"We only know these crimes took place because insiders blew the whistle at great personal risk ... Government whistle-blowers are part of a healthy democracy and must be protected from reprisal," noted Barack Obama while on the campaign trail in 2008. While the President was referring to the Bush Administration's use of phone companies to illegally spy on Americans, US Army PFC Bradley Manning's alleged actions are just as noteworthy. By the military’s own account, PFC Manning had a reasonable belief that war crimes and government corruption were being covered up, and he took action based on a crisis of conscience.

Tens of millions of Americans supported the 2008 presidential campaign of Barack Obama based on his promises to promote government transparency, protect whistle-blowers, and end the war in Iraq. Therefore, the mistreatment of PFC Manning by his administration has come as a shock to many.  When asked about PFC Manning’s pretrial treatment at the Quantico Marine Brig, which was so extreme to have initiated a UN investigation into possible torture, President Obama responded simply that he’d been assured by the Pentagon that it was “appropriate.”  And when asked about PFC Manning at a April 2011 fundraiser, Commander-in-Chief President Obama declared that PFC Manning “broke the law”—before PFC Manning ever set foot in a courtroom.

At PFC Manning’s pretrial hearing in December 2011, President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton were asked to testify to the actual impact of the release of documents, because the most serious charge against PFC Manning claims that he indirectly "aided the enemy."  Yet both have refused to testify in court, or to reply to the defense's deposition request.  This is shameful considering that this military trial could result in a young man who served our country in Iraq, and then acted with conscience to further serve the public good, spending the rest of his life in prison.

As Americans who previously spent time and money campaigning in support of Barack Obama, we now appeal to the president to take a solid step toward fulfilling his original campaign promises by dismissing charges against US Army PFC Bradley Manning.

Background Information:

Shortly before his arrest in May 2010, in chat logs attributed to Bradley Manning by the FBI, he said:

“I want people to see the truth, no matter who they are, because without information, you cannot make informed decisions as a public.”

The information PFC Manning allegedly released touches on the lives of people around the world, and helps to bring to light the roots of many problems. Most Americans have opposed the war and occupation of Iraq for years. Yet American reporters have shied away from the details of the conflict. The documents Bradley allegedly released gave us a more accurate casualty count, information about war crimes, and the continued use of torture in Iraq.  (One document was even an important contributing factor to the troop withdrawal finally being completed in December 2011.)  The information released gave us proof that many innocent people lost years of their lives in the Guantanamo Bay prison, and that the Obama Administration worked to prevent Bush Administration officials from being prosecuted for breaking international human rights laws. It also taught us how our tax money goes to advocate for corporate interests and the exploitation of working people abroad--such as State Department efforts to keep the Haitian minimum wage from being raised. One of the top impacts of this information being released has been to teach regular Americans about American foreign policy. In a democracy, the public has a right and a need to know about its government.

President Obama has publicly stated support for this principle.  On May 19^th 2011, in a sentiment startlingly close to that expressed by Bradley Manning a year earlier, he told the American people that,

“In the 21st century, information is power; the truth cannot be hidden; and the legitimacy of governments will ultimately depend on active and informed citizens.”

With this petition, we ask that President Obama honor those words.

Carrie Camarena signed
I contributed money 3 different times and walked precincts. I bought Obama gear, placed a sign in front of my house, and advocated for his presidency in my personal and public affairs. I volunteered as a phone banker and posted many pro Obama FB news on a regular basis. I appreciate many of the advancements this administration has made. But the President’s stance on civil rights, particularly the 1st Amendment, has been disappointing. As the President is a former Constituional Law advocate, it’s difficult to accept his willingness to betray the Constitution in order to win some republican votes. Hopefully, protection of the 1st Amendment will be a top priority during the next administration. It’s the right thing to do, if nothing else.

Clark Clark signed
I spent over $50,000 campaigning for Obama. I campaigned in 30 different swing states, lead a gigantic voter registration drive, printed 5000 t-shirts, printed 200,000 stickers, made 50,000 buttons, and attended the DNC in Denver. I painted a portrait of Obama that raised over $7000 for his campaign in a fundraiser auction. I will not being any of this in 2012. Hell I may not even vote unless Bradley Manning is pardoned before November.

Sigmund Shen signed
Canvassed for Obama/Biden in Philadelphia two times with the teacher’s union. Voted for them too. Especially with the outrageous death threats being made against Ethan McCord, dismissing the charges against Bradley Manning and going after the real war criminals instead is a chance for the president to restore our faith in him and provide this country with some badly needed moral leadership.

Judy Stiller signed
I gave money when I really could not afford to do so. I canvassed and used many social media websites to promote Mr. Obama for President. I regret every bit of it. President Obama has caved to the right at every turn. Do the right thing and let this young hero go free!

Brian Browne Walker signed

I worked, donated, voted for Obama, and drew thousands more into doing the same. I watch with grief and shame as Obama persecutes a heroic young whistleblower who tried to use military channels to kick war crimes upstairs, was rebuffed, and did the only thing an ethical person could do. Nearly two years in prison, almost half of it being sexually and psychologically tortured with Obama’s knowledge and consent, Brad Manning is a lion.

Meanwhile, Barack Obama has just been revealed by an extremely well-researched and well-documented piece to be knowingly and intentionally killing rescuers and funeral goers with drones, which are by anyone’s definition war crimes (http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2012/02/04/obama-terror-drones-cia-tactics-in-pakistan-include-targeting-rescuers-and-funerals/).

Shame on you, Mr. President. Maybe you can’t refuse the orders of your masters in the military industrial complex when they tell you to keep firing Hellfire missiles at women and children. But you can acknowledge that you violated the Uniform Code of Military Justice almost a year ago and exerted undue command influence by publicly declaring Bradley Manning’s guilt — it’s on video, sir, right here — and you can do the right thing and release him.

Then you ought to pin the Medal of Freedom on him in the Rose Garden for all the world to see. Do it before he gets the Nobel Peace Prize for which he’s been nominated. Do it before you’re in the reprehensible position of being a Nobel Peace Prize recipient who’s imprisoning, wholly wrongly, another one.

Dan Stevens signed
I donated 2400$ to his campaigns in 2008, and also did a small amount of canvassing. Due to the way he’s handled the Bradley Manning issue (among other things, such as signing the NDAA, appointing Monsanto execs to positions in government, failing to give straight answers to very reasonable petitions on whitehouse.gov), I don’t feel like he’s standing up for the ideals that he campaigned on. I know there are many good things this administration has done, but there are fundamental issues that are not being addressed. Just being better than the other guy isn’t enough to win my support, and I intend to spend my time and money this year supporting who I see as more deserving candidates in local races