ACTION ALERT!!!
February 28, 2008
Why this issue is important? The Church stands firm in denouncing torture as it undermines and debases the dignity of both victims and perpetrators. Pope Benedict XVI said “the prohibition against torture cannot be contravened under any circumstance.”
The Senate voted 51-45 to pass HR 2082, the FY2008 Intelligence Authorization Act, which contains anti-torture legislation (Section 327) expanding the prohibition against torture of detainees to all U.S. intelligence agencies and their agents. Now the bill faces a possible veto by President Bush on March 5. We urge you to contact the White House and express your support for President Bush signing those anti-torture provisions of HR 2082 into law.
Background: USCCB was successful in joining with other organizations in pressing the Senate to pass HR 2082 on February 13, 2008 with its anti-torture provisions intact. It was a triumph as it prohibits cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment of prisoners held by U.S. intelligence agencies. Earlier legislation supported by USCCB had prohibited torture of those held by U.S. military and required that interrogation techniques conform to the standard now offered by the U.S. Army Field Manual. While the Conference cannot presume to be experts on the Manual, one of its guiding principles which USCCB supports echoes the Golden Rule, i.e. we should not use any technique against an enemy that we would not like to have used against our own military or civilians.
While USCCB does not take positions on the more technical and other provisions of the Intelligence Authorization Act, we believe the adoption of the anti-torture provision (Section 327) in HR 2082 would go a long way to restoring U.S. credibility in the international community by helping the U.S. regain the moral high ground. Respect for the dignity of every person, ally or enemy, must serve as the foundation of security, justice and peace. We cannot win the war against terror by abandoning fundamental moral values.
ACTION REQUESTED: Ask your members to call the White House at 202-456-1111 or send an email to President Bush at comments@whitehouse.gov to express support for the anti-torture provisions in HR 2082 and urge him to sign this legislation.
For more information contact Virginia Farris. Office of International Justice and Peace, USCCB, 202-541-3182, vfarris@usccb.org. See the op-ed on torture signed by Bishop Thomas Wenski and four other religious leaders which is being offered for placement.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Thomas Awiapo: Search for food led to a new life
This One Man's View column by Tim O'Callaghan first published February 14, 2008 in the Henderson Home News, a Community Newspapers of Nevada publication.
In my advocacy work to assist the marginalized in our world, I’m often blessed with the presence of wonderful people. Once in a while, an opportunity will arise where my family gets to enjoy the grace of those less fortunate than ourselves.
There is man from Ghana in West Africa who has touched our family in many ways not only collectively but on a couple of individual occasions. Thomas Awiapo first left an extraordinary impression on our oldest daughter, Brenna, during his first visit to Las Vegas three years ago while talking to a group of Bishop Gorman High School students.
Brenna came home from school and told us about the visitor from West Africa and how he overcame great odds to not only survive being orphaned but to eventually become educated and is now giving back to society.
Within a few weeks I would unknowingly be enriched by the story of Thomas, told by him to a group of Catholic Social Action advocates from around the country in Washington, D.C.
He spends several months of the year on a speaking tour around the United States addressing mostly Catholic parishes and schools on behalf of Catholic Relief Services, raising awareness of the millions of dollars collected in the U.S. through the Lenten program Operation Rice Bowl and how this money is used around the world to break the chains of poverty.
Thomas was the second of four boys born to a couple in a small village in the isolated northern lands of Ghana, where the family barely eeked out an existence living in a mud hut. Within a year of each other, his parents became sick and died, leaving the four boys orphaned to fend for themselves.
Faced with starvation, the boys did whatever they could to survive, often fighting over a small bowl of food, which wasn’t enough. Thomas would eventually see his two younger brothers die from starvation. Later, he would be abandoned by his older brother, who said he couldn’t stay in the village any longer because there was too much misery. One morning when Thomas awoke, his brother had disappeared never to be seen again.
He would have faced certain death with no one left to help him, until a Good Samaritan came along help him. The Good Samaritan was not a single person but Catholic Relief Services, which built a school in the village. Thomas had no interest in going to school — no one in his family had ever gone to school. He needed to find food every day to sustain his existence, and this couldn’t possibly be found in schools.
Well, he was mistaken. He would soon learn that food could be obtained from school in the form of a small snack in the morning and a little lunch later in the day. The food was provided by a program funded by Operation Rice Bowl.
Every Lent when U.S. Catholics fast on Fridays, Rice Bowl encourages them to take the money saved through fasting, place it in a bowl, then donate it to the program on the last Sunday of Lent. Last year Operation Rice Bowl raised $10 million that helped curb hunger around the world.
Thomas would show up to the school, get a snack then sneak away from school. The teachers figured this out, and tricked him and others into going to school by withholding the snack until after the lesson.
“They held me hostage” he said, “tricking me into going to school.”
Eventually, Thomas would get an education, then an advanced education in the United States, where he earned a master’s degree in public administration from the University of California, Hayward. He returned to Ghana to, in his words, “continue the practice of tricking children with a little snack to go to schools” knowing that education is the best tool for breaking the chains of poverty.
Last week, we hosted Thomas in our home during his visit to Nevada, where we had the opportunity to be touched personally by him. During Thomas’ previous visits to Las Vegas and many other U.S. cities, he rarely had the chance to see the communities he visits. This trip would be different, because we scheduled some down time during which we could show him a few sites.
Donna and I had the wonderful experience of seeing the Bellagio fountains through the eyes of a man who grew up without truly clean water. Together we watched as he marveled at the acres of crystal clear water on the Strip, and showed even more amazement as the fog rolled across the lake and the fountains burst to life with thunder and light.
As we walked through the mall in Planet Hollywood, Thomas noted the beauty of the evening sky, how it appeared so close you could touch it. I must admit being a little confused until I realized he thought the ceiling was really the sky. This is cause for pause, because we have become so accustomed to these facades that we don’t notice them anymore. This experience through Thomas’ eye whirled me back in time to when the Forum Shops first opened at Caesars Palace, to my own wonderment of the sky within the sky. How jaded we have become, our senses numb to ever-changing technology.
Thomas spoke of growing up without electricity, how excited they were when the moon shined full, lighting the village so they could dance and drum into the dawn. Having experienced the darkness of Africa last September, I recalled listening to the drums and singing, how the stars hung so low you could almost touch them.
With that in mind, we thought it would be appropriate to show him Hoover Dam, where electricity begins for much of the Southwest.
As you probably well know, a trip to Hoover Dam isn’t complete without stopping at the marina to feed the fish. While he and Donna strolled the dock, I ducked into the store for a bag of popcorn. The rest is history if you have ever experienced the feeding frenzy of giant carp.
However, Thomas was even more frenzied watching the last quarter of the Super Bowl after I explained the game. He rooted relentlessly for the underdogs, his new team, the New York Giants. He understands being the underdog. I think that’s why he asked me before the game started, “Who is the underdog?” then said, “That’s who I will cheer for.”
Even observing Thomas watch his first Super Bowl brought more excitement than the game itself.
Tim O’Callaghan, co-publisher of the News, can be reached at 990-2656 or tim.oc@vegas.com.
In my advocacy work to assist the marginalized in our world, I’m often blessed with the presence of wonderful people. Once in a while, an opportunity will arise where my family gets to enjoy the grace of those less fortunate than ourselves.
There is man from Ghana in West Africa who has touched our family in many ways not only collectively but on a couple of individual occasions. Thomas Awiapo first left an extraordinary impression on our oldest daughter, Brenna, during his first visit to Las Vegas three years ago while talking to a group of Bishop Gorman High School students.
Brenna came home from school and told us about the visitor from West Africa and how he overcame great odds to not only survive being orphaned but to eventually become educated and is now giving back to society.
Within a few weeks I would unknowingly be enriched by the story of Thomas, told by him to a group of Catholic Social Action advocates from around the country in Washington, D.C.
He spends several months of the year on a speaking tour around the United States addressing mostly Catholic parishes and schools on behalf of Catholic Relief Services, raising awareness of the millions of dollars collected in the U.S. through the Lenten program Operation Rice Bowl and how this money is used around the world to break the chains of poverty.
Thomas was the second of four boys born to a couple in a small village in the isolated northern lands of Ghana, where the family barely eeked out an existence living in a mud hut. Within a year of each other, his parents became sick and died, leaving the four boys orphaned to fend for themselves.
Faced with starvation, the boys did whatever they could to survive, often fighting over a small bowl of food, which wasn’t enough. Thomas would eventually see his two younger brothers die from starvation. Later, he would be abandoned by his older brother, who said he couldn’t stay in the village any longer because there was too much misery. One morning when Thomas awoke, his brother had disappeared never to be seen again.
He would have faced certain death with no one left to help him, until a Good Samaritan came along help him. The Good Samaritan was not a single person but Catholic Relief Services, which built a school in the village. Thomas had no interest in going to school — no one in his family had ever gone to school. He needed to find food every day to sustain his existence, and this couldn’t possibly be found in schools.
Well, he was mistaken. He would soon learn that food could be obtained from school in the form of a small snack in the morning and a little lunch later in the day. The food was provided by a program funded by Operation Rice Bowl.
Every Lent when U.S. Catholics fast on Fridays, Rice Bowl encourages them to take the money saved through fasting, place it in a bowl, then donate it to the program on the last Sunday of Lent. Last year Operation Rice Bowl raised $10 million that helped curb hunger around the world.
Thomas would show up to the school, get a snack then sneak away from school. The teachers figured this out, and tricked him and others into going to school by withholding the snack until after the lesson.
“They held me hostage” he said, “tricking me into going to school.”
Eventually, Thomas would get an education, then an advanced education in the United States, where he earned a master’s degree in public administration from the University of California, Hayward. He returned to Ghana to, in his words, “continue the practice of tricking children with a little snack to go to schools” knowing that education is the best tool for breaking the chains of poverty.
Last week, we hosted Thomas in our home during his visit to Nevada, where we had the opportunity to be touched personally by him. During Thomas’ previous visits to Las Vegas and many other U.S. cities, he rarely had the chance to see the communities he visits. This trip would be different, because we scheduled some down time during which we could show him a few sites.
Donna and I had the wonderful experience of seeing the Bellagio fountains through the eyes of a man who grew up without truly clean water. Together we watched as he marveled at the acres of crystal clear water on the Strip, and showed even more amazement as the fog rolled across the lake and the fountains burst to life with thunder and light.
As we walked through the mall in Planet Hollywood, Thomas noted the beauty of the evening sky, how it appeared so close you could touch it. I must admit being a little confused until I realized he thought the ceiling was really the sky. This is cause for pause, because we have become so accustomed to these facades that we don’t notice them anymore. This experience through Thomas’ eye whirled me back in time to when the Forum Shops first opened at Caesars Palace, to my own wonderment of the sky within the sky. How jaded we have become, our senses numb to ever-changing technology.
Thomas spoke of growing up without electricity, how excited they were when the moon shined full, lighting the village so they could dance and drum into the dawn. Having experienced the darkness of Africa last September, I recalled listening to the drums and singing, how the stars hung so low you could almost touch them.
With that in mind, we thought it would be appropriate to show him Hoover Dam, where electricity begins for much of the Southwest.
As you probably well know, a trip to Hoover Dam isn’t complete without stopping at the marina to feed the fish. While he and Donna strolled the dock, I ducked into the store for a bag of popcorn. The rest is history if you have ever experienced the feeding frenzy of giant carp.
However, Thomas was even more frenzied watching the last quarter of the Super Bowl after I explained the game. He rooted relentlessly for the underdogs, his new team, the New York Giants. He understands being the underdog. I think that’s why he asked me before the game started, “Who is the underdog?” then said, “That’s who I will cheer for.”
Even observing Thomas watch his first Super Bowl brought more excitement than the game itself.
Tim O’Callaghan, co-publisher of the News, can be reached at 990-2656 or tim.oc@vegas.com.
Monday, February 11, 2008
URGE YOUR SENATORS TO EXPAND THE BAN ON TORTURE
ACTION ALERT!!!
February 7, 2008
Why this issue is important? Torture is abhorrent in the eyes of the Church as it undermines and debases the dignity of both victims and perpetrators. Pope Benedict XVI said, “I reiterate that the prohibition against torture ‘cannot be contravened under any circumstance.’”
The Senate is expected to vote on H.R. 2082, the FY 2008 Intelligence Authorization Act, in the next two weeks. Contained in that bill is important anti-torture legislation (Section 327) which would expand the prohibition against torture of detainees to all U.S. intelligence agencies and their agents. We urge Senators to adopt this legislation as it is consistent with the Church’s belief in human dignity and because it would allow the U.S. to regain the moral high ground and restore our credibility in the international community.
Background: USCCB was successful in its earlier efforts to encourage Congress to adopt provisions in the FY2006 Defense Appropriations Act to prohibit cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of prisoners under custody of the U.S. military by applying the prohibition on torture outlined in U.S. Army Field Manual. There is concern that the earlier legislation does not apply consistently to all U.S. intelligence agencies and their agents.
Section 327 of H.R. 2082 would close that loophole. However this section was not part of either the original House or Senate versions of the Intelligence Authorization Act but rather was included in the conference report after consultations between House and Senate conferees preparing the final bill. The House passed the conference report in December on a 222-199 vote. Some Senators want to block inclusion of Section 327 in HR 2082 and may raise a point of order because it was not in either of the original versions of the bill. 60 votes are needed to override the point of order or prevent a filibuster, and eventually to pass the bill with Section 327 intact.
ACTION REQUESTED: If your Senator is listed below, please contact him or her and urge support for the anti-torture provisions (Section 327) in H.R. 2082, the Intelligence Authorization Act for FY 2008.
Check http://capwiz.com/c-span for your Senator’s telephone number and email address.
Lamar Alexander (R-TN) Mel Martinez (R-FL)
Evan Bayh (D-IN) John McCain (R-AZ)
Sam Brownback (R-KS) Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Robert Casey (D-PA) Ben Nelson (D-NE)
Norm Coleman (R-MN) Ken Salazar (D-CO)
Susan Collins (R-ME) Arlen Specter (R-PA)
Mary Landrieu (D-LA) John Sununu (R-NH)
Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) George Voinovich (R-OH)
Richard Lugar (R-IN) John Warner (R-VA)
For more information contact: Virginia Farris, Office of International Justice and Peace, USCCB, 202-541-3182, vfarris@usccb.org. See Bishop Thomas Wenski’s January 30, 2008 letter on torture which is attached and can be found with other material at www.usccb.org/sdwp/international/libertyind.shtml.
February 7, 2008
Why this issue is important? Torture is abhorrent in the eyes of the Church as it undermines and debases the dignity of both victims and perpetrators. Pope Benedict XVI said, “I reiterate that the prohibition against torture ‘cannot be contravened under any circumstance.’”
The Senate is expected to vote on H.R. 2082, the FY 2008 Intelligence Authorization Act, in the next two weeks. Contained in that bill is important anti-torture legislation (Section 327) which would expand the prohibition against torture of detainees to all U.S. intelligence agencies and their agents. We urge Senators to adopt this legislation as it is consistent with the Church’s belief in human dignity and because it would allow the U.S. to regain the moral high ground and restore our credibility in the international community.
Background: USCCB was successful in its earlier efforts to encourage Congress to adopt provisions in the FY2006 Defense Appropriations Act to prohibit cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of prisoners under custody of the U.S. military by applying the prohibition on torture outlined in U.S. Army Field Manual. There is concern that the earlier legislation does not apply consistently to all U.S. intelligence agencies and their agents.
Section 327 of H.R. 2082 would close that loophole. However this section was not part of either the original House or Senate versions of the Intelligence Authorization Act but rather was included in the conference report after consultations between House and Senate conferees preparing the final bill. The House passed the conference report in December on a 222-199 vote. Some Senators want to block inclusion of Section 327 in HR 2082 and may raise a point of order because it was not in either of the original versions of the bill. 60 votes are needed to override the point of order or prevent a filibuster, and eventually to pass the bill with Section 327 intact.
ACTION REQUESTED: If your Senator is listed below, please contact him or her and urge support for the anti-torture provisions (Section 327) in H.R. 2082, the Intelligence Authorization Act for FY 2008.
Check http://capwiz.com/c-span for your Senator’s telephone number and email address.
Lamar Alexander (R-TN) Mel Martinez (R-FL)
Evan Bayh (D-IN) John McCain (R-AZ)
Sam Brownback (R-KS) Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Robert Casey (D-PA) Ben Nelson (D-NE)
Norm Coleman (R-MN) Ken Salazar (D-CO)
Susan Collins (R-ME) Arlen Specter (R-PA)
Mary Landrieu (D-LA) John Sununu (R-NH)
Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) George Voinovich (R-OH)
Richard Lugar (R-IN) John Warner (R-VA)
For more information contact: Virginia Farris, Office of International Justice and Peace, USCCB, 202-541-3182, vfarris@usccb.org. See Bishop Thomas Wenski’s January 30, 2008 letter on torture which is attached and can be found with other material at www.usccb.org/sdwp/international/libertyind.shtml.
Bishop Thomas G. Wenski's Letter to U.S. Senate
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development
3211 Fourth Street NE • Washington DC 20017-1194 • Fax 202-541-3339
WEBSITE: WWW.USCCB.ORG/SDWP
International Justice and Peace
January 30, 2008
Dear Senator:
As Chairman of the Committee on International Policy of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, I am writing regarding proposed legislation in HR 2082, the Intelligence Authorization Act, to prohibit torture as an interrogation technique. I urge you to make sure that the United States continues to insist upon the highest ethical standards and fully complies with U.S. commitments to observe international law in its treatment of detainees, whether here in the United States or abroad.
Earlier, our Conference of Bishops encouraged Congress to adopt provisions in the FY2006 Defense Appropriations Act prescribing uniform standards for the interrogation of persons under the detention of the Department of Defense and prohibiting cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment of persons under the custody or control of the United States government. Now we want to support provisions in HR 2082 in order to expand the prohibition against torture to all U.S. government agencies and their agents.
Experts have told us that the U.S. Army Field Manual, as revised and published in September 2006, includes specific wording that explicitly bans morally questionable interrogation practices. While the Conference is not in a position to assess its specific provisions, we understand that the Field Manual provides a standard that requires humane treatment during interrogation. In particular, we note one guiding principle in the revised Army Field Manual that echoes the Golden Rule: “If in attempting to determine if a contemplated approach or technique should be considered prohibited and therefore should not be included in an interrogation plan, consider. . . if the proposed approach or technique were used by the enemy against one of your fellow soldiers, would you believe the soldier had been abused?”
Adherence to the Golden Rule would allow the United States to answer the profound moral question of how we should treat detainees and regain the moral high ground. This issue has a major impact on human dignity and on the way the United States is viewed abroad. As you know, the United States has long supported Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions, which prohibits “cruel treatment and torture” as well as “outrages upon personal dignity, in particular humiliating and degrading treatment...” Our own troops and citizens benefit from the protections of this standard. We are opposed to any proposed or adopted legislation or other actions that would appear to once again decriminalize torture and abusive conduct. We believe any legislation adopted by the Congress must be unambiguous in rejecting torture and cruel treatment as dangerous, unreliable and illegal.
While we recognize that combating terrorism remains a top priority for Congress and the Administration, we also recognize that any report of prisoner mistreatment by military or civilian agents of the United States or its allies could seriously undermine U.S. efforts to defeat terrorism. More importantly, prisoner mistreatment compromises human dignity. Our nation must not embrace a morality based on an attitude that “desperate times call for desperate measures” or “the end justifies the means.” A respect for the dignity of every person, ally or enemy, must serve as the foundation of security, justice and peace. There can be no compromise on the moral imperative to protect the basic human rights of any individual incarcerated for any reason. The inherent justice of our cause and the perceived necessities involved in confronting terrorism must not lead to a weakening or disregard of U.S. or international law.
In a time of terrorism and fear, our individual and collective obligations to respect dignity
and human rights, even of our worst enemies, gains added importance. Reaffirming the standards contained in Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions would reflect the conviction that our nation must treat its prisoners as we would expect our enemies to treat our own military personnel or citizens. We urge you to support proposed legislative language in HR 2082 that would definitively implement America’s commitment to Common Article 3 and expand the application of standards of humane treatment during interrogation, as exemplified in the revised Army Field Manual, to all U.S. government agencies and their agents. Preserving the strong U.S. commitment to humane and ethical treatment of detainees would continue your efforts to restore the moral credibility of the United States at a crucial time.
Thank you for your consideration of our views on the just treatment of prisoners and detainees.
Sincerely yours,
Bishop Thomas G. Wenski
Bishop of Orlando
Chairman, Committee on International Policy
Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development
3211 Fourth Street NE • Washington DC 20017-1194 • Fax 202-541-3339
WEBSITE: WWW.USCCB.ORG/SDWP
International Justice and Peace
January 30, 2008
Dear Senator:
As Chairman of the Committee on International Policy of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, I am writing regarding proposed legislation in HR 2082, the Intelligence Authorization Act, to prohibit torture as an interrogation technique. I urge you to make sure that the United States continues to insist upon the highest ethical standards and fully complies with U.S. commitments to observe international law in its treatment of detainees, whether here in the United States or abroad.
Earlier, our Conference of Bishops encouraged Congress to adopt provisions in the FY2006 Defense Appropriations Act prescribing uniform standards for the interrogation of persons under the detention of the Department of Defense and prohibiting cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment of persons under the custody or control of the United States government. Now we want to support provisions in HR 2082 in order to expand the prohibition against torture to all U.S. government agencies and their agents.
Experts have told us that the U.S. Army Field Manual, as revised and published in September 2006, includes specific wording that explicitly bans morally questionable interrogation practices. While the Conference is not in a position to assess its specific provisions, we understand that the Field Manual provides a standard that requires humane treatment during interrogation. In particular, we note one guiding principle in the revised Army Field Manual that echoes the Golden Rule: “If in attempting to determine if a contemplated approach or technique should be considered prohibited and therefore should not be included in an interrogation plan, consider. . . if the proposed approach or technique were used by the enemy against one of your fellow soldiers, would you believe the soldier had been abused?”
Adherence to the Golden Rule would allow the United States to answer the profound moral question of how we should treat detainees and regain the moral high ground. This issue has a major impact on human dignity and on the way the United States is viewed abroad. As you know, the United States has long supported Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions, which prohibits “cruel treatment and torture” as well as “outrages upon personal dignity, in particular humiliating and degrading treatment...” Our own troops and citizens benefit from the protections of this standard. We are opposed to any proposed or adopted legislation or other actions that would appear to once again decriminalize torture and abusive conduct. We believe any legislation adopted by the Congress must be unambiguous in rejecting torture and cruel treatment as dangerous, unreliable and illegal.
While we recognize that combating terrorism remains a top priority for Congress and the Administration, we also recognize that any report of prisoner mistreatment by military or civilian agents of the United States or its allies could seriously undermine U.S. efforts to defeat terrorism. More importantly, prisoner mistreatment compromises human dignity. Our nation must not embrace a morality based on an attitude that “desperate times call for desperate measures” or “the end justifies the means.” A respect for the dignity of every person, ally or enemy, must serve as the foundation of security, justice and peace. There can be no compromise on the moral imperative to protect the basic human rights of any individual incarcerated for any reason. The inherent justice of our cause and the perceived necessities involved in confronting terrorism must not lead to a weakening or disregard of U.S. or international law.
In a time of terrorism and fear, our individual and collective obligations to respect dignity
and human rights, even of our worst enemies, gains added importance. Reaffirming the standards contained in Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions would reflect the conviction that our nation must treat its prisoners as we would expect our enemies to treat our own military personnel or citizens. We urge you to support proposed legislative language in HR 2082 that would definitively implement America’s commitment to Common Article 3 and expand the application of standards of humane treatment during interrogation, as exemplified in the revised Army Field Manual, to all U.S. government agencies and their agents. Preserving the strong U.S. commitment to humane and ethical treatment of detainees would continue your efforts to restore the moral credibility of the United States at a crucial time.
Thank you for your consideration of our views on the just treatment of prisoners and detainees.
Sincerely yours,
Bishop Thomas G. Wenski
Bishop of Orlando
Chairman, Committee on International Policy
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