Even as he sits in a Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, jail, Bradley Manning was not forgotten at LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) pride parades across the country this past month, when supporters marched in his honor.
The various pride contingents in cities such as San Francisco, New York and Chicago are part of an international campaign demanding the US government drop all charges against Manning, who stands accused of leaking classified documents to the whistleblower web site WikiLeaks and the news organization Reuters.
Kris Lew, an organizer of Sunday's New York City Pride contingent, believes the scene was a fitting one to honor the 23-year-old Manning. “In the spirit of the Stonewall Rebellion, we've got to stand up for someone who has fought hard for the community and then gave up his freedom in his quest for truth and transparency,” said Lew in a press statement.
Manning, who is gay, has seen widespread support from the human rights community. Supporters, such as Andy Thayer of the Chicago Gay Liberation Network, contend that Manning released information that should have been in the public domain.
“Bradley Manning has stood with the LGBT community before and we look forward to him marching with us again when he's free,” said Thayer, who is also an advisory board member of the Bradley Manning Support Network, in a press statement.
To Thayer, it was pertinent that Manning be represented in the Chicago parade on Sunday, June 26 which was estimated to have around half a million people in attendance. “If he did what he is accused of – if he released information to the American people that should have been public in the first place – then it's clear that his motivation was rooted in a commitment to social justice. He's a hero.”
LGBT rights activist Lt. Dan Choi agrees, telling Firedoglake blogger Kevin Gosztola last week that what Manning leaked is “no different from what Daniel Ellsberg did with the Pentagon Papers.”
Help us Prepare for Trump’s Day One
Trump is busy getting ready for Day One of his presidency – but so is Truthout.
Trump has made it no secret that he is planning a demolition-style attack on both specific communities and democracy as a whole, beginning on his first day in office. With over 25 executive orders and directives queued up for January 20, he’s promised to “launch the largest deportation program in American history,” roll back anti-discrimination protections for transgender students, and implement a “drill, drill, drill” approach to ramp up oil and gas extraction.
Organizations like Truthout are also being threatened by legislation like HR 9495, the “nonprofit killer bill” that would allow the Treasury Secretary to declare any nonprofit a “terrorist-supporting organization” and strip its tax-exempt status without due process. Progressive media like Truthout that has courageously focused on reporting on Israel’s genocide in Gaza are in the bill’s crosshairs.
As journalists, we have a responsibility to look at hard realities and communicate them to you. We hope that you, like us, can use this information to prepare for what’s to come.
And if you feel uncertain about what to do in the face of a second Trump administration, we invite you to be an indispensable part of Truthout’s preparations.
In addition to covering the widespread onslaught of draconian policy, we’re shoring up our resources for what might come next for progressive media: bad-faith lawsuits from far-right ghouls, legislation that seeks to strip us of our ability to receive tax-deductible donations, and further throttling of our reach on social media platforms owned by Trump’s sycophants.
We’re preparing right now for Trump’s Day One: building a brave coalition of movement media; reaching out to the activists, academics, and thinkers we trust to shine a light on the inner workings of authoritarianism; and planning to use journalism as a tool to equip movements to protect the people, lands, and principles most vulnerable to Trump’s destruction.
We’re asking all of our readers to start a monthly donation or make a one-time donation – as a commitment to stand with us on day one of Trump’s presidency, and every day after that, as we produce journalism that combats authoritarianism, censorship, injustice, and misinformation. You’re an essential part of our future – please join the movement by making a tax-deductible donation today.
If you have the means to make a substantial gift, please dig deep during this critical time!
With gratitude and resolve,
Maya, Negin, Saima, and Ziggy