Compiled by Kate Cowley
Dear Friends,
Day Three of the fast began with a morning reflection and discussion led by John and Jericha from Chicago.
For our reflection, John read a passage from Andy Worthington's The Guantanamo Files, reminding us of the early days of the prison, and the brutality of the interrogation tactics. He then led us all in a meditation inspired by Thich Nhat Hanh's poem "Interconnectedness," which begins: "You are me and I am you," and we practiced this by closing our eyes and saying to ourselves:
"I am the interrogator, and the interrogator is me… I am the prisoner, and the prisoner is me…"
In light of our recent lobby visits, Jericha brought to the table her personal difficulty with lobbying, and raised the question of its effectiveness. This led to a discussion of peoples' own experiences with lobbying and an examination of why we are doing what we are doing. Mike Benedetti put it nicely when he said that we do a lot of what we do not because it's the most effective thing to do, but because it's the right thing to do.
Clare shared that she had learned in past lobbying experiences is that the best way to be "effective" is to "educate, educate, educate," and she has found that the way she does this is through example, by using her body. She expressed that though our efforts may appear humble, God will take them and lift them up and we won't know the effect they may be having.
Our discussion turned to talk of torture's legal architect John Yoo and his recent book, which has been receiving some favorable reviews in the media. Joe brought up how people in this country are discussing the perimeters of torture, trying to make arbitrary distinctions between what is and what is not torture, when in reality we all know the truth: torture is torture.
These were some of the thoughts we carried as we began our day of action. Part of the group headed back to Capitol Hill for another round of lobby visits. This time, lobby-ers were joined by two friends from the Center for Constitutional Rights, who added critical perspectives.
The rest of us took off for the Supreme Court, where we began a long procession around Capitol Hill, which included a walk up the steps leading to the Capitol.
The procession concluded at the Senate Hart building, where the other half of our group was inside lobbying. While some of us maintained a presence outside of the building holding signs and banners, another group entered the building dressed in jumpsuits to do another "ghost walk" through the hallways with names of prisoners who are cleared for release pinned on
our backs. There is a great video of Day Three action online at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBTD7H8gyrA
Many of those who participated in the second "ghost walk" came back with encouraging stories of people thanking them and engaging them in dialogue about what we were doing there. We share Helen's reflection below.
After a brief rest period back at St. Stephen's, we left for Busboys and Poets, a local restaurant, café, bookstore and meeting place, where we heard poetry and music from David Rovics, followed by a talk from Cindy Sheehan and Ray McGovern about drones and the CIA, and the CIA's role in perpetuating the cycle of violence our past and current wars.
Thank you for all you are doing,
Peace with Justice,
Witness Against Torture
www.witnesstorture.org
Table of Contents:
- Prisoner Walk at the Hart Senate Building, Helen Schietinger, January 13, 2010
- WAT Lobby days, Report from Rich Sroczynski
- Day 3 video
1. Prisoner Walk at the Hart Senate Building, Helen Schietinger, January 13, 2010
We began at the Supreme Court. A line of human beings in orange jump suits with black hoods, carrying signs ("Shut Down Guantanamo") and an orange banner ("Indefinite detention is illegal. Close Guantanamo Prison! Close Bagram Prison!") We processed solemnly across to the Capitol Building, and then to the Hart Senate Office Building, where we established a silent vigil on the sidewalk.
Some people were already doing traditional lobbying inside, and now some of us prepared to engage in nontraditional lobbying. Today our Ghost Walk was on the first, third and fifth floors. This was my experience as a Ghost Walker after I entered the building in my orange jump suit with the name of Fadil Husayn Salih Hintif pinned to my back:
Ananda and I go to the fifth floor, with Paul as our support person. As I leave the elevator I step into another psychic space. I hold my hands behind my back, lower my head, and begin slowly putting one foot in front of the other. My first thoughts are self-conscious -- they are about the people around me and the image I'm trying to create. I am aware of people talking to each other as they walk, pretending not to notice that I'm there. I realize I'm looking forward to arriving at the part of the corridor that has one side open to the atrium, which will allow a full view of me from down below. But I want to be in the moment, to focus on being exactly where I am, not looking ahead, so I focus on the paisley rug. It has strange patterns that turn inward and end nowhere. That makes me think of the detainees -- then of the person whose name is pinned on my back and written on the palm of my hand. I read the name: Fadil Husayn Salih Hintif. I begin to speak it softly to myself as I walk, 2 syllables with each slow step -- my mantra as I deepen into a walking meditation.
Fadil Husayn Salih Hintif.
What does he look like? How old is he?
Does he pace slowly in his small cell?
Does he look forward to arriving at some new point in space and time, or has he given up hope of ever being released?
How does he tolerate the terrible injustice of his imprisonment?
Can he find peace in his heart?
Finally I am simply walking, intoning one word after the other, and I am alone with his name. Occasionally my awareness is pulled back to the people walking in the corridor. I feel a woman watching me -- in curiosity or solidarity? -- as I slowly progress. I continue walking. Suddenly Paul is there beside me saying it's time to stop. The transition from my inner space feels abrupt. We talk a bit and I leave. As I reach the first floor, my eyes light on Art, standing alone in his orange jumpsuit beside the huge sculpture in the atrium, wearing a blindfold, arms outstretched -- a human sculpture. Then I slow down, lower my head, put my hands behind my back, and continue to be a witness for a Guantanamo detainee until I reach the street.
3. WAT Lobby days, Rich Sroczynski, January 13, 2010
Along with all the efforts to move the mountain of Guantanamo and indefinite detention, Witness Against Torture decided to try to do some Congressional lobbying while we were in Washington, DC. A small group worked for weeks in advance to develop a legislative strategy with vital help from Nancy Talanian of No More Guantanamos, Matt Southworth with Friends Committee for National Legislation and Leili Kashani of Center for Constitutional Rights, with input from others on specific questions.
Currently, there is no proposed legislation on these issues and we were advised to present a specific "ask" to the aides we met with, so we came up with a strategy to move the White House (which seems to waffle and backtrack at every obstacle). The idea is that to move members of Congress who were sitting back it is necessary to shift the balance away from the harsh rhetoric and fear-mongering.
To do that, we felt we needed to create a specific and concrete vehicle for challenging the 'moderates' to take the needed stand. We carefully created a letter that Members of Congress to sign on to tell the White House:
- Those cleared for release must be released and repatriated immediately, including the option of resettlement in the US
- All others to be charged and brought to speedy trial with due process, or else also released
- Institute due process and international standards at all facilities utilized by the US
- Provide restitution to all wrongly held and their families
These are all basic human and moral rights which transcend political and other considerations, and that was our overarching message-this is the right thing regardless. (the full text is available and suitable for printing and sending to your own members of Congress, at here)
In order to proceed, we needed to find a sponsor for the letter. We made appointments with staffers for key Representatives and Senators who were thought to be most likely to get things started. Tuesday morning we got training from FCNL and an update from Chris Anders of American Civil Liberties Union, broke into teams, role played, and got to work.
The first visit got off to an amazing start when we were met at the door by Congressman John Conyers of Michigan who ushered us into his office, called in his staff, provided us with welcome hot tea, and proceeded to engage in over a hour's worth of good and challenging conversation. He offered to facilitate meeting with the White House, and a conference with other legislators along with the attorneys and other activist groups to lay out a strategy. As for the letter, 'his staff would get back to us' which was a refrain we then (expectedly) heard again with Congressional visit.
All the while, over the next two days as we conducted our visits, others of us silently walked the halls of the buildings in orange jumpsuits with the names of those cleared for release on their backs. In the end, this became a very effective and tangible representation of our 'ask' and subsequently every staffer we spoke with acknowledged having seen them and encouraging comments were heard by those walking.
On our second day of lobbying, we were also joined by CCR staff, who were able to add legal perspectives and their own clients stories.
In total, we conducted thirteen official visits, as well as a number of informal ones folks were inspired to make on their own. We were somewhat fortunate that since Congress is not yet officially in session, we were often able to meet and spend more time with higher level staffers than we might have otherwise.
All, as expected, indicated support of our position and that they would take our request to their boss and get back to us. What is most needed—they indicated-- was more grassroots pressure on the "moderates." We also found a critical need for correcting misinformation among a few of the staffers.
At the end of the day, we reviewed our efforts and impressions. The combined actions have already unquestionably let some of these leaders know quite effectively that there are people who are not afraid of the "detainees" and who support and demand that our "leaders" step out and do what is ultimately right and just; but there is much more to do if we are to proceed in this area. Along with following up on all the visits, the task of reaching more members of Congress remains critical. The group will be considering how to proceed on this over the next several days.
4. Video by Mike Benedetti