Hello ATS, Do you think Bradley Manning is a hero or a traitor?

Hello all, I just wanted to start this thread because I have seen so much Bradley Manning bashing on a lot of news websites over the past 24 hours, so I wanted to get your opinions if you all consider him a hero or a traitor to the United States. A majority of the bashing that I have seen has been related to his sexual orientation, which I feel is avoiding the real issue of why he did what he did. A lot of Republicans on a lot of news websites consider him a traitor to the U.S. for endangering the lives of soldiers, whereas a lot of liberals view him as a national hero. I am just very curious to hear all of your thoughts on this issue because I have a lot of mixed feelings and ideas about what he has done, I mean, I feel like he did a good thing exposing a lot of the crimes that the military has done in Iraq and Afghanistan, and even leaking all of the documents to Wikileaks. However, I still remain skeptical as to how he obtained information and access to 700,000+ documents, especially based of his ranking. So what do you all think? Should he be hailed a national hero or a traitor?

reply to post by Unvarnished


Definitely a Hero!

reply to post by Unvarnished


Dear Unvarnished,

I don't know, has he been found guilty or innocent? I like the idea of innocent until proven guilty, I don't like the idea of being guilty just because the government accuses you of something. If he is guilty, what did they find him guilty of?

Hero. Biggest crime was making our government more transparent. The truth is never wrong.

reply to post by AQuestion


He has been ordered a court martial to review his case. I would assume they are trying to make him guilty of conspiring against the government and treason. I am really beginning to think that he should be hailed as a hero despite what everyone else says. In today's society, truth and crime go hand in hand with one another and it is sad to see so many people blinded by what the government is telling him. People think he should be considered a traitor for risking a lot of lives during wartime, which I feel is an invalid and senseless argument to begin with.

i'm active duty military and i say hero.

reply to post by amazing


I would have to agree, truth and crime go hand in hand in today's world, and that is the sad part. =/

reply to post by SGTSECRET


Wow, its great to see that! So many people on those news websites who were active military believed he should be shot by a firing squad. I guess its good to see others on the opposite page. I wish you well friend!

hero. it disgusts me that the usa can continue to get away with severe injustices like this. definately a hero.

Hero.

Hands down.

Unfortunately, heroes nowadays get locked up and the key thrown away... or killed, whichever comes first.


Now everyone repeat after me:

Must not mess with the military industrial complex.
Must not mess with the military industrial complex.


What good little sheep you are !

"Truth is treason, in the empire of lies" -Ron Paul

And that's all I have to say about that.

it is an odd contradiction to live beliving all are equal and war crimes are the worst evil of all,
but because of my upbringing these things to me make sence,
war crimes are crimes against all humanity and if left unchecked certainly get worse,
after ww2 nations decided that war crimes were not acceptable and MUST be investigated at the insinuation of another nation, who had also signed the compact.

now we are taught in life and school that war crimes must be stopped to aviod a situation like well WW2,
and in my country ALL people are equal in their right to life and happyness and saftey.

so my moral law inbread from birth ingrained in my civil society and in the hearts of minds of the people IS the will to ENSURE no more war criminals will be tolerated, by any side, at any time.

in light of my notion that it is my duty to the equal other peoples of the world and to prevent another WW2 situation, my moral obligation to my nation is to expose the war crimes,

even to save it from itself, by causing investigation of the crimes,

all people are equal in my country and by definition ALL PEOPLE means everyone,
in any countres around the world,
and war crimes against ANY PERSON is a crime against me as well

i understand that in this senario i would be sacrificed on the pire of national security,
but if it ment my nation was made whole again,
then there would be no better way to serve a nation,
especially if you knew the consiquences of your actions.

i do not condone espienage, leaking of seceret documents, or hacking for any reason,

i do beleive that when the moral imperitive is to be a patriot and save the nation,
my personal self is secondary to my nation.

ask yourself this, do you want the USA to be thought of as avowed war criminals?
is it in the best interest of the NATION that war crimes are halted?

this is not intended as an endorcement of any persons behaviour,
but is my humble opinion from NZ

xploder

reply to post by XPLodER


The government oppresses the humbled in today's society, something we need to stand up and fight against. They kissed democracy goodbye many years ago and now it has been run by the tyranny of the MSM. It is sad that so many Americans nowadays are brainwashed by all of the evils that are being committed every day.

Hero.

Bradley Manning does not deserve to be put in front of a firing squad...how archaic is that anyway? That is so backward and draconian for a government that considers itself "the worldpower". The world joke more like. it.

Anyone that gets information on corrutpion and back door deals by any government and outs them is in my opinion a moral person.

Don't forget that governments are elected by and work for the people.

Corrupt government officials should be tried and punished for hoodwinking and ripping of the citizenry.

Julian Assange is a hero too...

res

reply to post by resistancia


I feel that Julian Assange is one of the greatest supporters of human justice. So many governments have accused him of being a cyber terrorist, whereas in the end, all he has been trying to do is expose all of the atrocities that have been committed.

Just like what Daniel Ellsberg did, I consider Manning and Assange to be doing what needs to be done when innocent civilians are being killed and the government is lying to us to justify wars.... Manning should be awarded medals for doing the right thing to expose a government that has for decades been doing wrong.

reply to post by Unvarnished


there is no need to fight anything except to change how you think about others,
when non violent pieceful protest works why fight anything other than hate?

the MORAL imperitive is the Public Opinion the shapes the society we live in,
in a way , the way you think shapes society,
so it is really just a mass change in thinking,
war crimes are not aceptable under international law

when enough people except that as fact it will be so.

change your thinking

xploder