http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/
To Those Who Think Bradley Manning Supporters Should Get Their Own Damn Parade<http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/2013/05/18/to-those-who-think-bradley-manning-supporters-should-get-their-own-damn-parade/>
Mike
Yes, there will always be clueless minions. Discussing things in their terms is a waste of time and the author was far too kind to those critics of freedom.
Meanwhile, there are bigger issues at stake. The American Legion SF Post 315 is now on board the Bradley Manning Torch Procession to Washington DC, in our terms, as I wrote: to Post Commander, John Caldera:
"I'm sure you can imagine the need to rehearse something as prolonged as
the Torch Parade...especially on such short notice, as a response needs
to be, to the Pride Director's low-down re-branding of the GLBT
movement".
"We're planning to use the Pride Parade as the launch of a virtual Freedom
Torch Precession to Washington DC, to bring the wrongful prosecution and imprisonment of Bradley Manning to an end.
We need people in every community in Americas who can participate with their own local Torch Ceremony. All that's required is some people, a tiki torch, a web cam and optional dignitaries.
The format is simple:
One half the group follows a torch-bearer for a block into town to the
other half of the group. Speeches are made. The torch is ceremoniously passed to the next bearer, carrying the torch for a block out of town,
escorted by the other half of the group.
Local merchants can get in on the action with hot dogs or whatever.
The ceremonies are scheduled by time-zone to represent the march from San
Francisco to Washington DC, where we have a receiving ceremony and rally planned.
Naturally,
this is not without controversy. But from the view-point of this 1970
Boy's State delegate, Bradley Manning was defending both the
Constitution and the interests of decent people. It could be that we
have already lost what the founders of Boy's State were hoping to
preserves. But not without a fight from me. It is no less than my sacred duty to the veterans who selected me. They
were counting on me to look after their interests when they were gone.
I will gladly take-on anyone who feels differently, in an ethical,
historical, or philosophical discussion. It will not be by procedure, we become the enemy we fought. (added by me now: Otherwise we are through discussing it)
WWI was to be the War to End All Wars and the Legion did not want to
have fought in vain, against the advances of totalitarian socialism and
the police state. I'm sure I don't need to belabor this point.
I hope you will accept my help in bringing this ugly episode to a close.
John F. Bechtol
California American Legion Delegate 1970"
Yesterday, European organization came on board, to coordinate the international assets to gain Manning's freedom.
This is much bigger than the Pride Parade.
People interested in more info or in what they can do to help, call or e-mail me directly and/or the website will be up and running next week.
John
707-623-6005