Take Action Against the Military Commissions Act
Take action! On June 27, 2007, join the National Call-in to Restore Habeas Corpus! Call your state Representatives and Senators on the 27th and tell them to restore the ancient right of habeas corpus. For more information, click here.
Make a local statement of protest against the latest Orwellian law -- the Military Commissions Act! Join with groups around the country in signaling local outrage!
Start planning now:
- Contact Veterans for Peace and groups like Veterans Against Torture to join you
- Contact other veterans groups to find unexpected allies
- Contact east region organizer Ben Grosscup or west region organizer Hope Marston to see if a retired military leader, law professor, or law dean from your area has signed a letter opposing the Military Commissions Act. If we have contact information, you can ask that person to speak at your event.
- Check in with other allies throughout the community for organizing, postering, flyering, and speaker ideas.
- Find a location locally for high visibility.
- Invite city council, county board, and other public figures.
- Start a telephone tree to make sure your event is well-attended.
Activists in the Sacramento area are organizing a
Military Commissions Act protest rally for Veteran's Day, November
11, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the State Capitol. Click on Stephanie McMillan's
cartoon for details and a copy of a rally flyer. More of Stephanie's
work can be seen at http://minimumsecurity.net
Resources
- Nov 14, 2005 letter signed by 370 law professors on the Graham-Levin-Kyl Amendment, which abolished habeas for Guantánamo detainees
- Sep 12, 2006 letter signed by 27 retired military leaders opposing the Military Commissions Act.
- Sep 27, 2006 letter signed by 72 law deans and presidents opposing the Military Commissions Act.
- Sep 28, 2006 letter signed by 556 law professors opposing the Military Commissions Act.
Putting a Human Face on Habeas Corpus
The Military Commissions Act enables the U.S. government to deny habeas corpus rights to any person who is not a U.S. citizen. This is a potential threat to any non-citizen who is a legal resident of the United States, and indeed, any person in the world.
What you can do locally:
- Make a list of prominent and beloved non-citizens/legal residents who potentially could be affected.
- Ask them if they’re willing to be named publicly to stir the public conscience.
- Start an advertisement campaign, collecting $5 or $10 or $25 from each person willing to sign the advertisement in support of habeas corpus rights for these beloved community members, and for all non-citizens.
- Use the money collected to run a ¼ page, or ½ page, or full page advertisement in your local paper with a title such as: "We Are Not Your Enemies!" "They Could Lock Me Up Without Court Review," or "Next Enemy Combatant: Your Neighbor."
Other Resources
Current Legislation
Legislation
from the 109th Congress (including passage of the MCA)
Working with Veterans
Groups on the Military Commissions Act
Guantánamo Reading Project
BORDC General Resources Index
BORDC Fliers
Literature, Booklets, Presentations,
and Analyses
Links to Other Web Sites