may obama free many more, who've been imprisoned for their courage for decades. jude

Friend, I’m crying tears of joy while I write this.
The White House just announced that the bulk of imprisoned whistleblower Chelsea Manning’s sentence will be commuted. [1]
Chelsea will be free on May 17th. We literally saved her life.

The announcement comes after years of sustained activism on Chelsea’s behalf, and it marks a massive victory for free speech, human rights, and democracy.

A year ago, heck even two weeks ago, any DC insider would have told you that getting Chelsea released was impossible -- that it would never happen.
But time and time again we are proving that when huge numbers of people come together and use the Internet to fight for what we believe in, we can change the rules for what is and isn’t possible in Washington, DC and beyond.

Chelsea’s release sends a message to governments around the world that they cannot act with impunity. It sets a precedent that will benefit so many people. Not just future whistleblowers who expose wrongdoing but all those who suffer when governments are allowed to act without transparency.
There were a lot of different factors that went into making this historic moment possible. Fight for the Future has been at the forefront, helping build public support for Chelsea’s release, collecting hundreds of thousands of petition signatures, and securing headlines to keep Chelsea in the public eye, even while behind bars. [2]
For myself, I’ve been so lucky to become friends with Chelsea over the last year, speaking to her on the phone regularly. But I’ve still never seen her face, or been able to give her a hug.
Today, I’m overjoyed to know that soon she’ll be able to share her beautiful self with the world, and continue on with the rest of her life.
We need to make sure that the story of how Chelsea Manning came to be free is told.
We need everyone to remember that when those in power tell you that something is impossible, it just means you need to fight harder.
We need to remain vigilant. Because the battle for the future of free speech and our basic rights doesn’t end today. Or tomorrow. Or in four years.
It rages on. And I’m honored to fight by your side.
For the future,
-Evan
P.S. We’ve dedicated countless hours to help get Chelsea Manning free. Will you chip in to support our crucial work so we can secure more victories?--
[1] NBC News: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/president-obama-commutes-chelsea-manning-s-sentence-n708046
[2] FFTF Press release: https://tumblr.fightforthefuture.org/post/156009700778/chelsea-manning-sentence-commuted-following



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