crossposted at docudharma
What a week, eh?! OLC Memo’s released last Thursday, a weekend of TV spots with Rahm, Axelrod, then finally, from the horse’s mouth, Barack Obama on Monday says, "we are not ruling out prosecutions". (yay). Then we close the week on Tuesday/Wednesday, with the release of the Full Report from the SASC , the Levin Report. Open the floodgates.
I’ve created this place, this series, to be something of a landing zone for us, any of us in the progressive community who want to stay tuned in to any ACTION activities that emerge around this cause. I will publish every week, on Thursday mornings.
New Petition by Move On dot Org is up now! Sign that one too!
The headline grabbers of the previous week usually! are detailed, discussed, and documented in the Sunday Torture News Round Up Series, which I highly recommend you read, in case you missed it. This week’s top stories are all over the headlines, the Rec List, and the Front Page, and the Diary pool. It’s heatin’ up!
Be sure to look for the next Sunday Round Up from METEOR BLADES scheduled for Sunday, April 26th.
#5 PDNC
Torture News Roundup: British Admit Torture Cover-up 04.19.09
(Previous week’s (older issues are linked inside the previous digests)
SPECIAL IMPORTANT ACTION summary ,
links and Petitions, wrapped up with a bow, from buhdydharma!
Other Regular Series Diaries on Torture/Justice
Letter Campaign, Something the Dog Said, every MONDAY
Follow the Monday’s Letter Campaign Diary Series and send one yourself!
Weekly Torture Action Letter 7: Mr. President You Are Making A Mistake by Something the Dog Said Mon Apr 20, 2009 (Rec Listed)
"Why I Fight Against Torture"
here is her most recent Part Six Diary from 04.22.09.
Coming soon... ACTION is in the building stages from Chacounne:
I am in the beginning of bringing together the people and organizations necessary to organize a March for Accountability. I think we need to show those in Washington how many will not stand for anything less than justice and accountability. If you are interested, please email me at the address in my profile. ~Chacounne
Quote of the Week
The power of anger tempered with love is somehow a good way to channel the truth. ~K.H.
By The Numbers
# Days since Executive Order signed to close Gitmo:
92
# Days since Eric Holder sworn in as AG =
79
No changes or updates regarding #’s prisoners from previous week.
Community Comments
from Angry Mouse
This is the essence of patriotism:
I’ve always been in love with the ‘idea’ of our country, the America we were supposed to be.
I think it is the idea, or the ideal, that drives patriots -- to fight for their country, to defend their country, to ask questions of their country.
We are imperfect and always have been. And our history, our real history, is dark and ugly. But as long as we believe in the idea of what we could be, what we should be, there is, at a minimum, hope.
We are only scratching the surface of these stories and memos about torture; of that I have no doubt. But perhaps if enough of us are in love with the idea of what our nation should be, if enough of us fight for that idea, we might be able to get to the truth and maybe, just maybe, stop this ugliness from happening again.
I have my doubts; I'm a cynic by nature. But that's what patriotism, real patriotism, demands of us: to love the idea of our country, even when we hate the reality of our country.
BONUS Top Comment, referring to the Levin SASC Report:
from stunzeed
It makes Watergate look like ripping the tag off a mattress.
Torture Diary Rescues
(from the past week, through 4.22.09)
Special note ACTION only this week, amidst the gazillions...
Political FACTS about torture - BHO's motives don't matter, take action
by jcc2455; Mon Apr 20, 2009
The purpose of this diary is to encourage those who believe in the need for accountability for torture to stop hyperventilating, get over the fact that Obama is not, by himself, the vessel of a utopian revolution, get focused and fight like hell.
Can Open... Worms Everywhere
by I love OCD; Sun Apr 19, 2009
Fury about torture, (and about the other crimes committed by the arrogant criminals who have been in control of the Republican Party for so many years), is absolutely appropriate. It's necessary, it's the only sane response to what we've learned so far. That anger and frustration will provide the fuel that can energize us to take action, but fury alone won't make anything happen.
Website of the Week
Center for Victims of Torture Sign their Petition!
Resource Spotlight
Contact your senator, any senator and find ,Senate Committee members CHART here this is pretty handy, and will lead you to all kinds of info, including contact addys. Don't forget to thank the good guys!
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Media Pick of the Week
FDL’s emptywheel knocked it out of the park with this story Show her some blog love here.
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ACTION Items
There's so many this week! See the buhdy's "Organizing, Action" diary which has several of the Petitions.
Docudharma also has several BUTTON links on the front page for the various Petitions.
The movement to Impeach Bybee seems to be picking up speed.
COMING NEXT WEEK: I plan to put together some info to address questions about the whole Statute of Limitations dilemma, with a little help from some of our legal hounds here!
Thanks for visiting LL’s brain. See you in the comment.o.sphere! (SOrry for the delay in publishing, trying to work out some kinky codes.LL)
and now for a moment of Marvin...