300 people marched a couple of miles along route 175 in Jessup and Odenten, MD today, beginning at one (open) Fort Meade gate, past another (closed), and rallied in front of a third (also closed) to show support for Bradley Manning on his 24th birthday. Perhaps the most excitement in the march came during the chanting of "Bradley Manning under attack; what do we do, stand up, fight back!"

There was a bus from Occupy Wall Street, and another one from Stop The Machine at Freedom Plaza in DC. There were dozens of vets, most (but not all) from Veterans For Peace, and a few active duty GIs from Ft. Meade. I had a nice talk with one of them in the last 15 minutes of the march, and look forward to meeting him again soon.

The speeches at the rally at the third gate were first-class! Speakers included Jeff Patterson from the Bradley Manning Support Network in CA, Col. Ann Wright, Ray McGovern from VIPS and the DC VFP chapter, Lt. Dan Choi, Kevin Zeese from Stop the Machine, Iraq war veteran Mike Patterson from the Occupy DC camp at McPherson Square, a veteran from Occupy Wall Street who carried his Bradley Manning sign the first night in Zucotti Park, Bill Perry from VFP/VVAW, and others. There will surely be video of it all over the net within hours.

The trial continues tomorrow (yes, Sunday!), and perhaps as long as Thursday. The defense lawyer has been doing an incredible job according to all of our witnesses in court, and Graham Nash has co-written and co-performed a song called, "Almost Gone". It has been a great beginning 2 days of struggle at Fort Meade this weekend. As one speaker at the rally said, we want to have thousands mobilized the next time! Free Bradley Manning. Happy 24th birthday, you strong young GI! Time to bring back "Soldier, we love you!" by Rita Martinson in "Sir, No Sir" (originally part of FTA with Jane Fonda and Donald Sutherland).
To hear Rita sing it, check this link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iMusPYq83g

P-Mac

A Man in Tunisia, a Movement on Wall Street, and the Soldier Who Ignited the Fuse ...a letter from Michael Moore

Saturday, December 17th, 2011

Friends,

It's Saturday night and I didn't want the day to end before I sent out this note to you.

One year ago today (December 17th), Mohamed Bouazizi, a man who had a simple produce stand in Tunisia, set himself on fire to protest his government's repression. His singular sacrifice ignited a revolution that toppled Tunisia's dictator and launched revolts in regimes across the Middle East.

Three months ago today, Occupy Wall Street began with a takeover of New York's Zuccotti Park. This movement against the greed of corporate America and its banks -- and the money that now controls most of our democratic institutions -- has quickly spread to hundreds of towns and cities across America. The majority of Americans now agree that a nation where 400 billionaires have more wealth than 160 million Americans combined is not the country they want America to be. The 99% are rising up against the 1% -- and now there is no turning back.

Twenty-four years ago today, U.S. Army Spc. Bradley Manning was born. He has now spent 570 days in a military prison without a trial -- simply because he allegedly blew the whistle on the illegal and immoral war in Iraq. He exposed what the Pentagon and the Bush administration did in creating this evil and he did so by allegedly leaking documents and footage to Wikileaks. Many of these documents dealt not only with Iraq but with how we prop up dictators around the world and how our corporations exploit the poor on this planet. (There were even cables with crazy stuff on them, like one detailing Bush's State Department trying to stop a government minister in another country from holding a screening of 'Fahrenheit 9/11.')

ARTICLE CONTINUED.....
 http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/mike-friends-blog/man-tunisia-movement-wall-street-and-soldier-who-ignited-fuse

"It is alleged that Bradley Manning blew the whistle on US war crimes and cover ups in Iraq and Afghanistan. If this is true, he is a hero. He's a defender of democracy and human rights. His actions are based on the principle that citizens have a right to know what the government and armed forces are doing in their name. Bradley Manning should not be in prison. The charges against him should be dropped. Set him free. Instead, put on trial those who killed innocent civilians and those who protected the perpetrators."


Peter Tatchell, LGBT and human rights campaigner

Robert Ellsberg of the "Pentagon Papers" escorted from court for attempting to peak to Bradley Manning during recess in hearing

 http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2011/12/19-9