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Leaker of Pentagon Papers Stresses Importance of Telling the Truth to Student Audience
For Daniel Ellsberg, the similarities between today's wars and the Vietnam War are frightening.
Ellsberg warned that the very things that set him free -- government wiretapping and burglarizing -- are now legal under The Patriot Act. It is vital, Ellsberg said, to speak to college students because he has not seen many examples of what he did in the last 40 years. "It is amazing that we are in a situation that is at a hopeless stalemate again," Ellsberg said. "It is another case of those in charge not willing to do something for fear of being called names."
That is why Ellsberg conveyed the message that truth-telling, no matter the consequences, is worth the risk. Ellsberg screened the Oscar-nominated film about him, "The Most Dangerous Man in America," on Wednesday night in front of about 350 people in Ford Hall at Ithaca College. He then spoke to the audience, answered questions and signed copies of his book, "Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers."
The event was sponsored by the Park Center for Independent Media. Jeff Cohen, director of the center, said he wanted Ellsberg to speak because of what he symbolizes.
"He stands for freedom of the press, transparency in the government and aggressive media," Cohen said. "He shows what a brave, truth-telling individual can do."
In 1971 Ellsberg's leak of the Pentagon Papers -- a secret study detailing the history of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War -- almost landed him in prison for life.
Ellsberg worked at the Pentagon and for the State Department in Vietnam. In 1967 he worked on a secret study for Defense Secretary Robert McNamara on the history of the U.S. involvement in Vietnam.
After Ellsberg saw a young man go to prison rather than participate in the war, he said, he realized he had to do whatever he could to help the country. So Ellsberg photocopied thousands of pages of the study and in June of 1971 the New York Times published it.
Ellsberg was charged with espionage, conspiracy and theft, and faced a sentence of 115 years in prison. A judge dismissed all charges because the government illegally wiretapped his phone and burglarized his psychiatrist's office.
"I was willing to pay a high personal price," Ellsberg said. "If there is some chance to change the situation by telling the truth, even at a great personal price, it can be well worthwhile."
Ellsberg warned that the very things that set him free -- government wiretapping and burglarizing -- are now legal under The Patriot Act. It is vital, Ellsberg said, to speak to college students because he has not seen many examples of what he did in the last 40 years.
The beginning of one's adult life, Ellsberg said, is a perfect time to realize going against your boss may be your duty.
"I had been wrong for many years by simply keeping my mouth shut and watching us enter a hopeless war," Ellsberg said. "There is no better way to serve the country than with the truth. You may have to risk your own career and well-being in order to save many lives."
The audience was a mix of students, staff and community members.
Mary Jo Wood, a teacher at DeWitt Middle School, said she remembered being elated when the Pentagon Papers were released and called Ellsberg a hero. "He was very brave. We need more Daniel Ellsbergs," she said.
Ithaca College freshman Michael Johnson saw posters advertising the event all over campus. A music major, he said he's also interested in political science so was excited to see the movie. "I've heard a lot about the Pentagon Papers for a while," Johnson said. "A chance to hear him speak and see the movie for the first time is really exciting."
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Stop FBI Harassment of Antiwar Activists: StopFBI.net
The following is a statement of solidarity and Call to Action from the Center for Constitutional Rights
Dear Supporter,
We are calling on our international allies to take action in support of long-time peace and human rights activists who have come under attack for their work against U.S. occupation and military intervention abroad.
On September 24th, 2010, the FBI subjected about a dozen anti-war activists and activists working in solidarity with struggles in Palestine and Colombia to searches and raids of their homes in Illinois, Minnesota and Michigan. Activists in California, Wisconsin and North Carolina were also harassed.
The activists in Illinois, Minnesota and Michigan were served with Grand Jury subpoenas. They are refusing to testify, a brave choice which could land them in jail. The illegitimate Grand Jury process, which began on October 5, must be stopped.
The raids and Grand Jury process constitute an FBI abuse of power clearly designed to create a climate of fear among those who dare to fight for peace and justice. We must be vigilant in our defense of these activists and their right to continue their important international solidarity work without harassment.
This is an escalation of the daily targeting of and culture wars against Arab and Muslim communities and immigrants in the United States. It is a continuation of the long-standing repression of dissent in the United States from McCarthyism to the brutal targeting of peoples’ movements by COINTELPRO, and, of most recently, environmental justice activists. It is also part of an increasing wave of right-wing hate that has been legislated through state and federal policies that turn police into immigrant bounty hunters.
We are calling on our counterparts – anti-war, human rights, Palestine and other international solidarity activists, anti-racist activists and grassroots organizers – to act in solidarity with those being targeted by political repression.
We ask you to stand with us now to publicly defend the rights of all activists and communities in the United States who express dissent against U.S. policy and who work for peace, human rights and global justice within and beyond US borders.
If you are in the United States, Call the U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder at 202-353-1555 or write an email.
Outside of the US, please contact the US Embassy in your city/country. Tell them that the US government has to be held accountable for this repression and that you join with the US activists in condemning US war and occupation, including its support of the Israeli occupation of Palestine and US intervention in Colombia.
Here is a link to important statements and reports with greater details on the raids and calls to action: www.antiwarcommittee.org.
In the months ahead we will be contacting you again to ask that you demonstrate your solidarity as these activists face grand jury trials.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.
In solidarity and joint struggle,
Center for Constitutional Rights
Grassroots Global Justice Alliance
International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network
Malcolm X Grassroots Movement
United States Palestinian Community Network
"In solidarity and joint struggle"
TRUTH BE TOLD,
next to halting human economic activities contributing to the destruction of our biosphere, providing our children with an eclectic, comprehensive education. war, religious ideology and politics all move on lies. we all know that. the politicians and political pundits know that. yet "little white lies" which serve a higher purpose (tic) are accepted as the way things work, always have.
Politics succeeds in dividing "human rights" into fractured groups of special interests, minority rights, women's rights, gay and lesbian rights, yadda-yadda.
when you come right down to it, it's respect for all Life because we're all in this together.
SOLIDARITY!
let TRUTH speak through me,
let this be my solemn vow! (paraphrase)
It certainly takes a lot of gumption to give your word & go back on it, simply because you don't agree. Regardless whether you truly know the entire story or not.
No doubt about it, telling the truth will cost you, and cost you big. Goes with the territory.
Ms. Wood is right about needing more Daniel Ellsbergs.
Maybe if we stood up with them and for them and not let them get lynched, we might see a few more.
Liberty & Justice,
sj
What's to say you (proverbial you, not you personally) know better than anyone else? Stands to reason the higher up ya go, the more information there is. Assuming what you don't know is a HUGE piece of the puzzle, can you live with the lives your leak might take? Innocent lives who did nothing to deserve to be killed?
Dear Anti_Idiocy:
Great question but one which no one in Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld group seemed to want to address.
How much damage to the world has the "story" of WMDs done? Yes, innocent lives...... so many innocent lives.
What they didn't know was a "huge" piece of the puzzle, but then, they really didn't care.
What if Colin Powelll had told the truth? Bradley Manning is worth a googol of Powells.
Maybe they didn't know the "huge" piece of the puzzle.
Maybe they did & can't release it.
My only point (& I said this else where as well) - there is so much information in the hands of decision-makers that cannot be released. So we get a small picture that leads to this given conclusion.
But, then, there are other conclusions that can be drawn if the "missing" information is . Fact is, we don't know one way or the other.
Here's a theory for ya...
The US is headed for Hussein.
He KNOWS they will defeat him & his Army in no time.
He KNOWS why they are coming.
Does he posture an Army that will stand no chance?
Or, does he make it so that the invaders' "purpose" is seemingly not there, thus making them a laughingstock on the world stage?
If you want to say that Bush/Cheney went in for oil, went in to be bullies, went in b/c they were bored or whatever & suggest your theory is feasible & plausible...
It is ALSO feasible & plausible that a dictator with a penchant for doing things in the most under-handed ways would make it so that the US looked bad after the invasion was done.
It could be that Bush/Cheney were just bored...or it could be Hussein made it so they looked like fools. They're both equally fair theories. Comes down to - do you believe a sitting US president or a dictator who lied regularly? I'm just sayin...
great theory, except for our weapons inspectors on the ground that were saying there was no WMD at the time, and who were silenced.
well, the information is now out in the wikileaks. You may want to rethink giving known warmongers the benefit of the doubt.
This article doesn't mention Bradley Manning. He's been held without sentence for 148 days. Daniel Ellsberg was the one calling out for someone to leak info, and that's what Manning was alledged to have done. If he did it, it was the highest act of bravery yet seen on this planet. I would hope that Ellsberg would keep this in mind, and would keep mentioning Manning's case publicly.
http://www.bradleymanning.org/
-TIA