“We Are Guantanamo” – in other words – you and I -- all of us identifying as "American" are complicit – and insofar as the Guantánamo Bay Detention Camp remains an active US military and illegal entity – it belongs to us.

Since 2002, the Guantánamo Bay Detention Camp has held 779 Muslim men accused of attacking the US on September 11 2001. Nearly all were innocent. 740 have been transferred someplace – 30 remain – 9 died there.

I have been speaking with seven people who have tried to close Guantánamo since 2004. My conversation with Gabor Rona – former Legal Director of Human Rights First – will post next week. They were asked three questions:

1. How did you first learn about GITMO, and why did you get involved?
2. As far as you know, how are the detainees treated?
3. How is Guantanamo a reflection of American Values?

Other topics came up along the way.

When you attempt this thought exercise -- you will also hear words from one of the former detainees, Mansoor Adayfi, who was born in Yemen and held without charge at Guantánamo from 2006 to 2016. You may remember Mansoor who in 2022 alleged that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis oversaw beatings and force-feedings of Guantánamo detainees. 

The seven testifiers:

• Martha Hennessy -- Kings Bay Plowshares 7 & Catholic Worker
• Debra Sweet -- World Can't Wait
• Helen Schietinger -- a registered nurse and organizer of Witness Against Torture.
• Jon Krampner -- an American journalist and author of biographies, popular history and short stories.
• Gabor Rona -- formerly International Legal Director of Human Rights First / Presently Professor at Cardozo Law School.
• Jessica Murphy -- Peaceful Tomorrows
• Christopher H. Brandt -- Witness Against Torture / Fordham University professor

CONTACT: Alan Winson barcrawlradio@gmail.com

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