[Vision2020] If Bush Won't Repudiate Torture, We Must

[Tom Hansen]

Greetings Visionaires -

By refusing to hold senior administration officials accountable, President
Bush has failed to fully repudiate the torture that occurred at Abu Ghraib.
Every passing day brings new photos and new news of how these despicable
techniques were sanctioned at the very top, but Bush won't even condemn Rush
Limbaugh for saying that the tactics were "brilliant" and the troops were
"just blowing off a little steam."

So it's up to us to try to make things right. Our campaign to hold Donald
Rumsfeld accountable will continue. But today, there are two other ways we
can help -- joining an apology from Americans of faith to the world, and
helping pass a legal re-commitment to the Geneva Conventions and what they
stand for.

First, an important new group called FaithfulAmerica1 is putting a very
moving TV ad on the air in Arab countries. The ad is a montage of American
religious leaders -- Christian, Jewish, and Muslim -- humbly expressing the
regrets so many of us feel for what happened.

You can watch the ad, sign onto it, and help get it on the air, at:

   http://www.faithfulamerica.org/adclip.htm

At the end of the ad, FaithfulAmerica will state the number of people who've
signed on, so the more people who endorse the message, the more effective it
will be.

Please sign on today.

Second, the Senate has an opportunity now to reaffirm our opposition to
torture and our commitment to the Geneva Conventions, which ban it. The
Senate is debating a bill authorizing Defense Department actions for this
year, and Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) has offered an amendment repudiating
torture and re-confirming our commitment to uphold international human
rights as specified in the Geneva Conventions.2

A vote on the Durbin amendment is expected early this week. Please call your
Senators now, at:

  Senator Larry Craig
  Phone: 202-224-2752

  Senator Michael D. Crapo
  Phone: 202-224-6142

Urge them to support the Durbin amendment to the Defense bill. Then say
something about why it's important to you that we repudiate torture and
support the Geneva Conventions.

Please let us know you're calling, at:


http://www.moveon.org/callrumsfeld.html?id=2944-1614596-.Sq7YPcWYjnwS1UPUW1u
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Take care,

Tom Hansen
Not On The Palouse, Not Ever

Footnotes:

1. FaithfulAmerica is a new project of the National Council of Churches, "an
online community of people of faith who want to build a more just and
compassionate nation."

2. For the full text of the Durbin Amendment, go to
http://www.tomandrodna.com/DurbinTortureAmd.pdf (Adobe Acrobat Reader
required)

Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!"
-Robin William