I remember seeing some pundit in the Occupy era comment that we will know the culture is shifting when the military and police begin to cross lines to join we the people rather than serving to both guard and expand the self-interest of the .1%.
Are we seeing more signs of that shift now? Two stories:
US Army Chaplain Resigns in Protest Over Drones, ‘Policy of Unaccountable Killing’
“I resign because I refuse to support U.S. policy of preventive war, permanent military supremacy and global power projection. “
and
‘My conscience bothered me’ Active Duty Army Intelligence Officer Is Suing the US Over Illegal War
Interesting that these two stories should be contemporaneous with an award that Chelsea Manning has now received, the first ever Blueprint Enduring Impact prize.
Here are Manning’s remarks on receipt of the prize, which of course, he had to accept via a surrogate.
Why I Keep Fighting
Excerpt:
I keep fighting to survive and thrive. I am fighting my court-martial conviction and sentence before a military appeals court, starting this month. I am fighting to make the full investigation by the FBI public. I am fighting to grow my hair beyond the two-inch male standards by the U.S. military.
I keep fighting to warn the world of the dangerous trend in which the only information you can access is the kind that someone with money or power wants you to see.
And, I keep fighting to let people know that they too can create change. By staying informed and educated, anyone can make a difference. You have the ability to fight for a better world for everyone — even for the most desperate, those at the bottom of the social ladder, refugees from conflict, queer and trans individuals, prisoners, and those born into poverty.
