Crowdfunded Stenographer Denied Press Pass To Cover Transcriptless Bradley Manning Trial
from the can't-have-an-accurate-record-now,-can-we dept
The attempts to limit the press during the Bradley Manning trial have been somewhat ridiculous. The press hasn't been allowed to record anything, even though someone clearly did so surreptitiously. Furthermore, there's been no plan for an official court transcript of the proceedings either. About a month ago, the Freedom of the Press Foundation launched a crowdfunding campaign to try to hire their own professional stenographer to attend the trail to make a transcript. They even had some top press publications, including the Guardian, Forbes and the Verge, apply for an extra press pass for the crowdfunded stenographer. The military refused. But, more ridiculously, they claimed it was a space issue, though that's an issue they could easily fix.The Army received over 350 media applications for the trial, but only granted 70 to be present in the media room. In an emailed statement, the MDW Media Desk stated: “Your understanding of our space limitations based on building fire codes is greatly appreciated.”A large group of established news organizations -- including the LA Times, NPR, the New Yorker, Fox News, Newsweek, Bloomberg and NY Magazine -- have all asked the military to open up two additional press passes for stenographers (two so that they can overlap while switching shifts). The judge in the case, on Monday, announced that it would be okay for a stenographer to record a transcript using a stenography machine, which is great... except that without a press pass, they still can't get the stenographer in. Thankfully, for Monday, a Bradley Manning supporter with a pass gave it up to the stenographer, but it's somewhat ridiculous that it had to even come to that.
In previous hearings, the Army has opened a public overflow theater with live audio and video streaming of the hearing. Additionally, the Army has sole discretion over which room(s) to designate as media rooms – including how many rooms to make available.
At this point, it really just seems like the Army is being incredibly petty over this case in its desire to limit the details of coverage.
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Filed Under: army, bradley manning, freedom of the press foundation, press pass, stenographer, trial
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Assange statement
http://wikileaks.org/Assange-Statement-on-the-First-Day.html
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Re: Assange statement
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He's a hero.
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Re: Re: Re: Assange statement
Had he done that, 100% of the public would be behind him.
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So, who is the biggest traitor - the man who followed his sworn oath tot he Constitution, or the men who seem to treat the Constitution like piss-roll?
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In a Democracy, "We the People" are the topmost ruler. And somebody leaking government secrets to the People can not be a traitor.
Yes, some adversaries of the People now know the secrets too, but that still does not mean the whistleblower is a traitor.
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Re: Re: Re: Assange statement
The enemy is not "the People".
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Whether or not Bradley Manning is ultimately found innocent or guilty, one can only hope that the trial is fair. But on the basis of what has already been seen, it seems doubtful.
This event will probably go down as one of those "kill the messenger because they don't like the message", instead of fixing the inherent problems within the system.
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Re: Re: Assange statement
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Not petty
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Re: Not petty
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But I have to say everyone requires a defense.
Personally I think all the extra charges that the government is trying to lay on Manning go way beyond his actual crimes.
20 years, reduction in rank to E1, forfeiture of all pay and allowances and a BCD more than fit the crimes he committed.
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If achieving high status cured sociopathy, our economy wouldn't be on the verge of collapse.
Petty, small men are in nearly every position of power in the nation. They bicker like children while the country crumbles.
This trial is a classic example. Manning is not being put on trial because of any harm he might possibly have done the public or the nation. No. Petty, egotistical sociopaths were embarrassed by Wikileaks. That's the one and only reason he was arrested, thrown in solitary confinement, etc.
They haven't yet made "embarrassing us" a capital offense, but not for lack of trying.
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Anonymous Cowards
Why can people not see how far things have fallen?
Wake up America, you've lost your freedom. It's now just a land of hypocrisy.
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Re: Anonymous Cowards
Where have you been - under a rock?
Yeah, things were peachy keen back in the good ol' days huh.
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The pigs and cowards running this trial...
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Hello Alex Jones, how's it hangin?
It was an inside job.
" this is worse than a trial in China"
lol - good one
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The Japanese would commit sepuku (suicide) if one of their men did this.
I find it all incredibly conceited and stupid. The military should not be a government to itself, as this trial and the sexual assault injustices show.
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Re:
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Re: Re:
Be careful when you pick nits. For instance, when is suicide not self-inflicted?
"A Samurai cannot stand the shame of defeat." -- The Last Samurai.
Hence, ritual suicide.
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here...
let me fix that for you...
"At this point, it really just seems like the Obama Administration is being incredibly petty over this case in its desire to limit the details of coverage."
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The news to me was...
I feel cold.
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Chillingly topical:
Let your spirit stay unbroken, may you not be deterred
Hold on, you have gambled with your own life
You faced the night alone
While the builders of the cages
Sleep with bullets, bars and stone
They do not see the road to freedom
That you build with flesh and bone
Hold on...
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Off Topic, slightly,
The behavior coming out of the Army after Bush started letting in convicts for his illegal war is embarrassing to me as a former Enlisted man and Officer. It will be decades before we repair all the damage to Army values and Culture.
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