In response to these developments, more than 100 religious organizations have joined together to form the National Religious Campaign Against Torture to ensure the United States does not engage in torture or the cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment of anyone. NRCAT seeks legislation that prohibits any exception to U.S. adherence to the human rights standards of international law, the practice of apprehending suspects and transporting them to countries that use torture as an interrogation technique, the existence or use of secret prisons for U.S. detainees anywhere in the world, and the use of evidence derived from torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment in the determination of guilt or innocence of a charged offense.
NRCAT also supports legislation that would mandate International Red Cross access to all U.S. detainees around the world; restore habeas corpus protection for all U.S. detainees, citizen and non-citizen alike; and initiate an independent investigation of the role of torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment of U.S. detainees after Sept. 11, 2001.
A bill titled Restoring the Constitution Act contains many of these provisions. It has been introduced in both houses of Congress. NRCAT urges the House and Senate Armed Services Committee include the provisions of RCA in the upcoming Department of Defense Authorization Bill for 2008.
RCA deserves the support of all Americans of faith as well as other citizens of good will. The soul of our nation is at stake. Consider what Archbishop Demetrios of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America has said:
“The deliberate torture of one human being by another is a sin against our Creator, in whose image we have all been created. The practice should not be condoned or allowed by any government. It must be condemned by all people of faith, wherever it exists, without exceptions.” Consider also this insight from Major Gen. Kermit D. Johnson, retired U.S. Army Chaplain:
“What we must face squarely is this: Whenever we torture or mistreat prisoners, we are capitulating morally to the enemy; in fact, adopting the terrorist ethic that the end justifies the means.” (emphasis added)
The bill, S. 576, was introduced by Sen. Christopher Dodd and currently has 11 co-sponsors (you can get all the information on the bill, and its House counter-part, HR 1415, introduced by Rep. Jerrold Nadler with 55 co-sponsors, here), essentially re-writes the horrid "Military Commissions Act" the Republicans ramrodded through the Congress last fall to ensure that we adhere to the Constitution and our treaty obligations. I urge you to write or call your Senators and Representatives to get behind this bill, co-sponsor it, if possible, and get action on it. The victims of our war on terror deserve nothing less.
