by former FBI Counsel & Special Agent Coleen Rowley
http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/11/opinion/rowley-nsa-surveillance/index.html
Bradley Manning did the right thing
Ray interviewed at Ft. Meade by “We Are Change, Connecticut” after the May 1 rally in support of Bradley Manning (13 min.) Secrecy promises (indeed, all promises) are important, but Manning saw instinctively what ethicists call a “supervening value” in disclosing war crimes, lies, the whole nine yards, in the hope of sparking discussion and ending the torture and slaughter. “Standing on one’s principles” sounds great; but if we are not willing to take risks to promote or ensure those principles…..well, the point is, Bradley Manning was.
Ray talks a bit about a basic difference between the American and the Biblical concepts of Justice. And he explains that when he was confronted with the kind of situation Manning faced into with moral courage, Ray blew it.
Since When Do the “Rules of Engagement” Cover War Crimes? … … like murdering those assisting the wounded?
Ian Masters interviews Ray about Bradley Manning’s disclosures. “Background Briefing,” KPFK 90.7 FM, 14 min. (from minute 2:25 to minute 17:00)
Manning Trial Has Little To Do With Justice
Ignoring our common Abrahamic Heritage Rooted in Justice
Ray interview with presstv (3 min.)
http://www.presstv.ir/usdetail/307298.html
Doubting Obama’s Resolve to Do Good
A Critique of the Oratory of POTUS Impotens
http://consortiumnews.com/2013/05/28/doubting-obamas-resolve-to-do-right/
The President’s May 23 speech on drones and Guantanamo had a Lewis Carroll-quality to it. Remember this dialogue between Alice and the Queen?
‘I’m seven and a half, exactly.’
‘You needn’t say “exactly”,’ the Queen remarked. ‘I can believe it without that. Now I’ll give you something to believe. I’m just one hundred and one, five months and a day.’
‘I can’t believe that!’ said Alice.
‘Can’t you?’ the Queen said in a pitying tone. ‘Try again: draw a long breath, and shut your eyes.’
Alice laughed. ‘There’s no use trying,’ she said ‘one can’t believe impossible things.’
‘I daresay you haven’t had much practice,’ said the Queen. ‘When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day. Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.’
Sometimes the only way to keep one’s sanity is to recall relatively sane literature like Alice in Wonderland. Actually, as Ray started to realize how elated many of his progressive friends were about Obama’s “new” approach….well, there was no way to avoid ruining a long weekend in an attempt to redirect his anger at Obama (and those gilding the lily) into trying to spread some truth around. The article above appeared on Consortiumnews.com Tuesday and on many other Web sites that same day.