Fyi, I have been talking to the good people at GetEqual

[EFerrari]

about making a statement on the conditions of Bradley Manning's detention.

For about two weeks or so, I've been exchanging emails with them, asking why none of the GLBT orgs have said anything yet.

The last person I talked to assured me that Jane at FDL was handling it. I think we can do better than that and believe that GLBT advocacy groups have a lot to say about how Manning's punitive detention has been condoned, even endorsed by this administration.

If you'd like to encourage Get Equal to take a position, this is the email address that I used to contact them. They have been gracious and responsive to me at every point so far.

Imho, this would be the perfect time for them or any of the advocacy groups to jump in as all the major papers did last week. Very little risk that I can see, at this point.

[e-mail]

/edit

[Smarmie Doofus]

1. Huge REC and thanks for pushing so hard on this.

I will email and hope others will too.

[EFerrari]

2. The person who answered the info mail

was Michelle Wright.

She passed me on to Heather Conk.

I believe that Get Equal is having an internal debate. Also, that their debate could be informed by us.

[thanks_imjustlurking]

3. Thank you.

:patriot:

[davidinalameda]

4. how is this a GLBT issue

just because Manning is gay?

[EFerrari]

5. Well, it's an issue if the environment he is being held in is largely anti-gay.

The question should be raised, imho.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

6. because if gay rights are human rights, and we say that all the time

then human rights violations are gay rights issues as well.

[davidinalameda]

7. he's been arrested and is in jail

and he currently has few rights by definition

I'm just wondering if GLBT groups should be involved for all GLBT prisoners or just high profile ones like Manning

where's the outrage for other GLBT prisoners?

[La Lioness Priyanka]

8. high profile cases highlight issues. there are groups working on prisoner rights

all the time. including the complicated issue of trans people in prison

if you dont want to get involved dont, but i don't think diminishing the issue for someone else, is productive

this exactly feels when straight people on du tell us that our issues are not imp enough.

[EFerrari]

12. I literally don't understand the equation, giving something to Brad

is a loss for everyone else.

On the contrary, standing up for his rights exercises the habit of solidarity and activism, imo.

[davidinalameda]

13. prisoners' rights are one thing

trying to get GLBT groups involved with this is not productive

if he was in jail for anything else and he was treated as he's supposedly been treated, would you care as much?

this is not a GLBT issue and trying to make it so diminishes other much more important issues facing the ENTIRE community

[FreeState]

15. Why is it not productive?

Homophobia is pervasive and is present in nearly all of US institutions - it must be faught on all levels, not just those that effect the most.

[EFerrari]

9. This would be a good way to open that discussion up. n/t

[Smarmie Doofus]

10. I just googled "Bradley Manning"+"Faggot".

http://www.google.com/#sclient=psy&hl=en&q=%22Bradley+Manning%22%2B%22faggot%22&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=7cbdd2d5e2aa02ac


I got 118,000 hits.

Click on some of 'em. Sweet stuff, no?

I think this is a GLBT issue.

[davidinalameda]

14. it's not

as I just posted, if he was arrested for something else, would you care as much

[Smarmie Doofus]

16. If disdain toward his homosexuality is ... in whole or in part....

a driving force behind his prosecution and/or his pretrial abuse than it is a GLBT issue. Period.

>>>>if he was arrested for something else, would you care as much>>>>>>

No. I'd care. But not as much. I like him; his sexual orientation is not an issue to me. But it *appears* to be an issue w. many of his detractors.

Is that disdain shared by his prosecutors and captors? Well.... they sure seem to REALLY have it out for him , don't they?

I'm old enough to remember Ellsberg's prosecution ( and the concurrent character assassination campaign ). As hated as Ellsberg was, the level of antipathy there pales in comparison with that directed toward Manning.

Something about this guy set him apart. Drives his detractors NUTS. Let's see; what could it be? What could it be?

[davidinalameda]

18. he's being charged with treason

that's a bit different than you're average run of the mill crime

is he being treated any differently since he's gay-probably but that does not make it a GLBT issue

would he be treated differently if he was a racial minority or if he was a she?

I don't want to see precious resources wasted on this guy especially if he is guilty

we have enough real martyrs without making someone who committed treason against his country one

and yes, I do think the way he's being allegedly treated is wrong

[Smarmie Doofus]

19. Treason? Kids' stuff. Ellsberg was charged w. ESPIONAGE.

Both charges are/ were bullshit.

Yet, Manning seems to be getting prosecuted so much more vigorously; seems to be getting treated so much more harshly.

Hmmm....

[davidinalameda]

20. Manning is in the military

of course he's being prosecuted more harshly or whatever term you want to use

Ellsberg was a civilian

a military person has far fewer rights than a civilian

[EFerrari]

23. Punitive pre-trial detention is illegal under the UCMJ. n/t

[Unvanguard]

17. Speaking for myself, yes, absolutely.

The treatment of LGBT prisoners in the US, broadly, is pretty terrible, and I've cared about it for a long time.

It is a worthy subject for any organization seeking equality for LGBT people. It obviously has substantial political risks, but that should not be the decisive factor.

[RetiredTrotskyite]

11. Thank You!

I wonder if FRC would be that responsive.

[closeupready]

21. I didn't know he is gay; now that I do, it's nice to know that

organizations that are chartered with the task of promoting and protecting the rights of gay people seem to have committed to zealously defending Manning's rights. :sarcasm:

There was a time when gay organizations who pandered for mainstream acceptance would have held Manning even further away from them than was warranted, overcompensating in a way for the low regard with which most people held gays and lesbians. Maybe we are beyond that. Hopefully. (There is still Log Cabin Republicans, of course, I realize.)

[EFerrari]

22. This is a good time to step in on the issue of his detention conditions.

Every human rights org has, the UN has, most of the major papers have, professional groups of docs and shrinks have, celebrities are now lining up.

There may be a risk in defend his leaks but there isn't much of a risk in protesting punitive pre-trial detention, imo.