- However hard for us Americans to believe, after 9/11 America became a nation that practices torture. In the “war on terror” our government chose to break radically with our country’s historic position opposing torture and to endorse its use in interrogating detainees. The consequences have been disastrous.
- Our national elections in 2008 offer a real opening to get this policy reversed. But it will not be simple or quick. To change this torture policy and refashion the personnel, institutions, and structures that devise and use torture in our intelligence operations can only come about through a fundamental change in our political environment.
- A hopeful sign that our country can move in the right direction is that opposition to torture is not a Republican or Democratic issue. John McCain and Barack Obama both publicly oppose torture. The new President elected in November will be on record against the use of torture. A new Congress where the majority opposes torture is also a prospect of the November elections.
- Though critically important, electing a new president and gaining a different balance in Congress is not enough. In order for our new national political leaders to take the clear, sustained, and bipartisan action needed to abolish torture completely, we the people of America must be aroused in sufficient numbers and with sufficient passion to make our voices heard: stop torture now, reject torture absolutely.
- To be most effective, we the people of America must act together and direct our action to two tasks: (1) Seeking to change the dynamic in which the new President and the new Congress address torture by persuading the Republican and the Democratic Parties at their national conventions to include in their Party platforms a plank that fully rejects the use of torture by United States forces and those in their employ. (2) Working to elect to national office in November political candidates who strongly oppose torture.
- There are strong reasons to believe the Republican and Democratic Party conventions can be convinced to include a Reject Torture plank in their Party Platforms. Polls indicate most Americans oppose our use of torture. An aroused public engaged with the torture issue exists in many parts of our country. Thousands of individuals and many members of religious communities, human rights organizations, military, medical, and legal professions, journalists, writers and actors, have publicly voiced their opposition to torture and are seeking to bring about its political rejection.
- To enlarge, mobilize, and focus this aroused American public in pursuit of this common goal is the rationale for A Vital Election Year Initiative.
TOGETHER WE CAN HALT TORTURE.
STEP 1: Contact each presidential candidate NOW.
INSIST: "No Torture. No Exceptions."
Senator John McCain
Phone: (202) 224-2235 • Fax: (202) 228-2862Senator Barack Obama
Phone: (202) 224-2854 • Fax: (202) 228-4260(Click here for details on contact options.)