We Know That Torture is Neither Effective Nor Legal

MAY 2013

PEACE ACTIVISM

Pax Christi Metro New York will be honoring Peacemakers at a festive Awards Reception on Sunday, May 19th from 3 to 6pm in Casserly Hall below St. Joseph’s Greenwich Village Church, Washington Place and Sixth Avenue. Please contact Rosemarie Pace for more information.

PT member, Nancy Meyer, is representing PT at the Sixth Omaha Peace and Justice Expo held at the UNO Milo Bail Student Center on May 1, 2013.

PEACE CAMPAIGNS

Rule of Law:

PT member, Valerie Luzcnikowska, traveled to Washington DC representing PT at The Constitution Project’s press conference on their Task Force report “Detainee Treatment.”

On the left, Asa Hutchinson, Task Force Co-Chair, formerly of the Bush administration’s Homeland Security, in the center, PT member, Valerie Lucznikowska, on the right, James R. Jones, Task Force Co-Chair, former US Ambassador and Member, House of Representatives (Oklahoma.)

The American public and our government officials must acknowledge two historical facts meticulously documented by the Constitution Project Task Force:

1. Torture of detainees in U.S. custody did occur, and
2. Senior U.S. leaders bear some responsibility for allowing and contributing to the spread of torture.

Instituting the recommendations of the Task Force would be a positive step in ensuring such an egregious breach of the rule of law will never happen again.

********************

In June PT members, Rita Lasar & Emma Barker-Lasar, will be traveling to Guantanamo to attend the pretrial hearings. Their reports will follow.

Iraq:

In response to the Boston Marathon tragedy a letter from Iraq reached PT member, Terry Kay Rockefeller. Our partners and allies wrote:
“The Iraqi Civil Society Initiative (ICSSI) and the Baghdad Marathon want to extend our condolences to the families of the victims of the explosions that took place at the Boston Marathon, in Baghdad, and elsewhere in Iraq on April 15th…We reject the idea that violence is ever an effective means to make a statement or promote a cause….The ICSSI has promoted solidarity with nonviolence and human rights activists in Iraq since 2009. The activists are the greatest hope for a renewed and peaceful Iraq. One of their dreams is to hold a Baghdad Marathon…..A Baghdad Marathon would be a vitally important event that could help us all to heal.”

Please CLICK HERE to read the entire letter.

Media:

Our members immediatley responded to the horrific Boston Marathon bombing, with interviews such as “Sister of 9/11 Victim Urges Nonviolent Response to Boston Marathon Bombing,” conducted by one of our spokespersons, Terry Kay Rockefeller, on Between the Lines newsmagazine and radio.

• The Iraqi Civil Society Solidarity Initiative
• The Constitution Project
• Pax Christi Metro NY

Support Us

Share with us

We have now have well over 4,000 members, supporters and friends on facebook.

Carolyn Toll Oppenheim wrote after we posted a statement calling for nonviolence:

“Bless you for modeling the humanity of victims who still call for fairness and decency in prosecuting and finding perpetrators. I will share this inspiring statement. On this day after the Boston Marathon bombings we need to hear this before people rush to judgement again.”

PT member, Antonio Aversano, shared:

“It continues to be an honor to be aligned with Peaceful Tomorrows. After the death of my dad on Sept. 11th, 2001, a seed sprouted forth in my heart that radiated the truth that responding to violence with violence and to hatred with hatred was not the way forward for my life…I pray the recent wake up call through the tragedy in Boston helps all Americans remember such a bigger picture in our lives. That we are all connected beyond the abstract borders we place on each other…”

Jo Berry responded to one of our posts about the Boston bombing:

“Thanks for the important wonderful work you do, I add my voice to yours….It is so clear to me now that humanity heals together.”

Follow us

There is a NEW WAY to support Peaceful Tomorrows: