Friday, June 18, 2010

"The Response" Screens for Congress June 30

"The Response" screens for Congress on June 30. Now is the time for everyone to contact your congressman and urge them to attend this important screening!


"The Response" is a courtroom drama based upon the actual transcripts of the Guantanamo military tribunals. The film stars Aasif Mandvi ("The Daily Show"), Kate Mulgrew ("Star Trek: Voyager"), and Peter Riegert ("Animal House").



Honorary sponsors of the screening are Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (IL), Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (MI), and Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY).


The time and place are: 4 p.m., June 30, in Rayburn #2226. (An evening screening at 6:30 p.m. at George Washington University has also been set up for the convenience of the public: RSVP here.)


Invitations were emailed to every member of Congress on Wednesday, June 16. Members of Congress need to hear from YOU -- their constituents -- to know how important it is that they attend!


Just find your state (right hand side of this page) and click through to find information on how to contact your congressman.


Thank you for taking the time to make a difference on this critical issue!

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Kentucky - Contact Your Representative


Information on how to contact your representative, and on their Guantanamo positions, is shown below.

(Don't know who your representative is? Look him/her up by zip code here.)

(Don't know how what to say? Suggestions for getting started here.)

Chandler, Ben D6thContact
Davis, Geoff R4thContact
Guthrie, Brett R2ndContact
Rogers, Harold R5thContact
Whitfield, Ed R1stContact
Yarmuth, John A. D3rdContact

Mississippi - Contact Your Representative


Information on how to contact your representative, and on their Guantanamo positions, is shown below.

(Don't know who your representative is? Look him/her up by zip code here.)

(Don't know how what to say? Suggestions for getting started here.)

Childers, Travis W. D1stContact
Harper, Gregg R3rdContact
Taylor, Gene D4thContact
Thompson, Bennie G. D2ndContact

Nebraska - Contact Your Representative


Information on how to contact your representative, and on their Guantanamo positions, is shown below.

(Don't know who your representative is? Look him/her up by zip code here.)

(Don't know how what to say? Suggestions for getting started here.)

Fortenberry, Jeff R1stContact
Smith, Adrian R3rdContact
Terry, Lee R2ndContact

New Mexico - Contact Your Representative


Information on how to contact your representative, and on their Guantanamo positions, is shown below.

(Don't know who your representative is? Look him/her up by zip code here.)

(Don't know how what to say? Suggestions for getting started here.)

Heinrich, Martin D1stContact
Luján, Ben Ray D3rdContact
Teague, Harry D2ndContact

Nevada - Contact Your Representative

Information on how to contact your representative, and on their Guantanamo positions, is shown below.

(Don't know who your representative is? Look him/her up by zip code here.)

(Don't know how what to say? Suggestions for getting started here.)

Berkley, Shelley D1stContact
Heller, Dean R2ndContact
Titus, Dina D3rdContact

Utah - Contact Your Representative

(Image: "Jackson County - Evacuation of the Mormons" from http://www.believeallthings.com/articles/united-states-constitution/)

Information on how to contact your representative, and on their Guantanamo positions, is shown below.

(Don't know who your representative is? Look him/her up by zip code here.)

(Don't know how what to say? Suggestions for getting started here.)

Bishop, Rob R1stContact
Chaffetz, Jason R3rdContact
Matheson, Jim D2ndContact

West Virginia - Contact Your Representative


Information on how to contact your representative, and on their Guantanamo positions, is shown below.

(Don't know who your representative is? Look him/her up by zip code here.)

(Don't know how what to say? Suggestions for getting started here.)

Capito, Shelley Moore R2ndContact
Mollohan, Alan B. D1stContact
Rahall, Nick J. IID3rdContact

Hawaii - Contact Your Representative


Information on how to contact your representative, and on their Guantanamo positions, is shown below.

(Don't know who your representative is? Look him/her up by zip code here.)

(Don't know how what to say? Suggestions for getting started here.)

Abercrombie, Neil D1stContact
Hirono, Mazie K. D2ndContact

Idaho - Contact Your Representative

Information on how to contact your representative, and on their Guantanamo positions, is shown below.

(Don't know who your representative is? Look him/her up by zip code here.)

(Don't know how what to say? Suggestions for getting started here.)


Minnick, Walt D1stContact
Simpson, Michael K. R2ndContact

New Hampshire - Contact Your Representative

Information on how to contact your representative, and on their Guantanamo positions, is shown below.

(Don't know who your representative is? Look him/her up by zip code here.)

(Don't know how what to say? Suggestions for getting started here.)

Hodes, Paul W. D2ndContact
Shea-Porter, Carol D1stContact

Rhode Island - Contact Your Representative

Information on how to contact your representative, and on their Guantanamo positions, is shown below.

(Don't know who your representative is? Look him/her up by zip code here.)

(Don't know how what to say? Suggestions for getting started here.)

Kennedy, Patrick J. D1stContact
Langevin, James R. D2ndContact

Alaska - Contact Your Representative

Information on how to contact your representative, and on their Guantanamo positions, is shown below.

(Don't know who your representative is? Look him/her up by zip code here.)

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Young, DonRAt LargeContact

DC - Contact Your Representative

Information on how to contact your representative, and on their Guantanamo positions, is shown below.

(Don't know who your representative is? Look him/her up by zip code here.)

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Norton, Eleanor HolmesDDelegateContact

Delaware - Contact Your Representative

Information on how to contact your representative, and on their Guantanamo positions, is shown below.

(Don't know who your representative is? Look him/her up by zip code here.)

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Castle, Michael N.RAt LargeContact

Montana - Contact Your Representative


Information on how to contact your representative, and on their Guantanamo positions, is shown below.

(Don't know who your representative is? Look him/her up by zip code here.)

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Rehberg, DennyRAt LargeContact

North Dakota - Contact Your Representative

Information on how to contact your representative, and on their Guantanamo positions, is shown below.

(Don't know who your representative is? Look him/her up by zip code here.)

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Pomeroy, Earl DAt LargeContact

South Dakota - Contact Your Representative


Information on how to contact your representative, and on their Guantanamo positions, is shown below.

(Don't know who your representative is? Look him/her up by zip code here.)

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Herseth Sandlin, Stephanie DAt LargeContact

Vermont - Contact Your Representative


Information on how to contact your representative, and on their Guantanamo positions, is shown below.

(Don't know who your representative is? Look him/her up by zip code here.)

(Don't know how what to say? Suggestions for getting started here.)

Welch, Peter DAt LargeContact

Wyoming - Contact Your Representative


Information on how to contact your representative, and on their Guantanamo positions, is shown below.

(Don't know who your representative is? Look him/her up by zip code here.)

(Don't know how what to say? Suggestions for getting started here.)

Lummis, Cynthia M.RAt LargeContact

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Louisiana - Contact Your Representative


Information on how to contact your representative, and on their Guantanamo positions, is shown below.

(Don't know who your representative is? Look him/her up by zip code here.)

(Don't know how what to say? Suggestions for getting started here.)

Alexander, Rodney R5thContact
Boustany, Charles W. Jr. R7thContact
Cao, Anh ``Joseph'' R2ndContact
Cassidy, Bill R6thContact
Fleming, John R4thContact
Melancon, Charlie D3rdContact
Scalise, Steve R1stContact

Colorado - Contact Your Representative

Information on how to contact your representative, and on their Guantanamo positions, is shown below.

(Don't know who your representative is? Look him/her up by zip code here.)

(Don't know how what to say? Suggestions for getting started here.)

Coffman, Mike R6thContact
DeGette, Diana D1stContact
Lamborn, Doug R5thContact
Markey, Betsy D4thContact
Perlmutter, Ed D7thContact
Polis, Jared D2ndContact
Salazar, John T. D3rdContact

Alabama - Contact Your Representative

Information on how to contact your representative, and on their Guantanamo positions, is shown below.

(Don't know who your representative is? Look him/her up by zip code here.)

(Don't know how what to say? Suggestions for getting started here.)

Aderholt, Robert B. R4thContact
Bachus, Spencer R6thContact
Bonner, Jo R1stContact
Bright, Bobby D2ndContact
Davis, Artur D7thContact
Griffith, Parker D5thContact
Rogers, Mike R3rdContact

Wisconsin - Contact Your Representative


Information on how to contact your representative, and on their Guantanamo positions, is shown below.

(Don't know who your representative is? Look him/her up by zip code here.)

(Don't know how what to say? Suggestions for getting started here.)

Baldwin, Tammy D2ndContact
Kagen, Steve D8thContact
Kind, Ron D3rdContact
Moore, Gwen D4thContact
Obey, David R. D7thContact
Petri, Thomas E. R6th Contact
Ryan, Paul R1stContact
Sensenbrenner, F. James Jr. R5thContact

Minnesota - Contact Your Representative


Information on how to contact your representative, and on their Guantanamo positions, is shown below.

(Don't know who your representative is? Look him/her up by zip code here.)

(Don't know how what to say? Suggestions for getting started here.)

Bachmann, Michele R6thContact
Ellison, Keith D5thContact
Kline, John R2ndContact
McCollum, Betty D4thContact
Oberstar, James L. D8thContact
Paulsen, Erik R3rdContact
Peterson, Collin C. D7thContact
Walz, Timothy J. D1stContact

Maryland - Contact Your Representative


Information on how to contact your representative, and on their Guantanamo positions, is shown below.

(Don't know who your representative is? Look him/her up by zip code here.)

(Don't know how what to say? Suggestions for getting started here.)

Bartlett, Roscoe G. R6thContact
Cummings, Elijah E. D7thContact
Edwards, Donna F. D4thContact
Hoyer, Steny H. D5thContact
Kratovil, Frank Jr.D1stContact
Ruppersberger, C. A. Dutch D2ndContact
Sarbanes, John P. D3rdContact
Van Hollen, Chris D8thContact

Arizona - Contact Your Representative


Information on how to contact your representative, and on their Guantanamo positions, is shown below.

(Don't know who your representative is? Look him/her up by zip code here.)

(Don't know how what to say? Suggestions for getting started here.)

Flake, Jeff R6thContact
Franks, Trent R2ndContact
Giffords, Gabrielle D8thContact
Grijalva, Raúl M. D7thContact
Kirkpatrick, Ann D1stContact
Mitchell, Harry E. D5thContact
Pastor, Ed D4thContact
Shadegg, John B. R3rdContact

Washington - Contact Your Representative

Information on how to contact your representative, and on their Guantanamo positions, is shown below.

(Don't know who your representative is? Look him/her up by zip code here.)

(Don't know how what to say? Suggestions for getting started here.)

Baird, Brian D3rdContact
Dicks, Norman D. D6thContact
Hastings, Doc R4thContact
Inslee, Jay D1stContact
Larsen, Rick D2ndContact
McDermott, Jim D7thContact
McMorris Rodgers, Cathy R5thContact
Reichert, David G. R8thContact
Smith, Adam D9thContact

Tennessee - Contact Your Representative

Information on how to contact your representative, and on their Guantanamo positions, is shown below.

(Don't know who your representative is? Look him/her up by zip code here.)

(Don't know how what to say? Suggestions for getting started here.)

Blackburn, Marsha R7thContact
Cohen, Steve D9thContact
Cooper, Jim D5thContact
Davis, Lincoln D4thContact
Duncan, John J. Jr. R2ndContact
Gordon, Bart D6thContact
Roe, David P. R1stContact
Tanner, John S. D8thContact
Wamp, Zach R3rdContact

Missouri - Contact Your Representative


Information on how to contact your representative, and on their Guantanamo positions, is shown below.

(Don't know who your representative is? Look him/her up by zip code here.)

(Don't know how what to say? Suggestions for getting started here.)

Akin, W. Todd R2ndContact
Blunt, Roy R7thContact
Carnahan, Russ D3rdContact
Clay, Wm. Lacy D1stContact
Cleaver, Emanuel D5thContact
Emerson, Jo Ann R8thContact
Graves, Sam R6thContact
Luetkemeyer, Blaine R9thContact
Skelton, Ike D4thContact

Indiana - Contact Your Representative

Information on how to contact your representative, and on their Guantanamo positions, is shown below.

(Don't know who your representative is? Look him/her up by zip code here.)

(Don't know how what to say? Suggestions for getting started here.)

Burton, Dan R5thContact
Buyer, Steve R4thContact
Carson, André D7thContact
Donnelly, Joe D2ndContact
Ellsworth, Brad D8thContact
Hill, Baron P. D9thContact
Pence, Mike R6thContact
Souder, Mark E. R3rdContact
Visclosky, Peter J. D1stContact

North Carolina - Contact Your Representative


Information on how to contact your representative, and on their Guantanamo positions, is shown below.

(Don't know who your representative is? Look him/her up by zip code here.)

(Don't know how what to say? Suggestions for getting started here.)

Butterfield, G. K. D1stContact
Coble, Howard R6thContact
Etheridge, Bob D2ndContact
Foxx, Virginia R5thContact
Jones, Walter B. R3rdContact
Kissell, Larry D8thContact
McHenry, Patrick T. R10thContact
McIntyre, Mike D7thContact
Miller, Brad D13thContact
Myrick, Sue Wilkins R9thContact
Price, David E. D4thContact
Shuler, Heath D11thContact
Watt, Melvin L. D12thContact

Georgia - Contact Your Representative


Information on how to contact your representative, and on their Guantanamo positions, is shown below.

(Don't know who your representative is? Look him/her up by zip code here.)

(Don't know how what to say? Suggestions for getting started here.)

Barrow, John D12thContact
Bishop, Sanford D. Jr.D2ndContact
Broun, Paul C. R10thContact
Deal, Nathan R9thContact
Gingrey, Phil R11thContact
Johnson, Henry C. ``Hank'' Jr.D4thContact
Kingston, Jack R1stContact
Lewis, John D5thContact
Linder, John R7thContact
Marshall, Jim D8thContact
Price, Tom R6thContact
Scott, David D13thContact
Westmoreland, Lynn A. R3rdContact

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Maine - Contact Your Representative


Information on how to contact your representative, and on their Guantanamo positions, is shown below.

(Don't know who your representative is? Look him/her up by zip code here.)

(Don't know how what to say? Suggestions for getting started here.)

Michaud, Michael H. D2ndContact
Pingree, Chellie D1stContact

Connecticut - Contact Your Representative

Information on how to contact your representative, and on their Guantanamo positions, is shown below.

(Don't know who your representative is? Look him/her up by zip code here.)

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Courtney, Joe D2ndContact
DeLauro, Rosa L. D3rdContact
Himes, James A. D4thContact
Larson, John B. D1stContact
Murphy, Christopher S. D5thContact

Ohio - Contact Your Representative


Information on how to contact your representative, and on their Guantanamo positions, is shown below.

(Don't know who your representative is? Look him/her up by zip code here.)

(Don't know how what to say? Suggestions for getting started here.)

Austria, Steve R7thContact
Boccieri, John A. D16thContact
Boehner, John A. R8thContact
Driehaus, Steve D1stContact
Fudge, Marcia L. D11thContact
Jordan, Jim R4thContact
Kaptur, Marcy D9thContact
Kilroy, Mary Jo D15thContact
Kucinich, Dennis J. D10thContact
LaTourette, Steven C. R14thContact
Latta, Robert E. R5thContact
Ryan, Tim D17thContact
Schmidt, Jean R2ndContact
Space, Zachary T. D18thContact
Sutton, Betty D13thContact
Tiberi, Patrick J. R12thContact
Turner, Michael R. R3rdContact
Wilson, Charles A. D6thContact

Sunday, January 3, 2010

The Best VIrginia Can Come Up With?

(Jump direct to quick links: VA members of Congress on Guantanamo.)

When I think of Virginia, I think of the commanding view of the countryside from the front lawn of Jefferson's home, Monticello.


And I think of the lawn at UVA, where everyone addresses everyone else as "Mister," in nod to Jeffersonian mores.


And I think of the word "perspicacity" -- the lucidity of the Virginian tradition into human affairs.


It is thus perplexing to me that the best that Virginia can come up with is statements like these:

Congressman Robert Wittman (R, 1st) has said, "I remain steadfastly opposed to placing terrorists currently held at Guantanamo Bay into this community [i.e. the Naval Station at Norfolk and/or Federal District Court House in Newport News] or anywhere else in Virginia." (more by Congressman Wittman on Guantanamo)

Congressman Frank Wolf (R, 10th) has said, ""I do not - and would not - support allowing any prisoners presently being detained at Guantanamo Bay being transferred to any facilities in Virginia . . . That is a non-starter and isn’t open to discussion." (more by Congressman Wolf on Guantanamo)

Congressman J. Randy Forbes (R, 4th) has said transferring detainees to the United States amounts to "placing a target on our backs right here in our own communities." (more by Congressman Forbes on Guantanamo)

Congressman Eric Cantor (R, 7th, and House Whip) has said, "Simply put, closing Guantanamo Bay is too complex an issue to rush to resolution in order to appease those outside the mainstream. At the end of the day, when it comes to terrorism, no detail is too small, and we must have only one priority - the safety and security of the American people." (more by Congressman Cantor on Guantanamo)

Congressman Bob Goodlatte (R, 6th) has said, "This move will expose U.S. citizens and the intelligence community to unnecessary risks, will hinder our efforts to combat terrorism, and will grant terrorists access to protections that were never intended for such war enemies." (more by Congressman Goodlatte on Guantanamo)

Information on how to contact your representative, and on their Guantanamo positions, is shown below.

(Don't know who your representative is? Look him/her up by zip code here.)

(Don't know how what to say? Suggestions for getting started here.)

Boucher, Rick D9thContact
Cantor, Eric R7thContactOn Gitmoabove
Connolly, Gerald E. D11thContact
Forbes, J. Randy R4thContactOn Gitmoabove
Goodlatte, Bob R6thContactOn Gitmoabove
Moran, James P. D8thContactOn Gitmoabove
Nye, Glenn C. D2ndContact
Perriello, Thomas S. P. D5thContact
Scott, Robert C. ``Bobby'' D3rdContact
Wittman, Robert J. R1stContactOn Gitmoabove
Wolf, Frank R. R10thContactOn Gitmoabove

Friday, January 1, 2010

Pennsylvania: Home of the "Charter of Liberties"

(Jump direct to quick links: PA members of Congress on Guantanamo.)

This view of the Liberty Bell is one that I saw many, many times during my years living in Philadelphia.


Over the years, I took many visiting groups -- from China and other parts of the world -- to see the sights, and the culmination was always a visit to the Liberty Bell. One of the referents of the bell -- it refers to at least three distinct liberty movements in American history -- is William Penn's Charter of Liberties. It's hard to be from Pennsylvania and not feel that you have a special relationship to our country's origins and the liberties our forebears fought for.

Even more than the Liberty Bell, it is Washington Square Park that holds special meaning for me. It is a beautiful park filled with enormous oaks; it is not until you visit the monument in the center of the park that you learn that it was a British prisoner-of-war camp during the Revolutionary War, and that "in unmarked graves within this square lie thousands of unknown soldiers of Washington's army who died of wounds and sickness" during their internment.


I used to walk through Washington Square Park on my way to work every morning, and I seldom did so without intoning to myself the words on that monument: "Freedom is a light for which many men have died in darkness."

On the Guantanamo issue, there have been a few lions from Pennsylvania.

Congressman John Murtha (D, 12th) has spoken frequently and forcefully in favor of reversing the abuses of Guantanamo. He has said, "Guantanamo has cast a dark shadow over two centuries of America’s moral leadership in the world. . . . . [I]n order to restore our international credibility, we must shut down the Guantanamo detention facility." (more by Congressman Murtha on Guantanamo)

Congressman Joe Sestak (D, 7th) has given strong support to civilian trials of accused terrorists. He has said, "What could send a stronger signal to the world of American resolve than bringing these people to justice in New York City? The last thing we should do is allow these terrorists to cause us to abandon our American principles. We are a nation of laws, not men." (more by Congressman Sestak on Guantanamo)

Other Pennsylvania congressmen have opposed the closure of Guantanamo.

Here's how Congressman Joseph Pitts (R, 16th) characterizes Guantanamo:"Pancakes with syrup, whole wheat bagels, scrambled eggs. That is not what I had for breakfast this morning, but there is a good chance that the terrorist prisoners at Guantanamo Bay were eating this morning. . . . Each person is treated according to the Geneva Convention, though none of these prisoners meets the qualifications of soldiers under that treaty. . . . ." (more by Congressman Pitts on Guantanamo)

Congressman Bill Shuster (R, 9th) has said, "It is clear that terrorists, whether using a plane to kill innocent Americans or exploding car bombs in the Middle East, do not fight fairly. They fight cowardly and do not show their face. However, the Department of Defense treats these detainees in accord with the Geneva Convention, even though that is not required because of the inhumane methods used by these killers." (more by Congressman Shuster on Guantanamo)

Congressman Charles Dent (R, 15th) has said, "I, for one, sleep well at night knowing that these dangerous terrorists are detained at Guantanamo Bay instead of somewhere in the United States." (more by Congressman Dent on Guantanamo)

Information on how to contact your representative, and on their Guantanamo positions, is shown below.

(Don't know who your representative is? Look him/her up by zip code here.)

(Don't know how what to say? Suggestions for getting started here.)

Altmire, Jason D4thContact
Brady, Robert A. D1stContact
Carney, Christopher P. D10thContact
Dahlkemper, Kathleen A. D3rdContact
Dent, Charles W. R15thContactOn Gitmoabove
Doyle, Michael F. D14thContact
Fattah, Chaka D2ndContact
Gerlach, Jim R6thContact
Holden, Tim D17thContact
Kanjorski, Paul E. D11thContact
Murphy, Patrick J. D8thContact
Murphy, Tim R18thContactOn Gitmoabove
Murtha, John P. D12thContactOn Gitmoabove
Pitts, Joseph R. R16thContactOn Gitmoabove
Platts, Todd Russell R19thContact
Schwartz, Allyson Y. D13thContact
Sestak, Joe D7thContactOn Gitmoabove
Shuster, Bill R9thContactOn Gitmoabove
Thompson, Glenn R5thContact