Wednesday, December 14, 2005

Appeal from FCNL on Torture Legislation

From the website of FCNL: http://www.fcnl.org/

That the U.S. Congress ever debated whether U.S.-sponsored torture is okay or not is already an indecent act and a stain on our country’s history.

That Congress might legalize some torture is a scandal. Yet, some powerful members of Congress support the Bush administration’s position that some torture should be permitted and that an absolute ban on torture unnecessarily ties the hands of government agents. These members of Congress are blocking Congress from adjournment, while they attempt to insert legal loopholes for torture in the military spending bill. These loopholes would allow some U.S. officials to use torture during some intelligence investigations.

I’m writing to urge you to telephone your members of Congress today to persuade them to speak out against any exceptions to the ban on torture, the McCain provision by Sen. John McCain (AZ).
I know many of you sent an email or wrote your representative last week at the urging of FCNL’s Kathy Guthrie. Your letters and emails in the last few months have persuaded a strong majority of Congress – Republican, Democrat, and Independent – to support the McCain provision to outlaw U.S. sponsored torture.

But some powerful members of Congress are still trying to protect people in the U.S. government who use torture and to block attempts to hold them legally responsible. In these waning days of 2005, we must demonstrate the will of the public to urge every member of Congress not to accept any exception, waiver, exemption, or weakening of the McCain amendment – and that includes any exemption from federal criminal prosecution for torture. Every senator and representative must realize that she or he has the responsibility to secure a firm and “loophole-free” prohibition on U.S. sponsored torture.

Take Action
Please pick up your telephone today to call your two senators and your representative. There isn’t time to send emails, these decisions will be made in the next few days. Tell your representative and senators that, even under end-of-the-year pressure, our elected representatives must stand steadfast and resolute against torture.
We must oppose torture – at any time, in any guise, under any definition, for any reason, and at any location.
Find the names and telephone numbers of your members of Congress by entering your zip code here: http://capwiz.com/fconl/directory/congdir.tt. Or call the the Capitol Switchboard directly and ask to be connected to your members of Congress by name: 202-224-3121.
If you can, please forward this message to five friends with a message asking them to make the same calls this week. Together we can still recover our decency. Thank you for your urgent action this week.

Background
For more information, please read the background information provided in the email message FCNL sent out last week at
http://www.fcnl.org/action/2005/lam1208.htm

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