[URBANTH-L]ANN: International Action Day to Shut Down Guantanamo

[Angela Jancius]

ANN: International Action Day to Shut Down Guantanamo

This Friday, JANUARY 11, 2008, is the six-year anniversary of the
first arrival of prisoners at Guantánamo Bay.

On January 11, the ACLU is calling on everyone opposed to torture and
indefinite detention to WEAR ORANGE to symbolize their sadness and
disgust with the national shame that is Guantánamo Bay.

When someone asks why you're wearing orange, tell them, "Because I
believe in habeas corpus and fair trials; because I believe torture is
immoral, illegal, and un-American; and because Guantánamo is damaging
our country's reputation in the world."

Want to take more action? Download the CLOSE GUANTÁNAMO
Toolkit now to find out how you can organize for January 11 at
home, in your office, in your community, and online:
http://tinyurl.com/2pto6d

If you're busy this Friday, that's ok - you can still sign the pledge, tell
your friends, or download a factsheet.  You can click here to learn
more about Guantánamo Bay: http://www.aclu.org/gitmo

Stand up, get active, and spread the word.  I'll be wearing orange
this Friday, will you?

 Shut Down Guantanamo: January 11, 2008

"Immediately close the detention center at
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and either release its
inmates or bring them before an impartial
tribunal."
- United Nations Human Rights Commission

CALL TO ACTION

We declare January 11, 2008, six years after the first
prisoners arrived at Guantanamo, an International Day
of Action to Shut Down Guantanamo. In Washington, DC we
will hold a permitted demonstration at the National
Mall followed by an orange jumpsuit procession to the
Supreme Court. There will also be solidarity
demonstrations in Chicago, Miami, London and Paris,
with more being added every day. We invite you to come
to Washington and participate, or else join or plan an
action in your own community. We also encourage people
around the world to wear orange t-shirts, armbands or
other orange clothing on January 11th to mark the date.

JOIN US IN WASHINGTON, DC
Friday, January 11, 11:00am. (National Mall).
Map of the location:  http://tinyurl.com/ynn3te

The day involves several elements:

Demonstration at the National Mall. Witness Against
Torture has teamed up with Amnesty International and
the National Religious Campaign Against Torture to hold
a permitted demonstration on the National Mall at
11:00am. (Gather at 12th street NW between Madison Dr
NW & Jefferson Drive SW - near the Smithsonian Metro
Stop.)

"Prisoners of Guantanamo March."
A provocative street theater performance involving
people wearing orange jump suits and black hoods. We
will march from the National Mall to the Supreme Court
in an orderly silent procession hauntingly evoking the
moral disgrace that is Guantanamo. With your help, we
will form a prisoner contingent including as many
protesters as there are prisoners.

Funeral Ceremony at the Supreme Court: Following the
procession to the Supreme Court, we will hold a Funeral
Ceremony to remember the four men who died in custody
at Guantanamo and to mourn the death of Habeas Corpus.
Like last year, some may choose to risk arrest.

To participate, please consider attending an
orientation meeting on Thursday, 4pm, at St. Stephen
and the Incarnation Church (1525 Newton Street, NW) or
come early to the National Mall for an orientation and
rehearsal at 10:00am.

Please let us know in advance if you are willing to
participate in either the Prisoners Contingent, Nonviolent
Direct Action, or both. Email jan11 at witnesstorture.org
or call Matt Daloisio at 201-264-4424.

For up-to-date details as well as information about
housing, food, rides and directions, legal support and
much more, please visit our web site at
www.WitnessTorture.org .

WEAR ORANGE ON JANUARY 11TH!
Wherever you are on January 11th, we encourage you to
wear orange to raise public awareness and strengthen
the movement to demand an end to torture and indefinite
detention. Consider wearing one of Witness Against
Torture's Orange "Shut Down Guantanamo" T-shirts,
<http://www.caebuttons.com/guantanamo.php> an ACLU
arm band, <http://tinyurl.com/2c4mnu> or even an orange
jump suit.<http://www.witnesstorture.org/jumpsuit>

JOIN THE GROWING NUMBER OF LOCAL VIGILS -
ATTEND OR ORGANIZE AN ACTION IN YOUR
COMMUNITY If you can't join us in Washington D.C.,
please consider attending or organizing a vigil, march or a
public forum in your community. Actions are currently
planned in London, England; Paris, France; Miami, FL;
Boise, Idaho; Philadelphia, PA; Saratoga Springs, NY;
San Francisco, CA; Ft. Huachuca, AZ; and New York
City, NY.

Visit www.WitnessTorture.org for up-to-date details
about solidarity events, as well as to find ideas for
actions, to post to our calendar, or to download flyers
and other resources.

WHO WE ARE
Two years ago Witness Against Torture drew
international attention after it walked to Guantánamo
to visit the prisoners. Upon its return, the group has
organized vigils, marches, nonviolent direct actions
and educational events to expose and decry the
administration's lawlessness, build awareness about
torture and indefinite detention, and forge human ties
with the prisoners at Guantanamo and their families.

Some of the organizations endorsing the Jan 11 Day
of Action include:

American Civil Liberties Union
Act Against Torture
Bill of Rights Defense Committee
The Catholic Worker
Center for Constitutional Rights
CodePink
Declaration of Peace
International Federation of Human Rights
National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance
Network of Spiritual Progressives
Pax Christi USA
Peace Action
School of the Americas Watch
Torture Abolition and Survivors Coalition
United for Peace and Justice
Voices For Creative Nonviolence
War Resisters League
World Can't Wait
...and more. See a full list of endorsers.
<http://www.witnesstorture.org/jan11_endorsers>

DONATE
Please make a contribution to help cover the costs of
the January 11th event. You can donate online
<http://www.witnesstorture.org/donate>
or send a check made out to "Witness Against Torture"
to Mary House Catholic Worker, 55 E. Third Street, New
York, NY 10003.


www.WitnessTorture.org

Our website has all the tools you need to restore lost liberty.
Check it out at www.acluohio.org.

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