Subject:
Put an end to torture - three things you can do to stop this immoral practice
Date: September 13, 2007

As part of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT), we are sending you three steps you can take to outlaw our nation's involvement in the use and endorsement of torture. Torture IS a moral issue, and it is up to the faith community to speak against it.

How does it affect California? We are one of the largest states supporting victims of torture and their families. We also have men and women in the CIA, the military, and civilian contract positions around the world who have become perpetrators or observers of torture to the detriment of their minds,health, and morality. This is not a distant issue - this starts right here at home.

Stop the CIA program of 'enhanced interrogation techniques' The National Religious Campaign Against Torture is working actively on a number of fronts to stop U.S. sponsored torture. NRCAT now has staff people to make us all more effective, but our strength lies in what you can do. With Congress in full gear for the next few months, NRCAT has three important requests of you.

1. Send an email to your Members of Congress and tell them to stop the CIA "enhanced interrogation techniques" program.

On July 20th, President Bush issued an Executive Order on the CIA's interrogation techniques for U.S.-held detainees. The order made clear that the program of "enhanced interrogation techniques" used by the CIA will continue. The military, under the Army Field Manual, is prohibited from using interrogation techniques that violate the Geneva Conventions. The CIA is not subject to the limits of the Army Field Manual. Two administration officials told the Washington Post that under the new Executive Order "suspects now in U.S. custody could be moved immediately into the 'enhanced interrogation' program and subjected to techniques that go beyond those allowed by the U.S. military ."

To stop U.S. sponsored torture, the CIA should stop the enhanced interrogation program. Please go to www.tortureisamoralissue.org to send an email to your senators and representative, telling them to stop the CIA enhanced interrogation program -- stop the torture -- stop cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment of all detainees. You may also wish to call their Washington offices. The Capitol Switchboard number is 202-225-3121.

To send an email or FAX in yur own words, you can also log onto the IMPACT link at:
http://capwiz.com/cachurches/home/ If your representatives in Congress ar not listed, just enter your address, and then you can click on the names and send your message via email or get the FAX number and send a letter there.

2. Sign Up for Spotlight on Torture

We sent an earlier email that mentioned the availability of this outstanding video, "Ghosts of Abu Ghraib", that is available for your congregation's viewing and discussion. Rory Kennedy's HBO documentary received the Primetime Emmy Award for Best Non-Fiction Film last weekend. If you have not had a chance to sign up your congregation to show this powerful and challenging film between October 21 and 28, please do so by close of business on Friday, September 14. If you sign up online by Friday (go to the NRCAT web site at www.tortureisamoralissue.org) you should receive the DVD and supporting materials by the end of September. If you are unable to sign up by Friday, but do so by the end of the month, you'll receive the DVD and materials in mid-October. For more information, visit the Spotlight information page. The DVD and materials are FREE to the first 1000 congregations that sign on. Please reserve now since the demand is increasing. You may also contact the California field organizer Allan Shore at allanshore@msn.com or phone him at 916.730.2801 for more information and to help obtain the DVD and informational materials.

3. Help NRCAT "win" $100,000

NRCAT has 48 days left in the Peace Primary, a special fundraising effort provided by the Ploughshares Fund. NRCAT is one of 12 organizations invited to participate in a project in which visitors to the Peace Primary web site during the months of September and October are encouraged to make financial gifts between $10 and $1000 to one or more of the selected organizations. Actor Martin Sheen thought so highly of NRCAT that he devoted the majority of his votes on the Ploughshares nominating committee to see that NRCAT was one of the organizations in the fundraising project.

The organization receiving the most money between September 1 and October 31 is awarded a gift of $100,000 in addition to the funds contributed to the organization during the month. For those committed to ending U.S.-sponsored torture, the Peace Primary provides an opportunity to increase the capacity of NRCAT to bring the moral and religious voice to an issue that has tarnished the moral fabric of the U.S.

If you are able to contribute during the week of September 10, your gift to NRCAT will be matched up to $1,500 with funds given by two contributors to the Peace Primary. Thank you for any contribution you are able to make. Please also consider telling your friends about the Peace Primary.

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