Forum Post: Latest on Bradley Manning Via JP

THE SECRECY STATE GROWS, BRADLEY MANNING STILL HEARD

The past week brought a major victory to the Obama Administration’s ever-expanding secrecy state with the confirmation of John Brennan as the new director of the CIA. The mainstream media’s whitewash of Brennan in the days following his nomination and the administration’s predilection for state secrets pretty much sealed the deal long before the confirmation happened, despite Rand Paul’s popular filibuster to prevent the usage of drones on U.S. soil.

To further underscore the secrecy state, the trial of Spc. Bradley Manning is underway and has been held virtually in the dark. Manning, who should be protected as a whistleblower, has been held in solitary confinement, unable to publicly defend himself, and seems destined to be incarcerated for twenty years. Photographs, and video and audio recordings have been disallowed in the courtroom. Thankfully, an audio recording has become available.

You can listen to Manning’s one-hour opening statement or read excerpts here. Find Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg’s comments here.

These injustices are a shining example of why the Justice Party is organizing. Republicans and Democrats alike have supported the secrecy state, created long before Obama became president. Drones, Guantanamo, indefinite detention, torture, and destabilization of ‘enemy’ states—to name just a few—are all borne out of the dark secret recesses of covert operations. It is imperative that we shine light on the corruption of our democratic principles!

Last Saturday, we hosted the End Indefinite Detention conference call. Rocky Anderson led the call for action supported by Shahid Buttar and George Friday of the Bill of Rights Defense Committee. Learn about what you can do to help.

This was the first of many issues/action calls. We will be collaborating with other proactive groups in our movement building efforts to shine a light on injustice and take corrective direct action. We will also highlight the major issues about which we must take immediate action in our soon to be announced platform.

Sincerely,

The Justice Party National Steering Committee