Picture this if you will. Pickets, marches, tents everywhere, thousands of people with their cause milling about, and…. the cell. Placed strategically between the dunk tank/sporadic jam session and a group of people selling human rights tee-shirts, the cell felt at home. It wasn’t alone in a huge park in front of the nation’s capital or next to a city building. It was alongside energetic people of all ages taking time out of their Sunday to voice their concerns.

 And there were people. On a day that was considered “slow,” over 700 people walked through the cell and exchanged fliers for tearitdown petition signatures.

 This is not the side of the convention that will be displayed on national television, the convention with men and women dressed in fancy suits and making eloquent speeches. To us, and to many within the free speech zone, it is a time to make our voice heard and rally around causes which we so strongly believe in.

I found such strength and inspiration simply by being surrounded by others who were so passionate about human rights. Though exhausted (I don’t even know if I’m making sense at this moment!) I know tomorrow will be another successful day, and I hope to learn from those around me as much as I am trying to educate others. Welcome to Denver.

Meghann
Cell Logistics Assistant

Tags: cell tour, Democratic National Convention, denver, DNC, elequent speeches, human rights tee-shirts, jam session, the revolution will not be televised
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I have been in Denver since Tuesday working on final preparation for the Cell Tour’s stop here, to coincide with the Democratic National Convention. Since I got here it has been non-stop to coordinate the ground game. In the last 2.5 days we have dispatched canvassing teams who are, as I write this, distributing more than 10,000 flyers and promo palm cards about the cell visit to Denver. That is just the stuff we can control, details change every minute and even this morning I had one phone in each ear, getting completely different information from each person about security protocols! Ahhhhhh.

Denver is expecting to see upwards of 20,000 protesters (estimates are as high as 50,000) in addition to the delegates and party royalty planning to attend. Denver is putting on its party face and rolling out freshly paved roads, virtual cities erected around convention sites for press, parties, hospitality and yes, even a warehouse jail that has been dubbed, ‘Gitmo on the Platte’ by the local press, for protesters and anyone arrested during the convention.

It is looking to be hella exciting week here. In addition to the official events, most of the large open areas will house many varieties of actions from watch parties to speakers to public art and of course, our Gitmo cell replica…otherwise known as one ton of orange momentum!

I think it is fair to say that I am both petrified and exhilirated for the days ahead. Lol

If you are in Denver for the convention, stop by and say hello!

MC

Tags: canvassing protesters, conventions, denver, hella exciting, orange momentum, security protocals
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As part of its national Guantanamo Cell Tour, Amnesty International is bringing the Guantanamo Cell Tour to Denver and Minneapolis-St Paul for the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, respectively. And we’ve got billboards in each city too!

Amnesty International is non-partisan and independent of any political ideology. We neither support nor oppose any political party or candidate for public office, and we don’t seek to influence elections. Rather, we call for every government-and every armed group and private company for that matter-to abide by international human rights law and standards.

For anyone reading this who thinks that the fight against terror justifies human rights violations, or that the U.S. government needs to break the law to support U.S. troops, I’ve got news for you: a lot of U.S. military and intelligence folks disagree with you. Here’s a sample, off the top of my head:

• “Amici curiae are retired military officers. Each has extensive experience with U.S. military regulations and the Laws of War. Each believes that the mission of the Nation’s Armed Forces must be consistent with the rule of law.“
• “As retired military leaders of the U.S. Armed Forces…We believe it is vital to the safety of our men and women in uniform that the United States not sanction the use of interrogation methods it would find unacceptable if inflicted by the enemy against captured Americans.”
• “Anybody with real combat experience understands that torture is counterproductive.”

Now back to the Cell Tour:

We’ll be in Denver August 24 -26, at the City of Cuernavaca Park, 20th street and Little Raven (across from the skate park). We’ll be open on Sunday, August 24th, 3pm - 8pm; Monday, August 25th, 11am - 8pm; Tuesday, August 26th, 11am - 8pm. And on Wednesday, August 27th, the cell will move to the Denver Coliseum Parking Lot for the Rage Against the Machine show. The cell will be open that day from 10:30am - 5pm.

We’ll be in Minneapolis-St Paul (specifically, St Paul) September 1- 3, at 7th Street West and Walnut Street. We’ll have an opening event with Larry Cox, Executive Director of Amnesty International USA on Sunday August 31st at 5 pm, and the cell will be open Monday - Wednesday from 10:30am - 7:30pm.

Please stop by! And if you’re attending either of the conventions, please wear orange!

ZJ

Tags: conventions, denver, minneapolis, orange, quotes, st paul, torture
caitlin.hamilton | 12 Comments »