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annm4peace

(6,119 posts)
7. some of us have been protesting torture and Guantanamo for the last 8 years
Sun Dec 14, 2014, 12:25 AM
Dec 2014

it is heart breaking. In those early years I would search for their names and any info about them. I would make placards with their names, ages, what happened to them. where they were from, etc. And we would have marches or rallies and wear those placards. Demanding torture stop and prosecute those who ordered and authored torture.. and Close Guantanamo Now.
at one time I found the simple but very informative website CagePrisoners.. you just had to click on different prisons like Guantanamo or countries that had black sites. It would have a detainees name... sometimes it would have lots of personal info, how they were captured. letters from their family members. I would cry every time I looked through the info to make the placards. I would say a prayer as I wrote their names... that they would soon be with their families, that they would be safe when they got home, that they would see their family, that they would mentally and physically heal.. that their families would be ok and survive as they were held.. I can't tell you how many protest, marches, or rallies we would.. some years could be 10, others, some in the group stood or kneeled in front of the Federal building every day for year.

They were just 8x11, I printed them on the computer on card stock paper after having to make them for the 3 or 4th time because they would get torn as people wore them at 2-3 events.. I laminated them... people always wanted some of the same placard they had before..like we individual were holding that person. I would either have the name, age, city.. or an action that happened to a person like: I was riding my bike to the store for my mother when they kidnapped me.. or I'm an old farmer and have dementia.. or my mother has died while I've been at Guantanamo. and of course ones of torture.. The website CagePrisoners is one just CAGE.. and much more complex.

It is still heart breaking.. Last night i searched for the names of those who went Uruguay. I saw one picture of one of the guys in regular clothes.. again the tears. It is sick what we humans can do to others.

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