David House gives a courageously candid interview on Democracy Now. If more people were willing to stick their necks out like House and Manning, we would be experiencing an entirely different world than the one we are now.
Watch interview here: http://www.democracynow.org/2011/7/11/david_house_on_bradley_manning_secret
Exclusive: David House on Bradley Manning, Secret WikiLeaks Grand Jury, and U.S. Surveillance
On the eve of the extradition hearing for WikiLeaks editor-in-chief Julian Assange in London, we spend an exclusive hour with David House, who co-founded the Bradley Manning Support Network after U.S. Army Private Manning was arrested for allegedly releasing classified U.S. military documents to WikiLeaks. House refused to testify last month in Alexandria, Virginia, before a grand jury hearing on WikiLeaks and the disclosure of thousands of classified U.S. diplomatic cables. Democracy Now! spoke to House at the Frontline Club in London about the significance of WikiLeaks, how he helped found the Bradley Manning Support Network, his visits with Manning at the Quantico Marine Base in Virginia, the federal surveillance he and his associates have come under, and his experience before the grand jury. “In my mind, this reeks of the Pentagon Papers investigation,” says House. “Richard Nixon’s [Department of Justice] 40 years ago attempted to curtail the freedoms of the press and politically regulate the press through the use of policy created around the espionage investigation of the New York Times. I feel the WikiLeaks case we have going on now provides Obama’s DOJ ample opportunity to continue this attempt to politically regulate the U.S. media.”
Guest:
This is a fine young man. Wise, too, beyond his years. The interview is worth listening to if only to hear a young person speak who is unafraid of apparently powerful institutions and is true to his principles. Already a sovereign individual. Imagine, at 21 or so refusing to answer questions before a Grand Jury. (Reminds me of Alice suddenly standing up [very tall] and scooping up the Queen and all her soldiers in her hand ... "Why, you're only a deck of cards!")
And his assessment of the institutions of government as being "very weak", is well worth considering. Can we entertain the thought that the PTB have only the mirage of power and then translate that into confident non-cooperation? Absolutely. Only a deck of cards -- OUR cards.
Thanks, Noa.