Bradley Manning may very well be America’s greatest patriot, though many people don’t know his name.
Known to some as the U.S. Army soldier who leaked hundreds of thousands of classified documents to WikiLeaks, Manning’s heroic act of patriotism may land him in prison for life.
Although his leak of classified documents was illegal under U.S. law, Manning’s moral decision to keep the American public informed about the inner workings of an often corrupt U.S. government was both commendable and honorable.
Before divulging what information Manning actually leaked, it is important to realize that most of what Manning leaked was relatively benign.
According to Al-Jazeera, the estimated 700,000 documents that Manning leaked were comprised of intelligence reports, videos and diplomatic reports.
As one might expect, any type of leak of sensitive material is enough to upset the U.S. government.
But since Manning did not publish nuclear launch codes or locations of secret military outposts, it can be assumed that his intent to leak was in the right place.
Keeping Americans informed of what really goes on in government, scandals and all, is what Manning was trying to achieve.
Manning’s leaked documents, each of which are viewable on WikiLeaks’ website, make public what is really going on in government, something that American citizens should cheer about.
If Manning were to release classified information that would threaten national security — and so far there has been no evidence confirming that — then support for his effort would be nonexistent.
Because his careful leaks did not pose a direct threat to the U.S., Manning should be hailed as a modern-day saint.
Whether Manning’s action was justifiable is not the most pressing issue today.
Unfortunately for Manning, the punishment for a leak of this nature is extremely serious.
It is clear without a doubt that Manning will be sentenced to a hefty prison term.
One of the charges that has been leveled against Manning, albeit unfairly, is “aiding the enemy.”
If Manning is convicted of aiding the enemy, however vague that may be, what does that say about the court martial system?
Since there is no proof that Manning leaked the documents in support of Al Qaeda, it is ridiculous for the military to accuse Manning of aiding the enemy.
Instead of letting major news organizations decide whether or not Manning’s leaks are morally right, it is important for the public to make its own decision.
Visit WikiLeaks. The good WikiLeaks does for the world far outweighs any of the negative criticism it has received.
Shane Newell is a junior journalism major and the opinions editor of the Daily 49er.