Hey SLU Folk! Check this out!

John Collins is running an excellent series of discussions on the use of language in the War on Whatever Bush Decides to Label Terrorism. The stuff below is adapted from his flier. The full information, including a complete schedule can be found here.

Keywords: Explorations in the Politics of Language and the Language of Politics

Organized by the members of Save Our Constitution
Tuesdays 7:00-8:30 in Dean-Eaton Lounge (with refreshments!)

Keywords is a series of campus conversations designed to stimulate awareness and critical analysis of the language through which contemporary politics is framed. The series will pay particular attention to language associated with the ongoing “war on terrorism.” Each session will focus on one or two words or phrases. Drawing on their own research and class discussions, student and faculty facilitators will make brief presentations, prepare concrete examples of how the language has been and is being used, and lead a discussion based on key questions.

Some highlights from the schedule

• February 20: Patriotism (Rob Loftis and “Ethical Theory” students)
• February 27: Peace (Laura O’Shaughnessy and “Introduction to Peace Studies” students)
• April 17: Security/Homeland Security (John Collins and “Terror Alert!” FYS students)
• May 1: Jihad (Michael Kemper and “Jihad Movements” class students)

Be there or be square.

Detailed Teach-in Poster

Detailed Teach-in Poster
Originally uploaded by rob helpychalk.

Fuck You, John McHugh

A colleague of mine, Bill Olsen, contacted the office of our representative John McHugh, about his vote for the Military Commissions Act (MCA). Bill got a letter which tried to explain the vote, which Bill forwarded to the SOC listserv.

The most remarkable thing about Rep. McHugh's letter is that it does not even mention the most appalling aspect of the MCA, the end of habeas corpus. He also does not talk about the President's unlimited ability to declare anyone an enemy combatant, or the incredible loss of rights American citizens suffer when they are moved to enemy combatant status. Finally, he does not talk the fact that US citizens who are accused of being alien enemy combatants have no way to challenge that finding.

Here is a little of what he does say. After thanking Bill for his concern, giving some history of the MCA he says.

The Court in Hamdan decided that Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions – an article that many assumed only applied to regular armies–applies to terrorist organizations, like al Qaeda. As a result of this decision, our brave personnel in the military and other national security agencies are faced with an unpredictable legal landscape because the meaning of certain elements of Common Article 3 are vague.

How did article 3 suddenly become vaguer? The military has been able to comply with Common Article 3 conflicts more pitched and bloody than this. What has changed?

Over the course of several months, the House and Senate Armed Services Committees and the Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings and briefings on standards of military commissions and tribunals, as well as the administration's recommendations. Subsequently, legislative measures were crafted to provide a comprehensive statutory structure for military commissions that will allow for the fair and effective prosecution of captured members of al Qaeda and other unlawful enemy combatants.

Did you notice the presumption of guilt here? The people on trail are assumed to be members of Al Quada, this despite the fact that large numbers of people who have survived the military commissions process have turned out to be completely innocent, picked up on little or no substantial evidence. The presumption of guilt is one of the most powerful rhetorical tools the administration has been using. We are constantly assured that the people in Gitmo are "the worst of the worst," when in fact we have no reason to think this is true, and the whole process eviscerating the courts is set up to keep up from ever learning if this is true. Ok, here's some more McHugh

The suggestion that the Military Commissions Act condones torture or that the legislation implicitly permits, "enhanced torture techniques" is absolutely false and contradicts the very language in the bill. First, it is illegal under U.S. law to torture – this was true before and it will remain true. Moreover, the measure makes torture a war crime that can result in the death penalty. This means that under the War Crimes Act, any U.S. personnel that engages in torture will be subject to prosecution for committing a war crime. Additionally, in the context of military commissions, a statement obtained through torture is not admissible.

Well, there might be some technical sense in which these things are true, but for all practical purposes they are not. The law explicitly says that evidence gained by “coercion” is allowed. ((3(949a)(C))., see Karl Schonberg’s analysis here.) The other important fact is that the administration still gets to decide what counts as torture. And they have already told us that they aren’t going to count anything as torture. The practical upshot is clearly that the Military Commissions Act allows the government to waterboard a confession out of you, and then use that as evidence against you in your trail.

McHugh’s defense of his vote is feeble. Vote the jackass out of office.

the poster for our teach-in

teach-in
Originally uploaded by rob helpychalk.

Thanks to Cathy and the poster committee for the design of this and the button below!

Save our Constitution Button Design

button
Originally uploaded by rob helpychalk.

I will soon be distributing buttons like this for our campus civil liberties group, Save our Constitution. Big fun!

The program for next week's teach-in

The Constitution, Human Rights, and the War on Terrorism
A Teach-in Sponsored by Save Our Constitution (SOC)

November 3, 2006 from 12:00 to 4:00 PM
St. Lawrence University
Winston Room, Student Center


Schedule of Events


Welcome Remarks
Noon: Natalia Singer (Department of English)

The Military Commissions Act
12:10: Eve Stoddard (Department of Global Studies)

12:25 - 1:10 -- Panel 1 -- Erosion of the Constitution, Moderator: Eve Stoddard
Panelists: Steve Horwitz (Department of Economics, Associate Dean of First Year Program), Jon Cardinal (President of the Thelomathesian Society). Discussion to follow.

1:15 - 2:15 -- Panel 2 -- Torture and International Law, Moderator: Rob Loftis
Panelists: Karl Schonberg (Department of Government), Rob Loftis (Department of Philosophy), Armina Omerika (Department of History). Discussion to follow.

2:20 - 3:15 -- Panel 3 -- Language, Rhetoric, Politics of Fear, Moderator: Gus diZerega
Panelists: John Collins (Department of Global Studies), Gus diZerega (Department of Government), Laura Rediehs (Department of Philosophy). Discussion to follow.

3:20 - 4:00 -- Wrap-up -- What You Can Do, Moderators: Natalia Singer and Jon Cardinal
Remarks from: Sal Cania and Somdeep Sen (Amnesty International), Dennis Morreale (the ACLU initiative), Julia Warn (SLU Republicans), Mihnea Tudoreanu (SLU Democrats), Carol Kissam on voter registration, Oxfam, Armina Omerika (Facebook), other student and community groups.

Save Our Constitution Mission Statement

We are deeply concerned about the assaults on the U.S. Constitution, a document animated by the highest ideals of human freedom. The Constitution has survived a Civil War, two World Wars, and the Cold War. In war and in peace, generations of Americans of all backgrounds have struggled (and in many cases died) to defend it, improve it, and extend its protections to all.

Although September 11, 2001 was a traumatic event, we do not want future historians to say that the events of that day sparked the end of constitutional democracy, civil liberties, and the rule of law in this country. In the interest of avoiding such an outcome, we feel a profound call to stand up now and strengthen our defense of democratic principles. To this end we are organizing teach-ins and other events to alert the public to these threats and to facilitate discussion about how to save our Constitution at a time when it is under unprecedented attack.

Information on Absentee Voting

MTV's rock the vote has a list of webpages where you can get information about absentee voting in your state. Unfortuntately, their page doesn't load right, so I am reprinting it here. We will be promoting this information as at SLU as a part of our Save Our Constitution actions.

Alabama (800) 274-VOTE http://www.sos.state.al.us/election

Alaska (907) 465-4611 http://www.gov.state.ak.us/ltgov/elections/

Arizona (877) 843-8683 http://www.sosaz.com/election/

Arkansas (501) 682-3526 http://www.sosweb.state.ar.us/elect.html

California (800) 345-VOTE http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/elections.htm

Colorado (303) 894-2200 http://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/main1.htm

Connecticut (800) 540-3764 http://www.sots.state.ct.us/

Delaware (302) 739-4277 http://www.state.de.us/election/

District of
Columbia (202) 727-2525 http://www.dcboee.org/

Florida (850) 245-6200 http://election.dos.state.fl.us/

Georgia (404) 656-2871 http://www.sos.state.ga.us/elections/

Hawaii (808) 453-8683 http://www.state.hi.us/elections

Idaho (208) 334-2300 http://www.idsos.state.id.us

Illinois (217) 782-4141 http://www.elections.state.il.us

Indiana (317) 232-3939 http://www.in.gov/sos/elections

Iowa (888) 767-8683 http://www.sos.state.ia.us

Kansas (785) 796-4564 http://www.kssos.org/election/elewelc.html

Kentucky (502) 573-7100 http://www.kysos.com/index/main/elecdiv.asp

Louisiana (225) 342-4970 http://www.sec.state.la.us/elections/elections-index.htm

Maine (207) 642-7736 http://www.state.me.us/sos/cec/elec/elec.htm

Maryland (800) 222-VOTE http://www.elections.state.md.us/

Massachusetts (800) 462-VOTE http://www.state.ma.us/sec/ele/

Michigan (517) 373-2540 http://www.michigan.gov/sos

Minnesota (651) 215-1440 http://www.sos.state.mn.us/

Mississippi (800) 829-6786 http://www.sos.state.ms.us/elections/elections.asp

Missouri (573) 751-2301 http://www.sos.state.mo.us/elections/

Montana (406) 444-4732 http://sos.state.mt.us/css/index.asp

Nebraska (402) 471-3229 http://www.sos.state.ne.us/Elections/election.htm

Nevada (775) 684-5705 http://sos.state.nv.us/nvelection/

New Hampshire (603) 271-3242 http://www.state.nh.us/sos/electionsnew.htm

New Jersey (609) 292-3760 http://www.state.nj.us/lps/elections/electionshome.html

New Mexico (800) 477-3632 http://web.state.nm.us/elect.htm

New York (800) FOR-VOTE http://www.elections.state.ny.us/

North Carolina (919) 733-7173 http://www.sboe.state.nc.us/

North Dakota (800) 352-0867
ext. 8-4146 http://www.state.nd.us/sec/

Ohio (614) 466-2585 http://www.state.oh.us/sos/

Oklahoma (405) 521-2391 http://www.elections.state.ok.us/

Oregon (503) 986-1518 http://www.sos.state.or.us/elections/elechp.htm

Pennsylvania (717) 787-5280 http://www.dos.state.pa.us/bcel/site/default.asp

Rhode Island (401) 222-2345 http://www.elections.state.ri.us/

South Carolina (803) 734-9060 http://www.state.sc.us/scsec/

South Dakota (605) 773-3537 http://www.state.sd.us/sos/sos.htm

Tennessee (615) 741-7956 http://www.state.tn.us/sos/election.htm

Texas (800) 252-VOTE http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/index.shtml

Utah (800) 995-VOTE http://elections.utah.gov/

Vermont (800) 439-8683 http://vermont-elections.org/soshome.htm

Virginia (804) 786-6551 http://www.sbe.state.va.us/

Washington (360) 586-0400 http://secstate.wa.gov/elections/

West Virginia (304) 558-6000 http://wvsos.com/elections/main.htm

Wisconsin (608) 266-8005 http://elections.state.wi.us/

Wyoming (307) 777-7378 http://soswy.state.wy.us/election/election.htm

Save Our Constitution! Ask Me How!

It looks like our local civil liberties group, Save Our Constitution, is going to be printing up buttons that say "Save our Constitution! Ask me how!" There has also been some discussion of how to respond if someone asks you how to save the Constitution.

The answer is simple, and I urge it on you the internet.

These are the lists of everyone in the House and Senate who voted for the Military Commissions Act of 2006. Don't vote for these bozos.

Govtrack presents the same information in more readable format, including a nifty map, here and here. Govtrack, btw, seems to be a nifty site.

The Bill that Broke the Constitution

Here at SLU we have formed a new group, Save Our Constitution, to fight the recent attack on basic civil rights by the Bush administration. Right now we are drafting up promotional material for a teach-in we will have Nov. 3. This is some copy I have generated that I think captures where the group is heading. I’m putting it up here in draft form for comments.

The Bill that Broke the Constitution

On October 18, 2006, George W. Bush signed the Military Commissions Act into law. The bill was described in the media as merely a “controversial” decision about what to do with the detainees in Guantánamo and elsewhere. In fact, it gives the President unprecedented powers and strips ordinary people of the most basic of rights. The right whose death we mourn the most is habeas corpus, a right so basic most people aren’t even aware it has a name, let alone that it can be taken away. Habeas corpus is your right to tell your case to a judge if you have been arrested. Millions of people no longer have this right. They can languish indefinitely in prisons for no reason, dependant entirely on the whim of their captors. And the collapse of basic human rights is not limited to foreigners or people outside America. Under the Military Commissions Act the president and secretary of defense can declare anyone they want, including American citizens, enemy combatants. Once this happens, you have almost no legal protection. Jose Padilla, an American citizen, was declared an enemy combatant, and he was held without charges and tortured for three years. There is nothing preventing this from happening to you.

Torture

We can never forget that real people are suffering horribly at the hands of our government, and no good is coming from it. More and more stories are coming out about people who were arrested on faulty information or no information at all, tortured horribly, and then released without any charges being pressed against them. Muhibullo Adulkarim Umarov a native of Tajikistan, was arrested in Pakistan following a bombing in Karachi, sent to Guantánamo No evidence was ever presented linking him to the bombing which was eventually shown to be the work of a Pakistani, Sohail Akhtar. After two years, someone realized that they had no reason to hold Umarov. He was taken to the office of an American official who told him he was going to be freed, asked him not to blame America, gave him a hug, and sent him on his way.

This can happen because there is no public oversight over who gets arrested, why they are held, or what is done to them. Bounty hunters in Pakistan pick up whoever they can just to get paid. Innocent people are turned over to the new secret police because someone wanted to settle a score or do in a rival. Trial by jury was developed long ago to prevent these abuses, but now we are slipping back into barbarism.

The Politics of Fear

How is this possible? Why have we allowed this to happen? The answer is simple, we have been made to fear. The president and his enablers in congress used the tragedy of September 11 to advance an agenda that had nothing to do with the attacks. This manipulation included inventing the “war on terror” a strange conflict against an undefined enemy for an indefinite period of time. Past leaders facing real armies have told us not to fear. This administration is now telling us to fear, to fear everyone and no one, and to take their word for it when they announce that someone is the enemy. We are in an era where big lies are used to destroy basic rights. The time has come to say “stop.”

Torture Stories

I'm collecting torture stories for a teach-in to be held in a few weeks. Right now I'm taking notes on a few individuals to decide who to focus on. If anyone stopping by can think of other good names or sources, let me know. The main category of person I am interested in are those who have been...

Held for years, tortured, and then released without charges

Muhibullo Adulkarim Umarov: Native of Tajikstan, traveled to Pakistan to earn money for his family. Arrested by Pakistani police after a bombing that was later shown to be the work of a Pakistani, Sohail Akhtar. No charges were pressed by Pakistan, but the Pakistanis were eager to find evidence that the bomber was a foreigner. Transferred to US control at a time when the US was offering a bounty on any terror suspect. Held at Baghram and Gitmo and subjected to psychological torture. His captors said his frequent movements between Pakistan, Tajikstan and Afghanistan (all countries where he has relatives) were suspicious. Captors demanded that he reveal the location of Osama bin Laden. After two years, it is decided he is completely innocent, and he is released. (wikipedia, Mother Jones)

Maher Arar Syrian born Canadian citizen. Detained by US, based on false information from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Extraordinarily rendered to Syria where he was tortured into a false confession. Cleared of all charges and released. RCMP apologizes. The only concrete piece of evidence ever offered against him is a lease he signed that was witnessed by a friend of his family's who is now also being held in Syria. No explanation as to why the other man is being held, or signing a lease with him as a witness is damning evidence of anything. (maherarar.com, the Canadian government's commission on Arar)

Ruhal Ahmed, Asif Iqbal and Shafiq Rasul (the Tipoton three) British citizens who travel to Pakistan for a wedding. They then go to Afghanistan to see the effects of US bombing for themselves. (imdb page for the movie about them. BBC story)

Moazzam Begg, Martin Mubanga, Richard Belmar and Feroz Abbasi. Other british citizens: BBC page here. The BBC page refers to five other Gritons who were held at Gitmo and then released without charges. I'll need to get their names later.

The other important category of person I want to highlight is the

American Citizen who Has Been Tortured.

Jose Padilla: Picked up shortly after 9/11 at O'Hare as a "material witness" to the 9/11 plot. He is declared an enemy combatant, and tortured. After three years, he is finally charged in a civilian court with "conspiracy to murder, kidnap, and maim people overseas." The move to civilian court seems to be aimed at avoiding supreme court scrutiny of his treatment by military courts. (LizardBreath's last post on him. His motion to dismiss the charges against him, wikipedia.)