Gonzo-les was Sworn In Today
2/03/2005
And I haven't a brain cell left after such a long, multitasking day. But I did get to check out Point Pleasant for the first time 2nite, and it seems to show a little promise though I wish they'd cut down on the soap opera element. Of course, this comment is coming from a self-professed fanatic of Dark Shadows. Hey, it's my sleep remedy!
Anyhow, it was inevitable that the torture-loving dickwad would be voted in anyhow. We all knew it. But what we didn't know was that so many Senators would vote against him, nearly 1/3 of them. Which, even though they lost the vote, is still a powerful statement. There are a few decent people in the world, after all.
There is an official protest scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 9. I don't know if anything's going on in my home town or not, but I'm not one to get outside much. I KNOW how cops can be about people wearing masks (I've been harrassed before), and the whole idea of using the hoods is a tad frightening. But if you've got the stomache for it, here are the details:
On Wednesday, February 9, individuals will meet to counter the confirmation of President Bush's favorite Texas lawyer, "Abu Ghraib Gonzales."
WE PROTEST AGAINST ALBERTO GONZALES! AGAINST TORTURE! AGAINST THE WAR IN IRAQ! AGAINST RACIAL TOKENISM! AGAINST THE RECKLESS DISREGARD OF HUMAN LIFE, FROM BAGHDAD TO TEXAS! AGAINST BUSH, BUSHTHINK, AND BUSHOCRACY! IN FAVOR OF ETHICAL TREATMENT OF ALL THE EARTH'S PEOPLE!!! IN FAVOR OF U.S. INTEGRITY IN THE WORLD!! IN FAVOR OF INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS!!!
In Texas, Alberto Gonzales sentenced dozens of people to the death penalty, and in Washington DC he sought to ensure that President Bush had the power to detain any suspects of terrorism indefinitely in prisons such as Guantanamo Bay, even those without any evidence of wrongdoing.
Finally, Gonzales enabled the horrific torture of Iraqi prisoners, such as those in Abu Ghraib prison. Abu Ghraib Gonzales started the slow ruin of the United States' reputation for human rights across the world. We do not want Gonzales as our Attorney General. We meet to demand human rights for all of the world's people!
We oppose Abu Ghraib Gonzales!
Individuals will kneel in silence and solidarity on the front steps of the Supreme Court and the Capitol Building in Washington DC, and at courthouses across the nation, wearing the black hoods of Abu Ghraib prisoners. Creative signs and displays are encouraged. Our signs will speak for us: WE OPPOSE ABU GHRAIB GONZALES! We kneel to represent those subjected to the cruel acts of torture in Iraqi prisons, those who had no voice.
We kneel on the steps of our symbols of justice, our courthouses, to demand ethical treatment of all individuals. Our government turned a blind eye to the prisoners subjected to the horrific torture in Abu Ghraib, but it cannot turn a blind eye to us.
IF YOU'RE IN DC: Please come to the Supreme Court at 12:00 noon, on the east side facing the Capitol Building. There will be hoods provided to you. Please dress in black if you can or other neutral clothing. We will demonstrate at the Supreme Court and then march to the Capitol Building.
IF YOU'RE IN ANOTHER CITY/TOWN: Get a group together to converge on your courthouse wearing black hoods! Prepare your hoods in advance using the instructions contained in this e-mail. It's suggested that you have at least one written sign that states why you're there. You also may want to contact your local newspapers, radio and TV stations to let them know when, where, and WHY you will be there. If you are doing your own action in your own town, good luck. (It is not likely that the police can or will try to arrest you, though local laws differ from town to town.) Please contact the Washington DC activists working group to let us know you are doing this. Send an e-mail to Lacy MacAuley at Butterfly@Lacy.com.
## Fashion Statement ##
Because the image is central to this action, it's suggested that you wear black clothing. If you don't have black clothing available, wear muted colors, such as beige or brown.
## Make Your Own Abu Ghraib Hood! It's easy! ##
1. Start with a piece of black fabric, scissors, and a stapler. The best type of fabric is black, lightweight quilting 100% cotton fabric. In daylight, you should be able to see fairly well through this fabric. (One yard of fabric from your local fabric store makes two hoods.) 2. Cut a rectangle that is 36" long and 24" wide. 3. Fold the rectangle in half so that you have a folded piece of fabric that is long and thin, 36" long and 12" wide. 4. Staple along the 36" free edge of the long, thin rectangle, so that you are sealing up a black fabric tube with staples. If this doesn't seem secure, add more staples or use duct tape. 5. Carefully turn the tube inside out so that the staples are invisible and on the inside. 6. Cut a long, thin strip of black fabric to use as a tie-cord. 7. Pinch the top of the tube into a pleated bunch. The gathered fabric in your hand should resemble a rosette. 8. Tie the tie-cord around this bunch as close as possible to the top of the hood and pull it tight. The top of the hood should be within an inch of the tie-cord. 9. Cut off the ends of the ie cord so they do not stick out. You have an Abu Ghraib hood! Scary, huh?
SAY NO TO GONZALES!SAY NO TO TORTURE!SAY YES TO INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS!
posted by novachild @ Thursday, February 03, 2005,
1 Comments:
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At 10:54 PM,
said...
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Today at noon a non-violent protest of the Gonzalez promotion to
Attorney General took place at the US Supreme Court. Several
protestors wearing outfits including black hoods, evoking the
shameful images of US torture victims at Abu Ghraib, knelt while
other plain clothed protestors held posters and photographic images
of torture victims of the Bush-Gonzalez policies. Two protestors,
Pete and Mitch, attempted to approach the US Supreme Court building.
They were taken into custody by the Federal police guarding the
court building. Pete was released. Mitch was not. Later, a Filipino
torture survivor of the US supported Marcos regime of the
Phillipines spoke about his personal experience of being held and
tortured under Marcos. He expressed his dire concern that the US may
be headed in the direction that the Phillipines took under Marcos.
Later, Pete and David B. attempted again to go towards the Supreme
Court building. They were arrested according to a police officer.
They will be held, maybe overnight, and charged with violating
Federal statute Title 40 according to the officer.
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