Join us for action . Aug 1st, the 8th anniversary of torture memo's..

[annm4peace]

Hello Folks,

The infamous torture memos were dated August 1, 2002. It is very soon that the eight year anniversary will be noted.

Tackling Torture at the Top (a committee of Women Against Military Madness) will note that awful day by
Fasting Against Torture for 24 hours. We invite anyone and everyone to join us in that fast. It is a time of deep shame for this nation, and we are noting that shame by this fast. Please join us.

We will also be present at the Federal Building in
Minneapolis, MN, from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

We are calling for repentance and accountability for the torture and inhumane treatment
done in our name to prisoners at our infamous prisons - in Iraq, Afghanistan, Guantanamo, and the secret prisons.

At the present time the "political will" trumps the laws and the treaties and no full investigation or prosecution has taken place; therefore, we are now a nation that harbors torturers.

A number of concerned people have been going to the Federal Building since mid-November, 2009,
for an hour each Monday through Friday, usually one person, in orange suits and black hoods,
to witness to the prisoners held in Guantanamo and elsewhere. It is a reminder to our U.S. Attorney that
the prisoners are still in prison, and we ask that they seek accountability for the shameful cruel acts of torture that our nation has done to them.

Please participate by fasting,

going to a federal building,

writing your congress person or A.G. Holder, or writing President Obama.

Write a letter to the editor of your home paper!

[annm4peace]

1. For Facebook fans. Join the Fast on Facebook.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=144988738849490

August 1 at 6:00pm - August 2 at 6:00pm
Location Anywhere and everywhere but an anti-torture vigil will be held on Monday, Aug. 2, from 6 am to 6 pm in front of the U.S. Courthouse, 300 4th St. S, Minneapolis, MN


Sunday August 1, 2010 is the 8 year anniversary of the writing of the "torture memos" by Office of Legal Counsel lawyers John Yoo and Jay Bybee. (Bybee, who is now a 9th Circuit Judge, recently secretly testified to the House Judiciary Committee not admitting any wrongdoing but... blamed Yoo for being too close to the White House when he wrote the memos legalizing torture. Thousands of Yoo's e-mails during this time have suspiciously disappeared.)

8 years is also the time period specified in the statute of limitations (SOL) for bringing a prosecution for the crime of torture. So legislation is desperately needed at this point to extend the SOL as it soon will run, for instance, on certain acts of waterboarding. Obama's insane slogan and policy about "looking only forward" makes no sense as it would entail overlooking all crimes committed in the past.

So please invite everyone to join the 24 hour Fast Against Torture in memory of all those illegally, unethically tortured around the world, including, most importantly, those tortured and waterboarded by the Bush-Cheney Administration when they approved of "dark side" methods and got their lawyers to "legalize" torture through the series of OLC memorandums that culminated with the "torture memos" written on August 1, 2002.

By clicking "ATTEND" you'll be stating your intention to fast (except for water) from 6 pm on August 1 to 6 pm on August 2, 2010. Also it will mean you're pledging to contact an elected official, write a letter to the editor or somehow publicly reach other US policymakers and citizens about the August 1 being the 8 year anniversary of the torture memos and the need to extend the statute of limitations.

Those in the Twin Cities area are also invited to come physically vigil with us for a few minutes, an hour or the entire day as we stand outside the US Courthouse on Monday August 2 from 6 am to 6 pm. Signs will be provided. Look for us in the orange "Close Gitmo" jumpsuits.

Consider organizing your own US Courthouse vigil against torture on August 1st! And don't forget to join the FAT (Fast Against Torture) for 24 hours, anywhere in the world, from 6 pm on Aug 1 to 6 pm on Aug 2. All you have to do is stop eating for one day (but drink plenty of water). Spread the word to invite as many people as possible to join us in fasting and pondering how to stop (or at least reduce) the despicable practice of torture.!

[annm4peace]

2. Sonja Johnon's LTE is to the point

http://www.startribune.com/opinion/letters/98639879.html?page=3&c=y

Reading the July 15 online story "Appeals court upholds torture conviction, sentence for son of former Liberian president Taylor" reminded me that politically it's easier to see the splinter in someone else's eye than the log that is in one's own eye. Aug. 1 is the eighth anniversary of the infamous torture memos from the George W. Bush administration, and no one is calling for accountability.

Our justice system is abysmal when it comes to torture.

SONJA JOHNSON, MINNEAPOLIS