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Faith leaders tell Congress to close Gitmo
Nov. 13, 2009
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Printer-friendly versionSend to friendPDF versionMore than 40 leaders of major faith groups sent a letter to Congress on Thursday (Nov. 12) urging the closing of the prison at Guantanamo Bay.
"Guantanamo is the symbol of our country's violation of our deepest values," the letter says. "Our government must close the detention center at Guantanamo Bay now to help us heal spiritually and to put an end to this dark and errant chapter in our history."
President Obama signed an executive order last January to close the prison, which houses suspected terrorists and prisoners of war.
His initial campaign promise was to close the facility within a year, but Congress has been raising impediments such as cutting the funds to move prisoners to U.S. soil, and asking Obama for a detailed plan before agreeing to move prisoners.
The religious leaders' letter was drafted by the National Religious Campaign Against Torture, an interfaith organization that claims the U.S. has tortured prisoners at Guantanamo.
"Our concern as a religious organization is with the `symbol' of torture," said the Rev. Richard Killmer, executive director of NRCAT. "We're very concerned about America's image."
The letter was signed by religious leaders such as Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) General Minister and President Sharon Watkins; National Council of Churches General Secretary Michael Kinnamon; United Methodist Church Council of Bishops President Gregory Vaughn Palmer; Mennonite Church USA Executive Director J. Ron Byler; and Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association President Yael Ridburg.
I just can't understand why
I just can't understand why giving into bullies/terrorist at Gitmo is the right thing. Somewhere in the scriptures it says we are to separate community from the evils ones to isolate their sins. Not to moving them into someone’s neighborhood. This group is torturing us with illogically notions. Giving into the bully, i.e. terrorists, is not loving the bully. How do they propose stopping the terrorist bullies with proven methods or methods directed by god? Let's keep the terroists separated from civil people and care for them.
One year ago, January 22nd,
One year ago, January 22nd, we were made a promise. President Obama said: “First, I can say, without exception or equivocation, that the United States will not torture. Second, we will close the Guantanamo Bay detention camp.” These promises seem to have evaporated into thin air.
Closing Guantanamo detention facility would end one of the most disgraceful abuses of power witnessed in recent American history. Ending our policy of torture would show that we do not want to be like those we abhor.
After evidence surfaced linking the would-be bomber to Yemen, President Obama gave in to formal calls from senior members of Congress to indefinitely detain all Yemenis in Guantanamo, including those already screened and cleared for release.
This violation illustrates why Guantanamo is still seen as a primary recruiting tool for terrorist organizations – its existence only fuels the use of terror and torture, and does not prevent it. Sadly, this has not been the only indication that we're failing to learn from misguided strategies of the past.
Until we stop the use of torture, rendition and, permanently close places like Guantanamo, the US will be seen as a nation that wears the hood of the torturer.
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