Berkeley Says "No" to Torture this week. Lots of great events, speakers.

[EFerrari]

Andy Worthington is in town from London.

http://www.wesaynototorture.net/

[EFerrari]

1. Some details

Susan Harman and I miraculously got permission from the owner of the Mexican-Indian restaurant on University @ Shattuck to let us put up the beautiful 9 foot "BERKELEY SAYS NO TO TORTURE WEEK" banner in front of his window for the week, in the heart of Berkeley. That piece of good fortune means that lots of people will hear about the week.

Today is the 3rd day of Berkeley Says No To Torture Week. Read Andy Worthington's terrific blog about the week here:
http://www.andyworthington.co.uk/2010/10/11/liveblogging-berkeley-says-no-to-torture-week-day-one/
Andy, a British journalist and author, is one of the foremost experts on Guantanamo; he's here from London for the whole week.
Ray McGovern is here, Ann Wright, Jason Leopold (Truthout Editor), Marjorie Cohn (National Lawyers Guild), Shahid Buttar (Bill of Right Defense Committee) -- please look at the website and get energized to attend some of the great events:
www.wesaynototorture.net

TODAY: Tuesday
11 am Press conference and protest at UC Law School, where John Yoo teaches today, march to Chancellor's office. Launch of campaign for Berkeley City Council to adopt a Resolution to welcome cleared Guantanamo detainees to settle in Berkeley.
6:45 pm "Giant John Yoo Debate". Film clips of Yoo will be projected on the law school building and real lawyers will debate him. We expect the media tonight for this very creative action. Join us! Our giant Yoo bobble head will be there to deliver Yoo's clever Berkeley put-downs (e.g. we're ancient birkenstock-wearing commie hippies stuck in a 60s time warp).

TOMORROW: Wednesday
12 Noon CODEPINK Says NO to Torture and John Yoo! Join us at the Marine Recruiting Station for a rally, singing, march to downtown BART and back to MRS. We'll have the brand new Berkeley Petition asking Barbara Lee to impeach Judge Jay Bybee, Alameda DA to indict John Yoo, UC to investigate and dismiss Yoo, and more. Take turns wearing the Yoo bobble head and convict suit; help carry the Berkeley Says No To Torture banner. Snacks, signs, song sheets, flyers provided. Wear PINK!

Events Calendar (updated daily at http://www.WeSayNoToTorture.net)

Feature event: Fri., Oct. 15, 7:00 PM “Reckoning with Torture - An Evening of Conscience”. West Coast Premiere!

Wed 10/13 4:30 PM Defying Torture: The Art of Dissent. A conversation with historian/critic/activist Peter Selz and artists Clinton Fein and Richard Kamler. 
Location: UC Berkeley Art Museum Theater, 2621 Durant Avenue

Wed 10/13 7:00 PM Roundtable: Writers on Torture. Andy Worthington (see 10/10, 10/11), Justine Sharrock (see 10/10), Barry Eisler (whose best-selling thriller Inside Out covers the real-life mystery of the destroyed CIA waterboarding videotapes), and Rita Maran (Torture: The Role of Ideology in the French-Algerian War). Authors will discuss their experience of writing about torture. Moderated by Shahid Buttar (Bill of Rights Defense Committee). Location: University Lutheran Church, 2425 College Ave. (at Haste)

Thurs 10/14 7:00 PM Forum on Torture and the Law, Torture and Human Rights. Marjorie Cohn (past president National Lawyers Guild, author Rules of Disengagement and Cowboy Republic), Andy Worthington (see 10/10), Shahid Buttar (see 10/13), and Debra Sweet (National Director, World Can't Wait). 
Location: UC Berkeley Law Boalt Hall, Room 150, 2778 Bancroft Way (at Piedmont)

Fri 10/15 Three programs at Booth Auditorium, UC Berkeley Law Boalt Hall, 2778 Bancroft Way (at Piedmont)
1:30-3 PM “Torture, Human Experimentation, and the Department of Defense” Jason Leopold (Truthout) interviews psychologist, blogger, and activist Jeffrey Kaye.


3-4:30 PM Panel: Psychologists and Torture. Adrianne Aron, Ruth Fallenbaum, Pierre LaBossiere, Patricia Isasa. Co-sponsored by School of the Americas Watch (SOAW) East Bay/SF.

7:00 PM “Reckoning with Torture - An Evening of Conscience”. West Coast Premiere! Andy Worthington, Marjorie Cohn, Ray McGovern, Mimi Kennedy, devorah major, Jeffrey Kaye, Renee Saucedo, Col. Ann Wright, Fr. Louis Vitale OFM, Jason Leopold, Kathy Roberts, Abdi Soltani and more.
 Sponsored by ACLU-Northern California; Boalt Alliance to Abolish Torture; National Lawyers Guild, Boalt Chapter; Progressive Democrats of America; World Can’t Wait, and Code Pink. Location: UC Berkeley Law, Booth Auditorium, 2778 Bancroft Way (at Piedmont) The “Reckoning” performance will be immediately followed by a reception with the readers and audience. Reception tickets available by calling 510-333-6097, by email reservation to [e-mail] and at the performance.

Sat 10/16, 7:00 PM “Pedro and the Captain” Dramatic reading from the famous play by Mario Benedetti by Mark McGoldrick and Youseef Elias, directed by Angelina Llongueras. Performed in honor of Berkeley Says No To Torture Week. 
Location: Fireside Room, Live Oak Community Center, 1301 Shattuck Avenue

Organizers/endorsers: World Can’t Wait, National Lawyers Guild (San Francisco), Progressive Democrats of America, Meiklejohn Civil Liberties Institute, National Accountability Action Network, CodePink, FireJohnYoo.org, Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists Social Justice Committee, Rev. Kurt Kuhwald, Beyt Tikkun Synagogue, Bill of Rights Defense Committee,
 Rev. John Dear SJ, East Bay Sanctuary Covenant, Flashpoints Radio (KPFA), Haiti Action Committee, La Raza Centro Legal, Moe’s Bookstore, Nor. Calif. 9/11 Truth Commission, Revolution Books, School of the Americas Watch(SOAW) East Bay and SF chapters, Fr. Louis Vitale OFM, WarCriminalsWatch.org, and Al Young (California Poet Laureate Emeritus). A personal statement of support for “Berkeley Says NO To Torture” Week from internationally acclaimed artist Fernando Botero is on the website. Call 510-333-6097 for reservations and information.

[annm4peace]

2. Awesome ! When will War Criminals be prosecuted instead of Peace Activists

Keep up the Pressure! Hopefully soon Democrat officials will act like Democrats and start prosecuting these war criminals.

It makes it very hard to keep voting for democrats when the DOJ continues to refuse to investigate torture.