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Say NO to torture |
| Survivors' group warns of possible use
of torture
An organization of survivors of torture warns of hints
that the US government might use torture to get information from people
detained in connection with Sept. 11th attacks.
November 6, 2001 [posted here on 11-14-01]
TASSC is an organization of torture survivors from more than 25
countries. Our members, each of whom is a survivor of torture, are both
anguished and outraged over media reports suggesting that the U.S.
government is considering the use of torture to extract information from
persons detained in connection with the September 11th attacks.
For example, in the October 21 issue of the Washington
Post, we read that an experienced FBI agent said, '. it could get
to that spot where we could go to pressure ... where we won't have a
choice, and we are probably getting there. ' The Post goes on
to say, "Among the alternative strategies under discussion are
using drugs or pressure tactics, such as those employed occasionally by
Israeli interrogators, to extract information. Another idea is
extraditing the suspects to allied countries where security services
sometimes employ threats to family members or resort to torture."
Despite our outrage, we were convinced that members of
Congress and other government officials would rush to denounce such talk
and would affirm that the United States would never involve itself in
such crimes against humanity. And so, we waited for their response. But
we have waited in vain.
We have yet to hear of a single member of Congress who
has expressed outrage. Certainly the Attorney General, the head of the
Department of Justice, has been silent, as has been the President
himself. It began to seem to us that the Washington Post story had been
an intentional government "trial balloon."
And this is not all. More than 800 persons are being
secretly detained as suspects in the September 11th attack (New York
Times, 10/30/01). Incommunicado detention, as our personal
experiences have proven, creates a fertile ground for torture and other
abuses. Added to this is the growing number of voices in mainstream
media discussing the idea of torture (New York Times, 11/ 5,
2001).
We are deeply concerned that our society will come to
legitimize the use of torture through the justification that it is
needed to safeguard national security.
Torture is a crime against humanity. There can be no
justification whatsoever for its use. The Universal Declaration of Human
Rights states: No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel,
inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Torture is a form of terrorism. TASSC condemns all
terrorism. Please join with TASSC in saying: NO TO TORTURE!
ACTIONS:
We urge you to contact the following government
officials. Please ask them to announce publicly that they will oppose
any effort of the United States government to employ the practice of
torture or to extradite persons to other countries so that they may be
tortured there.
President George W. Bush White House
Comment Line: (202) 456-1111
E-mail: president@whitehouse.gov
U.S. Attorney General, John Ashcroft
Telephone: (202) 514-2001
Fax: (202) 514-5331
Your Representatives and Senators:
US Capitol Switchboard (202) 224-3121
Write letters to the editor
Thank you for joining with us in making our world
torture-free!
Sister Dianna Ortiz, OSU Orlando Tizon, Ph. D.
Comite por la Abolicion de la Tortura y Coalicion de Apoyo a
Sobrevivientes (TASSC)
3321 12th Street, NE Washington, DC 20017
T. (202) 529-2991
F. (202)526-4611
www.torture-free-world.org |
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Visit
our lively
new website! |
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GA actions
ratified (or not) by the presbyteries
A number of the most important actions of the 219th
General Assembly have now been acted upon by the presbyteries,
confirming most of them as amendments to the PC(USA) Book of Order.
We provided resources to help inform the
reflection and debate, along with updates on the voting.
Our three areas of primary interest have been:
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Amendment 10-A,
which removes the current ban on
lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender persons being considered as
possible candidates for ordination as elder or ministers.
Approved! |
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Amendment 10-2,
which would add the Belhar Confession to our Book of
Confessions. Disapproved, because as an amendment
to the Book of Confessions it needed a 2/3 vote, and did not
receive that. |
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Amendment
10-1, which adopts the new Form of Government
that was approved by the Assembly. Approved. |
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Some blogs worth visiting |
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PVJ's
Facebook page
Mitch Trigger, PVJ's
Secretary/Communicator, has created a Facebook page where
Witherspoon members and others can gather to exchange news and
views. Mitch and a few others have posted bits of news, both
personal and organizational. But there’s room for more!
You can post your own news and views,
or initiate a conversation about a topic of interest to you. |
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Voices of Sophia blog
Heather Reichgott, who has created
this new blog for Voices of Sophia, introduces it:
After fifteen years of scholarship
and activism, Voices of Sophia presents a blog. Here, we present the
voices of feminist theologians of all stripes: scholars, clergy,
students, exiles, missionaries, workers, thinkers, artists, lovers
and devotees, from many parts of the world, all children of the God
in whose image women are made. .... This blog seeks to glorify God
through prayer, work, art, and intellectual reflection. Through
articles and ensuing discussion we hope to become an active and
thoughtful community. |
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John Harris’ Summit to
Shore blogspot
Theological and philosophical
reflections on everything between summit to shore, including
kayaking, climbing, religion, spirituality, philosophy, theology,
politics, culture, travel, The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), New
York City and the Queens neighborhood of Ridgewood by a progressive
New York City Presbyterian Pastor. John is a former member of the
Witherspoon board, and is designated pastor of North Presbyterian
Church in Flushing, NY. |
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John Shuck’s Shuck and Jive
A Presbyterian minister, currently
serving as pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Elizabethton,
Tenn., blogs about spirituality, culture, religion (both organized
and disorganized), life, evolution, literature, Jesus, and
lightening up. |
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Got more blogs to recommend?
Please
send a note, and we'll see what we can do! |
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