Contact the Presidential candidates NOW

From Amnesty International USA:

Urge the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates to lead their political parties to include Reject Torture planks in their party platforms.

Contact the presidential candidates NOW—time is of the essence. INSIST: "No Torture. No Exceptions."

CALL

Senator John McCain
Phone: (202) 224-2235 • Fax: (202) 228-2862

Senator Barack Obama
Phone: (202) 224-2854 • Fax: (202) 228-4260

WRITE

Senator John McCain
241 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Fax: (202) 228-2862

Senator Barack Obama
713 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Fax: (202) 228-4260

TIPS

• Be bipartisan in spirit. AIUSA does not favor or oppose any candidate for public office.
• Limit yourself to the issue of torture and its rejection
• Keep in mind it is your own concern you are voicing, rejecting torture matters to you

FOR CALLS

• Expect a staffer to answer your call. (You are calling the candidate's Senatorial office, which is better equipped than campaign headquarters to receive comment on public issues.)
• Be respectful, courteous, and to the point. Ask: “Are you the person I should speak to in order to convey a message to Senator [Name]?”
  -If “Yes” (or you are connected you to another person): introduce yourself and say where you are from.
  -If asked 'is it a campaign or legislative issue?' say 'legislative' (your concern about torture is more than a campaign matter): introduce yourself and say where you are from.
• Say you are calling:
  -to tell him that halting the U.S. government’s use of torture is a priority concern for you
  -to urge Senator [Name] to lead his party at the [name Party] Convention to adopt a party platform plank that rejects torture absolutely. "No Torture. No Exceptions."
  [Prior to the general election each political party at its convention adopts a program/platform with policies/planks it pledges to uphold.]
• If you can, add why this is important. Here are good points to choose from: -torture is immoral -torture is illegal under U.S. and international law -torture is contrary to the best of American values -military and intelligence experts have said torture is ineffective

FOR LETTERS

• Address your letter or fax: Dear Senator McCain, Dear Senator Obama
• Be respectful and polite in what you write.
• Let Senator [Name] know why you are writing him: to urge a Reject Torture plank in the [name] Party platform
• Why torture is an important issue to you:
  -torture is immoral
  -torture is illegal under U.S. and international law
  -torture is contrary to the best of American values
  -military and intelligence experts have said torture is ineffective
• Conclude by urging Senator [Name] to lead the [name] Party to adopt a platform plank that says “No Torture. No Exceptions.”
• Under your signature, print your name and home address

A National Summit on Torture: Religious Faith, Torture, and our National Soul

From Evangelicals for Human Rights:

September 11-12, 2008 Conference in Atlanta, GA*

Mercer University, Evangelicals for Human Rights, and the National Religious Campaign Against Torture, in cooperation with the Center for Victims of Torture, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Faith and the City, Faith in Public Life, Evangelicals for Social Action, and the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, are hosting a national conference on torture on September 11-12, 2008. A National Summit on Torture: Religious Faith, Torture, and our National Soul is organized by David P. Gushee, President of Evangelicals for Human Rights and Distinguished University Professor of Christian Ethics at Mercer University.

This two day conference looks at how we have gotten where we are since September 11, 2001, and how we return to a rejection of torture without exceptions. This event will be infused with moral conviction drawn from religious faith, and conference speakers will reflect a variety of faith perspectives. This conference is open to all who will come. Religious Faith, Torture, and our National Soul aims to model a kind of discourse, Christian, interfaith, and otherwise, that opens doors for dialogue rather than closes them.

Questions that will be considered:

• What policy decisions led to torture?
• How did the US military respond?
• What does torture do to human beings?
• What has the torture debate revealed about American Christianity?
• What is really going on at Guantanamo Bay?
• How do we heal the (American) Christian relationship with the Muslim world?
• What legislative efforts are being made to address torture?
• How do Christians break free from cultural captivity?
• What are younger thinkers noticing about this cultural moment that others are missing?
• How do we restore America's leadership in protecting human rights?

* Registration deadline is September 1, 2008. Seating availability is limited.

Click here to register online.

Executive Order Banning Torture

From the National Religious Campaign Against Torture:

ENDORSING A DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES FOR AN EXECUTIVE ORDER BANNING TORTURE

The National Religious Campaign Against Torture, in alliance with Evangelicals for Human Rights and the Center for Victims of Torture, launched an effort that calls upon the President to issue an executive order banning torture based on six core principles embodied in a Declaration of Principles. The groups are calling this effort the "Campaign to Ban Torture."

Since the success of this effort depends upon thousands of people of faith and other opponents of torture joining together to endorse the Declaration of Principles, please endorse the Declaration.

• Individuals can endorse here.
• Institutions can endorse here. The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and other religious bodies have endorsed.

Prominent faith leaders from Catholic, Protestant, Evangelical, Jewish, Muslim, and Sikh communities, as well top officials from every Administration since the 1970s, have joined together to endorse the Declaration of Principles.

Suggestions for other steps you can take and more information:

• For individuals
• For congregations
• For clergy
• For press stories
• For the list of prominent endorsers
• For other Presidential Executive Order resources
• For a petition version of the Declaration. Take the petition to your congregation, the regional body of your denomination or faith group, political events, or anyplace where you think you can garner endorsements. Please return completed petitions to NRCAT.

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Declaration of Principles for a Presidential Executive
Order on Prisoner Treatment, Torture and Cruelty

Though we come from a variety of backgrounds and walks of life, we agree that the use of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment against prisoners is immoral, unwise, and un-American.

In our effort to secure ourselves, we have resorted to tactics which do not work, which endanger US personnel abroad, which discourage political, military, and intelligence cooperation from our allies, and which ultimately do not enhance our security.

Our President must lead us by our core principles. We must be better than our enemies, and our treatment of prisoners captured in the battle against terrorism must reflect our character and values as Americans.

Therefore, we believe the President of the United States should issue an Executive Order that provides as follows:

The "Golden Rule." We will not authorize or use any methods of interrogation that we would not find acceptable if used against Americans, be they civilians or soldiers.

One national standard. We will have one national standard for all US personnel and agencies for the interrogation and treatment of prisoners. Currently, the best expression of that standard is the US Army Field Manual, which will be used until any other interrogation technique has been approved based on the Golden Rule principle.

The rule of law. We will acknowledge all prisoners to our courts or the International Red Cross. We will in no circumstance hold persons in secret prisons or engage in disappearances. In all cases, prisoners will have the opportunity to prove their innocence in ways that fully conform to American principles of fairness.

Duty to protect. We acknowledge our historical commitment to end the use of torture and cruelty in the world. The US will not transfer any person to countries that use torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment.

Checks and balances. Congress and the courts play an invaluable role in protecting the values and institutions of our nation and must have and will have access to the information they need to be fully informed about our detention and interrogation policies.

Clarity and accountability. All US personnel-whether soldiers or intelligence staff-deserve the certainty that they are implementing policy that complies fully with the law. Henceforth all US officials who authorize, implement, or fail in their duty to prevent the use of torture and ill treatment of prisoners will be held accountable, regardless of rank or position.

Click here for Printable pdf file of Declaration

Torture Is a Moral Issue

Endorse the Statement of Conscience of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture.

Torture violates the basic dignity of the human person that all religions, in their highest ideals, hold dear. It degrades everyone involved -- policy-makers, perpetrators and victims. It contradicts our nation's most cherished ideals. Any policies that permit torture and inhumane treatment are shocking and morally intolerable.

Nothing less is at stake in the torture abuse crisis than the soul of our nation. What does it signify if torture is condemned in word but allowed in deed? Let America abolish torture now -- without exceptions.