Members of MAP, We of ImpeachforPeace.org thank you for considering our application. Here is our mission statement in its current form. It is in process, but we have ratified this for now:
Established in 2006, ImpeachforPeace.org, the Minneapolis Chapter of WorldCantWait.org, is a non-partisan organization dedicated to justice: holding American public officials accountable to the Rule of Law and U.S. Constitutional limitations and seeing that politicians who prove themselves (roadblocks) to peace and justice are removed from office.
(The word “roadblocks” has replaced “enemies” for now after the mission statement was ratified including the word “enemies”. Some members thought the word “enemies” didn’t adequately reflect our commitment to peaceful means. We will vote again on the suggested adjustment at our next meeting).
We of ImpeachforPeace.org are greatly encouraged to see that the number one Guiding Principle from the MAP website is entitled “The Primacy of Justice”. Impeachment is the foremost legal tool of justice given to us by our country’s forefathers in order for “We the People” to protect ourselves from being ruled by those who would consider themselves above the law (tyranny), would seek to suppress those who disagree (an aspect of fascism) and who would work to subjugate the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights and rightful American submission to International Law, Accords and Principles.
We of ImpeachforPeace.org do not believe that advocating accountability through the process of impeachment of law-breaking officials is a partisan act. On the contrary, NOT considering it when rampant lawbreaking by our leaders has become public knowledge is the effort that reflects a highly partisan bias.
There are many examples by which President George W. Bush and the current White House administration have proven to hold themselves “above the law” and therefore roadblocks to peace and justice. Not the least of these are over 800 “signing statements” through which President Bush has claimed the authority to release himself and his Administration from the obligation to obey laws enacted by Congress as well as reports of FISA law violations that have surfaced showing Americans were being spied on prior to 9/11 by our own government.
The most striking recent example is that immediately after the Supreme Court ruled 5-3 against the Administration in Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, making the stand against denying Guantanamo Bay detainees their rights by declaring them “enemy combatants”, Bush spokesman Tony Snow said that the President would take the decision “under advisement”.
The Supreme Court lays down the law of the land and the President takes the decision “under advisement”?!? Congress writes laws and the President signs them with the caveat: “this doesn’t apply to me”?!?
The Primacy of Justice should apply to this President.
Now the White House is simply attempting an “end run” on the Supreme Court decision by instituting “tribunals” to deal with the detainees in which all rights and protections would be eliminated or considered “optional”. What isn’t getting a lot of press is that this latest proposal includes the option to designate U.S. citizens ACCUSED of involvement with “terror plots” unworthy of a trial, but instead being given a tribunal:
White House Proposal Would Expand Authority of Military Courts – Washington Post
What is getting even less press or notice is that Hamdan v. Rumsfeld makes clear that not only does the court deny this Administration the right to continue the practices, but reveals a four and a half yearlong trail of illegal treatment of detainees ordered from the highest offices of the Pentagon and the White House in gross violation of “quaint” Geneva Accords and Nuremberg Principles.
Many German and Japanese politicians, officers and soldiers during World War II who violated what became the Nuremberg Principles were indicted, convicted and executed for their crimes.
Is there really any question that it is our patriotic duty and obligation to mankind and the pursuit of World Peace to hold our own leaders accountable to pervasive crimes that have violated the very same Principles? If not us, then whom? We are the ones we have been waiting for.
If a Democratic President is elected in 2008 and continues this pattern of unlawful abuses, we of ImpeachforPeace.org will refocus our impeachment efforts toward him or her. No leader who proves an obstacle to justice or peace should be immune to being held accountable to the rule of law.
Thank you all for your work and for considering our membership application.
Sincerely, Your Partners in Justice,
Peace.