We’ve talked a lot about the commanders, instigators, and supporters of torture carried out by the United States. But, out of this heinous ordeal a few heroes deserve our attention far more than the despicable criminals that authorized the sadistic orders.
The ACLU has launched a petition asking President Obama to formally honor those who objected and tried to end the torture policies.
Their website says,
?The CIA’s gruesome practices would never have come to light were it not for those who stood apart and refused to consent to torture and other abuses.?
One of these brave men is Alberto J. Mora who, unlike some fellow prosecutors, refused to resign and worked within the Department of Defense to fight torture under the guise of enhanced interrogation techniques.
In April 2011, the New York Times featured an Op-Ed by Jameel Jaffer of the ACLU and Larry Siems of the Freedom to Write program, with this plea. They told Mora’s story then.
?When Alberto J. Mora, the Navy’s general counsel, learned of the interrogation directive that Mr. Rumsfeld issued at Guant?namo, he campaigned to have it revoked, arguing that it was ?unlawful and unworthy of the military services.?
There was also Lt. Col. Darrel Vandeveld, who experienced ridicule for taking a stand and was basically placed on house arrest for his questioning of the abusive techniques.
These men, and the others featured in the video, are the true patriots. They stood up to protect American values against the corruption that swayed our country to violate the law.
Part of our county’s recovery from this terrible cruelty will be to elevate and honor those that stayed true to what it means to be an American. I hope you’ll join me in signing the petition asking President Obama to honor these true American heroes.
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Elizabeth Preston is a thirty-something wife and mother of three living in Florida. She is a fierce liberal with a passion?for equality and justice. She is a skeptic by nature and often the Facebook friend that rains on the urban legend parade with fact checking. Give her?Facebook page?a?like, follow her on?Twitter?and check out her personal blog,?My Four Ha? Pennies.
