Off-topic but.. "they"? Manning isn't a group of people. Just say "she", it's really easy.
They == people in govt with access to this info.
Obama Commutes Bulk of Chelsea Manning’s Sentence
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Re: Obama Commutes Bulk of Chelsea Manning’s Sentence
#152Off-topic but.. "they"? Manning isn't a group of people. Just say "she", it's really easy.
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Re: Obama Commutes Bulk of Chelsea Manning’s Sentence
#153Off-topic but.. "they"? Manning isn't a group of people. Just say "she", it's really easy.
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Re: Obama Commutes Bulk of Chelsea Manning’s Sentence
#154Earlier quoted context omitted.
I have mixed feelings on this. Manning did commit a crime. They were entrusted with classified information and they released it on purpose. For all of the corruption and wrongdoing the release of those cables uncovered, didn't it also do things like give away the positions of some undercover agents? And harm US diplomatic relations with other countries? Look at it from the POV of the government: How could they not pu…
Obama doesn't seem to completely disagree, since he didn't pardon her. He instead commuted the sentence from 35 years to 7 years' imprisonment. In my personal opinion that's still too long for the crime, but it's at least less completely insane than 35 years.
The military justice has a possibility for parole release before the term, unlike U.S. federal civil justice. So there was always the possibility of a such release.
https://www.emptywheel.net/2013/08/21/bradley-mannings-sente...
Re: Obama Commutes Bulk of Chelsea Manning’s Sentence
#155Seven years is still a long time for whistle blowing. I'm glad to see she is still getting released though. It's important to note commuting the sentence is not a pardon. Chelsea will still have this conviction for the rest of her life. I know there is a lot of controversy with Manning compared to Wikileaks et. al. as far as not redacting documents or using a discriminating news source to filter them. Still, I oppose…
Whistle blowing requires the knowledge of wrong doing, and exposing these wrong doings. As far as I am aware that guy leaked the data in bulk without looking at it, and without any knowledge of the US diplomacy, and the leaks didn't expose any major wrongdoing. Only some gory videos, that don't really teach us anything (everyone knows bombs make "collateral damages", the US army even maintains statistics on them). An…
The "collateral murder" video, which was based on Manning's leaks, is really quite chilling and definitely shows wrong doings that were then covered up by the government. There was more, but this was the most visual/memorable.
I suggest you turn your scepticism to 11 and go watch it, see if you still feel the same way. https://collateralmurder.wikileaks.org/
(warning: if watching civilians, journalists and children being killed in cold blood bothers you, maybe don't go watch it, just read about it instead)
Re: Obama Commutes Bulk of Chelsea Manning’s Sentence
#156Off-topic but.. "they"? Manning isn't a group of people. Just say "she", it's really easy.
I don't know what Chelsea Manning's pronoun preferences are, but I have plenty of friends who prefer "they," which also happens to be the gender-neutral singular pronoun in English.
For example: "Someone came by asking for me earlier? Did they give you a name?"
Many people who do not identify as male or female prefer "they."
Re: Obama Commutes Bulk of Chelsea Manning’s Sentence
#157Off-topic but.. "they"? Manning isn't a group of people. Just say "she", it's really easy.
Pronouns are interesting. I have transgender friends who prefer "they". I like to use it as a gender-neutral pronoun when I can get away with it, and hope that usage becomes more acceptable as time passes.
Re: Obama Commutes Bulk of Chelsea Manning’s Sentence
#158Earlier quoted context omitted.
I have mixed feelings on this. Manning did commit a crime. They were entrusted with classified information and they released it on purpose. For all of the corruption and wrongdoing the release of those cables uncovered, didn't it also do things like give away the positions of some undercover agents? And harm US diplomatic relations with other countries? Look at it from the POV of the government: How could they not pu…
Classifying material should not be a way for the Government to hide corruption and wrongdoing. Whistle blowing is the only way that prevents that. Chelsea Manning acted on her conscience, which is the best we can expect anyone to do. The governments punishment was to prevent that happening again.
Little unethical behavior was actually leaked, though. The killing of the Reuters journalists probably should've been leaked since there was a sort of cover-up (government refused to give Reuters the video or concrete details), so I'll give her that.
But the rest was basically just normal communications.
I think she's served more than enough jail time, but this didn't really seem like a conscience-driven whistleblowing to me.
Snowden, on the other hand, leaked some seriously shady and unconstitutional activity (along with other things that IMO did not need to be released publicly). That very much did seem like he leaked it due to his conscience.
Re: Obama Commutes Bulk of Chelsea Manning’s Sentence
#159Off-topic but.. "they"? Manning isn't a group of people. Just say "she", it's really easy.
The word "they" has more than one meaning. One of those is for a person of indeterminate or unknown gender.
For example I can and routinely do say things like "If that person wishes to do XYZ, then they must first do ABCD"
Re: Obama Commutes Bulk of Chelsea Manning’s Sentence
#160Why can the US president meddle with the sentence of a convict? Isn't that against the separation of powers? Not that I have anything against this guy Manning in particular, just asking why is this "tolerable" in a democracy. Isn't it a risk, that the president can pardon whoever he wants?
The president is granted the power to pardon by the same document that establishes the separation of powers. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Article_Two_of_the_United_Stat... It's not a super long document. http://constitutionus.com/
I am not American so I don't know the constitution of the US. It was an innocent question but people here seemed not to like it somehow.