War on Whistleblowers, a Robert Greenwald film, will be shown in Tacoma once only on Wednesday evening, July 24. Following the film, there will be a live skyping Question & Answer discussion with Thomas Drake, a former National Security Agency (NSA) senior executive and decorated Air Force and Navy veteran who became an NSA whistleblower, was charged under the Espionage Act in 2010, and is featured in the film.
Other whistleblowers featured in the film include Daniel Ellsberg (Pentagon Papers), Michael DeKort (Lockheed Martin project manager), Franz Gayl (former Marine and science advisor to the Marine Corps), and Thomas Tamm (former attorney to the United States Department of Justice). The Nation’s Rick Perlstein says “The sin of being correct is the theme of the piece,” and during the film, NY Times writer James Risen says, “the government claims the publication of certain information will harm national security, when in reality, the government’s real concern is about covering up its own wrongdoing.”
A recent survey from the Polling Institute at Quinnipiac University shows that more Americans believe Edward Snowden, who publically released previously-unknown information about NSA activities in June, is considered a whistleblower (55%) than a traitor (34%).*
This screening is a benefit for the Bradley Manning Defense Fund. Manning is the Army private who was a major source to Wikileaks and currently is being court martialled with the possibility of a life sentence; see www.BradleyManning.org for more information. The cost is $10. Advance tickets are available at waronwhistleblowers.brownpapertickets.com/
War on Whistleblowers will be shown once only on Wednesday, July 24 at 7:00 pm at the Grand Cinema, 606 South Fawcett, Tacoma. The event is sponsored by United for Peace of Pierce County. Visit www.ufppc.org for more information.