The cell is currently sitting on a part of the National Mall that is directly across the street from the Washington Monument. The monument was built in honor of George Washington, one of our country’s leaders in our fight for independence and democracy - and our first President. Being here makes me wonder what George Washington would have thought of Guantanamo.

Today is the International Day In Support of Victims of Torture - a day to reflect on the injustices and abuses symbolized by Guantanamo and, in my opinion, DO SOMETHING about it. Almost no one I spoke with today knew that June 26th marks the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. But we’re working to change that - over 360 individuals visited the cell, taking a moment to think about the issues surrounding Guantanamo and take action.

No one deserves to be tortured, denied access to a fair trial, and held without charge. I think George Washington would be with us on this one…

–Jen

Tags: amnesty, cell tour, guantanamo, torture
sarah.mertz | 15 Comments »

After months of anticipation, two days of promotional drive-bys, and a fight with rush hour traffic the cell is finally on the ground in DC. Placing the cell down across the street from the Washington monument with a diplomatic motorcade speeding by and the White House within earshot, was quite exciting. There is something really powerful about bringing the reality of these policies to the place where GITMO was first thought up in back rooms and secret meetings.

As the cell was being dropped down on the National Mall a preschool class was walking nearby. There were 10 or 12 toddlers lined up in a row each holding on to their section of a long rope. They were happy and excited to be going for a walk. And, to them, the cell was just a big orange box. Unfortunately, I think that is the case for too many Americans these days, even the grown-ups. But, this tour is taking us a long way toward changing that and I am excited to help usher a few more thousand people through this small example of reality.

-Cecili

Tags: cell tour, dc, todlers, washington, Washington Monument, White House
jennifer.harris | 2 Comments »

The Eastern Market area has a quiet, bustling pace on a sunny Sunday morning.  People are milling about, buying fresh cut flowers and enjoying the peace of beautiful early summer day; their last chance to relax before the chaos of the work week begins.   Suddenly a large flatbed trucks zooms about the block with a loud orange and black prison cell strapped to the back.   That’s where I and the buzz team comes in.  That’s when we break the tranquility of the day.  Armed with flyers and wearing equally load Gitmo t-shirts, we line the streets trying to raise awareness to the atrocities going on just outside our borders, and to urge people to take action and attend our event.

People did not take to our presence well.  Dirty looks, blatant avoidance, rude comments…. just a normal day for a dedicated activist.  I must say that I was taken aback by the reactions this weekend.  I have been to Miami and Philadelphia for the cell tour, and this market was the hardest to break through.  Maybe it’s because the people of DC are engulfed by others trying to get their message out.  Maybe we gave an unfriendly reminder to the reality of the world on a calm and pleasant day, or maybe some people’s hearts don’t bleed for human rights like ours do.  Too many maybes to think of.  But in the end it was us that were successful.  We spread the word a large amount of people in DC, handing out over 6,000 flyers.  For the people who took our flyers and listen to our polite words, thank you. 

I must say that this weekend reenergized my motivation to spread the word.  To end this avoidance of difficult topics, such as Guantanamo Bay and the violence in Darfur.  To keep doing my work, and doing it with my entire heart and soul.  It was inspiring to be on the streets with fellow AIUSA activists, who kept a smile on their face and heads held high with every rejection.  It was also heartwarming to see pedestrians stop and take interest.  On that note, I will see you all this week on the National Mall for the DC cell event because I know all you fellow readers understand my standpoint. 

Meghann

Tags: action, activism, awareness, dc, eastern market, flyers, washington
caitlin.hamilton | Comment »

The other interns and I just finished a 3 hour sign making session for the Cell Tour photo event on Wednesday. We thought we were done about ½ an hour ago, but then saw that the signs spelled out “SOP TORTURE,” so had to add another “T.” We’re a little lightheaded from the Sharpie fumes, but apparently the letters look good, so it’s definitely worth it. Can’t wait to have people holding them up on Wednesday!

I was worried about the “O”s, but one of the new interns described them as having that “homemade look,” making them even better. As opposed to perfect, Helvetica-fonted letters, they’re imperfect, non-uniform, and unique. And you know what? He’s so right. The letters are like the people that made them. The people that will lift them up in front of the Cell so the public can see their message. People that are unique and imperfect, but bold enough to take a stance and make their voices heard. Those eleven letters reminded all of us that we are part of a grassroots movement to close Guantanamo and stop torture, and that’s a really powerful feeling. We are in this together, and we can make an impact. I’m convinced of that.

Hope to see you all on Wednesday @ the National Mall! You’ll get to see the other interns, the staff, and me in orange jumpsuits, which is super exciting in itself.

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world: indeed it’s the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Meade, American anthropologist (1901-1978)

Amy Tan
CTWJ Intern

Tags: cell tour, homemade, interns, margaret meade, national mall, orange jumpsuits, signs
caitlin.hamilton | 1 Comment »

So many great things happened this past week, and it’s getting everyone excited about the cell’s stop in DC at the end of the month! The Cell Tour was covered on the Daily Show with John Stewart, 1,100 people visited the cell in Portland, Maine, and the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Boumediene v. Bush that detainees held at Guantanamo have the right to challenge the legality of their detention (aka - habeas corpus) in U.S. civilian court! The hill is abuzz, and we are feeling it.

Did anyone catch the GITMO bit on the Daily Show the other night? If not, check out the following videos:

I am a huge fan of the Daily Show. Nevertheless, spots like this do make me wonder about the use of humor to discuss stuff like torture and the violation of constitutional rights. I’m pretty sure that Jon opposes the detentions at GITMO and it’s likely that most of his viewers oppose actions the Bush administration has taken in these past four years. When the audience laughs, though, do they laugh with the realization that Guantánamo Bay detention is actually a serious human rights issue affecting international US standing and violating this country’s constitution? Do Larry’s comments on Darfur and John’s description of Amnesty’s work trivialize the human rights work of the organization? Does the audience laugh because it is told to do so, or is it acceptable to laugh about waterboarding? And suicidal contemplation in a Zen garden… is this really “ha ha” funny? Let us know what you think.

On the more serious side of life, we’ve got the Boumediene v. Bush ruling. The court has repeatedly rejected the administration’s attempt to scuttle detainees away into a legal limbo, but the administration just won’t quit. Hopefully, today’s decision will change that.

We have to remember that this ruling is not the panacea for the mess at Guantanamo. Nevertheless, this is a happy occasion. The Daily Show, great turn out in Portland, and the Supreme Court in one week! So, take a moment to celebrate a victory for human rights and justice. And then, keep fighting the good fight. See you at the cell in DC! (June 25 - 29, on the National Mall, near the Washington Monument.)

“You can only protect your liberties in this world by protecting the other man’s freedom. You can only be free if I am free.” - Clarence Darrow, defense attorney, addressing the court in People v. Lloyd (1920)

Amy Tan

The (New) Counter Terror With Justice Intern

caitlin.hamilton | 6 Comments »

Nothing says summer in DC like an Amnesty International event denouncing torture and calling for the closure of Guantanamo Bay.

That’s right, the Guantanamo Bay replica cell (making its TV appearance on the Daily Show this past week) is en route to Washington DC, and will be displayed June 25-29 on the National Mall.

And the timing couldn’t be better… The World Day in Support of Victims of Torture is June 26th, and the recent Supreme Court case recognizing habeas corpus. This ruling though doesn’t mean the closure of Guantanamo. That’s where you come in. Come out to the cell and learn and experience a life very different from ours.

Now, I realize not everyone is 100% for the closure of Guantanamo. To some it could be one of the many troubles the world is facing. To others it is the only way to protect American soil. I just ask you to come, and come with an open mind. Listen to the facts, ask questions, state your opinions… we look forward to it.

I think Desmond Tutu sums it up best. “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.”

On that note… I look forward to seeing you next week at the cell.

Meghann Ellis

Tags: cell tour, daily show, dc, Desmond Tutu, Guantanamo Bay, june 26, support of victims of torture, washington
jennifer.harris | Comment »

I’m so happy. The U.S. Supreme Court just ruled that detainees at Guantanamo have a right to file habeas corpus petitions in U.S. courts. (They must have been convinced by the Guantanamo Cell Tour.) I’m happy because this is the best way to determine who should be given a fair trial and who should be released.

I’m unhappy though because the military commissions are still on the books and therefore unfair trials are still in the works. But this ruling is progress. The crucial thing now is to make sure Congress does not try to pass bad legislation in response.

I just looked at Lindsey Graham’s website, and his statement contains this chilling line: “I will also explore the possibility, if necessary, of a constitutional amendment to blunt the effect of this decision when it comes to protecting our men and women in the military and our nation as a whole.”

Can someone, anyone, please present (you can post it right in the comments section of this post) a logical and factual argument that shows why denying people fundamental legal rights makes members of the U.S. military and the U.S. as a whole, safer?

Can someone please also offer a logical and factual argument that shows how torturing people makes members of the U.S. military and the U.S. as a whole, safer?

Otherwise, it’s just rhetoric, plain and simple.

Go ahead, surprise me! My mind is open to being persuaded, but the burden of proof is on you–I’m for following the law.

Counter Terror With Justice!
ZJ

Tags: Boumediene, Bush, constitution, fair trial, guantanamo, habeas corpus, prisoner rights, Ruling, Supreme Court, U.S. policy
caitlin.hamilton | 11 Comments »

The Cell Tour made it on the Daily Show! Hooray.

Larry handled the Daily Show’s jokes with class and got our message across: charge detainees and give them fair trials, or release them.

Thanks Daily Show!

- ZJ

Watch the Daily Show clip:Habitat for Inhumanity

See more footage not aired on the daily show

Tags: cell tour, daily show, jon oliver, jon stewart, Larry Cox, video
admin | 1 Comment »

I love dogs. They’re fuzzy. They’re fun to play with. They smile a lot. It’s rare that a dog will subject you to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, or to indefinite detention without charge or fair trial at Guantanamo or other US controlled facilities. (But if you’re a squirrel, watch out.)

(Caption: Millie the beagle, a good example of a lovable dog.)

Those of you who’ve read my previous posts (collectively known as “mom”) may have picked up on the fact that I frequently battle melancholy in the course of fulfilling my well-paid duties as a human rights campaigner with Amnesty International. Are we making a difference? Are we part of the problem? Are we just a medicinal leech from Lithuania feeding on the bloated, greed-wracked, hate-filled, war-ravaged corpse of humanity, sucking out a tiny bit of poison from its blood just to get the bastard one day closer to the death of the sun?

And you know I usually find inspiration in the little human rights victories–and the big hearts of Amnesty volunteers–but today, our last day in Portland, it was–like so many times before–a dog that saved me. Millie is a beagle. From what I can tell, she enjoys barking at other dogs, eating her own drool and drinking from toilets. I’m guessing she also likes long walks on the beach and rolling in dead seals. But Millie is so much more than a germ carrier–she’s perpetual positivity in motion, with a GTMO orange collar to boot: in other words, pure joy just a head scratch away.

Millie’s human, Pete (remember to write that blog post!), volunteered at the cell each day–and put in tons of time before the Portland stop to make sure Portland people showed up. So did Liz and Leo (you two give me hope I’ll find true love), Eileen (great sense of humor–please remember to send that receipt), Stephen (great photos), David (future Amnesty researcher) and many others. It was a pleasure spending time in the trenches with everyone–thank you very much. Stay orange.

Thanks also to Portland–over 1,000 of your citizens visited the cell and hundreds and hundreds signed the tearitdown.org petition and the postcard to Bush (I’d say 1,000 but I know that guy who threatened to stab me didn’t sign)–all while providing tasty fish and chips and my daily gyro (dude, no lamb) from the Spartan food stand near the cell on Monument Square. “Mediterranean” food court food is becoming my cell tour staple. It’d be fun to be the world’s foremost expert on tzatziki. PS I’m sorry but lobster rolls are gross.

I’m on the A train now going home via the NYC subway system–it’s nuts: kids are screaming, the A/C’s off and it’s a zillion degrees–but I’m happy to sleep in tomorrow, to not wear orange for a few days, to not have some fool bark at me about how I love terrorists, about how I’m an idiot and a coward, about how he’s been incarcerated in cells smaller than this, about how he’s not drunk and about how a terrorist would cut my head off so of course we better torture and murder them first to defend our freedoms and way of life ’cause those people are animals…

But in Portland I also saw the future, and it was good. A 10-year-old kid visited the cell with his mom, turned to her and asked–with an utterly perplexed look born, at least as I remember it from my own lost youth, of the growing realization that the world of adults is maddeningly, brazenly, shamelessly dumb–a magnificently simple, earnest question, one that seems to have escaped the Yale educated (hyphen there? I went to Berkeley) supercomputer housed between the beagle ears of America’s Commander in Chief: “if someone doesn’t get a fair trial, how do we know they’re guilty?”

Mission accomplished.

- ZJ

Tags: dogs, guantanamo, human rights, humanity, lobster rolls, maine, Millie the beagle, Monument Square, portland, torture, tzatziki
caitlin.hamilton | 6 Comments »

It was wonderful to see so many Maine citizens — at least 1,100 — come to Amnesty International’s replica of a Guantanamo Bay prison cell over the three days that the cell was set up in Portland’s Monument Square. Many were clearly moved and disturbed by the sight and the size of the cell built to hold a detainee for 22 hours per day for a period of long years.

On the other hand, there were some who criticized Amnesty International for its stand seeking the right to a fair trial for people they consider “the worst of the worst.” In our own opinion, the most important people who came to Monument Square were those who had not made up their minds about the rights of those detainees, who were worried both about what terrorists could do to the United States but also about what secret detentions at Guantanamo, Baghram, and other prisons were doing to the Constitutional rights of everyone, American citizens and others, and who were sorting through their conflicting thoughts.

There were also people who had not known anything about Guantanamo before coming to Monument Square last week. We learned a lot by talking with visitors to the cell and trying to sort out the real issues with them.

As Amnesty International volunteers in Portland, it was a privilege to talk with some of these people and let them know our position that torture is always wrong without exception, that everyone is innocent until proven guilty, and that we believe in the worth and dignity of each person. Amnesty International is doing a great service by demanding that our government bring charges against all people for whom there is evidence of wrongdoing or else release them, and by helping to educate the public about the issues.

We were very impressed that an amateur theatrical group, a professional theatre company, a sculptor, several religious groups and congregations, and a veterans group, and a number of peace and human rights organizations lent their voices to this protest in Portland.

Leo and Liz Barrington
Portland, Maine

Tags: amnesty international, cell tour, constituational rights, guantanamo, maine, Monument Square, portland, secret detentions, veterans groups
caitlin.hamilton | Comment »