Lenin1986
20th September 2013, 22:55
Support PVT Manning's bid for clemency!
Write a letter to Maj. Gen. Buchanan
Last week supporters sent in more than 100 letters asking Maj. Gen. Buchanan to grant PVT Manning clemency. There is still time to add your own, and every letter counts. These letters will complement the formal application for clemency filed by PVT Manning's lawyer David Coombs, and they play a significant role in demonstrating public support for Manning's actions, and equally importantly the public outrage over Manning's excessive sentence. Be sure to follow the important guidelines included here.
Write a letter in support of PVT Manning's clemency bid. Your letter will join hundreds of others as part of the formal application by Manning's lawyer David Coombs. 35 years in prison - for acting on ones conscience to reveal the truth - is an outrage.
PVT Chelsea (formerly Bradley) Manning’s 35-year sentence is an outrage that has been condemned public figures as wide ranging as Cornel West, Ron Paul, and the American Civil Liberties Union. The New York Times editorial board called Manning's 35 year sentence "excessive", and published a strongly worded letter pressing for clemency:
... 35 years is far too long a sentence by any standard. In more than two weeks of hearings, government lawyers presented vague and largely speculative claims that Private Manning’s leaks had endangered lives and “chilled” diplomatic relations. On the other hand, much of what Private Manning released was of public value, including a video of a military helicopter shooting at two vans and killing civilians, including two Reuters journalists. By comparison, First Lt. Michael Behenna was sentenced to 25 years for the 2008 killing of an unarmed Iraqi man who was being questioned about suspected terrorist activities. Lieutenant Behenna’s sentence has since been cut to 15 years. Private Manning has already been held for more than three years, nine months of which were in solitary confinement...
Important guidelines to keep in mind as you compose your letter:
Your letter should be approximately 1 page long.
It should be composed on personalized letterhead -you can create this yourself (here are templates and some tips for doing that).
Pvt Manning’s recently announced that her preferred name is Chelsea, and that folks should use female pronouns. However, she also understands that for efforts such as these, it is most effective for supporters to use her legal name and military rank, “Pvt. Bradley E. Manning”, along with male pronouns.
The letter should focus on your support for PVT Manning, and especially why you believe justice will be served if PVT Manning’s sentence is reduced. The letter should NOT be anti-military and/or anti-Buchanan, as this will be unlikely to help.
A suggested message: “Pvt. Manning has been punished enough for violating military regulations in the course of being true to his conscience. I urge you to use your authority as Convening Authority to reduce Pvt. Manning's sentence to time served.” Beyond that general message, feel free to personalize the details as to why you believe PVT Manning deserves clemency.
Please print and sign the letter, then scan it and send it [email protected] by November 1, 2013,
http://bradleymanning.org
Write a letter to Maj. Gen. Buchanan
Last week supporters sent in more than 100 letters asking Maj. Gen. Buchanan to grant PVT Manning clemency. There is still time to add your own, and every letter counts. These letters will complement the formal application for clemency filed by PVT Manning's lawyer David Coombs, and they play a significant role in demonstrating public support for Manning's actions, and equally importantly the public outrage over Manning's excessive sentence. Be sure to follow the important guidelines included here.
Write a letter in support of PVT Manning's clemency bid. Your letter will join hundreds of others as part of the formal application by Manning's lawyer David Coombs. 35 years in prison - for acting on ones conscience to reveal the truth - is an outrage.
PVT Chelsea (formerly Bradley) Manning’s 35-year sentence is an outrage that has been condemned public figures as wide ranging as Cornel West, Ron Paul, and the American Civil Liberties Union. The New York Times editorial board called Manning's 35 year sentence "excessive", and published a strongly worded letter pressing for clemency:
... 35 years is far too long a sentence by any standard. In more than two weeks of hearings, government lawyers presented vague and largely speculative claims that Private Manning’s leaks had endangered lives and “chilled” diplomatic relations. On the other hand, much of what Private Manning released was of public value, including a video of a military helicopter shooting at two vans and killing civilians, including two Reuters journalists. By comparison, First Lt. Michael Behenna was sentenced to 25 years for the 2008 killing of an unarmed Iraqi man who was being questioned about suspected terrorist activities. Lieutenant Behenna’s sentence has since been cut to 15 years. Private Manning has already been held for more than three years, nine months of which were in solitary confinement...
Important guidelines to keep in mind as you compose your letter:
Your letter should be approximately 1 page long.
It should be composed on personalized letterhead -you can create this yourself (here are templates and some tips for doing that).
Pvt Manning’s recently announced that her preferred name is Chelsea, and that folks should use female pronouns. However, she also understands that for efforts such as these, it is most effective for supporters to use her legal name and military rank, “Pvt. Bradley E. Manning”, along with male pronouns.
The letter should focus on your support for PVT Manning, and especially why you believe justice will be served if PVT Manning’s sentence is reduced. The letter should NOT be anti-military and/or anti-Buchanan, as this will be unlikely to help.
A suggested message: “Pvt. Manning has been punished enough for violating military regulations in the course of being true to his conscience. I urge you to use your authority as Convening Authority to reduce Pvt. Manning's sentence to time served.” Beyond that general message, feel free to personalize the details as to why you believe PVT Manning deserves clemency.
Please print and sign the letter, then scan it and send it [email protected] by November 1, 2013,
http://bradleymanning.org