Daily Media: Manning Updates (Including Banksy)

Chelsea Manning, convicted as Private Bradley Manning in a controversial military trial for revealing information to WikiLeaks, issued the first statement since her conviction, prompted in part by receiving a peace award.  She stated that although her actions may have had pacficist "implications," she does not consider herself a pacifist.   Rather, she is a "transparency advocate."  The statement also contains specific discussion of gender identity.   Manning's two page statement is worth a read, as is the accompanying article in The Guardian (to whom the statement was released) by Ed Pilkington.

Meanwhile in New York City, the latest and most ambitious project of the British public artist Banksy in his self-proclaimed October artist's residency on the streets of New York, alludes to Manning.  The street art's references might be somewhat illusive to a casual observer:

But Banksy's site featuring this image (as well as another), also includes an "audio guide."  It derives from some of the materials that Manning disclosed.  Gothamist has a good explanation (and more photos).  The Village Voice has excellent (with continuing) coverage of Banksy's art here and a profile with quoted material here.