One year ago, bloggers, editorialists and reporters were devoting a great deal of attention to the Bush administration policy of “extraordinary rendition.†Extraordinary rendition is the practice by which people are nabbed by the U.S. government, often on U.S. soil, and shipped off to foreign countries where they can be interrogated using means that would be against the law on U.S. soil. Let’s be blunt: those means are methods of torture.
There’s a bill before Congress right now that would remedy this situation. H.R. 952 is written simply, exactly and solely to end the Bush administration’s practice of “extraordinary rendition,” in which people are sent abroad to be tortured. As of today, only 68 members of the House of Representatives support H.R. 952. That’s a shameful 15.6% of House members who are willing to go on record against torture. It’s not only a shame; it’s a scandal! Doesn’t America stand for something better than this? Why is it that 367 members of Congress can’t be bothered to stand up to torture? I really want to know.
I would like to be able to say that the support of 68 members of Congress reflects some momentum. But since October 20 of 2005, when Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL) signed his name on as a cosponsor, only four other individuals, Mark Udall, Doris Matsui, Adam Schiff and Steven Rothman, have lent their support to the bill. The anti-torture bill is slipping off the radar screens of our nation’s legislators, replaced by bridges to nowhere in Alaska. The papers aren’t talking about this bill anymore either. Even on the blogosphere, discussion of extraordinary rendition has dwindled. We are letting America stand for torture, and we aren’t even getting upset about it. Think about what this says about us.
At a time when it is becoming more and more apparent that America under the Republicans is soft on torture, Americans of conscience cannot let this bill die here. Chances are, your member of Congress isn’t on board with this anti-terror (for that is what the central element of torture is, my friends) measure. Click here to check and be sure. If your member of Congress is soft on torture, don’t let it slide. Contact that slacker and tell them in no uncertain terms that you expect them to do what would have once been the obvious thing, that you expect them to oppose torture in deed as well as in word, that you expect them to sign on to H.R. 952.
Of course, not a single Republican has stood up to oppose torture by supporting this bill. I don’t expect Republican politicians to exercise a working ethical compass; we all know their “moral values” talk is empty. I’m not even surprised when “moderate” (read: bought-off) Democrats turn their eyes away from their responsibility as leaders. But I am downright galled to find out that members of Congress with an otherwise exemplary progressive record have failed to sign on as cosponsors to H.R. 952.
The following members of Congress have a quality liberal record. They should know better. Their names should be on this bill. They should be easily convinced. And so I’m asking you to call at least one of them today and ask them why they have not cosponsored H.R. 952. Ask them to do so, not just to keep people from being tortured, but to help begin to restore the moral reputation of the United States of America. Please, if you have a moment to spare, call:
Rep. Corrine Brown (D-FL) phone: 202-225-0123
Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA) phone: 202-225-3601
Rep. Ed Case (D-HI) phone: 202-225-4906
Rep. William Lacy Clay (D-MO) phone: 202-225-2406
Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) phone: 202-225-6416
Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) phone: 202-225-4061
Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) phone: 202-225-8885
Rep. Dale Kildee (D-MI) phone: 202-225-3611
Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) phone: 202-225-3072
Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY) phone: 202-225-6506
Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) phone: 202-225-5516
Rep. Dennis Moore (D-KS) phone: 202-225-2865
Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY) phone: 202-225-4365
Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA) phone: 202-225-6676
Rep. Tom Udall (D-NM) phone: 202-225-6190
Ask these people not only to cosponsor H.R. 952, but also to raise a stink about the issue of extraordinary rendition. We cannot allow this thoroughly barbaric practice to continue.
