In December of 2011, near the beginning of Bradley Manning’s first hearing, folk singer Cass McCombs premiered a new song to protest the trial. McCombs’ lyrics mostly ignore the alleged leak; instead he looks at the events leading up to Manning’s emotional breakdown and violent outburst in Baghdad. McCombs describes Manning struggling to fit in with the other soldiers, singing “It’s hard to imaging why bullies dig / but Bradley understood it came with the gig.” McCombs’ version of Manning is an outsider who never found a permanent place to fit in. The song ends with McCombs speaking directly to Manning, saying “Bradley, know you have friends, though you’re locked in there.” [Source]
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