Why Margaret Kelliher may have lost my vote

[annm4peace]

http://mnprogressiveproject.com/diary/6744/why-margaret-kelliher-may-have-lost-my-vote

Why Margaret Kelliher may have lost my vote
by: youmayberight
Tue Jul 27, 2010 at 15:55:48 PM CDT

This morning I attended a Margaret Kelliher "presentation" at the Sabathani Senior Center. At least it was called a "presentation" on the flyer that I saw. I thought maybe I might get a chance to ask her my question.

I am a single-issue voter. It's a pro-life issue. Every time I got a call from candidates' volunteers -- and when I called the three DFL campaign offices -- I asked my question. No one has gotten back to me, so I figured here was my chance to ask a real live candidate.

Ms. Kelliher's opening remarks included the following: "Most importantly, I will listen to your concerns." That made me even more hopeful that I'd get a chance to ask my question. I am so naive.
youmayberight :: Why Margaret Kelliher may have lost my vote
What I neglected to notice was the future tense in her "listening" comment. During the formal presentation, only questions from the media were taken. I guess I was part of the scenery, the backdrop, for this appearance, and the media determined what my concerns were. Had I known it was going to be nothing more than a press conference, I never would have come.

Afterwards, though, I did ask my question of a staffperson, of one of her co-chairs -- former Secretary of State Joan Growe -- and of her policy director. And as I was leaving the building, who should be coming down the hall but the candidate herself. So I got a chance to ask her my question in that setting. They all said they'd look into it although Ms. Kelliher herself seemed the least committed, but then she was sort of in a hurry on her way out.

My pro-life issue is accountability for torture. For certain crimes -- genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, torture -- there is a doctrine that any court on the planet can try someone for those offenses, no matter where they occurred or what nation the alleged perpetrator was a citizen of. This is called universal jurisdiction. In my phone calls to candidates' campaigns, I had said that was what gave Spanish judges jurisdiction to investigate Bush administration officials, or the British courts to arrest Augusto Pinochet, or Italian courts to convict 23 CIA agents in absentia. I was stretching the truth there, since those courts relied on other bases for their claims to jurisdiction. But there is some grounding for the doctrine in international law.

So I asked in person today and on the previous phone calls to staff people whether the candidate thought that under this doctrine of universal jurisdiction Minnesota courts can try people for torture, for conspiracy to torture, for authorizing, ordering, even "legalizing" torture that was done in our names. And if the candidate did not believe Minnesota courts could do this, would s/he support legislation that would enable the courts to do so?

After I explained this concept on the phone, one of Ms. Kelliher's volunteers told me Margaret was pro-choice. Another candidate's staff person asked me how this was a pro-life issue. I explained that likely more than 100 people in our custody have been tortured to death. Plus the fact that holding people accountable for torture will protect the lives of our soldiers in many ways. They will less likely be tortured themselves. Enemy soldiers will be more willing to surrender. Our allies will be more amenable to turning captured enemy soldiers over to us. If you value the lives of our soldiers, you will support seeking accountability for torture.

So far, staff and volunteers for all three DFL candidates are checking this out and will get back to me. Today, even Joan Growe took down my name and number. This is the third time I have provided that information to someone with the Kelliher campaign.

Most candidates probably do not think of this as a state issue. They have probably never heard of the concept of universal jurisdiction for jus cogens crimes. Maybe the Tea Party folks could teach our mainstream candidates something about the power of the states.

I should mention that when I did get some literature from the Green Party candidate, Farheen Hakeem, I called the number given and Ms. Hakeem answered the phone herself. She said she would very much support investigating whether this doctrine could give Minnesota courts jurisdiction to prosecute people for torture.

But among Democrats, my pro-life issue is hard to find support. It certainly won't come from Democrats at the national level. They know it wouldn't just be Republicans who would be implicated. President Obama himself continues the Bush administration's violation of numerous provisions of the Convention Against Torture.

So what's to be done? Aug. 1 is the eighth anniversary of the completion of the John Yoo/Jay Bybee torture memos. Starting at 6:00 p.m. that day, many people around the country -- and even in other countries -- will be engaging in a 24-hour Fast Against Torture. On Monday, Aug. 2, at the Federal Building/U.S. Courthouse in downtown Minneapolis, Tackling Torture at the Top will hold a vigil from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Join them. Call the U.S. Attorney for Minnesota, B. Todd Jones (612-664-5600) and tell him to open an investigation of credible claims of torture. Contact your senators, your congressperson, President Obama, Attorney General Holder. Ask your candidate for governor whether s/he supports the doctrine of universal jurisdiction or legislation enabling prosecutions to occur in Minnesota courts. This has gone on far too long. We must demand accountability for these horrors that were perpetrated in our names.

[clt]

1. Democrats know

holding people accountable for torture is not in their self-interest. It won't be only Republicans who are implicated. In fact, President Obama has continued numerous Bush administration violations of the Convention Against Torture.

[Angry Dragon]

2. And I say so what??

Everyone should be tried for torture, no matter the party.
By continuing torture the government puts my life in jeopardy.
It gives everyone the right to torture me at their whim.
Until all are held accountable for their crimes America is
at risk and that includes you.