A thread for thoughts, actions, reflections, articles, etc. on 10th unhappy anniversary of 911

[Peter Lemkin]

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[TD="width: 407"]A Message to our Center for Constitutional Rights Supporters:
In response to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, George W. Bush shredded the U.S. Constitution, trampled on the Bill of Rights, discarded the Geneva Conventions, and heaped scorn on the domestic torture statute and the U.N. Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
As we mark the 10th anniversary of the terrible events of September 11, 2001, none of us has any desire to play down the horrors of that day, but two wrongs do not make a right, and, in response to the attacks, the Bush administration engineered and presided over the most sustained period of constitutional decay in our history.
Moreover, although George W. Bush entered the first decade of the 21st century by dismantling the rights that are fundamental to the identity of the United States and the security of its people, Barack Obama ended the decade by failing to fully reinstate those rights. Through his own indecision, or through ferocious opposition in Congress, he has been unable to close the infamous prison at Guantanamo Bay, as promised, and has also refused to even contemplate holding anyone in the Bush administration accountable for their crimes.
As a result, the democratic principles which we hold dear have suffered a massive blow in the first ten years of the 21st century, although that is not the main problem. The deep erosion of our civil liberties is to be lamented, and should be resisted, however difficult the political climate, but the most painful truth about the last decade is that it marks an undoing of democracy so severe that without concerted and deliberate action by the people in this country -- and, one hopes, by their elected leaders -- the values which defined us, before the events of 9/11 allowed the Bush administration to reshape our perception of executive power, may never be regained.
In the end, the test of our democracy is to look at the actions that have been done in our name and under our watch the wars, the repression, the extra-judicial detention and killings, the torture, the profiling and ask ourselves: are we in a better position now to stop the acts that continue, to ensure that they don't happen in the future, to ensure that the officials are held accountable, and to put the presidency back in the constitutional box than we were 10 years ago?
The answer to that is yes, to the extent that we are able to demand that our government end the lawlessness, stop stockpiling constitutional power and move back towards a path of lawful, democratic action, but the restoration of the values that we hold dear requires concerted action by many people. The 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks is a painful anniversary, but let us also make it the occasion when, en masse, we say to the government, "Enough is enough," and demand an end to the ongoing injustices, and the return of our values.
On Wednesday, September 14, CCR will be hosting a panel discussion at the NYU School of Law entitled, "A Decade of Fighting Terror: CCR Reflects on 10 Years After 9/11," featuring CCR President Emeritus Michael Ratner, CCR Executive Director Vincent Warren, and CCR Attorneys Shayana Kadidal and Rachel Meeropol. The event, to be held at D'Agostino Hall, 108 West Third St. (at MacDougal St.) in New York, is from 6:30 to 8:30, and is free and open to the public; space is limited so please RVSP by Monday September 12 to rsvp@CCRjustice.org. If you are unable to attend in person, go to www.CCRjustice.org/10YearsLater to watch a live webcast.
Over the last decade, your unwavering support and commitment to human rights and justice has fortified CCR and allowed us to continue the struggle alongside all of you. We know that true change can only come from the people. We look forward to continuing to stand together over the next decade as we face the challenges ahead, and to working with you to achieve the world we all envision. Visit www.ccrjustice.org/the911decade for CCR's comprehensive perspective on this critical time in our lives.
Sincerely,

Vincent Warren

Executive Director
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