Sample Letter to the Editor for "America I Believe In" CampaignThe Supreme Court’s Hamdan v. Rumsfeld ruling sent a clear message that the president and his administration are bound by the law, even in wartime. The ruling upheld fundamental due process protections that are found in the Geneva Conventions and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The Court also affirmed the prohibition on torture and other cruel, humiliating and degrading treatment by holding that Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions applied to all those in U.S. custody or control. The administration responded by asking Congress to create military commissions that permit secret evidence and evidence obtained through coercion, codify an illegal secret detention regime and provide retroactive immunity for violations of the War Crimes Act. These proposals would undermine the Court’s decision and U.S. obligations under the Constitution and international treaties. Amnesty International has stated that the September 11 attack was a crime against humanity. Anyone involved should be held accountable in trials that meet minimum due process standards found in U.S. and international law. In addition, those involved in the torture or ill-treatment of detainees should not be given legal protection. Without accountability, human rights violations flourish. Congress should reverse of the Administration’s failed policies and return the nation to its former reputation as a leader in human rights and a country that follows the rule of law. [your name] |