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LDS/Mormonism responsible for torture? |
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Written by Jana Riess
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Thursday, 11 December 2014 19:16 |
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 The release of the Senate report on torture this week brought to light several disturbing facts about U.S. involvement in “enhanced interrogation techniques” such as rectal feedings, near-drownings, extensive sleep deprivation, and death threats.
It also reminded Mormons of something we've known for a while: that at least two of our own were responsible for drafting and legalizing these reprehensible policies.
- Bruce Jessen, a Washington psychologist, helped to develop the techniques; rather than reproving his actions, the LDS Church called him as a bishop in Spokane, Washington. (He resigned from his calling after a public outcry.)
- Jay Bybee, whom Time magazine once called “The Man Behind Waterboarding,” authorized the use of torture when he was a Justice Department official. He is now a judge in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Both of these men are probably very nice people. Bybee, in fact, told Meridian magazine in 2003 that he hopes his tombstone someday reads, “He always tried to do the right thing.”
But as lyricist Stephen Sondheim has rightly pointed out, nice is different than good. Today as the specific details of our country’s approval of torture become clear, some are noting a huge disconnect between the actions of these men and the teachings of the Mormon faith.
A By Common Consent editorial observed that critics “aren’t wrong to note our [Mormons’] deference to authority”:
. . . if we, as a people, are creating good men who do not understand that it is inherently wrong to torture even the worst offenders, then we are not doing a good job at creating good men. If we create men who understand that torture is wrong in the abstract, but when faced with the pressure of keeping a job, the greed of potential government largesse, the opportunity to justify revenge and torture in the name of national security, they fold and authorize it, we are not doing a good job at creating good men.
I too am appalled by the Mormon connection. These are men who dehumanized others, or at least planned and authorized that systemic dehumanization . . . and then went to church on Sundays to partake of talks and lessons on basic morality.
How did this happen, and what can Mormons do about it?
The first step is to admit that we have a problem. Several years ago, the Mormon Times* published a shrill and defensive column about Mormonism and torture, saying that journalists had damned all Mormons for the actions of a tiny minority of the church’s members. While this is a fair point, the column went overboard by claiming that journalists’ even documenting the men’s Mormon connection was an example of anti-Mormonism.
It’s not anti-Mormonism to point out that at least two key torture advocates in the Bush administration were LDS, especially considering that Mormons only constitute less than 2% of the general population.
Worse than that overrepresentation, which could always be explained by way of coincidence, is the fact that the LDS Church as an institution has not publicly called on governments to prohibit torture. In 2005, it did not join with other religious leaders in demanding the Bush administration end all forms of torture, though it did issue a private statement that condemned “inhumane treatment of any person under any circumstances.”
Apparently we Mormons can join with other religious leaders in officially denying LGBTQ people the right to marry (as in last month’s LDS participation in the Vatican conference on the family), but we can’t join with them in saying that the physical and emotional torture of human beings is unacceptable.
Our interfaith cooperation extends only so far as it furthers our own agenda.
So let’s put torture on the agenda. Let’s talk about it. And let’s learn from the example of Mormon Alyssa Peterson, who went to Iraq in 2003 as a counter-intelligence interrogator. As was recounted in Religion Dispatches, when Peterson was ordered to use “advanced interrogation techniques,” she refused to comply. Tragically, she committed suicide rather than participate in torturing other human beings.
Mormonism helped to create Bybee and Jessen, but it also shaped Alyssa Peterson. Our tradition contains the seeds for a more robust moral courage; we only need to nurture them.
- See more at: http://janariess.religionnews.com/2014/12/10/mormonism-responsible-torture/#sthash.mI0vAWdE.dpuf |
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Last Updated on Thursday, 11 December 2014 19:25 |
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Anglo Farmer Making Hasty Get Away Stealing Alfalfa Bales From Ceremony Area of Native Americans? |
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Written by DD
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Thursday, 04 December 2014 13:30 |
Posted by Somos Independents
View south over the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Spirit Camp.
Hay bales of the south wall were stolen.
The sweat lodge in the upper right along the
road had all of the hay bales surrounding it stolen. Photo by Gary Dorr
Unbelievable! We are helping raise awareness for our South Dakota Native American brothers and sisters regarding an Anglo farmer who allegedly stole Alfalfa Bales from Rosebud Sioux Tribe Spirit camp - near ceremony grounds. Hasn't enough been done with the genocides and stealing of lands? Now folks have to steal bales? #IdleNoMore
Here is their presser:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday December 3, 2014
Contact: Wayne Frederick, Rosebud Sioux Tribal Council Representative Gary Dorr, Oyate Wahacanka Woecun, Rosebud Sioux Tribe Email:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Phone: (605) 828-1266
Rosebud Sioux Tribe Spirit Camp near Ideal, SD: In a surprising move of boldness and lack of regard for treaty and property rights, a farmer allegedly stole 29 of the 1,500 lb alfalfa bales from the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Spirit Camp near Ideal, SD this afternoon. Camp resident Leota Iron Cloud attempted to make contact with the semi-truck driver as she was contacting people by phone to make them aware that someone was taking the bales. The driver of the truck made a hasty retreat off the tribal land across an adjacent field. The first bales removed by the farmer and his staff were removed from the barrier protecting the sweat lodges where ceremonies are held at the camp. The second series of thefts occurred at the tipi area where several more bales were taken from the south side of the encampment. The tribal police, Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Tripp County sheriff were notified as well as the South Dakota highway patrol.
The criminal act of taking bales rightfully owned by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe and located on Tribally-owned land, held in trust by the United States Federal Government, was witnessed by Iron Cloud, one of the camp residents. The farmer stole bales that were taken from another piece of tribally-owned land that did not have a lease. The bales were confiscated because the land did not have a lease.
When contacted through the Winner Dispatch a person identified as Tasha indicated that the Tripp County Sheriff’s office passed the investigation off to The Rosebud Sioux Tribal Police. This is an investigation into the theft of tribal owned property from trust land which is a Federal Offense.
Since this is a Federal Offense which involves a Non-Indian offender against an Indian Tribe this investigation bears investigative action by the Rosebud Sioux Tribal Police and the United States Attorney’s Office.
Section 1163 of Title 18 USC makes embezzlement, theft, criminal conversion, and willful misapplication of any of the moneys, funds, credits, goods, assets or other property belonging to any tribal organization a crime. It is a felony if the amount taken exceeds $1,000, and is subject to imprisonment for a maximum of 5 years, a fine pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3571 which cannot exceed $250,000, or both. The value of the bales stolen from the grounds of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Spirit Camp on December 2, 2014, combined with transportation costs and overhead is approximately $5,000. A non-Indian is also subject to this law.
It is no mistake that this is a criminal act of the highest degree, far removed from the civil argument over the loss of unleased crops from almost a year ago. The unleased crops themselves presented a case of Trespass. The bales were seized and returned to the tribe under authority of 25 CFR 162.106. Section 162.106 (a) of this Federal Regulation specifically states If an agricultural lease is required, and possession is taken without an agricultural lease by a party other than an Indian Landowner of the Tract we [BIA] will treat the unauthorized use as a trespass. Unless we have reason to believe that the party in possession is engage in negotiations with the Indian landowners to obtain an agricultural lease, we will take action to recover possession on behalf of the Indian landowners.
The farmer alleges that the bales are his crop from last year; however, he had not leased the land, and this shows that this is clearly a pre-meditated act of theft of tribal property which was located on tribal trust land at the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Spirit Camp. The farmer has taken the bales to his own property which is located 7 miles away from the Spirit Camp.
This story will be updated as the investigation into the felony act of stealing from the Rosebud Sioux Tribe continues to develop.
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Last Updated on Thursday, 04 December 2014 13:50 |
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Social Justice For Rumain Brisbon Letter To Phoenix Police Chief Daniel Garza / AG Eric Holder |
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Written by DD
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Monday, 08 December 2014 20:57 |
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December 9, 2014
City of Phoenix
Police Chief Daniel Garcia
620 W Washington St.
Phoenix, AZ 85003
(602) 262-7626
Subject: Arizona Law Enforcement Excessive Force Concerns / Homicide
Dear Police Chief Garcia:
I began the facebook event in support of Justice for Rumain Brisbon with regard to the rally held at Space Park in downtown Phoenix with other community leaders. We were happy with the diverse protestors that resulted in a peaceful and civil disobedience protest.
I was happy when you stated your department would not tolerate racial profiling in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on SB 1070 (anti-immigrant / anti-brown) law. I hope you will be fair and instrumental with regard to the outcome of this wrongful death situation involving Rumain Brisbon. Even though columnist Laurie Roberts of Arizona Central wrote a scathing story about you when you decided to run a tight ship and fire law enforcement officer Craig Tiger (whose job was on the line when he committed a DUI), I believe you made the right decision that causes me to think you are fair instead of toeing the stereotypical cronyism line. As a former member of the law enforcement community, I believe police officers should be held accountable for homicide(s) since they are supposed to enforce the law and commit to safety.
In my view, nobody should be killed for delivering food to their family.
That said, I am asking your office to look into aggressive misconduct of the Phoenix police officer who fatally shot Rumain Brisbon. I believe the officer who shot Rumain was eager to pull the trigger with regard to an unarmed man and he must be used as an example for the nation with a message that essentially states: Police Chiefs will not tolerate trigger happy police officers in our Nation.
At some point we must stop the wave of trigger happy police officers who are not held accountable – particularly unarmed individuals. Making an example out of the officer who killed Brisbon would make positive history sending a message that conveys trigger happy officers could get criminally charged for wrongful death situations. Judge Dredd is a fictional character I wish to remain part of fiction as we cannot in good mind support men and women in uniform who act as the law, the judge and the executioner. Although the Nation has been focusing on the mantra: all black lives matter, I would like to focus on “all lives matter” since whites, reds, yellows and browns have lost their lives across the Nation due to police excessive force.
Finally, we are asking your office to terminate the officer who shot Rumain Brisbon because we believe he is unfit and unsafe to carry out responsible and safe police duties. Public trust and safety is imperative right now. We pray your office will assist that could help restore Arizona’s law enforcement image and public trust with your guidance and/or leadership. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
#AllLivesMatter
Sincerely,
DeeDee Garcia Blase
Co-founder - Somos Independents
CC: Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne
Incoming Attorney General Mark Brnovich
State of Arizona
Office of the Attorney General
1275 W Washington St.
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Department Of Justice
Office of the Attorney General
Eric H. Holder, Jr.
9500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 205030-0001
FBI Headquarters
935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20535-0001
National Center for Health Statistics
1600 Clifton Road
Atlanta, GA 30333 |
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Racial Struggles: Rally For Rumain Brisbon Shot by Phoenix PD Tonight 8:00 pm |
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Written by DD
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Thursday, 04 December 2014 08:25 |
(Above Rumain Brisbon with his baby)
RALLY FOR RUMAIN BRISBON
Date: Tonight, Thursday, December 4, 2014
Time: 8:00 pm
Where: Downtown Phoenix Civic Space Park, 424 N Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85004
Reverend Jarrett Maupin and other local black and brown leaders speaking for justice tonight.
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Last Updated on Thursday, 04 December 2014 10:45 |
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