American Police State: Definition Division

One of the defining aspects of any police state is that minor crimes against the state are considered far more hideous than major crimes against citizens. Take for example the acts of George Zimmerman and Bradley Manning.

Zimmerman shot an unarmed teenager on the street and it is considered a minor action not deserving any punishment. Manning revealed information that would have been in the public domain in any functioning democracy. He faces a possible sentence exceeding a century, although that sentence might be reduced by 112 days to compensate him for the torture he received in pretrial confinement.

What Manning Revealed:
• Military action that resulted in the deaths of children, journalists, and other non-combatants. Such action being illegal both by UCMJ and international law.
• Military operations within foreign borders of nations with which we are not at war. By law and the Constitution such actions require Congressional approval and public debate.
• A variety of inter-embassy gossip that mostly revealed US ambassadors are catty children.

In the eyes of a police state punishing Manning is considered justice. In the eyes of freedom loving individuals (an abhorrent thought to a police state) his actions are the least we would expect of a government employee.