"I want to let the US Military know that to keep Manning locked up now for 4 years is an embarrassment to me and a travesty for the US Army", Hancock said. "Manning did not get due process of a swift court martial, and if that can happen to that man, it can happen to everyone. That is scary."
Hancock went on to say, "Fort Meade is the home of the NSA. That is why they are holding Manning here - because the home of the National Security Administration has the highest level of super security. The NSA will know who we all are before we leave here today. This bus load of people do not know what heroes they really are. "
The Americans who did come to Fort Meade were slowly circled all day long by helicopter. As this helicopter made constant, languid circles around the parade of about one thousand strong, there was much speculation among the crowd that it was probably using the latest military facial recognition technology to gather the identities of every protester there. Of course the government has many ways now of warrantlessly tapping our phones, taking all of our information from the internet without our consent, and tracking us wherever we go. The United States calling itself the "Land of the Free" is a joke, and the comedian is the US Government, from the President himself on down to the entire US Congress.
From a place of our now lost civil liberties, laws passed without the consent of the American population in the last years like Citizen's United and NDAA, this theater of the absurd is going to condemn a young Bradley Manning to many more years of cruel and unjust incarceration.
US Veteran Lt. Daniel Choi, no stranger to conflict, spoke for Bradley Manning on Saturday. Lt. Choi is a West Point graduate with degrees in Arabic and engineering. He served in combat in the Iraq War as a US infantry officer. He challenged America's 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy, when he came out publicly as a gay officer, and was discharged against his will from serving in the US military.
On behalf of Bradley Manning Choi had this to say. "The definition of terrorism is the threat of fear of the use of violence towards the society in order to implement political goals." Choi was talking about the Obama administration, and its use of fear tactics towards Americans who wish to speak out or act against the illegal actions of the US Government; these endless wars for profit that we are waging across the globe.
Kevin Zeese had words for the sons and daughters of America who are still being sent into harm's way, to fight the wars of the rich man for profit, while human lives are just an expendable commodity. Kevin told the sons and daughters of this nation who are now serving, "You do not have to go to Afghanistan if you have come to the conclusion that war is immoral. If you are currently serving, you can apply for a discharge as a Conscientious Objector".
Jeff Paterson was the first such soldier who refused to fight in the Iraq war for this reason. He spent some time in jail but was eventually released.
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