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Eighty year-old Daniel Ellsberg was arrested on Saturday in front of the White House when he refused to leave at the request of police. He was one of 113 people who were arrested, handcuffed and taken to the police station on March 19, 2011 for protesting President Obama’s continued torture of Bradley Manning.
Manning is being held in pre-trial confinement at the Quantico brig. His psychological evaluation has been deliberately mis-categorized for 8 months now by two Quantico brig commanders, over the objections of three brig psychiatrists, in order to subject him to dehumanizing and humiliating conditions. The current Brig Commander Denise Barnes recently ordered that Manning be stripped naked each night “for his own good.”
President Obama has voiced his firm support for Barnes’ actions. At a recent press conference, he said he personally asked the Pentagon if the conditions of Manning’s confinement were appropriate. “They assure me that they are,” said the President. Obama echoed Barnes’ justification for stripping Manning naked each night when he said “some of this has to do with Private Manning’s safety.”
Obama also recently forced State Department spokesman PJ Crowley to resign after he said that Manning’s treatment was “ridiculous,” “counterproductive” and “stupid.”
Those who have objected to Manning’s conditions and have asked Obama to justify what he is doing include Amnesty International, the United Nations, Human Rights Watch, Jack Balkin of Yale Law School and 220 law professors, Michael Stipe, Viggo Mortensen, Danny Glover, Tom Morello, Shephard Fairey, Roseanne Cash and Welsh Labour MP Ann Clwyd.
The government has charged Manning with “aiding the enemy,” a capital crime that could carry the death penalty. Daniel Ellsberg was likewise accused by Richard Nixon of “aiding and abetting the enemy” when he leaked the Pentagon papers.
Ellsberg, a Marine veteran, was also arrested the next day at Quantico after Prince William Police reneged on an agreement that would have allowed him and four fellow veterans to lay a wreath at the Quantico Iwo Jima memorial.
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Note State security videotaping the protesters (around 1:20) no doubt to be processed with face recognition technology and entered into a State database.
Ellsberg, a Marine veteran………….
At least the girlymen at Quantico got to see a real Marine.
just disgraceful….there is no moral compass in this country…none!
Why were 113 people arrested? Peaceful protests too much for the US government? Seriously?
President Obama,
Please stop the abuse and torture of Bradley Manning. It’s wrong. You know it. And millions of Americans who contributed to your campaign, who worked for your election, and who voted for you in 2008 know it.
*g*
I thought I read Ellsburg was arrested with others trying to block an intersection. Wasn’t Ellsburg among those few who were allowed to lay flowers at the barricade surrounding the Iwo monument, the authorities deathly afraid that the dfhs would desecrate the monument?
It was gracious for CNN to give David House the floor.
David spoke very well.
It’s getting to the point where I feel similar discomfort when articles involving BO are posted; as I feel when the Faux fox crowd is mentioned. Had a discourse with a person of the veal persuasion on Saturday who asked the age old question “who would you have preferred…(fill in the blanks) to be president. I ate her for lunch until my anger and frustration subsided. It’s just not a country I recognize anymore.
hey ! didn’t see your comment about my Kris until much later in the day
thanks and heartily concur !
House has been very articulate on the few occasions he’s been on teebee or radio. Must frustrate the hell out of interviewers to talk with someone who’s the brightest guy in the room.
I didn’t think I’d get an argument from ya. *g*
For those of us who look beyond the sound bites and bs talking points, it’s hard not to see Obama for the charlatan and sellout that he is.
Obama:
Might
As
Well
Be
Bush
It’s not hopeless. There is Wisconsin, where protesters are still allowed there constitutionally protected right to peaceably assemble. And there were some lawful law enforcement types at Quantico.
Thanks for the update, Jane, and I believe you also chauffered Ellsberg to the two protests. Kudos on that.
I would like to know more about why the 113 protestors were arrested in front of the WH. What gives with that? Can we have more info, please??
That gives me pause that *peaceful* protestors are arrested, and yet we have the nutbar fringe openly carrying at some other events all without a hitch. I’m not advocating for arrests at the Tea Party rallies, but I am concerned about what *appears* to be very unequal and very unfair treatment at rallies like these v. when rightwingers hold their rallies. What gives??
Maybe we do have some heroes left – Ellsberg has always been one of mine.
Hear ya. Speaking only for myself, I’m hearing *less* “excuses” for Obama than I used to from trad-Dem pals. I was talking to a younger person about Greenpeace efforts (they were asking people to give to greenpeace in front of my grocery store). The young man first tried to give me a sticker that had Obama depicted on Mt. Rushmore. I told him I’d take his generic sticker but not that one; that I loathed Obama more than Bush.
This led to a very good conversation, where the greenpeace person *agreed* very much with how I saw Obama, although he did comment that he found that a lot in agreement with Greenpeace’s aims & goals where still “supporting” Obama… hence the use of the sticker.
I told him I understood but strongly *urged* him to tell Greenpeace to stop using that sticker… as Obama was NOT the “friend” of Greenpeace or any of their programs. He agreed to mention it. Good to see at least one person who “gets it.”
The only difference between Obama & W is that Obama is worse… imo.
One of my few heroes who hasn’t developed feet of clay (e.g. John Edwards).
Obama = just the second in what appears will be a line of American fucking monsters. Those who torture, those who murder, those who extort money for corporations while denying health care, those who shake their heads and wait for the “private” sector to create the jobs needed, those who continue to cut the taxes of those who already have far more than they need while ignoring the rising costs that make up the cost of living for most Americans are, quite simply, fucking monsters. Not all of them are Republicans, but most Republicans are: fucking monsters.
Civil disobedience is something the left does and the right avoids. In the WH case the intention was to be arrested by blocking access. The arrests at Quantico were for essentially the same thing, blocking an intersection. Most, it not all, of those arrested planned on being arrested. Before a protest begins we know who’s willing to be ticketed or jailed and they’re the ones who carry out the civil disobedience. I daresay those on the right are petrified of the thought of being locked up with common criminals.
Have you been to jail for justice?
Corporate media will ignore a protest until folks start getting arrested. That gives the folks at home a chance scream at the teebee about the dfhs.
I wonder if the guys who murdered Afghan civilians and then posed with the bodies are being held in solitary confinement and stripped naked at night “for their own safety”? Somehow I doubt it.
Whatchoo talkin bout Willis?
Looks to me like Jane Hamsher is asking Firedoglake readers for a formal authorization to declare a Loss of Faith in the president.
Nope. They’re getting high fives from their buddies. Pardon my sarcasm but I am so sick of this game.
Thanks for clarifying that!! I didn’t know that, but it makes sense.
Albeit my understanding of *some* of the Tea Party Town Hall protests there were rightwingers blocking intersections. And I don’t recall any of ‘em getting busted for it, but: whatever.
That helps to know that.
I don’t know if it helps for protestors to voluntarily strip down to show that being naked is torture.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,750883,00.html
Your good mom was hoping her kids (that includes you *g*) had the integrity and honour of some others. I said I didn’t know about your siblings but from what I saw she didn’t hafta worry about you.
I’m sure they’re saving the solitary confinement and nightly strippings for the person who leaked the photos to Der Spiegel.
I think the loss of faith in Obama as POTUS happened a long time ago.
I was wondering about the specifics of the rallies held this weekend at the WH & Quantico, but SD clarified the nature of the civil disobedience that the participants did deliberately – albeit peacefully – in order to be arrested. It is about making a specific statement by putting yourself out there in a very determined way.
Got it now!
Apparently an agreement with the Prince William Police is no better than an Obama campaign promise.
No doubt.
I’ve yet to be at an event where folks were arrested where we didn’t know who was gonna play. Most of the time we don’t go to jail. The heat usually has a command center away from the action where they take ya, write out a ticket and hold ya for a bit then spring ya. If taken to jail they usually separate protester from the general population and release ya a few hours later, more of an inconvenience than anything else.
I’ve also noticed that ya get treated better if ya get up when the heat asks ya to rather than make them carry ya off. Toting a person 150-200 lbs is not healthy for those guys wearing all that gear.
David House has been a hero in all this too. Hacktivists are very kewl.
She doesn’t need our authorization but even so, she’s got it from me.
Time to form the Rebel Alliance.
Thanks for the link.
I think that stripping down is a graphic measure that is a good idea to illustrate very clearly what’s happening to Private Manning every day at Quantico. I consider what is happening to Private Manning is torture, so I applaud those who chose to protest in this fashion. Thanks again for your helpfulness in providing that link.
Got it, and yes, I do remember that well from, uh, “the good old days.” Thanks for your info, though, as those who are younger may not be aware of how it works (plus I didn’t realize that this was the goal at these events, so it’s good to get the word out).
Sadly: no doubt! Those who tortured the prisoners & took photos are probably being lauded and complimented these days, more’s the pity.
Hey, gettin’ busted at a protest is very kewl. *g* Just make sure ya don’t have any weed or hash on ya.
I really don’t think we need another four years of Obama. I used to say, “What’s the matter with him?” I don’t do that anymore. I know what the matter is. He’s a corporate status quo shill.
When I grow up I want to be a hacktivist. I’m good at destroying computers…just not on purpose.
Good suggestion! ha! Never was busted yet but came close a couple of times in the way-back machine. I think, at those times, the fact that I was female & not in the front lines, I got sort of a “pass.”
But it is good to do if it’s at all possible. Perhaps, SD, you could do a diary about this and why it’s helpful. Just a thought; you have some experience with the process.
Or anything else you don’t want to lose.
Blue Texan’s regularly scheduled post is up: Ross Douthat: Why Can’t Obama Fight Wars Like George W. Bush Did?
He’s a neoliberal. When you really delve into what neoliberalism really is a corporate status quo shill is the least of it.
Yeah, I always leave my Swiss Army knife in my truck. They will not take your cash, however.
True that. That’s about the only thing they won’t take though if they take a fancy to something you own. I lost a very nice binocular once.
kudos to Jane and FDL for early getting on the Mr Manning mistreatment; such that, this issue has finally penetrated the MSM. Thank you.
In fairness, it does look like the alleged murderers are facing prosecution and like they’ll probably be convicted. Check out the link in Margaret’s comment @ 21.
Excellent. I’ve managed to fool some of the people all of the time!
Well per usual (and I saw this about these 2), the PTB will come down on those at the bottom of the ladder, whilst ignoring the overall zeitgeist of the MIC and/or ignoring what the upper levels of the Military where doing when these 2 engaged in those activities.
It was only the Privates or others lower in the chain of command that suffered any real consequences at Abu Ghraib. I expect nothing different to happen in this case.
The Government takes a pretty cavalier attitude to those whom “the right of The People peacefully to assemble and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances ” which raises the question was John yoo in barry’s “constitutional law class” ? Was his class on just the constitution or the constitution w/ it’s attendant Amendments ?
In the end a Ester like woman will wake the people up. She will be a hero or already is, my best to you Jane.
Seattle Weekly piece with embedded video:
“Lewis-McChord ‘Kill Team’ Photos Published by Der Spiegel; Army Bracing for Afghan Backlash”
By Rick Anderson, Mon., Mar. 21 2011 @ 8:32AM
No mention of the pre-trial treatment of the accused in that piece.
AT&T should be blocked from buying T-Mobile especially now.
The front page of the online version of The Seattle Times:
“T-Mobile USA will be sold to AT&T in a massive deal that will reshape the wireless industry.” … “AT&T, T-Mobile deal retools wireless world” (title changes when you go to the article directly).
The post on the trial, “War changed soldier accused in Afghan killings, mother says” (direct link to article page) is buried underneath “UPDATE – 09:42 AM”
Are the two situations that similar? I honestly don’t know much about this case, other than that there is a leaker of two photos out there who has yet to be captured and subjected to torture.
Not for the school of the Americas demonstrations.
Six months of hard jail time ,at the last demonstration, for those who questioned authority.
The Tea Party types have staked a claim to the legacy of the Confederacy! We’ll need to come up with another name.
/sarcasm
That’s a different world down there, not your basic anti-war protest in downtown Mog Mog. That said those who got arrested knew before hand what they were gonna do and the consequences thereof. When you breach the perimeter fence that’s some serious shit.
Right!! No moral compass, no rule of law. Nothing but greed and incompetence. It’s sickening.
Getting arrested for political activity amounts to having a target placed on one’s back. With the surveillance and information storage and dissemination technology now in use, a political arrest must be considered an act of courage even when the individuals are unaware of the risks involved.
Then, again, the security-surveillance apparatus might even abuse the arrested person during or after the arrest. This is a different kind of risk than the risk produced by carrying a legal stigma throughout one’s life.
Daniel Ellserg tried, with four other people, to lay flowers (carnations) at the memorial to Iwo Jima … but they were not allowed to get close. In protest, they went to sit down in the middle of the intersection, and many people joined them. About 30-35 were arrested, I believe.
On that “first Tuesday following the first Monday in November” of 2012, my mind will be functioning with lightning efficiency (even in its 88th year)….and that is NOT good news for Barack Obama. If he is the Democratic candidate, I will be FORCED to vote for a Repug-nican, my first since twice voting for Dwight Eisenhower (which, I might add, worked out VERY well).
This time, however, my vote will not be a POSITIVE one as it was for “Ike”….but rather the MOST NEGATIVE I have ever case….which is quite a statement since I voted AGAINST Bush, Jr. twice.
C’est la vie!
Oh, no, please!! NEVER vote Republican. Vote for a third party.
szielinski,
I was thinking of ‘Star Wars’ and those who opposed the Empire, not the old Confederacy to be sure. (Apologies. My reference was proably too frivilous.)
But is the Republican-Democratic Axis embedded in the US Government–evidenced in the apparatus of the national security state and the unitary executive–now destructive of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? (Both here and abroad?) If so, I believe the Founding Fathers left some advice.
AP’s interesting splices of segments of yesterday’s peaceful demonstration at Quantico: “Watch: Ellsberg arrested twice in single weekend, protesting for Bradley Manning” (RawStory.Com, by Stephen C. Webster, Mar. 21, 2011). I’d get more from seeing the complete raw footage, thank you.
I look at Daniel Ellsberg and think, wow, what a luxury to be afforded due process. Those were the days.
Wonder if President Bipartisan is considering rendition?
You raise a good point about the similarity of Abu Ghraib and this recent incident. I’m NOT sure, but it certainly has a similar appearance to the photos that came out of Abu Ghraib. As we all know in the case of Abu Ghraib, it was ONLY the low-level military personnel who were penalized in any way, even though the chain of command up to the top of the Abu Ghraib was aware of what was going on and basically did nothing.
Just saying… I *could* be wrong in comparing the two, but IF anyone gets in trouble, it will only be those at the lower levels. I’d bet a LOT on that. Only time will tell, though.
And I doubt that there will be much moral outrage over this, if any, amongst the populace, who seems inured to this kind of torture, etc, done in all of OUR names (and using OUR tax dollars to do it). More’s the pity…
People should be allowed to protest on any subject they want to and against anyone they want to.
doesn’t mean they might not get arrested. That is usually part of the whole thing since if Ellsberg was not arrested, no press would have paid much attention.
The number of arrests equals the number of Tomahawk missiles fired upon Libya, coincidence?
I don’t think so.
Yep!
I want to second RoyalOak’s thought on the matter. . . .
Please vote 3rd party instead. I plan on voting for the Green Party candidate myself.
This tape is the arrest at the White House on Saturday. Ellsberg was arrested again on Sunday near Quantico when he sat down in the intersection.
Why aren’t there any charges for the person or persons responsible for leaking the photos of the U.S. soldiers killing the Afghan civilians to the der Spiegel in Germany?
(excerpt from “VICTORY! Court Says Plaintiffs Can Challenge Bush Wiretapping Law,” ACLU.Org, by Rachel Myers, Mar. 21, 2011 at 12:47pm)
This is a useful read put together by The Center for Constitutional Rights (down-loadable in English, Spanish, Urdu and Arabic).
Thanks!
United We Stand. Mr Manning is not alone.
When we first heard about torture during the Chimpy regime I think we were all horrified. How could we as Americans allow this. We were outraged. To watch Rummie LIE with such arrogance was sickening. When the pics came out it was too much to take. How Obama can think that nobody cares about Manning is stump stupid. Has he been drinking the TeaScrote Tea. “O”WTF. I HOPE you can get your head out of your ass and make some CHANGE you F*ucking BushLite.
Silent American Need not Apply! Like those silent Germans?
“silent Germans” is a myth.
Read “The Good German” for examples of how they joined in marginalizing, bullying, discriminating those for whom the Reich gave those “silent Germans” permission to despise.