Blogger's statement: My aim here is to offer possible items which may be of interest to those concerned - that despite all the good - including today's news of the Obama administration's plans to invest in many humanitarian and worthy goals of investing money and people-power in community organizing - & our new administrations' many admirable qualities - there are sobering concerns in terms of human & civil rights.
Yeah! Now Sen. Russ Feingold really concerned about letting those who've headed up, been complicit with Torture! And watch, he won't let this go and his law background will be a huge help! And although there are some concerns that at this very time a number of Republicans will try to "nail" her on other issues, Kudos to Sen. Dianne Feinstein to ask that blanket statements from the administration wait until the months of investigations take place. We pray her words will be headed!
In case readers are not already aware, over and over, however helpful the Senate investigations have been and will be - there is a strong call from many Rights groups to push very forcefully for a Special Prosecutor - an Independent Investigation without alliances in Congress and the White House...See ACLU, Center for Constitutional Rights, Professor Marjorie Cohn (President of the National Lawyers Guild), The PDA Progressive Democrats of America, David Swanson and many others.
PERPETRATOR: To bring about or carry out (as a crime or deception); COMMIT
From the Center for Victims of Torture’s ”Eight Lessons of Torture”:
4. Torture has a corrupting effect on the perpetrator
The relationship between the victim and the torturer is highly intimate, even if one-sided. It is filled with stress for the interrogator, balancing the job with the moral and ethical values of a person with family and friends. One way this cognitive dissonance is managed is through a group process that dehumanizes the victim. But still another way is to insure that some sort of confession is obtained to justify to the interrogator and to his superiors that pain and suffering was validly used.
Closely related to the item above, please go to Andy Worthington's site for the following: "Ten Terrible Truths About The CIA Torture Memos (Part One)"
here
JUST IN:
Memos Link Abuses to Iraq
here
Road Map: Democrats Wary of Obama’s Torture Stance - Roll Call
... Wary of Obama’s Torture Stance. By Emily Pierce Roll Call Staff. April 21, 2009, 12 a.m. ... Senate Intelligence Chairman Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif. ...
here
Pressure Grows to Investigate Interrogations - NYTimes.com
Apr 21, 2009 ... Panetta and Obama’s Speeches to C.I.A. Workers (April 21, 2009). Room for Debate: Torture Redefined (April 16, 2009) ... Senator Dianne FEINSTEIN, a California Democrat and chairwoman of the Intelligence Committee, ...
here - a version of this article appeared in print on April 21, 2009, on page A1 of the New York edition, evidently, perhaps with some helpful comments?
Mike Farrell on Truth Dig (Listen to NPR.org Radio Program: "Left, Right & Center" to hear Robert Scheer's take of the week (of Truth Dig)& possibly Arianna Huffington as well?) here
Whirled View: Tortured Logic
here
Or: here
WATCH DAILY! Invictus: A blog on U.S. Politics and the Fight Against Torture
(this by psychologist who has been an activist against torture and the APA - American Psychological Association's participation in the same - including recent President!...New items also including mistreatment on the border by laser gun. - What will (the current adminstration) do, if anything, about such blatant flouting of authority? here #2 here Especially see this latter item: More than Nuremberg: Thousands Prosecuted for War Crimes After World War II and note for your psychologist friend or contact the items throughout and near bottom of home page about witholding dues, putting activist pressure to bear on the APA
WATCH DAILY! Democracy Now! | New items often! Find this one in archives if not easily available - Attorney General Nominee Michael Mukasey Defends Bush
Obama's Blackwater? Canadian Judge Upholds Government Decision to Bar...In a moment we will be joined by Michael Ratner, president of the Center for ...
here
Truthdig - Reports - No More Torture
the ... failure of the media to write honestly about this//Michael Ratner of the Center for Constitutional Law, Obama will close ...
here
Guantanamo Under Obama
Lost History Hurts Obama's Iran Bid. The Price of Scapegoating ... Air Base Will Be Obama's Guantanamo. ... Adds CCR president Michael Ratner: ...
here
Interrogations - Political Machine - Politics Blog ...
But Michael Ratner, president of the Center for Constitutional Rights, a far ... Judge says he will approve 25 years for insurgent ...
here
Stephen Lendman: Guantánamo Under Obama
A Short History of Business Handouts ... "Very Bad News - Afghanistan's Bagram Air Base Will Be Obama's Guantanamo. ... Adds CCR president Michael Ratner: ...
here
What to Do About the Torturers? - The New York Review of Books
Others, such as Michael Ratner and the Center for Constitutional Rights, call ... reported to have remarked that "history will not judge us kindly," but none of ...
here
Law is Cool
History will judge us harshly for failing to act. ... Michael Ratner was an adjunct professor of law at Columbia University Law School, ...
here
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ReplyDeleteNow, although not related to above - except to encourage more into fields - other than CIA and many military jobs - where torture & killing may be involved - therefore grave harm to the participant is often the result --
ReplyDeleteI've been so firmly focused on the rights of detainee prisoners under US jurisdiction around the world and the crucial need to prosecute & seek amends as well as change NOW, that I sometimes have overlooked the positive changes that are in fact coming about...
Here is one...(and I predict that the fact that Obama was a community organizer will help this effort to be a huge success.)
National service bill to get Obama's signature
By ANN SANNER, Associated Press Writer Ann Sanner, Associated Press Writer 24 mins ago
WASHINGTON – The AmeriCorps program started by President Bill Clinton will triple in size over the next eight years, and tens of thousands of other Americans will soon see new opportunities to give back to their communities.
It's all part of a $5.7 billion national service bill President Barack Obama is scheduled to sign Tuesday to foster and fulfill people's desire to make a difference, such as by mentoring children, cleaning up parks or building and weatherizing homes for the poor.
Bolstering voluntary public service programs has been a priority of Obama, who credits his work as a community organizer in his early 20s for giving him direction in life.
The White House said Monday that the president "will call on people across the country to serve their communities and work together to tackle the nation's tough challenges."
Obama is set to visit the SEED School of Washington, a public boarding school that serves inner-city students facing problems in both the classroom and at home, for the signing ceremony.
Congress passed the bill last month with largely bipartisan support and Obama is seeking $1.1 billion to fund it next year. Some Republicans complain it is too costly and is an unnecessary intrusion by government into something Americans already do eagerly and in great numbers — helping their neighbors and communities.
The legislation provides for gradually increasing the size of AmeriCorps to 250,000 enrollees from its current 75,000. It outlines five broad categories where people can direct their service: helping the poor, improving education, encouraging energy efficiency, strengthening access to health care and assisting veterans.
AmeriCorps has seen a recent surge in applications, according to the government-run Corporation for National and Community Service, which oversees the program.
In March, the corporation received 17,038 online AmeriCorps applications, nearly double those received in the previous month and nearly triple the 6,770 received last March.
The bill also ties volunteer work to money for college.
People 55 and older could earn $1,000 education awards by getting involved in public service. Those awards can be transferred to a child, grandchild or even someone they mentored.
Students from sixth grade through senior year of high school could earn a $500 education award for helping in their neighborhoods during a new summer program.
The bill is named for Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., who, with Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, has been its champion. Kennedy, who is being treated for brain cancer, is expected to attend the signing.
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On the Net:
AmeriCorps: http://www.americorps.gov
Corporation for National and Community Service: http://www.nationalservice.gov