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Take Heart and Have Courage
By David Swanson

April 21, 09

We've pushed long and hard to put accountability, impeachment, prosecution, and the restoration of congressional power on the American table, and they've all just landed with a thud and splatter of gravy and cranberry dressing. So, eat up, take heart, and prepare to work harder than we have over the past several frustrating years of path breaking and pressure building.

Impeachment, specifically of torture memo author turned lifetime federal judge Jay Bybee ( http://impeachbybee.org ), is now supported by all the organizations that have backed impeachment of his bosses, plus: the New York Times, Chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution Jerrold Nadler, Common Cause, Think Progress, and the Courage Campaign. Local Democratic parties in California have passed resolutions and are urging the state party to do so this week requesting the impeachment of Bybee.

The appointment of a Special Prosecutor ( http://prosecutebushcheney.org ) is now supported by all the groups that have always been there, plus the ACLU, Moveon.org, blogs including FireDogLake, and at least half-heartedly Amnesty International. On Thursday at 2:30 p.m. in Rayburn 2359, Attorney General Eric Holder (with whom Rep. Jerrold Nadler is meeting on this topic today) will testify before a subcommittee. At that time, After Downing Street, Democrats.com, ACLU, and FireDogLake will deliver petitions to Holder asking for a special prosecutor. Sign here. And go here to contact members of the subcommittee to ask them to ask Holder why, if waterboarding is torture, and if the evidence (including open admission by the former vice president) is public, and if the Convention Against Torture requires that we enforce our laws, he isn't doing so. Congress members Conyers, Nadler, and Schakowsky have spoken out in support of a special prosecutor. Ask your representative and senators to do the same!

The AP is reporting that Obama is open to the possibility of partial enforcement of some laws and "bipartisan" Congressional investigations, and that law enforcement decisions are up to Attorney General Eric Holder.

Spain is keeping alive its attempt to indict six members of Bush's torture team including Jay Bybee. Please phone the Spanish Embassy and thank and encourage them.

The long suspected blackmailing of Democratic congress members to support crimes and abuses has begun to be reported as documented fact in at least the case of Rep. Jane Harman.

The release of memos and the anticipated release of reports and additional pieces of evidence, combined with the passage of time, exacerbated by the Obama administration's efforts to shelter its predecessors is helping to build what we have been laying the foundations for over the past few years.

There are a great many ways you can advance the cause of accountability, and they can all be found at http://prosecutebushcheney.org

So, take heart, brothers and sisters. I know you're beaten down. I know you're disillusioned and hopebroken. I know you've worked hard, sacrificed, and willed yourselves to believe in the possibility of progress time and time again. I am telling you that I know what you've done and thank you for it and would never discount or minimize it. But movements never succeed until the opposition beats them back behind the starting line and they rise again stronger, taking the attacks and rejections as the highest form of flattery, transforming frustration into dedication and determination.

Remember that a serious attempt at accountability is a tremendous deterrent to future crimes and abuses even if it fails. And remember that they will not tell us we are succeeding until we already have. This is the moment for action. This is the time to pressure your representatives, to work the media, to be the media, to organize your groups and friends and neighbors. This is the moment to punch a hole through the wall that has separated those of us who are subject to laws from those who have not been. This is the time, the darkest and yet most hopeful time, to do MORE than we do when things look easy. That is how we win and how all justice has always been won.

Onward! [Activists] Take Heart and Have Courage

Senior Bush figures could be prosecuted for torture, says Obama
President says use of waterboarding showed US had 'lost moral bearings'

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/apr/21/cheney-obama-cia-torture-memos

Senior members of the Bush administration who approved the use of waterboarding and other harsh interrogation measures could face prosecution, President Obama disclosed today .

He said the use of torture reflected America "losing our moral bearings".

He said his attorney general, Eric Holder, was conducting an investigation and the decision rested with him. Obama last week ruled out prosecution of CIA agents who carried out the interrogation of suspected al-Qaida members at Guantánamo and secret prisons around the world.

But for the first time today he opened up the possibility that those in the administration who gave the go-ahead for the use of waterboarding could be prosecuted.

The revelation will enrage senior Bush administration figures such as the former vice-president Dick Cheney.

The Obama administration views the use of waterboarding as torture, while Cheney claims it is not.

Obama, taking questions from the press during a visit by King Abdullah of Jordan, reiterated he did not believe in prosecution of those CIA agents who carried out the interrogations within the guidelines set down for them. But "with respect to shoe who formulated'' the policies, "that is going to be more of a decision for the attorney general within the parameters of various laws". He added: "I don't want to prejudge that."

Appell an den Generalstaatsanwalt Eric Holder; ein unabhängiges Gremium einzusetzen um unmittelbar mit einer Untersuchung der schwerwiegendsten Verbrechen zu beginnen, die von Ex-Präsidenten George W.Bush und Ex-Vizepräsidenten Richard B. Cheney sowie anderen Amtsträgern ihrer Regierung begangen wurden. Sowohl G.W. Bush als auch R.B. Cheney haben zugegeben die Anwendung von Folter autorisiert zu haben. Ganzer Aufruf hier: www.afterdowningstreet.org/prosecutorstatement

Privatpersonen hier unterzeichnen:
www.democrats.com/special-prosecutor-for-bush-war-crimes

GRUPPEN DIE BEREITS UNTERZEICHNET HABEN:

Center for Constitutional Rights
http://www.ccrjustice.org

The National Lawyers Guild
http://www.nlg.org

Society of American Law Teachers - SALT
http://www.saltlaw.org

Human Rights USA
http://www.humanrightsusa.org

After Downing Street
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org

American Freedom Campaign
http://www.americanfreedomcampaign.org

American Voices Abroad - Berlin
http://www.americanvoicesabroad.net/cgi-bin/berlin

American Voices Abroad Military Project
https://www.dfg-vk.de/thematisches/kriegsdienstverweigerung_im_krieg/200...

Amherst Women in Black

Ann Wright, retired US Army Reserve Colonel and US diplomat
http://www.voicesofconscience.com

ANSWER Coalition
http://www.answercoalition.org

A.R.T. (Activist Response Team)

Backbone Campaign
http://www.backbonecampaign.org

The Beach Impeach Project
http://beachimpeach.org

Bend-Condega Friendship Project

Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists Social Justice Committee
http://www.bfuu.org

Better Than Machines
http://www.betterthanmachines.com

Boca Peace Corner
http://www.bocapeacecorner.org

Boston Antiwar League
http://www.antiwarleague.com

Brad Blog
http://www.bradblog.com

Bruce E. Jones, author of War Without Windows and Make America Again

Bush Prosecution
http://www.bushprosecution.org

Center for the Study of Democratic Societies
http://www.CenterSDS.com

Central Florida Veterans for Peace
http://www.cflveteransforpeace.org

Chatham Peace Initiative
http://www.chathampeace.org

Chesapeake Citizens
http://www.chesapeakecitizens.org

Chelsea Neighbors United to End the War
http://www.chelseaneighborsunited.org

Chicagoans Against War & Injustice
http://www.noiraqwar-chicago.org

Cities for Peace
http://citiesforprogress.org

Citizens for Accountability, Ventura County

Citizens For Legitimate Government
http://www.legitgov.org

Citizens for Peace & Justice of Medford, Oregon
http://www.medfordcpj.org

Claire McGee Photography
http://www.clairemcgee.com

CND Cymru
http://www.cndcymru.org

CODE PINK: Women for Peace
http://www.codepink4peace.org

Code Pink Portland
http://www.codepinkportland.org

Collateral Repair Project
http://www.collateralrepairproject.org

Consumers for Peace
http://consumersforpeace.org

Cultures of Resistance/Caipirinha Productions
http://www.culturesofresistance.org

Daniel Ellsberg, Truth-Telling Project
http://www.ellsberg.net

David Lindorff, Author of "The Case for Impeachment"
http://thiscantbehappening.net

Defending Dissent Foundation
http://www.defendingdissent.org

Delaware Valley Veterans for America
http://www.delvalvets4america.org

Democracy in Action

Democracy For America - Tucson
http://dfatucson.blogspot.com

Democracy for NYC
http://www.DemocracyforNYC.org

Essex County NJ DFA
http://www.democracyforamerica.com/groups/204-essex-county-nj-dfa

The Democratic Activist
http://thedemocraticactivist.blogspot.com

Democrats.com
http://www.democrats.com

Dignity and Dining
http://www.dignityanddining.org

Docudharma
http://www.docudharma.com

Eastside Fellowship of Reconciliation
http://eastsidefor.org/for/contact.php

8th Day Center for Justice
http://www.8thdaycenter.org

The Enviroshow
http://envirosho.blogspot.com

Fort Wayne Peace and Justice
http://www.fwagitator.org

Frank Dorrel, Publisher, Addicted To War
http://www.addictedtowar.com

Frank Grevil

Georgia Peace & Justice Coalition
http://www.georgiapeace.org

Georgia Veterans Alliance

Glenn Greenwald
http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald

Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space
http://www.space4peace.org

Gold Star Families for Peace
http://www.cindysheehanssoapbox.com

Grandmothers Against the War
http://www.grandmothersforpeace.org/gatw

Granny Peace Brigade
http://www.grannypeacebrigade.org

Grassroots America
http://www.grassrootsamerica4us.org

Green Party of Utah
http://gput.org

Health Freedom USA
http://www.healthfreedomusa.org

High Road for Human Rights Advocacy Project
http://www.highroadforhumanrights.org

Humanists for Peace
http://www.HumanistsforPeace.com

Impeach Colorado
http://impeachco.com

Impeach for Peace
http://impeachforpeace.org

Indict Bush Now
http://www.IndictBushNow.org

Individuals for Justice
http://www.IndividualsForJustice.org

Instruments For Peace
http://www.instrumentsforpeace.org

IPAS / the Auschwitz Project

Iraq Veterans Against the War
http://ivaw.org

Issues & Alibis magazine
http://www.issuesandalibis.org

Justice Through Music
http://www.jtmp.org

Justin Frank, MD author of Bush on the Couch

Lake Forest Park for Peace
http://www.lfpfp.org

Liberty Tree
http://www.libertytreefdr.org

Longmont Citizens for Justice and Democracy
http://www.longmont-citizens.org

Ralph Lopez, author of "Truth in the Age of Bushism," chairman, Jobs For Afghans
http://jobsforafghans.org

Los Angeles Free Press
http://www.losangelesfreepress.com

Marcus Raskin, co-founder of Institute for Policy Studies, member of editorial board of the /Nation/, member of the special staff of the National Security Council in the Kennedy Administration

Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
http://www.maryknollogc.org

Media Freedom Foundation/Project Censored
http://www.projectcensored.org

Media With Conscience
http://www.mwcnews.net

The Meiklejohn Civil Liberties Institute
http://www.mcli.org

Middle East Children's Alliance
http://www.mecaforpeace.org

MobileBroadcastNews
http://MobileBroadcastNews.org

My America Too
http://www.myamericatoo.com

Naomi Wolf, author of /End of America: Letter of Warning to a Young Patriot/, and /Give Me Liberty: A Handbook for American Revolutionaries/
http://naomiwolf.org

Nashville Peace Coalition
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/peace-coalition

National Accountability Network

NC Democrats

New Hampshire Peace Action
http://www.nhpeaceaction.org

NJ May 1 Coalition
http://www.njmay1.org

New Paltz Women in Black

New Paltz Green Party
http://newpaltzgreens.org

Newton County Democratic Club, and
Newton County Democratic Central Committee
http://www.democratleaders.com

New York Metro Progressives
http://nymetroprogressives.wikispaces.com

NY-NJ Rapid Response Network

No Nukes North
http://www.nonukesnorth.net

North Alabama Peace Network
http://www.napn.org