Manning says is female, wants to live as a woman (lawyer expects pardon)

[morningfog]

Last edited Thu Aug 22, 2013, 09:23 AM - Edit history (1)

U.S. soldier Bradley Manning, sentenced for leaking classified U.S. documents, said he is female and wants to live as a woman named Chelsea.

* * *

Manning's lawyer, David Coombs, also told NBC said he expects Manning to get pardoned.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/22/us-usa-wikileaks-manning-idUSBRE97J0JI20130822

[randome]

1. Lack of military organization support for gender identity issues.

The culpability of his superiors who put him in sensitive positions while being aware of his problems.

Sure, a pardon should not be out of the question.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]I'm always right. When I'm wrong I admit it.
So then I'm right about being wrong.[/center][/font][hr]

[kelliekat44]

15. Are you saying that it's the military's problem that some people have gender identity issues?

Was Manning trying to get attention to his problem by violating his security oath and giving away government information? The stuff could really get wild.

[hlthe2b]

2. I really don't understand where the optimism for pardon is coming...

Last edited Thu Aug 22, 2013, 08:42 AM - Edit history (1)

I'd like to see Manning pardoned as well or at least be given a much reduced sentence during the military review/appeals process, but I just don't see it. Certainly I don't see his CIC doing so--sad as that reality may be, and one would expect the highly oppositional views of President Obama towards "leakers" and whistleblowers likely transcend down through the Generals.

[joshcryer]

3. What does he have to lose?

At minimum Manning could get clemency.

I can think of way more controversial pardons. The Iran Contra people, Aslam Adam, Marc Rich. The Clinton's got a lot of crap for their pardons, hell, I'm sure the Hugh Rodham pardons will come up (again) if Hillary runs.

Frankly it's shameful Obama isn't pardoning to the level that Clinton did. There are tens of thousands of unjust drug convictions. Every year he should pardon thousands of them.

[hlthe2b]

4. I agree, but i think Obama is taking these leaks as almost a personal affront--especially Snowden

but that likely extends even to Manning, despite his actions directed toward exposing what happened under Bush*. It slays me that Obama, a former constitutional law professor, doesn't place more emphasis on the need to ensure civil rights (and exposure of war crimes) versus the illegality of such leaks, but it is clear that (at least since becoming President), he does not.

As for the failure to address the incessant injustices vis-a-vis drug crimes, given his intransigence with respect to pot and medical marijuana laws, i see little hope there either.

I'd dearly love to have an afternoon to ask him about all this.. It is depressing that he seems to retain very little of the "man" I thought I had elected since taking office.

[joshcryer]

6. Ahh, true, his statements of "cold war mentality" could support that.

It's just stupid that he wouldn't do it because it has a lot of support on the left, he has no need to be reelected, and truly the "damage" that Manning did was insignificant at best.

[LisaL]

5. I don't understand it either. Who does the lawyer think will pardon him, and why?

[Catherina]

13. I don't either but it would be the best strategic move for the President

Are he and his entourage wise enough to understand that? I don't think so.

[Sheldon Cooper]

7. There is no way that Obama is going to pardon Manning. Ever.

He may consider commuting Manning's sentence to time served as he leaves office in 2017, but issue a pardon? Not a chance.

Having said that, I hope that PFC Manning gets to live as a woman if that's what he wants.

[pintobean]

11. Mirt is looking.

Just served on the jury.

[Ms. Toad]

9. You might want to change the pronoun in the last sentence...

Since the time stamp on the article is after your OP, and now says "Manning's," I suspect Reuter's was taken to task for failing to follow the AP Style manual regarding pronouns and changed it after you snipped it.

[morningfog]

10. Thanks. Will do. I noticed the use, but don't edit articles that I copy.

[Ms. Toad]

12. Thanks & I understand -

I went to the article to check and see if it was a quote, noticed the change, and then checked the time stamp (since there have been a ton corrections once the trans community and allies notice mis-gendering and force corrections based on the AP Style Manual). I figured that was what happened.

What I do is add (sic) or bracket a change if the original is offensive.

ETA - this one was actually relatively mild for pronoun screw-ups compared to many I've seen.

[Zorra]

16. If someone is female, don't they already "live as a woman"?

You are what you are, no?

It will be a terribly cruel and unusual punishment if they do not allow Chelsea to calm her spirit by allowing her to use hormones in order to naturalize her brain chemicals and body as much as is possible. Transsexualism is an inherent natural physical condition, and Chelsea will need to provided with at least basic transition materials necessary to keep her mentally and emotionally healthy.

Sounds like the military is going to use ignoring her condition as another means of torturing her, and that could lead her to suicide, which is maybe what the military wants to happen.

[MADem]

17. Her lawyer is going to try to get her moved to a federal prison

where there is greater accommodation for treatment of gender dysphoria.