Musings from the ACLU Day of Action (Gitmo/Torture/Habeas)

[ticapnews]

This is the update I just sent out to many of my friends regarding my recent trip to DC. For those in the Maine forum, I'll add that you can contact Senator Collins at

413 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

25 Sweden Street, Suite A
Caribou, ME 04736
Main: [phone]

Bangor State Office:
P.O. Box 655
202 Harlow Street, Room 204
Bangor, ME 04402
Main: [phone]

Augusta State Office:
68 Sewall Street, Room 507
Augusta, ME 04330
Main: [phone]

Lewiston State Office:
11 Lisbon Street
Lewiston, ME 04240
Main: [phone]

Biddeford State Office:
160 Main Street
Biddeford, ME 04005
Main: [phone]

Portland State Office:
One City Center, Stop 23
Portland, ME 04101
Main: [phone]

She really needs to hear from people.

On Monday night I got on a bus with about three dozen other activists to join the ACLU's Day of Action in Washington DC. We picked up a handful of additional activists in Portsmouth and Hartford and rolled into Union Station at 9:30AM.

After a little breakfast and shopping at Union Station, we left for the park across the street from the Capitol for a rally. The topic was how to restore our Constitution, bring back Habeas Corpus, end the practice of torture by American military and intelligence officers and close Gitmo. Speakers included Senators Patrick Leahy, Tom Harkin, Ben Cardin and Chris Dodd, Congressmen Jerrold Nadler and Dennis Kucinich and the Executive Directors of the ACLU and Amnesty International, plus the chairman of the American Conservative Union.

After the rally, the Maine delegation went to the Russell Office Building to meet with members of Senator Olympia Snowe's staff. This was a waste of time, but the air conditioning was certainly appreciated. We then went next door to the Dirksen Building where we met with Senator Susan Collins in the hearing room for the Senate Homeland Security Committee. (It looks far more impressive on television than in person.) We got to meet with Susie for about 15 minutes (I was sorely disappointed she was not wearing her customary red dress) before she was shuttled away to her next appointment. When we mentioned the different pieces of legislation we were hoping she would support, she repeatedly said she hadn't made up her mind and was studying the situation, but in the end would make the decision that was best for her. Not her constituents nor the American people, but what was best for her. Nice to know she has her priorities in order.

After a brief lunch in the Dirksen dining room (where crisped potatoes are simply called "Fries" with neither the "French" nor "Freedom" modifier) we walked over to the Longworth Building to meet with Congressmen Tom Allen and Mike Michaud. On paper, this looked like a pleasant stroll past our nation's Capitol to the building next door. In reality, it was a six-block obstacle course because We The People are not allowed near Our House without security clearance. This made us late for Michaud so we met with Tom Allen first. This was a great meeting, because he had voted against the repeal of habeas in the first place and was already on board with most of the legislation we supported. I mentioned my role in the Democratic Party and as a two-time volunteer with his campaign and thanked him for all his work in the past and hoped that he would help persuade more of his colleagues to do the right thing.

Later in our discussion, I mentioned that a friend of mine was currently serving in Iraq and felt uncomfortable speaking openly against the commander-in-chief, but that he has told me that he signed up to defend the country and defend the Constitution – not provide political cover to an Administration that has trampled on that Constitution. He nodded sadly and expressed his disgust for the corrupt officials who have abused the trust and service of our military men and women. In our group we also had a mother whose son is in the USAF and is about to do his third rotation in Iraq. He has wanted to be in the Air Force since he was a kid, and wanted to be in for his career. However, at 24, he is the oldest remaining member of his unit (the others are dead or have left the service) and he is resigning when he returns from his next rotation. We weren't supposed to talk about the war in our meetings, but Allen was glad we did because he believes one key to ending torture is to end the war.

At 6PM we finally got to meet with Mike Michaud. He is an interesting and unique case when it comes to the Military Commissions Act – the law passed last summer which rescinded habeas and codified the use of "extraordinary rendition" (a.k.a. torture) by Americans. When the House passed the bill, Michaud voted in favor. After he had a chance to actually read the bill (which was given to Democrats the day it was voted upon) and after hearing from a great many people (including me) who were upset with his vote, he took the highly unusual step of changing his vote. He also has already signed onto the legislation we are hoping to pass and send to the desk of the worst president since Buchanan. I mentioned the rather pointed email I had sent to his staff after his vote and thanked him for changing his position, even though it had no impact on the eventual passage of the bill.

We then made our way back to Union Station, this time taking the slightly more scenic route across the Mall (which wasn't quite as picturesque as usual since there was a giant stage erected for the July 4 festivities), and departed at 7:30PM.


For those interested:

The legislation in question includes:

HR 2826, HR 1416, S 185, S 576

If you live in Maine, please contact Susan Collins and tell her it would be in her best interests to get behind Arlen Specter's bill (S 185) rather than be condemned on the wrong side of history (not to mention booted from office by Tom Allen next year). Please also contact Tom Allen and Mike Michaud and thank them for their support of Jerrold Nadler's bills and ask them to get on board with Ike Skelton and John Conyer's bill (HR 2826). For those of you outside of Maine, please contact your elected officials in Washington and ask them to support these bills. The writ of habeas corpus is too important to allow it to be cast aside by a corrupt Administration and its cronies in Congress (many of whom were sent packing last November). It has been a part of the legal system of civilized Western governments for the past 800 years. It is mentioned in the Declaration of Independence and is a part of our Constitution. Furthermore, Americans do not use torture against other people. We know it is wrong and we know it doesn't work. I promise you, if you repeatedly dunk my head in a bucket of water or threaten to break my fingers, I will gladly tell you anything you want to know – whether it is my grand plan to destroy the Golden Gate Bridge or my secret ability to fly to the moon. There are those who say 9/11 changed everything, but I firmly disagree. I am not stuck in a "pre-9/11" mindset – I am in a "post-1776" mindset and encourage people to stop pretending it is the Dark Ages where might makes right, the end justifies the means, justice is delivered at the end of a sword and fear and superstition rule over reason and science.

As historians study early-21st Century America, this period is going to be a giant stain on our heritage. We can start repairing the damage now, or we can let it set in and make it that much more difficult to fix later. Please take just a few moments to contact your representatives.

Please let Susie hear it.

[luckyleftyme2]

1. IS THIS THE SECOND TIME?

DIDN'T I READ THIS IN AS MAINE GOES SEVERAL MONTHS AGO?

[MountainLaurel]

2. Erm, no

The ACLU Day was just held last week.