Gonzales Resignation Celebration: References
Good Morning Fellow Rights Colleagues! (h)
Today’s breaking news on Gonzales could be good news indeed.
Since this resignation–what with AG influence on so many Amnesty I/USA & other Rights issues–I tho’t you would like to see a few of the following references I’ve found recently and some I’ve collected over the last legally murkey years.
GONZALES RESIGNATION/CELEBRATION DAY
Find here plenty of references on Gonzales, especially for reporting/OpEd/US Legal Work/Rights
Monday AM EST August 27 2007
The Protect Gonzales Act of 2007
<a href="http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070827/williams">http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070827/williams</a>
You may be glad to keep watching Bill of Rights Defense Committee daily, throughout the day, as I often do. Former Chairman of Amnesty I/USA, Joe W. (Chip) Pitts is Founder President of the Board
<a href="http://www.bordc.org/news/">http://www.bordc.org/news/</a>Â
For More on BORDC:
<a href="http://www.bordc.org/about/board.php">http://www.bordc.org/about/board.php</a>
Joe W. (Chip) Pitts III, President, is founder and chair of the Bill of Rights Defense Committee of Greater Dallas. For more than 15 years he has attended the United Nations Commission on Human Rights and its Sub-Commission, assisting on international norms and treaties, such as on torture. He is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Pacific Council on Foreign Policy. From 2004 to 2005, he served as chairman of the board at Amnesty International USA.
Expect some of the following items--along with the open Amnesty letter to the US Senators--to become CLASSIC items on Gonzales
AMNESTY I/USA (open letter to US Senators as they prepare to vote--or not--for Alberto Gonzales
February  2005
<a href="http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?lang=e&id=DC49774A37AAF42F80256F960047CB57">http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?lang=e&id=DC49774A37AAF42F80256F960047CB57</a>
From this Amnesty letter, in part...
Dear Senator,
The nomination of Alberto Gonzales to the post of Attorney General has once again thrown the spotlight on the USA's position on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. As such it has provided an opportunity for much-needed scrutiny and for the United States government to show that it will meet its international obligations on this fundamental human rights issue. As detailed below, Amnesty International urges the US Senate to refrain from voting at this time on the nomination of Alberto Gonzales pending his full and unambiguous responses to outstanding questions.
Having seen the Abu Ghraib photographs, read the words of previously secret administration documents, and heard the persistent allegations of abuse against detainees in US custody in Afghanistan, Guantánamo, Iraq, and secret locations elsewhere, the world is watching to see how the USA will act to ensure redress, accountability, and non-recurrence. Such action is crucial, as is the commitment to it of the individual nominated to become the country's chief law enforcement officer. Respect for human rights and the rule of law must be put at the heart of a government's legitimate pursuit of law enforcement and public security - as both the National Security Strategy and the Strategy for Combating Terrorism state. Failure to do so can only deepen the damage already done...
Alberto Gonzales vs. Alexander Hamilton
By Nat Hentoff
<a href="http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/hentoff062507.php3">http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/hentoff062507.php3</a>
We've Been Overtaken by a Cult
Sy Hersh on Alberto Gonzales
<a href="http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/01/26/1450204">http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/01/26/1450204</a>
June 28 2007 Gonzales “Death Cult� (Harpers Mag. quote the Atlantic Monthly classic article of August 2003 <a href="http://harpers.org/archive/2007/06/hbc-90000398">http://harpers.org/archive/2007/06/hbc-90000398</a>
Bill Moyers Interviews Jon Stewart on Gonzales, et al
<a href="http://www.truthdig.com/avbooth/item/bill_moyers_interviews_john_stewart/">http://www.truthdig.com/avbooth/item/bill_moyers_interviews_john_stewart/</a>
Alberto Gonzales: Tip of the Iceburg
<a href="http://marjoriecohn.com/2007/04/alberto-gonzales-tip-of-iceberg.html">http://marjoriecohn.com/2007/04/alberto-gonzales-tip-of-iceberg.html</a>Â Find more archived by Dr. Cohn, expect more on Gonzales, et al from Marjorie, see her new book: -Cowboy Republic-...
Older yet Especially Relevant
Here is perhaps the most startling to date
<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200307/berlow">http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200307/berlow</a>
(be sure to look up the Letters to the Editor which followed this mind-boggling, well-researched article still quoted classic on Gonzales--with plenty of clues for what would come with his nomination to US AG)
Gonales Won't Repudiate Torture Memo
<a href="http://www.abpnews.com/www/188.article.print">http://www.abpnews.com/www/188.article.print</a>
Alberto Gonzales Archives
<a href="http://dir.salon.com/topics/alberto_gonzales/">http://dir.salon.com/topics/alberto_gonzales/</a>
More links on Gonzales here
<a href="http://blogs.positiveuniverse.com/archives/1458">http://blogs.positiveuniverse.com/archives/1458</a>
( This is a url/website I have used often during last three years for research and participating blogger)
<a href="http://blogs.positiveuniverse.com/archives/">http://blogs.positiveuniverse.com/archives/</a>
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From Abolition to Death Penalty Movement et al via LA Times...Look at this very recent effective blog re Gonzales as Death Expediter:Â AGHAST over AGOG
<a href="http://www.ncadp.org/blog.cfm?postID=39&affID">http://www.ncadp.org/blog.cfm?postID=39&affID</a>=
By AGAG, of course, we mean Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. And aghast we are over the proposal to further undermine the ability of death-sentenced inmates to pursue meaningful habeas appeals.
Today we take the unusual step of publishing an entire op-ed on this blog. The op-ed, which appears in today's Los Angeles Times (hat tip, Steve Hall over at Stand Down Texas) is written by Duke University Law Professor Erwin Chemerinsky.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Expect something soon from Bob Herbert, NEW YORK TIMES OpED, Robert Parry with Consortium News,
Norman Soloman at <a href="http://accuracy.com" title="http://accuracy.com" target="_blank">accuracy.com</a>, <a href="http://democracynow.org" title="http://democracynow.org" target="_blank">democracynow.org</a>,
<a href="http://commondreams.org" title="http://commondreams.org" target="_blank">commondreams.org</a>,Tom Paine, Amnesty I-USA, Center for Constitutional Rights, <a href="http://Truthout.org" title="http://Truthout.org" target="_blank">Truthout.org</a>, The NATION Magazine, Harper's, Atlantic Monthly, <a href="http://Salon.com" title="http://Salon.com" target="_blank">Salon.com</a>, The New Yorker--try watching for more from Sy Hersh
Postive Universe Blogs on Gonzales include classic articles on Gonzales before he became US AG, during nomination & since--ie -The Atlantic Monthly article (see the Letters to the Editor which followed that article for some gems with great story tips & leads for today's reporting/OpEd!)
See the following/watch for plenty of links:
<a href="http://blogs.positiveuniverse.com/archives/">http://blogs.positiveuniverse.com/archives/</a>
Embattled Attorney General Resigns
New York Times Breaking
<a href="http://blogs.positiveuniverse.com/archives/1475">http://blogs.positiveuniverse.com/archives/1475</a>
Alberto Gonzales Resigns
Washington Post Breaking
<a href="http://blogs.positiveuniverse.com/archives/1474">http://blogs.positiveuniverse.com/archives/1474</a>
International Herald Tribune
<a href="http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/08/27/america/27cndgonzales.php">http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/08/27/america/27cndgonzales.php</a>
Hello, I’m not exactly endorsing the following ACTION –yet I signed it & will send out until something comes through from Amnesty or another Rights group I respect:
Tell the White House to Only Confirm an Attorney General Who Respects the Constitution. http://act.truemajorityaction.org/o/2/t/1/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=1187
Finally, Keep watching this most relevant Human Rights website as a backdrop to recent policies by AG Alberto Gonzales:
<a href="http://www.smu.edu/humanrights/links.html">http://www.smu.edu/humanrights/links.html</a>
Peace Works for Justice/Justice Works for Peace
Connie L. Nash Current Action Focus: Torture/Habeas and US Legislation; Women and Violence, USA
Background & Current Connections: AMNESTY I/USA New periodic volunteer Delegation Leader for WNC (education & action–legislation: NC officials)
Freelance Human Rights Media work
CAROLINA CONNECTIONS: Abolition/Moratorium of the Death Penalty; Prison & Family Support (website in process)
Freelance Writer, Speaker, Group Leader
Contact Information (best to call to notify me you are sending an item by FAX or Snail Mail–Especially if urgent/crucial)
Tel # Private: 828 884-9467,828 553-5467 (cell after 5 EST & weekends or feel free to call cell anytime if there is an urgency.
FAX for emergencies & Important Time-Sensitive Documents: To Dale Nash Office, C/O Connie Nash (M,T,W,F from 10-4, or call me if you need to send sooner)
Or send by US Postal Service to Connie L. Nash, PO Box 1267, Brevard, NC 28712
Keep Truckin’ for Peace With Justice,
Connie
August 28th, 2007 at 9:18 am
I was pleased that Dave Elliot used some of our research and collection here on National Coalition Against the Death Penalty Website! You may want to bookmark this site for further resources on Gonzales et al…
Thanks a bunch, Dave…
http://www.ncadp.org/blog.cfm
August 28th, 2007 at 9:28 am
A Defender of Bush’s Power, Gonzales Resigns NYTimes Aug 28 07 (Preventing Other Such…)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/28/washington/28resign.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin
I like the way this one is titled…says more than most such articles…a lot is implied: Did Gonzales ever think for himself? Was he given drugs or hypnotism to cause him to act so consistently on behalf of Bush/Cheney et al? What did he have to gain? In which way will his legacy be a taught so that we will never again have such an Attorney General? Who respected him? How can such puppetry in any official capacity serve the general good?
What can we prevent Right Now such as any further such Injust Justice/Cloning in leadership in any of our most influential offices– Maybe we need a campaign called “no more puppets”? (this may also go for some of our Rights/Peace attitudes. Note the “line-up”
FOR EXAMPLE, here’s a quotable about our current “stand-in” Clement: “He can make the unreasonable sound reasonable” Uh-Oh, what might be used to dupe Congress once again between now & Clement’s sign off?
http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1073944820670
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ More Just In…
US: Gonzales Leaves Shameful Human Rights Legacy Human Rights Watch
(New York, August 27, 2007) – The resignation of US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales should galvanize an investigation into US detention policies during his tenure both at the Justice Department and as White House Counsel from 2002 to 2005, Human Rights Watch urged today.
“The most important responsibility of the attorney general is to say no when government officials – including the president – are tempted to cross legal boundaries,� said Ken Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch. “History will remember Gonzales as the man who never said no to torture and detention policies that violated US and international law.�
As attorney general and White House counsel, Gonzales signed off on CIA interrogation techniques such as “water boarding� that the United States has long considered to be torture, and consistently refused to rule out the use of even the most extreme methods. Recently, in answers to questions submitted by US Senator Richard Durbin, the judge advocates general of the US Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps said that many of the techniques Gonzales approved, including water boarding and painful stress positions, violated laws that criminalize torture. Yet, when asked at a Senate hearing on June 24, 2007 whether an American citizen could lawfully be subjected to such methods, Gonzales refused, stating: “You’re asking me to answer a question which, I think, may provide insight into activities that the CIA may be involved with in the future.�
Over the last seven years, Gonzales was also in a position to approve policies such as secret detention, the “extraordinary rendition� of prisoners to countries that systematically practice torture, and the use of military commissions that deny basic due process. He reviewed and did not object to the Justice Department’s infamous “torture memo,� which argued that the president of the United States could not be bound in wartime by laws prohibiting torture. Gonzales also opposed efforts by other officials in the Bush administration, including Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, to close the detention center at Guantanamo Bay.
In a January 25, 2002 memorandum to President Bush, Gonzales urged the president to declare the Taliban and al-Qaeda forces in Afghanistan outside the coverage of the Geneva Conventions. Gonzales wrote that the war against terrorism “in my judgment renders obsolete Geneva’s strict limitations on questioning of enemy prisoners.� The memo drew a strong rebuke from then-Secretary of State Colin L. Powell, but would become administration policy.
Human Rights Watch called on the US Congress to investigate the detention policies approved under Gonzales’s watch, and to determine whether specific interrogation practices violated the law. It also urged the Congress not to confirm a successor to Gonzales unless he or she repudiates the notion that the president may ignore laws against torture and rules out the use of the abusive interrogation techniques employed by the Bush administration in the past.
To view a Human Rights Watch thematic page on US counterterrorism post-September 11, please visit:
http://www.hrw.org/doc/?t=usa_antiterror
check back for Comment List http://us.oneworld.net/article/view/152651/1/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Alberto Gonzales: A Timeline of Events
Here: http://blogs.positiveuniverse.com/archives/1480 And Here http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-08-27-gonzales-timeline_N.htm?csp=34
And now here’s the url at this reference perma-link for your convenience..
Please add your own comments/links/urls…
Thanks for listening…
Peace Works for Justice & Justice Works for Peace