Musicians United! Petition to Close Gitmo

Musicians convince Stephen Colbert to sign petition to Close Guantanamo torture prison
Oct. 29, 2009

(API)

Colbert Signs Petition: www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/253996/october-29-2009/we-got-the-beating---rosanne-cash

President Obama made one of his first acts as President the signing of an Executive Order to close the detention center at Guantanamo Bay within one year of him being in office. LET%u201DS HOLD OBAMA TO HIS PROMISE!

Of course the right wing wants to play the old game of politics and fear. It%u2019s time for us to stand up and finish what we, the people, mandated Obama do.

Congress and your local church, organization, family and band, needs to hear from you.

Read below and send your own letter to your Representatives and Senators

(take them down physically to their local headquarters for an even better response):

On the second day of his presidency, President Obama declared to the world that the use of torture would no longer have a place in the u.s. He announced that he would close the Guantanamo (Gitmo) Bay detention center, the shameful symbol that has undermined our nation%u2019s security, destroyed its moral authority, and is opposed by so many of our military leaders.

Obama on 60 Minutes.: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQXZoM__vU0

Since President Obama%u2019s historic announcement, former Vice-President Dick Cheney has launched a public campaign to discredit the president%u2019s security strategy for political gain and sought to pressure politicians into turning back the clock. Not surprisingly, he has employed the same fear-mongering tactics that he and others used to mislead the American people into the disastrous occupation of Iraq %u2013 although an official declaration of %u201Cwar%u201D was never adopted so violations of the %u201CGeneva Convention%u201D rules of war could occur, no doubt.

Cheney (haliburton profiteer) and his supporters have used misleading and intimidating rhetoric to sow uncertainty across the country.

Guantanamo is known the world over as a place where people have been abused and tortured. Many of the egregious techniques that have shocked the international community %u2013 stripping and hooding detainees, blaring music (from what artists is yet unknown) non-stop for several hours at ear-shattering levels and waterboarding %u2013 have been used there. Torture will forever be the legacy of Guantanamo.

More than a dozen retired military leaders joined President Obama when he announced his decision to close Guantanamo because they strongly believe it is in America%u2019s national security interest.

Former Secretary of State, General Colin Powell and former commander of U.S. forces in Iraq General David Petraeus agree.

Gen. Powell has said: %u201CIf it was up to me, I would close Guantanamo. Not tomorrow, but this afternoon. I%u2019d close it.%u201D

His view is shared by Gen. Petraeus in equally strong terms: %u201CWe don%u2019t need it, and it%u2019s causing us far more damage than any good we get for it.%u201D

Congress must not give in to the politics of fear. We call on Congress to stand with President Obama and our military leaders to reject torture and support the closure of the Guantanamo Bay detention facility. The u.s. must strive to finally be a champion of justice, and human rights.

Musicians against torture-by-music:

http://michaelmoore.com/words/latest-news/rem-and-pearl-jam-campaign-close-guantanamo-bay