generalspeaking

Identity Disorder

"Chelsea didn't want to have this be something that overshadowed the case, wanted to wait until the case was done to move on to the next stage of her life."
David Coombs, Bradley Chelsea Manning's defence lawyer 

In this undated file photo provided by the U.S. Army, Pfc. Bradley Manning poses for a photo wearing a wig and lipstick. Manning plans to live as a woman named Chelsea and wants to begin hormone therapy as soon as possible, the soldier said Thursday, a day after he was sentenced to 35 years in prison for sending classified material to WikiLeaks.    Photograph by: U.S. Army, File , AP Photo

Perhaps it is a matter of cunning cupidity aided and abetted by a terminal case of entitled egotism that has motivated the young Bradley Manning to act as he did. A confused young man, accustomed to attention-seeking, finding it conflicting to his needs. As a gay in the American military he would not be very popular.

As a young man in the military entrusted with sensitive data in an employment requiring discretion, skill and patriotism to a degree, whose personal plate was piled so high with angst one wonders at the lack of wisdom of those who assigned him to that particular duty.

The vision of the young man at work on his computer, retrieving secret files, downloading them on a thumb drive to be stored elsewhere than where they belonged, for some future use that would bring huge embarrassment to his country, still confident and self-amused by his situation, is an intriguing one. He was described as wearing ear buds while working, listening to the pop-cult music that appealed to his sensibilities, actually bopping along as he downloaded restricted files.

All to a good cause, though, to make the great American public aware of its military's lack of ethics, morals, world citizenship. Its "blood-lust" disgusted him and he had every intention of revealing it to the public. So they could rise up as one in rage against the machine and demand accountability. So everyone in America could end up proud to be Americans.

That his treachery to his country back-fired on him when he was revealed to have been the source for WikiLeaks' scoops was his misfortune.

Or was it? He's only 25 years of age, after all, and although he was given a 35-year prison sentence, a cordially magnanimous system will give him credit for time already served, and he will likely get time off for 'good behaviour', which in his case is somewhat absurd, but there you have it. Six and a half years, some in the know assess. Why, he'd just be entering his 30th year, or slightly beyond at that rate.

His whole life ahead of him.

As Breanna or Chelsea, whatever the mood takes him. For Chelsea E. Manning, aka Bradley Manning, wishes to be known henceforth, proudly and with huge entitlement, as a woman. The arcane pathology that has afflicted him was presented by his lawyer as his defence of his client's actions. Have some compassion, people. Free Bradley Manning to live out Chelsea E. Manning's life.

For Chelsea would so much appreciate that kind consideration.

"The ultimate goal is to be comfortable in her skin and be the person she never had an opportunity to be", said Chelsea's lawyer in explanation. Evidently because he is assigned to a military prison and not a federal prison, he will not be given hormone treatments as he wished. After all, the military teaches its members various types of skills useful both within the military and outside it. Why not sex re-assignment, sans surgery?

"As I transition into the next phase of my life, I want everyone to know the real me. I am Chelsea Manning. I am a female. Given the way I feel, and have felt since childhood, I want to begin hormone therapy as soon as possible." Utterly precious.

Labels: Communications, Conspiracy Theories, Crisis Politics, Fidelity, Security Defence, United States

posted by Pieface @ Saturday, August 24, 2013