From Last Night:

“None of the authorized interrogation methods – either those approved in December 2002 and used on one detainee until I rescinded them, or those that I later approved in April 2003 – involved physical or mental pain. None were inhumane. None met any reasonable person’s definition of torture.”

                    Donald Rumsfeld, “Known and Unknown”, page, 582

Mr. Rumsfeld, as you arrive in Boston for an event promoting your book this evening, I wish I could be there with all my heart. Unfortunately, circumstances mean I am not able to be there. Had I been there, and had I all the time I wished to address you, this is what I would have said:

Hello Friends,

   Sorry for the lack of contact for the last severaL months, and the short diary, and calling her out, but it is really, really important that I get in contact with Momcat. I would be grateful to anyone who can put us in touch. My email is chacounne at gmail dot com

                With gratitude,

                    Hugs,

                   Heather

Hello Friends,

   Just a word for those is the Pacific Northwest, especially Vancouver.

   I will be doing a presentation entitled:

   “Omar Khadr, American Torture and Why You Should Care”

   Friday, May 21st

   7pm

   St. Mark’s Anglican Church, Kitsilano

       1805 Larch St.

       Vancouver

       (2nd and Larch)

   $5

   You are all invited and very welcome.

   (Sorry to be so cryptic, but it’s easier to make details clear.)

             Hugs,

             Heather

Dear Friends,

      I am writing this because I am very frustrated and heart broken.

    As many of you know, the mission of my life is stopping torture as the law, policy and practice of the United States and fighting to have those responsible held legally accountable. I do this in the name and memory of my husband, Dan, who was a Vietnam vet who survived torture. Dan suffered from his injuries for over thirty years, until his fatal heart attack four and a half years ago.

    For several years there seemed to a growing consensus and growing energy in the progressive and Democratic community around this issue, and I was very hopeful that we could make the change happen, because those in power would see that they had no choice. Then the Health Care debate and legislation took over the national conversation and the blogoverse conversation too, and pretty much squashed the issue flat. While I absolutely believe that the conversation and legislation surrounding health care had to happen, I had hoped that following its conclusion we could put anti-torture and pro-accountability issues “back on the table”. It grieves my heart that this has not really happened.

    At the same time as the Health Care debate and legislation was going on, something else was going on too: gradually, those who are committed to this issue have been splintering into different online homes. This makes it much more difficult to get traction on the issue. Those in power need to see that there is a strong and united front who won’t back down from pointing out that torture is still the law, policy and practice of the United States, and demanding that it stop and be removed, and demanding that there be legal accountability for torture.

    I understand why the fracturing has happened, and that people on all sides have been hurt, but we MUST stand together, or those who suffer every single day in Guantanamo and at the other prisons will continue to suffer every single day. I know you know that. I know that you feel their suffering in your bones.

  Please, help me.

  I need your ideas.

  I need your energy.

  I need your commitment.

 Standing with you, for justice and accountability,

               For Dan,

               For all those without a voice,

                         Heather

A Little Bit About Chacounne

My name is Heather and my mission is to stop torture as the law, policy and practice of the United States, and to have those responsible held legally accountable. That mission is in the name and memory of my husband, Dan, who was a US Vietnam vet who survived torture. Dan suffered from his injuries for over thirty years, until his fatal heart attack almost four years ago.

Going to Netroots Nation will help me with my mission. You can help make that happen.

If you’d like to help, please read the highlights of my application for a Netroots Scholarship below and consider signing up to support my application.

http://democracyforamerica.com…

            With gratitude,

                Hugs,

               For Dan,

               Heather