{ National White House Call-in Day to Support Bradley Manning — this Thursday }

EDIT (Feb. 6th): calling is still helpful even if (like me, with my forgetfullness/crappy sleep schedule) missed the exact day.

from an email i got today from the Bradley Manning Support Network (full text quoted below).  PLEASE REBLOG.

if you can’t make phone calls, you can send an email to the President here.  other contact info (also from that page):

The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

FAX: 202-456-2461

TTY/TDD: Comments: 202-456-6213; Visitors Office: 202-456-2121

PLEASE JOIN US - PLEASE FORWARD WIDELY - SPREAD THE WORD - STAND WITH BRAD

National White House Call-in Day to Support Bradley Manning
Thursday, February 3rd, 2011

Whitehouse switchboard: 202-456-1414
(or Whitehouse comments: 202-456-1111)

Call the White House Thursday to voice your support for accused WikiLeaks whistle-blower US Army PFC Bradley Manning, specifically that his human rights be respected by the Quantico, Virginia, brig authorities. Bradley has been held in solitary confinement-like conditions for over eight months, and his trial is still months away. This American citizen-soldier has been convicted of no crime, yet continues to endure inhumane conditions of pre-trial confinement like no other inmate at the Quantico brig. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs recently stated that the White House was not paying attention to Bradley Manning’s extreme confinement conditions, or the fact that recent pre-approved visitors of Bradley’s have been detained and interrogated by military police in order to block their scheduled visit. It is critical that we educate the White House of this ongoing injustice!

Recommended points to make:

- US Army PFC Bradley Manning, the accused WikiLeaks whistle-blower being held at the Marine brig in Quantico, Virginia, is an American citizen who is innocent until proven otherwise. Yet, he has been subjected to continuous illegal pre-trial punishment since his arrest in May 2010. Based on these abuses alone, Manning should be freed pending court martial.

- Military pre-trial confinement is supposed to be about ensuring a soldier’s presence at court martial, yet for eight months now Manning has been subjected to extreme pre-trial punishment through the arbitrary use of rarely applied regulations—specifically the “maximum security classification” and the “prevention of injury” order. If he is not freed pending court martial, then at the very least, Manning’s human rights need to be respected, and the illegal pre-trial punishment must end.

- The arbitrary restrictions placed on Manning, and no other inmates at Quantico, mean that: Manning is allowed no meaningful physical exercise, he is allowed no social interaction with other inmates, he is kept in his cell at least 23 hours per day, and he is not allowed out of his cell without restraints.

- If the charges against him are true, they actually show that Manning is a patriot acting to advance an informed democracy. There is no allegation that Manning did anything but share truthful information with the American public regarding the realities of our nation’s ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, with absolutely no benefit to himself, in order to spark public debate regarding foreign policy.

The Bradley Manning Support Network: www.bradleymanning.org
Sign-up and join us: www.standwithbrad.org

 http://votersforpeace.us/press/index.php?itemid=4663

{ ***MEDICAL ALERT*** for Leonard Peltier (email from the Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee) }

if you can’t write letters or send faxes, reblogging and circulating this info is still very helpful.  thank you.

text of email:

At this time, Mr. Peltier’s most pressing need is proper medical care.  His only hope of being seen by qualified physicians and receiving care that complies with standard medical protocols is to be immediately transferred to another facility.  For background information on this current crisis, read our November 2010 press release at http://www.whoisleonardpeltier.info/pressrelease20101115.htm.

You can help.  Please print this letter (PDF format):  http://www.whoisleonardpeltier.info/download/LappinLtr.pdf.  Sign the letter; write your name and mailing address; and mail or fax your letter today.

Mail to:  Federal Bureau of Prisons
Address:  320 1st Street, NW, Washington, DC 20534
Fax: (202) 514-6620

Sample Text

Often a handwritten heartfelt letter is quite effective.  Remember to always employ a respectful tone and keep your comments brief and to the point.  If you wish, you may adapt the following text.

[BEGIN]

Harley G. Lappin, Director
U.S. Bureau of Prisons
320 First Street, NW
Washington, DC 20534

Dear Mr. Lappin:

It has come to my attention that Leonard Peltier #89637-132, an inmate at the U.S. Penitentiary in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, is in dire need of medical attention.

I believe that Mr. Peltier’s medical needs are urgent. He needs to be seen by proper medical staff. Therefore, I respectfully request that Leonard Peltier be transferred to FCI-Oxford in Wisconsin or FMC-Rochester in Minnesota. Either of these facilities can adequately accommodate Mr. Peltier’s medical needs.

Thank you in advance for transferring Leonard Peltier and immediately addressing his medical needs!

Sincerely,

Signature

[END]

Thank you for all you do on Mr. Peltier’s behalf.

Launched into cyberspace by the
Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee
PO Box 7488, Fargo, ND  58106
www.whoisleonardpeltier.info

NOTE: you can send free faxes from the internet here: http://www.gotfreefax.com/

stfukyriarchy:

Imprisoned for Miscarriage: A Young Mexican Woman Gets 23 Years for Losing Her Baby and Advocates Call for Help (via Reality Check)

padaviya:

The Latin American and Caribbean Women’s Health Network (LACWHN or Red de Salud in Spanish) is calling for solidarity in support of a 21-year-old Baja California (Mexico) woman sentenced to 23 years in prison for losing her baby.  Red de Salud is a regional network of women’s health and rights organizations in existence since the mid-eighties.

In what Red de Salud calls “a serious case of discrimination and violence against women,” the young woman was sentenced to serve a prison sentence of 23 years for the crime of aggravated homicide (specifically, parricide) for what the accused says was a miscarriage in 2008.

This is the direct result of laws that claim to “protect life from the moment of conception,” or “personhood laws” as they are known in the United States.  These laws establish rights of personhood for fertilized eggs that trump the health and rights of women.

Red de Salud reports that:

On December 26, 2008, amendments to the Constitution of the State of Baja California were adopted to protect life from the moment of conception, similar to reforms promoted in 15 states throughout the Republic. Thanks to such acts of dogmatism and ignorance, contrary to the principle of equality and fundamental rights in general, authorities from three states so far have sought to imprison women who have made decisions with regard to their bodies, exercising their rights to equality and freedom from discrimination and their sexual and reproductive rights.

The case has inspired “an urgent national, regional and international campaign in solidarity.”

According to Red de Salud, “many organizations and individuals committed to equality and women’s citizenship are demanding that the Governor of Baja California, José Guadalupe Osuna Millán, authorize the immediate release of the woman, who was sentenced as a murderer and condemned serve a 23-year prison sentence.”

They are also urging the State Congress of Baja California and the president of this legislative body, Nancy Sánchez Arredondo, to observe and enforce regulations protecting women’s human rights, demanding that the State Government respect the separation of Church and State and ensure respect for women’s human rights.

And finally, they are calling on the Human Rights Ombudsman of Baja California protect the rights and legal status of women in that state in order to ensure the effective protection of individual rights, strictly in accordance with the Constitution.

Red is asking for signatures in support of these demands, which can be sent to the following addresses, with a subject line marked: In solidarity, Baja Calfornia.

meritxell_c@hotmail.com and sarah.calderon.v@gmail.com

(via custerdiedforyoursins)