Send X VP Dick Cheney to Guantanamo, as a prisoner.

Joseph Raglione
Gentle readers of the American Chronicle, AVAAZ has a message they want to place on a giant Billboard in Washington, and they want you to own a piece of the Billboard...>

Dear friends,

US neo-conservatives are undermining Obama's attempts to close Guantanamo Bay and put an end to torture. We urgently need to respond with visible public pressure -- let's chip in to create a massive 'Stay Strong Obama' billboard right in the centre of Washington:

President Obama's commitment to reverse and investigate Bush's brutal and illegal detention and interrogation policies is under real threat.

Torture advocates like former Vice-President Dick Cheney, perhaps fearing personal consequences for their actions, have launched a massive campaign to oppose Obama -- and, incredibly, they're winning. Even many members of Obama's own party are now withdrawing support for the closure of Guantanamo Bay. If a country like the US refuses to reject these policies, it will be a massive global step backwards for the cause of human rights.

Obama officials say visible public pressure is vital for them to stay strong on this issue. To make sure we're heard, let's put up a massive billboard right in the middle of Washington DC, where all the political staffers pass by every day. For $25 each of us can buy one square foot of support for President Obama; for $1000, we can own a letter -- click here:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/stay_strong_obama

The billboard will point to what we want - the closure of Guantanamo this year, all the victims of secret prisons accounted for, an independent investigation into past torture practices, those who authorized or committed acts of torture held accountable, and effective detention and interrogation practices that respect the rule of law in all ongoing wars.

As President Obama himself said in his National Security speech this week - these past 'War on Terror' policies were illegal, ineffective, alienated the United States and increased global insecurity. But, in the last two weeks decisions have been made about Guantanamo, military commissions, and photos of torture that put the "Hope over Fear' doctrine at risk. He is up against dangerous populist forces and unless stopped now, something quite frightening could emerge - a world of indefinite preventative detention, ongoing rendition and impunity.

It is a crucial time for us all to tell President Obama that we expect him to act on his principles and values and not just hear them in fine rhetoric. What better way than an unmissable billboard towering over the streets of the most powerful city in the world. Click here to fight back:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/stay_strong_obama

We could be at a turning point - away from lawless executive power and the politics of fear. But, we have to make our voices heard as we shout together that we don't believe the fear-hype, instead it is through respect for the law, each others dignity and justice that we can best overcome global violence and divisions.

The choice is ours at this juncture. In Obama's words, change does not come from him. It comes from all of us. Now, let's make it happen.

With hope,

Brett, Alice, Raj, Ricken, Pascal, Graziela, Paula and the rest of the Avaaz team

P.S. Want to support Avaaz's work to end torture and close Guantanamo Bay? We're entirely funded by member donations and receive no money from governments or corporations. Our tiny online team ensures even the smallest contributions go a long way. Donate here

SOURCES

Initial Response and Full Text of Speech

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/05/the-rebalancing.html#more

What to do with the Guantanamo Detainees?

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/05/21/administration-struggles-to-find-a-workable-gitmo-plan-it-can-sell/

The risk of Indefinite Detention

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/a48148b6-4669-11de-803f-00144feabdc0.html

Senate Democrats Reject Request for Funds to Close Guantanamo:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/19/AR2009051903615.html

Obama attempts to Block Photo Release:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/barackobama/5320559/Barack-Obama-attempts-to-block-alleged-torture-photos.html

Despite Plan, Guantánamo Trials Still Problematic

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/19/us/politics/19gitmo.html?hpw

A Clip from Right Wing TV Shows / commercials / direct mail

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0509/RNC_Daisy.html?showall

Why we need a Commission

http://www.psaonline.org/downloads/torture_commission.pdf

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Joseph Raglione

About Joseph Raglione
Hi! I am the executive director of the World Humanitarian Peace and Ecology Movement. I began as an environmental activist in 1969 and basically, never stopped! I Graduated College in Social Science and registered as a non-profit corporation in 1988 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. I am one of a very few non-profit and generic freedom loving journalists left on Earth, and I continue today to study and to understand the problems connected with human activity on this Planet. My affiliates include: GreenPeace, the Nature Conservancy, the Bio-diversity organization, the Sierra Club, the David Suzuky foundation, the WWF, Amnesty International, World Vision, the IUF organization; as well as the wonderful and independant N.A.S.A. scientists studying our Planet's weather systems. Of course NASA also studies the mysteries of the Eternal Universe with satelite generated images and, over the years, have generously allowed me and thousands of our world scientists to study over their shoulder's via the Internet.
In spite of some past U.S. government repression, NASA continues to provide solid evidence of global warming.
NASA has provided me with pictorial evidence of Rainforest deforestation within: Jakarta, Peru, Africa, Brazil and even in Western Canada!
The motivation for such destruction continues to be (often illegally) for: lumber, for bio-fuels, and for Cattle ranching. Today, the perceived future profits for Palm Oil and for Bio-Fuels are prime motivators for environmental destruction. Small crop farming also contributes but that may be changing as farmers learn to protect the Rain-Forest.
With NASA imaging, there is proof that large city heat traps are helping global warming, and with (infrared images)there is proof that several hundred million gas burning vehicles (including ship and airplanes) presently create a hugh quantity of pollution tracks across both Oceans and Sky.
With oil, gas, Coal and Bio-Fuel heated buildings around the world creating C02 emissions, and with Methane release from all animal species...giant Ozone holes have been created and continue to exist above the North and South Poles. Ozone holes allow the Sun to radiate the Ice Caps and to accelerate the Ice melt, which releases more Methane into the atmosphere, which continues to thin out the Ozone. A vicious circle created by human need and also, unhappily, by human greed!
I have been asked to write to the Prime Minister of Japan to ask him to stop the murderous assault on endangered Whales. Every year, thousands of Whales are killed in the Antarctic with GreenPeace volunteers placing themselves between the Whales and the grenade tipped harpoons, and peope like myself, (I did not forget this is my "Bio," putting my old neck on the line attempting to change the situation by writing thousands if not millions of words!
Are words dangerous?
Over three hundred journalists were killed within the last ten years. You tell me if words are dangerous!
As I write these words, the desperate and starving in Darfur are waiting for rescue. I motivated a few kind hearted California Actors to visit the region and to report back. They did! They then created the Darfur coalition and they continue to fight to save the innocent victims trapped in tents in the desert of the Sudan. Darfuri's were attacked and moved from their homes because somebody believes there is Oil under the Sudan desert.
As I write this, a few sick and desperate people in Iraq are wrapping bombs around themselves in order to die in the name of God, and the list of humanitarian disasters continues. I also contribute information to the Reuter's news service. It is time for a change. Please help make it happen!