Rescind Chelsea Manning’s Subpoena
I am writing to express my displeasure over the issuance of subpoenas for Chelsea Manning subsequent to her having completed her unjust sentence for whistleblowing.
You have subpoenaed Ms Manning for a second time to appear before a grand jury, after Ms Manning reasonably refused to testify before a previous grand jury, for which you had her held in civil contempt and jailed her for 63 days, 28 of which were in solitary confinement. Ms Manning has already served an unprecedented prison sentence for disclosing information to the media that the public had a right to know. That sentence was served under conditions that brought her to the brink of suicide, and was roundly criticized by international human rights experts.
Ms Manning has made it clear that she will not testify before a grand jury, no matter how many times she is subpoenaed. She is right to believe that grand jury secrecy does not in any way facilitate justice … it is why many industrialized nations no longer use grand juries.
Ms Manning served our country well by making us aware of war crimes the best way she knew how to, and she paid an excessive price for it. Please drop the subpoena and do not pursue any more charges against her or anyone else who is brave enough to expose corruption within the military or any other facet of our government. Please spend our dimes going after corrupt public servants, not the people who warn us about them. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Susan Chandler
