The Real News Network got a comment from Truthdig columnist Chris Hedges after the announcement that young whistle-blower Bradley Manning was sentenced to 35 years in prison.

Hedges said:

Although it was less than I thought the judge was going to throw at him, my gut reaction was quite emotional. I was quite upset. I think that that’s because this is part of a larger process by which any attempt to shine a light on the inner workings of power is not only being shut down, but those with a conscience who attempt to inform the wider public of, in the case of Manning, crimes that have been committed — war crimes — have become, in this society, criminals. The whole moral and legal system has been inverted. … We are seeing all of the traditional checks by which we are able to thwart government tyranny ripped down. So I look at what happened today as a kind of process, and a very depressing process, whereby not only civil liberties are shredded, but any capacity for the investigation and uncovering of the abuse of power is effectively thwarted.

Read Hedges’ full comment on Manning’s conviction, published at Truthdig, here.

— Posted by Alexander Reed Kelly.

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#chelsea manning#david coombs#the real news network#video#whistleblower