Manning Up!

When I was young you didn't have to clean up after your tyrannosaurus; cigarettes were okay; the bear was being trained to go in the woods, and human rights were worth fighting for.

When I was young they couldn't do this to Bradley Manning.

There would be massive demonstrations. Bill Kunstler would volunteer to defend him. There would be "Free Bradley Manning Buttons" everywhere.

What happened to America? Are we that willing to give up everything because of 9/11?

It is openly proposed that we shoot Bradley Manning! We don't need no trial for traitors. What is it that Bradley Manning has been convicted of? Do we have the right to torture American citizens without as much as a trial, or is he that lucky because he is a Marine?

Did Bradley Manning give away Top Secrets? Did Bradley Manning give away troop locations like Geraldo Rivera?

Is the Patriot Law being applied? Even Charles Manson got a trial.

Mr. Maddoff got a trial. And by the way, how come no one went to jail when the banks packaged all the bad loans? Isn't stealing still a crime?

It is true that Bradley Manning released information that was entrusted to him. Not for profit, but because what he saw disgusted him and because the American people have the right to know what's being done in their name.

Well, as I think I said, when I was young, they would not get away with this crap in silence. But today, Bradley sits naked, in jail - and the gangsters have a private tennis court and bath.