From Amnesty International USA:
Our sources tell us that any day now Senator Lindsey Graham’s appalling legislation (S. 2977) could be hitting the Senate floor. Graham’s proposal takes a back-door approach at stopping federal trials for those suspected of being involved in the September 11th terrorist attacks – instead of flat-out opposing action to move these detainees to facilities in the U.S., this legislation drains funding from the last hope we’ll have at fair September 11th trials.
If these men are guilty, then our federal courts will reach that determination. It is just wrong to cheat – and worse, even rob – them of their day in court. However, one-by-one we’re seeing the Senators we thought we could count on to uphold the rule of law, turning on those values and backing this devious proposal.
Last week, we asked you to pick up the phone and put both Senator Graham and the White House on notice that we would fight any attempt to backtrack on federal trials. Now that they’ve been warned, it’s our time to strike!
We need your help to shore up support for federal trials. There are 12 key Senators that we need to stand with us: representing New York, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Washington, Louisiana, Colorado, Indiana, North and South Dakota.
With their support, we can stop Graham’s legislation! Email these Senators now and urge them to stand for fair trials!
Even if you don’t live in one of these states, it is imperative that these Senators hear from you – this issue cuts to the heart of our democracy and affects us all. Of course, if you do happen to live in one of these states (or know someone who does), then we can’t do this without you!
If Senator Graham’s legislation continues to gain momentum, it will force Attorney General Eric Holder and President Obama into an impossible spot. They will have no choice but to accept military commissions as the only alternative to fair, federal trials.
And you and I both know the truth about military commissions…
- They are a poor substitute for federal trials; devised by Senator Graham and other politicians, not the military!
- The only things these kangaroo courts can accomplish are biased convictions and the prolonged cover-up of U.S.-sanctioned torture.
- They don’t meet anyone’s standards for fairness – by U.S., international or U.S. military standards. In fact, they wholly undermine the international human rights framework!
It only takes a moment to fight back against the insanity!
