Six resolutions on civil rights, foreign policy, and international law (0.00 / 0)

These six resolutions were written by Shakil Zaman.

RESOLUTION DEMANDING THE CLOSURE OF GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA

WHEREAS all citizens of the world, regardless of their military or civilian status are entitled to equal protection under the law, including the right to trial in accordance to the U.S. Constitution and International Law;  

WHEREAS the detainees of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba are entitled to a fair trial meeting all standards of U.S. and International Law, which includes humane treatment, facing their accusers, right to examine the evidence against them, and a speedy trial;  

WHEREAS it is wrong for the current Republican administration to bypass the U.S. Constitution and International Law and hold the detainees without due process or incarcerate them for an indefinite amount of time;  

WHEREAS by holding trials for the detainees, we can prosecute the guilty, allow the innocent to go free and show the International community that the United States is a beacon of freedom, justice and equality; and

WHEREAS in 2009, the new administration will have the opportunity to review and amend the current policies regarding the status of the detainees;

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Texas Democratic Party encourages the safe, fair and speedy trial of the detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba;

BE IT RESOLVED that the Texas Democratic Party encourages the trial of the detainees by an International Court, which should be monitored by the United States and International observers from the United Nations;  

BE IT RESOLVED that the Texas Democratic Party should demand that detainees who have been found guilty of crimes against Americans and other world citizens be held indefinitely in a secure facility in their country of origin; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Texas Democratic Party urges the Democratic Congressional delegation from Texas to draft and support legislation calling for the permanent closure of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and other detention centers operated by any government agency, including the Central Intelligence Agency.

Submitted to and Adopted by Precinct ____ in __________ County, Texas, Senatorial District ___, on March 4, 2008.

___________________
Convention Secretary

RESOLUTION CONDEMING ALL FORMS OF TORTURE

WHEREAS all forms of torture (regardless of severity) violate the spirit of the U.S. Constitution and International Law, more specifically, the Geneva Convention;  

WHEREAS the current Republican administration has violated all provisions of the U.S. Constitution and Geneva Convention by openly advocating the use of torture in places like Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and in third world countries who violate the rule of law and rendition of prisoners to countries who use torture;

WHEREAS by condemning all forms of torture, we are sending a clear message to all terrorists, that although they refuse to adhere to International Law, the United States will always rise above their brutal acts; and

WHEREAS in 2009, the new administration will have the opportunity to review and amend the current policies regarding torture in all its forms;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Texas Democratic Party urges the Democratic Congressional delegation from Texas to draft and support legislation calling for the abolishment of torture in all its forms and regardless of severity in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and for cessation of the rendition program of the Central Intelligence Agency.

Submitted to and Adopted by Precinct ____ in ___________ County, Texas, Senatorial District ___, on March 4, 2008.

___________________
Convention Secretary

RESOLUTION DEMANDING ACCOUNTABILITY OF BLACKWATER WORLDWIDE AND OTHER CONTRACTORS

WHEREAS companies like Blackwater Worldwide, contractors and mercenaries have been operating above the law due to "protective" policies of the current Republican administration;  

WHEREAS contractors like Blackwater Worldwide and others will continue to operate above the law as long as there is no fear of accountability, civil or criminal prosecution;  

WHEREAS contractors like Blackwater Worldwide and others have operated death squads and have continuously used excessive force in a majority of the cases;

WHEREAS it is a violation of International criminal law to provide any protection to firms who knowingly risk the lives of civilians for monetary gain; and

WHEREAS in 2009, the new administration will have an opportunity to review, amend and reverse any decision to continue to protect companies like Blackwater Worldwide and contractors from civil and criminal prosecution;

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Texas Democratic Party urges the Democratic Congressional delegation from Texas to draft and support legislation removing all protective statuses for firms like Blackwater Worldwide from any civil or criminal prosecution.    

Submitted to and Adopted by Precinct ____ in_____________ County, Texas, Senatorial District ___, on March 4, 2008

___________________
Convention Secretary

RESOLUTION SUPPORTING A JUST AND EQUAL PEACE PROCESS BETWEEN ISRAEL AND PALESTINE

WHEREAS every Israeli and Palestinian citizen has the right to self-determination, freedom, dignity and respect;  

WHEREAS by implementing a lasting peace process, we can affect changes and bring about stability and peace in the entire Middle East;

WHEREAS Palestinians and Israelis suffer psychological and physical damage, as a result of no hope for a secure homeland or any prospect of a future state;  

WHEREAS the result of the damages are further heightened by the refusal of some in the International community to act as just and balanced peace brokers;  

WHEREAS it is wrong that the current Republican administration has taken a hands-off and uneven approach to the peace process;  

WHEREAS it is wrong for the current Republican administration to encourage peace on the one hand while fostering hatred, distrust and extremism on the other hand;  

WHEREAS it is wrong for the current Republican administration to block all attempts by the International community and the United Nations (through the use of its veto power) from acting as just and honest brokers in fostering a peace accord; and

WHEREAS in 2009, the new administration will attempt to broker a peace accord between the governments of Israel and Palestine;  

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the United States should act as a just and honest broker in the peace process;  

BE IT RESOLVED that the United States should not use its power either in the United Nations or International community to block any nation from participating or assisting in a peace accord;  

BE IT RESOLVED that the peace accord should be brokered or legislated through diplomatic means rather than through the use of force, threats, military action or sanctions; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Texas Democratic Party urges the Democratic Congressional delegation from Texas to draft and support legislation calling for a just and balanced peace accord between the governments of Israel and Palestine.  

Submitted to and Adopted by Precinct ____ in ________________ County, Texas, Senatorial District ___, on March 4, 2008.

___________________
Convention Secretary

RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE RETURN OF AMERICAN CIVIL RIGHTS AND ADHERENCE TO INTERNATIONAL LAW

WHEREAS the U.S. Constitution and International Law are the framework for a just and civilized society;  

WHEREAS adherence and respect for the U.S. Constitution and International Law and specifically for guidelines on civil and human rights demonstrate our commitment to Democracy;  

WHEREAS, the current Republican administration has violated the spirit of the U.S. Constitution and International Law by reversing safeguards for our civil rights, including rights guaranteed to us as American citizens;  

WHEREAS the current Republican administration has removed these safeguards for the sole purpose of assisting their political and corporate allies;

WHEREAS in 2009, the new administration will have the opportunity to review, amend and reverse decisions that violate the civil rights of Americans and resident and non-resident aliens;  

BE IT RESOLVED that the Texas Democratic Party encourages the safeguards of our civil and human rights as citizens by reversing provisions of the USA Patriot Act of 2001 and other legislation that violate those rights;  

BE IT RESOLVED that the Texas Democratic Party continue to ensure the safeguards of our civil and human rights by instituting specific legislation barring any branch of the U.S. government from implementing martial law that violates any provision of the U.S. Constitution; and

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Texas Democratic Party urges the Democratic Congressional delegation from Texas to draft and support legislation protecting the rights of all U.S. citizens, resident and non-alien citizens (including the reversal of the enemy combatant designation).

Submitted to and Adopted by Precinct ____ in __________ County, Texas, Senatorial District ___, on March 4, 2008.

___________________
Convention Secretary

RESOLUTON CONDEMNDING HATE SPEECH AND CALLS FOR VIOLENCE AGAINST ALL MINORITIES

WHEREAS every American has the right to freedom of speech, but it must be done without inciting hatred and violence;  

WHEREAS it is wrong to condemn any minority population for the act of a few bad seeds;  

WHEREAS it is wrong for the American media to focus only on the negative aspects of our minority populations;

WHEREAS the current Republican administration has exploited 9/11, the economic woes of America, and other events for the sole purpose of condemning, spreading hate and calling for acts of violence against the minority population in the United States and citizens worldwide;

WHEREAS it is wrong to use derogatory terms to describe minorities in the United States; and

WHEREAS in 2009, the new administration will have the opportunity to open frank and honest dialogues with the minority population in the United States and world leaders to combat hatred, terrorism and other cancers that impact the global community;

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Texas Democratic Party encourages the new administration to distance itself from media outlets, politicians and others who openly spread hate and call for acts of violence against any minority group (regardless or race, nationality, religion and other federally protected statuses);  

BE IT RESOLVED that the Texas Democratic Party encourages the passage of legislation removing all federal funding from any organization that spreads hate or calls for acts of violence;

BE IT RESOLVED that the Texas Democratic Party encourages the passage of legislation that removes the FCC license of any radio or television outlet that spreads hate or calls for acts of violence;  

BE IT RESOLVED that the Texas Democratic Party encourages the passage of legislation removing the 501(c)3 status from any non-profit organization that preaches hate or calls for acts of violence; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Texas Democratic Party urges the Democratic Congressional delegation from Texas to draft and support legislation demanding accountability from organizations that spread hate and calls for acts of violence.  

Submitted to and Adopted by Precinct ____ in ________________ County, Texas, Senatorial District ___, on March 4, 2008.

___________________
Convention Secretary

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by: MarkCamann @ Sun Feb 10, 2008 at 19:51:13 PM UTC

Expand the Blackwater resolution (0.00 / 0)

If I could suggest expanding the Blackwater resolution to include Dyncorp - particularly it's anti-coca/poppy contracts in Latin America and Afghanistan. They've also been pushing to replace Border Patrol Agents along the TX border with private mercenaries, as well as pushing for a role in the $1.4 billion Bush giveaway to Mexico for anti-drug war measures. That gets a lot closer to home here in TX, even, than the Blackwater scandals in Iraq. See:

http://gritsforbreakfast.blogs...
and
http://gritsforbreakfast.blogs...

I'm not a fan of the one on "hate speech". What "spreads hate" is subjective, and there are already laws forbidding speech that "calls for acts of violence."

My two cents.  

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by: Gritsforbreakfast @ Mon Feb 11, 2008 at 21:07:40 PM UTC

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Ack! I cant speel! (0.00 / 0)

In the title of one resolution I put "condeming" and in another I put "condemnding."  The coorect spealing is "condemning."  I regreet the errer.

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by: MarkCamann @ Wed Feb 13, 2008 at 03:49:29 AM UTC

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