Abdullah al-Hamiri is the name I have carried in my thoughts, my prayers, my heart and sometimes in my dreams the past 2-plus years. I would like to make a correction. I was kneeling in front of the banner.

Ever since January 11th, my nephew’s 8-year old son Shando has been wearing an orange Shut Down Guantanamo every Friday. When his teacher asked why, he said that his Uncle Tom had been arrested protesting the way the men there are treated. His mother works for a prison and Sandor knows the difference between treating prisoners with respect or treating them "mean."

He told me (whispered) that he was mad at Mr. Bush, "because he's mean to those men."

I had intended to remain silent throughout the entire trial, but having listened to so many others speak so eloquently and passionately, quoting the brilliant words of others, I felt I ought to say at least something. But I couldn't think of any brilliant quotes or eloquent words, so I had no choice but to cheat...and to quote my self.

I had written a poem/song, entitled "The Road to Guantanamo", which I started writing in June 2005 and was inspired to continue working on after going on the Witness Against Tortures walk to Guanatamo, Cuba. After that I got stuck…until receiving unexpected "inspiration" on 10 June 2006.

I finished the poem/song that night/a.m. As someone opposed to the use of torture, I won’t torture anyone by singing my songs, but I would like to recite two verses:

The Road to Guantanamo
Is littered with the Shadows of Lost Lives
Sisters search for stolen Brothers
Husbands cry out for their Wives
Rights have been wronged and wrongs called Right
Mothers mourn and wail mourn and wail mourn and wail
In the early morning light
Gitmo's got no Soul man, Gitmo's gotta go
Gitmo's got no Soul man, Gitmo's gotta go
Gitmo's got no soul man, Gitmo's gotta go gotta go gotta gogogogogogogogogo

The Road to Guantanamo
Is desecrated with Dark Despair
Broken Dreams dangle
Lifeless in the Air
Military prison issue sheets for a Noose
Shoulda set'm free set'm free set'm free
Now we gotta cut'm loose
Gitmo's got no Soul man, Gitrmo's gotta go
Gitmo's got no Soul man, Gitmo's gotta go
Gitmo's got no Soul man, Gitmo's gotta go gotta go gotta gogogogogogogogogo

I would also like to quote a verse from "There Ain't No Such Thing As Justifiable War:"

The War on Terror is a Terrorist Plot
Designed to steal away all the rights that we've got
We Pledge Allegiance to the Flags
Draped across rows of Body Bags
Haveas Corpus died a dastardly death
If we ain't careful they'll be drawin our Last Breath

Thank you for letting me speak on behalf of Adbullah al-Hamiri.