Act Against Torture visited Independence Day celebrations in Redwood City, Berkeley, and San Francisco on 4 July 2006 to remind Americans that holding thousands of prisoners without charges, torturing them, and transferring them to countries who will torture them even more horribly is neither patriotism nor democracy.
One of our goals was to collect pledges for the Declaration of Peace, a call to end the U.S. war in Iraq and bring U.S. troops home, and oppose further U.S. military invasions. Individuals and organizations are pledging to participate in a week of nationally-coordinated non-violent action if these goals are not accomplished by Sept 21, 2006, International Peace Day.
We also spread the word about our Orange Ribbon Pledgeto Shut Down Guantanamo, which is a focus and spin AAT is giving to participation in the nationwide Declaration of Peace effort. Cards distributed with our ribbons ask that people "Wear this orange ribbon and join the call to shut down the military prison at Guantanamo and end the illegal practices of indefinite detention, torture, denial of civil rights and extraordinary rendition." If the government fails to give fair trials to detainees at Guantanmo or release them by September 21, orange-ribbon wearers pledge to take sustained nonviolent action to make our voices heard.
