By Jill McLaughlin
I’ve done a lot of writing that has offered some analysis of the debate that has broken out about torture. This has included the emphasis on understanding that torture is a moral issue and that torture is wrong period and that it cannot be excused or defended. I have written that the people in this country have a moral responsibility to act visibly in the millions to end torture and to hold those responsible for it accountable.
Over the last month the debate on torture has been raging on. Most of the terms of the debate have been very bad whether we are getting the perspective of top Democrats who defend not prosecuting war criminals because it would distract from the work ahead or whether it’s top Republicans who say that if we don’t keep torture that there will be another attack. Both arguments reek of American Chauvinism. No where was this more evident than in Obama’s speech on Guantanamo and detention which Andy Worthington posted on his website Transcript of Obama’s speech.
And then we had former Vice President’s speech immediately following Obama’s that defended the crimes of the Bush Regime Cheney’s speech from AIE website. Obama is working furiously to keep the very things that he said he would change intact. He is putting a nice veneer on the ugliness that Dick Cheney is spewing. Obama is merely replacing the rhetoric used by the Bush Reime while keeping in place its practices.
Unfortunately, it seems, that there is a segment of society that it isn’t allowing its conscience to be over ridden with the terms of this debate and actually want to see the horror of torture stopped and want to see those responsible held to account. An example of this can be found in readers comments to a New York Time’s article which announced that 1 in 7 detainees released returned to terrorism. Readers comments ranged from pointing out that the headline is misleading in that 1 in 7 seems pretty low, to questioning how the U.S. know these were terrorists to begin with since they were never charged with anything, to pointing out how torture can fuel anti-American sentiment. When one reads the comments one sees that not everyone is buying into the lies nor is everyone willing to go along. Read article and comments here.
But this sentiment among the people, and it’s a correct and just sentiment, has yet to break out visibly in a mass way. There is still a sense that nothing can be done about it especially since Obama has done an about face on these issues. Two days into his Presidency he signed an executive order that keeps rendition in place, his Department of Justice blocked evidence in the law suit against Jeppesen Data Plan for the extraordinary rendition of four detainees, he went to the C.I.A to assure them that no one would be prosecuted for having tortured people, he said that the detainees at Bagram detention center will have no right of habeas corpus, and Guantanamo remains open. Some detainees will be tried here in the states but others will face indefinite detention primarily because the evidence coerced through torture would prove so embarrassing that to try them would expose the complete and utter farce the “war on terror” has been.
Just recently the Department of Justice has said it will not prosecute those who authored the torture memos and those who authorized it. Obama has reversed his decision to release some 2000 more photos of torture. His explanation that it would fuel anti-American sentiment therefore putting our troops in danger when really it is the torture that is in those photos that fuels this sentiment and puts troops at risk.
Yes, it is no wonder that the many who hate what has been in their name feel that nothing can be done to stop it. They see the leadership of this country not only excusing and covering for the crimes of the Bush Regime but also keeping intact the very criminal policies of that Regime. No wonder it would seem that no one cares or that the majority of people here in this country find all this acceptable. But lets reframe this. It is true that the leadership does not care and is carrying forward these crimes, but it is not true that no one in this country cares. Millions in this country do care and hate all this.
It is not true that no one is doing anything to end torture and hold war criminals accountable. It is true that the numbers of people that are doing something is not what it needs to be, but that doesn’t translate into no one is doing anything. There are those that recognize that the people themselves must take on the leading role in stopping the crimes of their government. Those who are challenging, opposing, and resisting are inviting the millions to join with them in this struggle. So here I want to give readers the opportunity to see what activists in World Can’t Wait have been doing in the last month. I’m providing with links to articles about bold actions that WCW has done.
2. Fire John Yoo Protest At Berkeley Law School Commencement Read Here
These are the kind of actions that the people of this country who hate what is being done in their name must take the responsibility to take part in. My hope is that having read about these actions that many of you will be inspired and encouraged to step forward and join us in this righteous struggle. The people who have suffered because of these crimes need millions of us to act. It is only we in our millions who will end the torture state and stop the crimes of our government. On May 28th World Can’t Wait and War Criminals watch will be going out with the demand that the torture photos be released and demand prosecutions for the war criminals responsible for what these photos show.
Here is a link which includes the basis for these protests and lists locations where these protests will be happening. Read List of Actions Here
This space also provides a way for to list an action in your area that you would like to hold that day.