Stillwater Friends Meeting on Bradley Manning

Jul 13, 2011

Stillwater Friends Meeting of Stillwater, Oklahoma recently approved a minute calling the inhumane treatment of Army Private Bradley Manning “reprehensible.” Bradley Manning has been accused of leaking sensitive and classified information to the anti-secrecy website wikileaks. “We appeal to the conscience of members of the American military and the executive branch to recognize Private Manning's basic human rights” said the minute. FCNL encourages Friends to do as they are led on this issue.

The Minute:

We, the Stillwater Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), feel it is our moral and religious duty to speak out in defense of Pfc. Bradley Manning, a fellow Oklahoman. For more than three centuries, Quakers have borne witness to the mistreatment of prisoners, and we strongly believe that Private Manning is the victim of mistreatment. Private Manning has been incarcerated for over a year without benefit of a preliminary hearing. He is suspected of leaking classified military information, including the video Collateral Murder. While people may have different views on the ethics and consequences of whistle-blowing and the apparent misdeeds of the U.S. Military, we contend that the treatment of Private Manning is, in any case, unjust and reprehensible. We appeal to the conscience of members of the American military and the executive branch to recognize Private Manning's basic human rights.