Journal Entry: Sat Sep 10, 2011, 7:38 AM
"Ten years ago, Americans responded to the 9/11 attacks by pulling together in solidarity to help their neighbors. Unfortunately, our government failed to live up to the inspiring example of ordinary Americans, and instead pursued policies that treated our most cherished values—respect for human dignity and the rule of law—as liabilities, instead of assets, in the struggle against terrorism. Whether those changes represent an aberration, or a permanent shift—a "new normal," in Dick Cheney's famous phrase—still hangs in the balance.
Not long after 9/11, we launched an effort to undo these dangerous policies and challenge the misguided notion that we need to violate rights to protect our country. On the contrary, the most effective national security policies are those that protect human rights. We've made progress. Working with a distinguished group of retired generals and admirals, we built a powerful coalition against torture, and our efforts led to President Obama's executive order upholding the Geneva Conventions, closing CIA secret prisons, and ending practices like waterboarding.
But we have a long way to go. This fall Congress will consider bills that would keep Gitmo open indefinitely and tie the hands of law enforcement by requiring that terrorism suspects be turned over to the military. It's a bad idea--the Pentagon doesn't like it, and it would block one of the most effective tools we have to combat terrorism. As our board member, retired Rear Admiral John Hutson, has said, "We don't ask DoJ to fight our wars, and we shouldn't ask the Pentagon to try our criminals." Please join us in supporting smart and just counterterrorism policies, so that on the 20th anniversary of 9/11, we can say that America's fear-fueled trip to "the dark side" was brief, and is behind us"
Likewise humamist muslims should raise their voice against the violation of human rights perpetrated in the name of fundamentalismn and religious hatred. Hate crimes by fundamentalist islamist have made the Noughties an hellish decade- in New York, London, Bali, Berlin, Cairo, Philippiners, Madrid, Nigeria, Mumbai, Sharm,Somalia and they're stillt hreathening and slandering us. And they complain of "Islamophobia!" Blame Islamophobia on Al Qaeda and fundamentalist Islam, please. Blame islamophobia on murdering fatwas, on women stonings an infibulatio and general oppression, in the hanging of dissidents and homosexuals. And who's ultimately to blame if human rights in western countries were endangered?
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