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Torture: The World Can't Wait

By Jeralyn, Section Terror Detainees
Posted on Sun Oct 01, 2006 at 11:53:21 PM EST
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Mark your calendars. October 5 has been declared a day of "No Work. No School. Protest in the Streets."

On October 2 and 5, New York City will be the site of a protest against the military commissions/torture bill, organized by The World Can't Wait.

MONDAY October 2, 7:30PM Cooper Union Great Hall, 7th St and 3rd Ave.,
THURSDAY, October 5 - Rally at 12 noon to 47th & 1st Avenue, Dag Hammerskjold Plaza, March downtown on Second Ave, 4pm, RALLY at Union Square.

On Monday, Oct 2, there will be an emergency citywide meeting in NYC, responding to passage of the Military Commissions Bill. Speakers include OLYMPIA DUKAKIS, MARK RUFFALO (reading statement from SEAN PENN). RENO, MALACHY MCCOURT, CRAIG MURRAY, ex-British ambassador to Uzbekistan who exposed US and UK use torture, BILL GOODMAN, lawyer for Guantanamo prisoners will explain the dire implications of the passage the new TORTURE bill.

The meeting will prepare people for protests on Thursday, October 5 called by World Can't Wait--Drive Out the Bush Regime. On that day, in over 150 cities and towns across the country, people will walk out of school, take off work, gather in town squares, and MARCH, declaring their intention to bring the Bush program to a halt.

As Congress passes a bill to legalize torture and strip habeas corpus to a pre-1215 Magna Carta era, a movement aimed at stopping to the whole Bush program is rising. More than $200,000 has been raised from thousands of individuals in the last 2 months to publish full-page ads in the New York Times and USA Today, and on MySpace.

"Endless Wars... Torture... Katrina... Theocracy... The Bush regime is remaking the world, very quickly, in a fascist way and for generations to come. Denial won't help. And the Democrats aren't stopping them. But WE must. And we can. There are millions of us..." This message is being heard nationally on Air America radio spots, and people are responding. In ten days the number of protests on October 5 has grown from 50 to more than 150.

The World Can't Wait Call is signed by:

Sean Penn, Gore Vidal, Cornel West, US Representative John Conyers, Jonathan Tasini, Sarah Jones, Harold Pinter, Tom Morello, Edward Asner, Viggo Mortenson, Olympia Dukakis, Richard Serra, Kurt Vonnegut, Harry Belafonte, Gabriel Byrne, Margaret Cho, Eve Ensler, Naomi Wallace, Cindy Sheehan, Richard Serra, Mark Crispin Miller, Paul Haggis, Jane Fonda, Jonathan Kozol, Jessica Lange, Mark Ruffalo, Esther Kaplan, Erica Jong, Alice Walker and thousands more.

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    Torture: The World Can't Wait | 22 comments (22 topical)
    Re: Torture: The World Can't Wait (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Oct 01, 2006 at 10:21:38 PM EST
    I so wish I had the money to go and be there. But, while we are on torture, I just read Chris Dodds account of his father's experience at the Nuermburg Trials. I thought of a book I read by the psychologist at the trial. He described his work with the "worst of humanity". They were the ultimate in worst of the worst. Yet we tried them fair and just. They were housed in clean cells, good food, books and stuff. Let out to socialize. They were treated humane. I thought about where we were then. A beacon. The shining light for the world. We believed in justice, honor, dignity. It was unheard of to treat anyone other than with respect of humankind. We were proud of the United Nations and the idea. Where are we now? What have we become? Our light is extinguished. We are not the standard for other nations. They turn thier heads away in horror. We are no better than the people we tried back in '45. How far this nation has fallen and how sad and pathetic we've become.

    Re: Torture: The World Can't Wait (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Oct 02, 2006 at 03:23:11 AM EST
    one of the things protestors should be looking at is to what extent u.s. trained and equipped deaths squads are part of the current slaughter in iraq...despite u.s. embassy protests. invite you to look at my latest post: httpe://barrylando.com

    Re: Torture: The World Can't Wait (none / 0) (#6)
    by jimakaPPJ on Mon Oct 02, 2006 at 04:52:56 AM EST
    This will not be easy. If we speak the truth, they will try to silence us. If we act, they will try to stop us
    What nonsense. They'll be safer than the average kid in scool.

    Re: Torture: The World Can't Wait (none / 0) (#11)
    by killer on Mon Oct 02, 2006 at 07:54:34 AM EST
    "They'll be safer than the average kid in scool." Not saying much there.

    Re: Torture: The World Can't Wait (none / 0) (#2)
    by DawesFred60 on Mon Oct 02, 2006 at 08:29:25 AM EST
    Torture is all just part of the plan, how about stopping mass torture inside our prison system and jails? The World will never stop torture it is a tool that Government's all over the world use, sad fact 2006. By the way? "do you know how many people have been killed by Bush this week"? soon the order of no laws will be understood by all inside this non Nation.

    Re: Torture: The World Can't Wait (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Oct 02, 2006 at 08:29:25 AM EST
    Guantanamo Bay Teach In October 5th. About the Teach-In This National Teach-In is a work in progress created by a group of individuals organized as the National Guantanamo Teach-In Steering Committee. The core of their collaboration is a virtual teach-in which will be simulcast to participating colleges and universities around the country from Seton Hall Law School. But each participating institution is free to omit or supplement the simulcast to explore whatever issues interest its students and faculty. The Project will also provide support for as many efforts as possible on participating campus. Nationally: http://law.shu.edu/guantanamoteachin/index3.htm Locally: http://lawweb.colorado.edu/events/details.jsp?id=891

    Re: Torture: The World Can't Wait (none / 0) (#7)
    by Gabriel Malor on Mon Oct 02, 2006 at 08:29:25 AM EST
    But JimakaPPJ, how can we be "courageous" if what we're doing is just like any other public event? I mean, really, if we can't pretend that our chest-thumping is, like, totally on the edge, how will we convince the sheeple that we're sincere?

    Re: Torture: The World Can't Wait (none / 0) (#9)
    by kdog on Mon Oct 02, 2006 at 08:29:25 AM EST
    I'll be there on the 5th....can't think of a better reason to take the day off. The world needs to see that we all aren't in the corner of the criminals.

    Re: Torture: The World Can't Wait (none / 0) (#10)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Oct 02, 2006 at 08:29:25 AM EST
    "one of the things protestors should be looking at is to what extent u.s. trained and equipped deaths squads are part of the current slaughter in iraq" Barry, I'd love to read your book about how other governments deal with similar situations including the treatment of POW's when you get around to examining them in the same way you are free to examine our own government in your current publication.

    Re: Torture: The World Can't Wait (none / 0) (#12)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Oct 02, 2006 at 08:29:25 AM EST
    There are events in Colorado which highlight torture and the law on October 5. Specifically the University of Colorado- Boulder School of Law will be participating in the Guantanamo Bay Teach In. This is a national teach in day with over two hundred schools participating in the teach in.

    Re: Torture: The World Can't Wait (none / 0) (#13)
    by Edger on Mon Oct 02, 2006 at 09:02:16 AM EST
    Did you do it for love?
    Did you do it for money?
    Did you do it for spite?
    Did you think you had to, honey?
    Who is gonna make it? Well find out in the long run (in the long run) I know we can take it If our love is a strong one (is a strong one) Well, were scared, but we aint shakin Kinda bent, but we aint breakin In the long run Ooh, I want to tell you, its a long run
    Re: Torture: The World Can't Wait (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Oct 02, 2006 at 09:11:40 AM EST
    October 5 is the date for fasting for Darfur. Maybe these brilliant people should have checked before they picked their date to see what other organizations had something planned for October 5 so as not to take away from this important event.

    Re: Torture: The World Can't Wait (none / 0) (#15)
    by Che's Lounge on Mon Oct 02, 2006 at 09:13:39 AM EST
    Wow I can fast and learn and demonstrate and educate and send the world a message of peace all on the same day? No wonder Jim is against it!

    Re: Torture: The World Can't Wait (none / 0) (#17)
    by killer on Mon Oct 02, 2006 at 09:14:49 AM EST
    Sorry Jim, you and I disagree enough that I didn't recognize the snark. My bad.

    Re: Torture: The World Can't Wait (none / 0) (#16)
    by Edger on Mon Oct 02, 2006 at 09:36:55 AM EST
    justpaul:
    We should be happy that so many liberals are finally waking up and deciding they are against torture. Maybe now they will speak up to their fellow travelers in some of the worst government's on the planet about this kind of stuff.
    jp... jp! We've finally agreed on something. I knew it would happen eventually buddy! I just knew it. I had faith in you!

    Re: Torture: The World Can't Wait (none / 0) (#19)
    by Gabriel Malor on Mon Oct 02, 2006 at 09:36:55 AM EST
    Wow I can fast and learn and demonstrate and educate and send the world a message of peace all on the same day? No wonder Jim is against it!
    Che, we don't agree on much, but I like this line. (Sorry, Jim. I know you're not really against fasting, learning, demonstrating, and education. Maybe I'll just file it under my head as "No wonder some people are against it!")

    Re: Torture: The World Can't Wait (none / 0) (#20)
    by Dadler on Mon Oct 02, 2006 at 09:58:05 AM EST
    Ah yes, to conservatives, the only thing that freedom means, saying no to the powers that be, is somehow evidence of weakness, naivete, even delusion. The same mindset that got us into this useless war. Amazing how NONE of them can countenance an OUNCE of responsibility on their own behalf. Everyone else the problem, as they point fingers like children, but they, they are pure as the driven snow in their thoughts, opinions, actions. Children.

    Re: Torture: The World Can't Wait (none / 0) (#22)
    by Edger on Mon Oct 02, 2006 at 11:41:16 AM EST
    There are no real guarantees in life that I have ever been able to find that were true, except one:
    You don't know what you've got till it's gone.
    Re: Torture: The World Can't Wait (none / 0) (#23)
    by Edger on Mon Oct 02, 2006 at 11:41:16 AM EST
    Torture: The World Can't Wait GET MAD!!! You've gotta say, "I'm a human being, goddammit! My life has value!"

    Re: Torture: The World Can't Wait (none / 0) (#21)
    by Edger on Mon Oct 02, 2006 at 11:53:41 AM EST
    Good post Dadler. Educating as many people as possible is probably the only thing that is going to remove this virulently infectious and malignant disease exemplified by bushco from the world. Arguing with wingnut trolls will not do it. As Theologicus noted this morning here:
    The definitions of torture and related abuses are a matter of public record. There are internationally recognized standards. It is simply disingenuous to pretend that they don't exist. Hand-wringing comments that, gee, we just don't know what constitutes torture and related abuses, are in bad faith. They are not to be taken seriously.
    Everything these trolls say here is disingenuous and not to be taken seriously, except that they do it for one reason only. To bait and to disrupt and to deflect and to destroy debate. To force you to use your time and energy and reasoning to overcome simple minded baiting with an evil purpose, while the manipulations of buschco go on and on. This site is being hit on average from 50 to 120 million times daily. There are perhaps 15-20 regular posters here, most of whom will dump bush like a bad habit a soon as possible. The disingenuous here trolls are nothing. Less than nothing. The hundred million people who read what you write here are the ones we need to be directing comments and thoughts and information and truth and just plain education towards. Write for them. That is how to change this world. That is the opportunity that Jeralyn Merritt has provided here. Use it.
    In the past week alone, we have seen factual evidence that belies the need for the power play/pre-election attack on our Constitution. In fact, these developments indicate that giving Bush even more unprecedented power is not only unconscionable; it puts the national security of the United States of America in peril: Bush's newly "revamped" top 16 intelligence agencies reached the conclusion that the Iraq War had become a primary cause in the growth of terrorists and the increased threat of terrorism to the United States. Bush called the report of his own top intelligent agencies "naïve." Meanwhile, a second U.N. report came to the same conclusion as the American spy agencies. The U.N. also reported that more Iraqis may now be being tortured under U.S. occupation than were tortured under Saddam Hussein. ... The man who has endangered America, according to his own restructured intelligence agencies and the facts reported in just one week, is allowed to destroy our Constitution and decide, on his own, who will be tortured. This isn't just a Rubicon that has been crossed that may mean the death of the American Republic, as we know it. This isn't just our Reichstag fire. This is a suicidal act in terms of our national security. It is giving un-Constitutional and barbaric powers to a man who has miserably and persistently failed us and lied to this nation at every turn - as born out by the facts. It is a thuggish game of forcing an alternative reality upon America, a noxious, deadly one.
    Write, educate, talk to your friends, talk to your neighbors, talk to your co-workers. Talk to the people running locally for house and senate seats. Nail them on this subject. Hard. Nail them to the wall on this subject. Talk to everyone one you know, everywhere you go. Tell them about Talkleft, so they can learn when you're not there to talk to them personally. And go to the protests. Thank you, Jeralyn.

    Re: Torture: The World Can't Wait (none / 0) (#24)
    by Edger on Mon Oct 02, 2006 at 06:17:21 PM EST
    One more reason these insane fanatics have to be stopped.

    Re: Torture: The World Can't Wait (none / 0) (#25)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Oct 10, 2006 at 10:53:44 AM EST
    October 5 is the date for fasting for Darfur. Maybe these brilliant people should have checked before they picked their date to see what other organizations had something planned for October 5 so as not to take away from this important event.
    The October 5th "World Can't Wait - Drive Out the Bush Regime" protests, which have been publicized since February of this year, united people in all progressive movements around the country, including the justice for Darfur movement. At UNC-Greensboro, in the town where I live, about half of the Darfur fasters later that evening joined the World Can't Wait protests...we're not in competition! We're about uniting! It would be a very good thing for the people of Darfur if the Bush regime, who has supported the Sudanese government as a particularly brutal ally in its fake "war on terror", were driven out. We look forward to working more closely with allies in the Darfur justice movement in the future!

    Torture: The World Can't Wait | 22 comments (22 topical)