Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Guantanamo: Tear It Down


Not only does our government have the distinction of being the first democracy in history to legalize torture (The same torture techniques that were condemned in the Geneva Convention over 50 years ago), but we have also done away with the rule of law.

Jose Padilla, an American citizen, was arrested in this country and put in prison without being allowed to see an attorney. It took 4 years before any evidence of guilt was submitted by the US government. He was tortured in prison to the point that he reverted to a childlike state that nearly left him a vegetable. His torture and incarceration took place in Guantanemo Bay, Cuba, at a prison where our government tortures people daily. Regardless of whether or not Padilla is guilty, the values our country were founded on should not be compromised. If you believe in the rule of law and that our country should be an example to the world instead of stooping to the level of its enemies, tell our government to TEAR IT DOWN.

After clicking on the TEAR IT DOWN website and collecting your "pixel", check out Amnesty International, where you can choose to host an Amnesty house party:

From a recent Amnesty International email: "When Congress passed the Military Commissions Act one year ago, the U.S. abandoned its core founding principles. The Administration continues to give a green light to policies that place guilt before innocence, imprisonment without charge, and fear above all else. When a government sanctions the use of torture tactics, it disposes of justice and the rule of law, and thereby, discards our freedom.

Join with Amnesty advocates in new ways each month to call attention to these violations as a part of our "86 days" campaign. Invite your neighbors and help educate your community by hosting a special screening of the documentary "Ghosts of Abu Ghraib". Witness how poor policies against the "war on terror" breed tragedies like the human rights abuses at Abu Ghraib."

No comments: