain of severe punishment including the death penalty for acts of treason, from ever disclosing the programs & intelligence products he worked on, any aspect of the work he did, agencies & persons he had official contact with, or disclosing any information to anyone or any agency within the purview of his intelligence program, unless all “need to know” requirements were reviewed and approved by the designated Security Officer attached to the SCIF in which he, Manning, was assigned.

    Nearly twenty years ago, upon my retirement from the Navy at the age of 45, having served for over twenty years, eleven of which as an intel analyst with a TS/SBI/SCIF clearance, I was debriefed by my intelligence security officer, and signed another agreement that continued my obligation to national security for an additional seventy five years under pain of forfeiture of my rights as a US citizen. On my 120th birthday I can sing like a canary, but by then the tune will be irrelevant.

    It is unfortunate for Pvt. Manning that he has to endure the rigors of interrogation, but unless he discloses with candor his activity & behavior during his tenure as an intel operative, & the voracity of his statements can be confirmed & corroborated through thorough investigation, than the extent of his disclosures of classified information through non secure channels of communication to a global audience with high probability of nefarious intentions, won’t allow damage control efforts to ensure what, if any, containment and remediation can be achieved.

    It is also unfortunate that Manning’s treatment in a military brig has legitimately been called into question, as the process of military justice should have a meaningful component of transparency and accessibility. Also, Manning should be allowed to prepare for his “ordeal” in a military court with a sound mind and body, and with appropriate legal guidance.

    At every level and every venue, injustice should be identified and eliminated, holding all persons, systems and institutions accountable for their actions, while initiating effective oversight procedures to safeguard the process of enabling all private citizens of the USA including businesses & corporations, including members of the military, and all resident aliens legal or illegal, access to the proverbial “gold standard” of human rights that Americans tout, but only pay lip service to.

    As history tells us, the Americas, since the first settlement and colonization by Europeans, the most egregious human rights violations were perpetrated on, not only indigenous peoples, but the influx of populations from all corners including Africa, Asia & Europe.

    From the beginning, the “fix” was in; the deck stacked. And ever since then, right up to the present day, in our country, the USA, as well as all the “civilized” world, the game has been rigged, and I don’t think we’ll ever play it according to Hoyle.

    In the “real” world, is personal integrity a rare commodity? Pvt. Manning took on a huge amount of responsibility requiring a serious commitment at a young age and time in his life that he was unable to keep. He took a personal oath requiring complete allegiance and life long obedience. If he is in fact guilty of failure in his sworn duty, then he’ll reap the whirlwind of personal destruction.

    Injustice say you? Our government is to blame? Our “system” is an injustice to all mankind, and mankind is an offense to all life on the planet and the planet itself. Soon the planet Earth will evolve human beings off its face and be rid of the insult of our very existence. We are out of balance, out of step. There is no cadence in our collective lives. I remember when I was young and marched to a drum beat in seeming unison in a forward direction. I had faith in myself and the stuff of life. I loved life’s tenacity and perpetual promise. I took my responsibilities seriously and met every challenge head on. I had successes and failures, personal values that I still hold dear, love in my heart that has been carefully banked over the years, and burns with a low, warm glow. I know the truth of life and once stood firm in its promise. Yet I have lied, and regret my mistakes and the hurt they caused. All the blame is on me, however, not another man or woman; not the “system.”

    I’ve been dealt a hand and had to play it, fair or unfair. And if you play with respect for yourself and for others, with all the integrity you can muster, you’ll “win” at your own level and your own time. If you lack the courage and maturity and can’t “man up” to the task, and you haven’t built a foundation of rock solid values, you’ll be mired in the misery of human existence, cynical & jaded, willing to sell yourself short to false hopes and misconceived ideals.

    Manning is a wounded warrior, fighting alone inside a paper bag that his shortsighted mind created. His own vanity is his enemy, he doesn’t have an idealistic compass that guides him. Now he is no more than damaged merchandise that is headed for the refuse heap – a casualty of low self esteem and the failure of his personal development.

    He deserves pity, but not leniency; help and support in the life he has created for himself, but not a get out of jail free card, because he has yet to pass go in his dismal young life, and now has to pay the piper for a giant lapse of judgement caused by a clinical case of “full blown” imaturity. He’s truly the victim here of a sick society that preys on weaklings, and his last gasp to lash out in futile defiance destroyed only himself.

    Private Manning will never bask in the glory of a life of achievements made possible through the development of his own personal integrity. There is no horizon of hope visible from where he languishes today.

  • Targeteer

    I’ve said it before in the Disinfo forum regarding Pvt. Manning: he is not a private citizen living within the jurisdiction of Constitutional law. He is a member of the US military and subject to the UCMJ. Not only that, he was also cleared TS with a Special Background Investigation & SCIF access(Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility).

    When he was briefed into the intel program or programs which he was granted access to, he signed a solemn, binding, irrevocable agreement that prohibited him under the pain of severe punishment including the death penalty for acts of treason, from ever disclosing the programs & intelligence products he worked on, any aspect of the work he did, agencies & persons he had official contact with, or disclosing any information to anyone or any agency within the purview of his intelligence program, unless all “need to know” requirements were reviewed and approved by the designated Security Officer attached to the SCIF in which he, Manning, was assigned.

    Nearly twenty years ago, upon my retirement from the Navy at the age of 45, having served for over twenty years, eleven of which as an intel analyst with a TS/SBI/SCIF clearance, I was debriefed by my intelligence security officer, and signed another agreement that continued my obligation to national security for an additional seventy five years under pain of forfeiture of my rights as a US citizen. On my 120th birthday I can sing like a canary, but by then the tune will be irrelevant.

    It is unfortunate for Pvt. Manning that he has to endure the rigors of interrogation, but unless he discloses with candor his activity & behavior during his tenure as an intel operative, & the voracity of his statements can be confirmed & corroborated through thorough investigation, than the extent of his disclosures of classified information through non secure channels of communication to a global audience with high probability of nefarious intentions, won’t allow damage control efforts to ensure what, if any, containment and remediation can be achieved.

    It is also unfortunate that Manning’s treatment in a military brig has legitimately been called into question, as the process of military justice should have a meaningful component of transparency and accessibility. Also, Manning should be allowed to prepare for his “ordeal” in a military court with a sound mind and body, and with appropriate legal guidance.

    At every level and every venue, injustice should be identified and eliminated, holding all persons, systems and institutions accountable for their actions, while initiating effective oversight procedures to safeguard the process of enabling all private citizens of the USA including businesses & corporations, including members of the military, and all resident aliens legal or illegal, access to the proverbial “gold standard” of human rights that Americans tout, but only pay lip service to.

    As history tells us, the Americas, since the first settlement and colonization by Europeans, the most egregious human rights violations were perpetrated on, not only indigenous peoples, but the influx of populations from all corners including Africa, Asia & Europe.

    From the beginning, the “fix” was in; the deck stacked. And ever since then, right up to the present day, in our country, the USA, as well as all the “civilized” world, the game has been rigged, and I don’t think we’ll ever play it according to Hoyle.

    In the “real” world, is personal integrity a rare commodity? Pvt. Manning took on a huge amount of responsibility requiring a serious commitment at a young age and time in his life that he was unable to keep. He took a personal oath requiring complete allegiance and life long obedience. If he is in fact guilty of failure in his sworn duty, then he’ll reap the whirlwind of personal destruction.

    Injustice say you? Our government is to blame? Our “system” is an injustice to all mankind, and mankind is an offense to all life on the planet and the planet itself. Soon the planet Earth will evolve human beings off its face and be rid of the insult of our very existence. We are out of balance, out of step. There is no cadence in our collective lives. I remember when I was young and marched to a drum beat in seeming unison in a forward direction. I had faith in myself and the stuff of life. I loved life’s tenacity and perpetual promise. I took my responsibilities seriously and met every challenge head on. I had successes and failures, personal values that I still hold dear, love in my heart that has been carefully banked over the years, and burns with a low, warm glow. I know the truth of life and once stood firm in its promise. Yet I have lied, and regret my mistakes and the hurt they caused. All the blame is on me, however, not another man or woman; not the “system.”

    I’ve been dealt a hand and had to play it, fair or unfair. And if you play with respect for yourself and for others, with all the integrity you can muster, you’ll “win” at your own level and your own time. If you lack the courage and maturity and can’t “man up” to the task, and you haven’t built a foundation of rock solid values, you’ll be mired in the misery of human existence, cynical & jaded, willing to sell yourself short to false hopes and misconceived ideals.

    Manning is a wounded warrior, fighting alone inside a paper bag that his shortsighted mind created. His own vanity is his enemy, he doesn’t have an idealistic compass that guides him. Now he is no more than damaged merchandise that is headed for the refuse heap – a casualty of low self esteem and the failure of his personal development.

    He deserves pity, but not leniency; help and support in the life he has created for himself, but not a get out of jail free card, because he has yet to pass go in his dismal young life, and now has to pay the piper for a giant lapse of judgement caused by a clinical case of “full blown” imaturity. He’s truly the victim here of a sick society that preys on weaklings, and his last gasp to lash out in futile defiance destroyed only himself.

    Private Manning will never bask in the glory of a life of achievements made possible through the development of his own personal integrity. There is no horizon of hope visible from where he languishes today.

    • Badguy

      “His own vanity is his enemy, he doesn’t have an idealistic compass that guides him.”

      Exactly, why are we making a martyr of a person who breaks promises and endangers lives!? I understand people on the left don’t agree with the war. I think the way libs are pretending this intelligence leak (who was an Intel enforcer) is a hero,makes them seem disingenuous and desperate. This makes the left look crooked to the valuable independent voter. They must abandon manning before the next election, abandon him as he abandoned his oath to the U.S.A.

  • Sammy

    Do you have evidence of your opinion or am I supposed to believe you some guy on the internet over the government, the media and my military friends?

  • Badguy

    “His own vanity is his enemy, he doesn’t have an idealistic compass that guides him.”

    Exactly, why are we making a martyr of a person who breaks promises and endangers lives!? I understand people on the left don’t agree with the war. I think the way libs are pretending this intelligence leak (who was an Intel enforcer) is a hero,makes them seem disingenuous and desperate. This makes the left look crooked to the valuable independent voter. They must abandon manning before the next election, abandon him as he abandoned his oath to the U.S.A.

  • Pookie

    you are supposed to believe the anonymous commentator on the internet

  • Sammy

    Oh ok Thanks Pookie

  • Tuna Ghost

    Well, the “The intent is not to punish him particularly, and nobody in power has a vested interest in trying him, let alone giving him a _fair_ trial” bit pretty ridiculous, but he’s spot on about an example being made of Manning. I doubt it is really for the public, but rather more likely for other military people who may have been getting ideas. Regardless of one’s opinion of wikileaks, the notion of military personnel giving away military secrets should make all of us wary.

  • Elmyr23

    “should have a meaningful component of transparency and accessibility” yes we pay taxes to fund public work, be it roads, school, war, intel. I don’t know this story but if this person feels the need for the greater good to release information that should be known to its funders then i see no reason for punishment. Targeteer it seems like the u.s. government is the only corporation thats not under the whistleblower protection act. Sing your song or hold your secrets. If i signature on a piece of paper holds that much power for you, good for you, thats just for you.

  • Elmyr23

    “should have a meaningful component of transparency and accessibility” yes we pay taxes to fund public work, be it roads, school, war, intel. I don’t know this story but if this person feels the need for the greater good to release information that should be known to its funders then i see no reason for punishment. Targeteer it seems like the u.s. government is the only corporation thats not under the whistleblower protection act. Sing your song or hold your secrets. If i signature on a piece of paper holds that much power for you, good for you, thats just for you.