Let's Understand

I've been reading the range of opinions about Bradley/Chelsea Manning (pick your preference) and while some argue, and somewhat rightfully, that the government, from whom Manning stole and gave hundreds of thousands of document to Wikileaks and other organizations, should cover some transition costs.

Granted the military psychiatrists diagnosed Manning with Gender Identity Disorder (GID), but they did nothing and neither did Manning. He had the whole range of choices then, including to resign with an honorable discharge and transition under the VA coverage (yes, they get coverage now, except surgeries), but he choose to stay and steal government documents.

Whether the documents were worseless or imporant is irrelevant to the point he waited until he was sentenced and going to the military prison in Leavenworth, Kansas, to announce he's female and wants the government to accommodate her and her transition.

Let's understand Manning is only on square one of a transition and the question is what's reasonable while Manning is in prison. The government can and should provide psychiatric care and maybe hormone replacement therapy, but should they allow Manning to live in a male ward, female ward or a separate one for the period of his/her incaration?

That's the question in front of the government but let's not forget what Manning did and push the GID issue to the forefront overlooking the criminal acts and the conviction. Granted the sentence is stiff but Manning will be eligible for parole in 7 years where he/she can then finish her transition.

I personally have no doubt Manning will be paroled sooner than later and quietly sometime after the 7 years has passed, all because the government has said the documents weren't that important to national security and they don't want the publicity surrounding Manning and his case.

Then Manning can get on with whatever life he/she wants. And that's what, in my view, should happen. If the military wants to allow his/her transition in prison, fine, but under the rules and not pressured by the transcommunity out of their narrowmindedness.

Let's keep the focus on the criminal acts and not the criminal.