Warm Greetings
I am especially tired after a very long day at work. That said, it has come to me that it is important to make the time tonight to do this post, and to send out an email, and to include in it a call to action. These are such extraordinary times we live in. And there is so much opportunity for each of us to increasingly find our own ways to contribute to this new world that is trying to be birthed. All of you know that one of my ways is through networking, researching, writing, sharing, acting, and seeking to grow my heart bigger and bigger. In that spirit, I share an issue which I believe is very important. I know that millions agree. May our numbers grow and grow. May love, caring, compassion, peace, and justice for our nation - and all nations and all peoples and all beings - be nourished by each and every one of us.
This quote is from Truthout.org:
Torture is treason. Lt. Gen. Antonio Taguba, who investigated the Abu Ghraib scandal, said, “There is no longer any doubt as to whether the current administration has committed war crimes. The only question that remains to be answered is whether those who ordered the use of torture will be held to account.” Torture is treason. This is the emblem and depravity of the Bush Administration. It is the most criminal and corrupt government in the history of the United States. Democratic Laws and human rights, the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights have no meaning if the Bush Administration is allowed to remain unaccountable to prima facie crimes.
Yet, today Senator Arlen Specter has actively been blocking the confirmation of the nominee for Attorney General, Eric Holder. The most glaring reason why is that, unlike all before Eric Holder who served as Attorney General under the Bush administration - and also right up to and including Cheney and Bush - this new nominee has taken a firm, clear, strong and unyielding position against torture and instead is grounded in the rule of law. Not to speak of the issue of morality...
"No one is above the law," Eric Holder has said, adding that it was "the obligation of the president . . . to follow those laws." Holder has also said that Obama officials already were scrutinizing the most controversial programs and policies of the Bush administration -- on interrogations, warrantless surveillance and military tribunals for terrorists -- that had undermined civil rights investigations and many other important responsibilities. If confirmed, Holder said, he would immediately step up those efforts, saying urgency was needed because the problems were undermining not only the U.S. standing in the world but the administration of law enforcement and justice at home. He said the biggest concern of the new administration was "to prevent those things from happening in the future."
Amen.
If Senator Specter's decision to delay Eric Holder's nomination disturbs you, then please take action now and call his office at (202)224-4254. You can also email Sen. Specter here: http://specter.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm. It is a bit of a frustrating form, but I used the heading of "Defense", then highlighted "Other", then filled in "Confirmation of Eric Holder". Below that I was able to post my comment. This is what I wrote:
Dear Senator Specter:
I am a 57 year old social worker who has been profoundly concerned about the state of our nation. I have been closely following over the past several years a chronic and extremely concerning pattern of violation of American law, American values, American ideals, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and more. It has sickened me to be witness to the fact that our nation - the United States of America! - has become a nation that tortures, the has secret prisons, that does extraordinary rendition, that has dealt a death blow to Habeas Corpus and the Geneva Conventions, and other blatant violations of the laws and principles upon which our nation was formed and upon which democracy depends. Over the past eight years, America has become unrecognizable to me. I have been horrified that this country I love could fall this low, could grow this dark, could so allow the destruction of our democracy in the name of protecting the nation. This is no longer a tolerable state of affairs. There have been countless enablers along the way, and to the extent that we have allowed ourselves to not be informed, to not stand up and act and speak to this horror, to not demand that it stop, we all have colluded in the destruction of our democracy and the ideals upon which this great nation has been built. Today is YOUR opportunity to take seriously that all who have most enabled such lawlessness to occur MUST be held to account. This is called justice. This is called following the rule of law. This is called being a person of integrity. Please do your job. Please show your true love for this nation and place principles before personalities. Please stand in support of the confirmation of a man who will restore the rule of law and decency and morality in our nation: Eric Holder. America is watching to see what you will do. It is time to show courage and integrity. No more childish games, no more violation of our laws, no more forsaking the true needs and values of our nation. Please. America depends upon us all - and especially those who are in positions of power and whose job it is to act in our best interests to do exactly that. I ask you to do the right thing. NOW. Please immediately stand in support of the confirmation of Eric Holder for Attorney General. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Molly Strong
Gresham, OR
For more information, you can go here:
Holder Calls Waterboarding Torture: http://www.latimes.com/news/la-na-holder-confirmation16-2009jan16,0,7181516.story
Sen. Specter's Forced Delay of Eric Holder Offensive to Millions of Americans: http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/contributors/1893
Senate Republicans Delay Holder Vote Over Torture Views: http://www.truthout.org/012209K
Cornyn’s Absurd Hypothetical For Holder: What If Waterboarding Were Your Only Interrogation Option?: http://thinkprogress.org/2009/01/15/cornyn-holder-waterboard/
Barack Obama asks that we all actively participate in our democracy and come together to bring about the changes that are most needed. Certainly among these changes, I believe, is embracing the lessons, the healing, and the transformation of that which brought so much harm to our nation and the world over the past eight years. There are many Americans who do not know that we had become a nation that tortures. Yet we all need to know. There can be no solutions for problems denied. And I never, ever want these same horrors to revisit our children's children or any future generation. I hope that you will consider calling or emailing Senator Specter today. Thank you so much.
Peace & heartfelt blessings,
Molly
We must not allow ourselves to become like the system we oppose.
~ Bishop Desmond Tutu
No comments:
Post a Comment