[PAA-Discuss] Release the torture photos, Prosecute the war criminals!

Fri May 15 10:37:55 EDT 2009

            The World Can't  Wait
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_Sign Up to Protest Torture  _ 
(http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=bUKbJMlvWuvBsnTgxbUaDQmt/tITdwvV) May  2009 
_Create/Find  Events_ 
(http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=7qpRMLvuWoWN9+8RhCLGeQmt/tITdwvV) 
(incorrect link sent  previously) 
Take this _pledge_ 
(http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=JjfXhOnUZyoq3rB3sXAiXwmt/tITdwvV) , signed first by   Howard Zinn & Tim 
Robbins: 
Torture is a War Crime:  Prosecute!

On or by Thursday, May 28, a federal  court has required the Obama 
administration to release  photos of detainee abuse from 2001-2006.  The  Obama 
administration is refusing.

On May 28  non-violent civil resistance actions will demand  release of the 
photos and prosecution of those who  participated in torture.

We, the people of this  country, are faced with a choice. Will we accept  
living in a torture state or will we listen to our  conscience, speak out, 
and resist it? Will the people  of this country allow our government to put 
political  expediency before the lives of others or will we stand  up and 
demand justice for our fellow human  beings?

On May 28 I'll be raising my voice  and/or putting my body on the line. 
Join me and make  visible your demand of prosecution of Bush era war  crimes. 
War Criminals  Watch ~   
_View Charges  _ 
(http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=f4p7eWrZaLOTRzRc3wcpk23S7ZmSrnLM)  
Against the War  Criminals 

Juli 
Yesterday, while flying across the  country, I was able to watch CNN all 
day as the news rolled out from the  White House that the Obama administration 
was making an about face, and  deciding to fight the court order to release 
the torture photos.   It's an extraordinary story, and people are right to 
be  outraged.
Ken Gostzola, a student at  Columbia College, pulled together the tortured 
logic of the Obama  argument in _Obama Employs Bush Administration Tactic to 
 Halt Release of Detainee Photos_ 
(http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=8awtvNT2XZw8oQcFktVMSgmt/tITdwvV) .  
The moment my plane landed in San  Francisco, the voice mails, texts, 
emails began...people thinking about  what to do in response.  A quick conference 
call today united World  Can't Wait chapters to go Friday to media outlets 
(FOX in New York; CNN  in Atlanta?) with the demand:
Release the Torture Photos!  Prosecute the  War Criminals!  Later tonight, 
warcriminalswatchorg will have  downloads of posters wtih both the existing 
torture photos, and the mug  shots of the Bush regime deciders, and the 
torture legal team.   This is a time for a lot of orange in protest, a lot of  
intiative.  
Because I'll tell you, the  neo-cons and right wing torture fans are 
creating public opnion in favor  of torture. The Reaganite Accuracy in Media came 
out with a full page ad  in the New York Times today, from the "Torture 
Truth Project."  The  ad says it's "A Grassroots Plea To the U.S. New Media.  
Stop  Misleading The World That Our Country Condones Torture."  And  further, 
"By your continual use of the word "torture" to describe these  
interrogation techniques you have been misleading the world that the  United States 
condones techniques of barbarous cruelty.  The  consequences could be 
horrendous....We are losing the goodwill of people  across the world and you are 
aiding al Qaida in recruiting terrorists  for future attacks on America."  (14 
May, 2009).
We might think that what's making the people of the  world outrages is that 
the US actually does torture!  As to  Obama's argument that releasing the 
photos would unleash "Anti-American"  opinion in the world, my inbox is full 
on that one.   
>From Cindy Sheehan:"First of all:  The Robber Class couldn't care less 
about our soldiers in the  field.  Secondly: Being in the field for lies is what 
endangers  them.  Thirdly: It's the existence of torture, which everyone 
knows  about, that endangers our soldiers, not pics of the torture.   Finally: 
The Democrats are co-equally responsible with the Republicans.  They're all 
war criminals."  Cindy pointed out in 2007 that Nancy  Pelosi had been 
briefed on the torture in 2002.
More from Ken Theisen in _Obama, Bush, and the Politics of  Torture_ 
(http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=N1b+tPj9WAGaGdlPuXUmUgmt/tI
TdwvV)  
_Honolulu Protest: Prosecute  Bybee!_ 
(http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=wucdCcs7AsBWlUAw/TrmuQmt/tITdwvV)  Hawai'i Crowd Turns  
out to Protest Jay Bybee, torture memo author and sitting fedearl  judge.  
Cheers to the Honolulu chapter of World Can't Wait, and  friends who 
protested.  The war criminals should be getting this  kind of a reception everywhere. 

_Debra Sweet_ (mailto:debrasweet at worldcantwait.org) , Director,  The World 
Can't  Wait
_World Can't Wait_ 
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