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8-30-2004

Resist Newsletter, July-Aug 2004

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Recommended Citation Resist, "Resist Newsletter, July-Aug 2004" (2004). Resist Newsletters. 364. https://digitalrepository.trincoll.edu/resistnewsletter/364 Inside: Resisting Prison and Military Abuse

ISSN 0897-2613 • Vol. 13 #6 A Call to Resist Illegitimate Authority July/August 2004 More Than Just a Few "Bad Apples" Confronting Prison Problems in Iraq and in the US Zimbardo had students play the roles of ROSEBRAZ guards and prisoners. The study had to be halted after only a few days when the ondemning the abuse of Iraqi pris­ "guards" began to abuse their fellow stu­ oners as "fundamentallyun-Ameri­ dent "prisoners." In a recent Boston Globe Ccan," Donald Rumsfeld ignores the editorial (May 9, 2004) comparing his strikingly similar circumstances facing two experiment's finding with the abuses in million US prisoners. Abu Ghraib, Zimbardo wrote: While Congress, the military-and pun­ Some of the necessary ingredients [ for dits alike argue that the Abu Ghraib pho­ stirring human nature in negative direc­ tos do not depict conditions in American tions] are: diffusion of responsibility, prisons, they forget that a few months be­ anonymity, dehumanization, peers who fore atrocities were caught on tape at Abu model harmful behavior, bystanders who. Ghraib, we watched our own videotape of A banner depicting abuse at Abu Ghraib do not intervene, and a setting of power guards at the California Youth Authority prison spans a Los Angeles overpass. Photo differentials. Those factors were appar­ beating youth under their watch. by Damian Dovarganes, courtesy of San Diego ently also operating in Iraq. But in addi­ A few years earlier, at California's Military Counseling Project tion there was secrecy, no accountabil­ Corcoran State Prison, guards staged and of Corrections. He resigned that position ity, no visible chain of command, con­ wagered on "gladiator fights" between pris­ in 1997 after a prisoner died while shackled flicting demands on the guards from the oners. As in Iraq, there have been deaths to a restraining chair naked for 16 hours. CIA and civilian interrogators, no rules in custody. For example, in Florida in 1999, With additional revelations of more enforced for prohibited acts, encourage­ guards beat prisoner Frank Valdez to death. atrocities, the call rises to court martial ment for breaking the will of the detain­ And if there was any doubt that prisons Lynndie England and other abusers, get ees, and no challenges by many bystand­ beget torture, one need only remember Peli­ rid of the few "bad ·apples," reduce the ers who observed the evil but did not can Bay State prison, where prison guards number of prisoners held at Abu Ghraib blow the whistle. immersed a m~ntally ill prisoner in a tub of and possibly even close the prison. boiling w~ter. Unfortunately, history and research Challenging Prisons show that eliminating torture requires more Prisons as we have them now have not Parallels in Iraq and US Prisons than just removing so-called bad apples always existed, and the movement to abol­ These are not isolated incidents, and from the barrel. The Abu Ghraib catastro­ ish prisons was born 200 years ago. After the similarities do not end there. The Iraqi phe, and the atrocities that occur in Ameri­ visiting the first modem prison in the US, prisons are now run by the same people can prisons everyday, should instead make the Pennsylvania Eastern State Penitentiary who run our prisons at home: two of the us rethink the use of prisons as answers to in 1842, Charles Dickens wrote, "There is a seven soldiers accused in the Abu Ghraib what are social, economic and political depth ofterrible endurance ... which no man scandal are prison guards in the US. The problems- both in Iraq and here at home. has a right to inflict upon his fellow man appointed to reopen Abu Ghraib last Research underlines this truth: A semi­ creature ... I believe it to be cruel and wrong." year was the director of the Utah Department nal 1971 study by Stanford's Philip G. continued on page two

Vol. 13, #6 RESIST Newsletter Page 1 More Than Just a Few "Bad Apples" continued from page one curring. In fact, we recently learned from Charles White, the first prisoner of East­ the US State Department that rather than ern State, was not unlike many locked up making us safer, these draconian measures today in the US. Just 18 years old, his prison have led to a sharp increase in both the record states: "Burglar. Farmer by trade. number of incidents labeled "terrorist" and Can read. Theft included one twenty-dollar the toll in victims in the last year. watch, one three-dollar gold seal, one gold The solution to the Abu Ghraib night­ key. Sentenced to two years confmement." mare isn't as simple as locking up England Williams was assigned a number, "l ",· and her fellow military personnel in the which would replace his name throughout same cages that they oversaw. It won't be his stay. A black hood was placed over his resolved by firing Rumsfeld or reducing the head whenever he left his cell. number of Iraqi detainees. Closing Abu That was 1829. Today, there are 78,000 Ghraib is at most a superficial gesture. prisoners 19 years old and under, and two These proposed solutions will fail be­ million adult prisoners. Our society con­ cause, as Professor Zimbardo recently told Graphic by Laura Whitehorn tinues to label prisoners as less than hu­ the New York Times, "It's not that we put man, lock them in cages, strip them naked son may be willing tq help a terrorist; ex­ bad apples in a good barrel. We put good and even allow their murder and rape. Like pansion of the power to summarily deport apples in a bad barrel. The barrel corrupts Williams and the Iraqi detainees, prisoners without judicial review; a six-month mora­ anything that touches it." Americans are at Virginia's Wallens Ridge State Prison torium on student visas and broad new now faced with a choice: we must either have been forced to wear black hoods. powers of surveillance including national relinquish our innocent self-image or dis­ On top of it all, prisons don't make our identification cards and the authority to mantle the barrel. communities safer. In the first national wiretap any phone or computer that might study on the impact of imprisonment on be used by a suspect. Rose Braz is the director of Critical crime, the Washington, DC-based Sentenc­ While not all of the above proposals Resistance, a former Resist grantee. For ing Project found that people in states with came to fruition, many did. Since Septem­ more information, contact Critical more prisons and more people in prison ber 11, more than 1,100 people-almost all Resistance, 1904 Franklin St #504, Oaldand, were no safer than people in other states. from majority Muslim countries- have CA 94612; www.criticalresistance.org. Since 1997, Critical Resistance has been been detained. Almost three years later, working to debunk the myth that the prison more than 600 detainees remain imprisoned industrial complex (PIG) will make our com­ at Guantanamo Bay without charge. One munities safer. After Septe.mber 11, 2001, man, Mohammed Rafiq Butt, held un­ we found ourselves also working to de­ charged for a month in a New Jersey INS bunk the myth that expanding the prison lock-up, died before anyone, including his industrial complex, internationally and do­ family in Pakistan, knew that he had been mestically, would make this nation safer. arrested. In the aftermath of September 11, The same flawed principles of retribution the government has secretly moved detain­ and retaliation that have driven the growth ees-they were "disappeared"-their at­ of the PIC as an answer to what we label torneys unable to find them. Meanwhile, the stock prices of compa­ ILLEGITIIIATI AUTIIORlff "crime" at home have no~ been employed as ,.,,,,_.,,, ~ CltMtfl ~ /1161 an answer to September 11. These policies nies that sell surveillance equipment For information and grant guidelines, write have driven this nation to war and threaten doubled in value directly after September to: Resist, 259 Elm St., Suite 201 Somerville, MA 02144 to expand the PIC further at home and in 11. And companies that build and run pri­ www .reslstinc.org; [email protected] Iraq. One result is the Abu Ghraib crisis. vate prisons, which were on the brink of bankruptcy before September 11, experi­ Resist Newsletter is published ten times a year by RESIST, Inc., (617) 623-5110. The Loss of Freedom, Rights for All enced as much as inuch as 300% gains af­ views expressed in articles, other than edi­ Following September 11, we witnessed ter September 11 in anticipation of intern­ torials, are those of the authors and do not a myriad of proposals to expand the PIC, ment camps and new prisons. necessarily represent the opinions of the most coming under "The USA PATRIOT While the PIC and "homeland security" RESIST staff or board. Act of 2001." Ironically, the restrictions on efforts claim to be about safety and order, RESIST Staff: Robin Carton our freedom came in the guise of protect­ in reality both have made the lives of most Yafreisy Mejia ing our freedom. people-especially people of color and the Carol Schachet Among the more alarming proposals poor-less safe and more disordered. RESIST Interns: Jean Smith made in the aftermath of September 11: in­ The behemoth prison industrial complex Molly Geidel definite detention of legal immigrants­ that was in place prior to September 11 did without charge-and in some cases the not ·prevent what occurred that day. Simi­ Newsletter Editor: Carol Schachet mandatory detention of immigrants; depor­ larly, an expansion of those failed policies Printing: Red Sun Press tation based on the suspicion that a per- will not prevent further tragedies from oc- 0 Printed on Recycled Paper with Soy Ink ~-

Page 2 RESIST Newsletter July/August 2004 War Conduct Guidelines Outdated Enemies ofthe Geneva Convention Trample Prisoner Rights HENRY ROSEMONT, JR. t~ey were doing, or refused to do, in de­ Prisoners ofwar are in the hands ofthe fending their actions. For example, it is nec­ Enemy Power, but not of the individu­ eginning in 1864, a number of Euro­ essary for justifying current US actions in als or military units who have captured Bpean countries began to negotiate trea­ Afghanistan and Iraq-not to mention them. Irrespective ofthe individual re­ ties that would at least minimally check the Guantanamo Bay or the US itself-that we sponsibilities that may exist the Detain- amount of havoc human beings could have ing Power is responsible for the treat­ wreak on one another with the technology no ment given them. of modem warfare. The first treaty was signed in Geneva, Switzerland (at the An Enemy by Any Other Name same time the Red Cross was estab­ It is, of course, subject to de­ lished, for the same reason), and bate whether someone should subsequent treaties were signed be seen as an enemy combatant there in 1899, 1907, 1925, 1929 and or as a prisoner of war. The 1949, with two additional proto­ Bush administration has desig­ cols to the 1949 treaties added nated everyone at Guantanamo in 1977, extending many of the as an "enemy combatant"- provisions of the earlier treaties thereby removing them from the to civil wars. protective cover of the Geneva The provisions of these sev­ Conventions-and insisted that no eral Geneva Conventions range other agency, including US or inter­ from care of the sick and wounded to national courts, could legitimately the care of civilians to the care of prison­ question the government's classification. ers of war, and ban the use of certain types In a minimal defense of basic human of weapons for warfare such as chemical rights, the US Supreme Court ruled on June and biological agents destructive of human 29th that while the Executive (Bush) branch life (nuclear weapons are not mentioned). could indeed designate persons as "enemy The expression "The Geneva Conventions" combatants," the designation was subject refers to all of these treaties, and connotes to judicial review whenever it conflicted not merely their precise legal statements, with the provisions of the Bill of Rights. but also their moral thrust. Because all hu­ prisoners of war to interrogate, only "en­ Thus the Supreme Court was in effect bow­ man beings have dignity, and legitimate emy combatants" or "detainees," because ing to the international prestige accorded rights which they may claim solely by vir­ the Geneva Conventions protect the former the Geneva Conventions which include the tue of being human, there are many, varied, in ways not claimable by either of the lat­ following (1949, ID,Article 5): and sharp constraints placed on the be­ ter. Thus "detainees" at Abu Ghraib could Should any doubt arise as to whether havior of nation-states when dealing with not be construed as prisoners of war, be­ persons, having committed a belliger­ individual persons, its own citizens or cause Article 17 of the 3rd 1949 Convention ent act and having/alien into the hands those of another nation-state. Or at least says clearly: of the enemy, belong to any of the cat­ so the ~eneva Conventions presupposed. No physical or mental torture nor any egories enumerated in Article 4, [ de­ other form ofco?rcion, may be inflicted fining prisoners- of warJ such persons Beyond the Letter of the Law on prisoners ofwar to secure from them shall enjoy the protection ofthe present It is important to keep clear the distinc­ information ofany kind whatever. Pris­ Convention until such time as their sta­ tion between the legal letter of the conven­ oners ofwar who refuse to answer may tus has been determined by a compe­ tions and their moral underpinnings. This not be threatened, insulted, or exposed tent tribunal. is because, while United States' murder­ to unpleasant disadvantageous treat­ The US focus on strict legality rather ous adventures abroad seem to be clearly ment of any kind. than basic morality in the conduct of its illegal internationally, they are, according This is a fairly strong statement under foreign policy with respect to human rights to the present government, defensible on any circumstances, but it becomes even is equally evident in its approach to the moral grounds: we are bringing freedom more so when it is seen in the entire context UN Convention against Torture (UN Gen­ and democracy to the (surviving) Iraqi ofthe 3rd 1949 Convention, for if''detainees" eral Assembly resolution of 1984 ). The US peoples. But successive US governments might legitimately be seen as prisoners of formally adopted this Human Rights con­ since World War II - not alone George war, their abuse by specific persons could vention in 1991 with a series of reserva­ W.-have always insisted upon the legal, not be redressed by prosecuting those tions, understandings, and declarations not the moral dimensions of what it was abusers alone, as Article 12 states clearly: continued on page four

Vol. 13, #6 RESIST Newsletter Page 3 War Conduct Guidelines Outdated continuedfrom page three (RUDs) that weakened the document, in­ The Bush administration has designated cluding six technical modifications of the legal definition of "torture." It is on this everyone at Guantanamo as an enemy basis that Jay Bybee, then of the Justice Department and now an appellate court combatant thereby removing them judge, could provide the White House with from the ·protective cover of the the now infamous August 1, 2002 memo justifying Commander-in-ChiefBush doing Geneva Conventions. pretty much 'Yhatever he wanted to do to secure intelligence from his "enemy com­ stand distinct from civilians would be in­ tion, one without RUDs, written in plain batants." People of good will ( or even not­ stant mass suicide. language, that would outlaw war altogether so-good will) may argue over the strict le­ Thus the current barbarities can only once and for all. gal definition of "torture," but their argu­ be expected to con_tinue into the future in ments are altogether beside the (moral) all conflicts between the world's sole su­ Henry Rosemont, Jr. has been a member point and thrust of the UN Convention perpower and whoever it designates as ofResists Board ofDirectors since 1969. against Torture (Article 2, No.2): "No ex­ "enemy combatants." While the existing Documentation for this article can be ceptional circumstances whatsoever, Geneva Conventions are certainly much obtained by writing him c/o RESIST, 259 whether a state of war or a threat of war, better than nothing in mitigating the slaugh­ Elm Street, Somerville, MA 02144; internal political instability, or any other ters, today's world requires a new Conven- [email protected]. public emergency, may be invoked as a justification of torture. " To be sure, there are several legal, and Hell No, We Won't Stay some moral grounds for denying prisoner of war status to the captured, arrested, or Military Reservist Resistance Grows simply "detained" Iraqis perceived to be enemies; what makes them "unlawful com­ MARTI HIKEN & batants" is that 1) They do not wear uni­ KATHLEEN GILBERD forms, as the Geneva Conventions require; 2) They do not themselves grant Geneva ~ fy husband wants out, Convention status as prisoners of war to 1 V.1 says Martha. "Thats all there is to those they capture (i.e., the beheadings of it. Ifthey won i let him out, he'll go AWOL. " May and June); and 3) They do not seem­ This is a common complaint that mili­ ingly make any effort to spare civilian lives tary counselors and lawyers hear from Gis, when attacking US ( or Israeli) occupying their families and friends. Although the De­ forces. By thus flaunting the Geneva Con­ partment of Defense reports that only about ventions themselves, this argument runs, 700 Gis have gone absent without leave our enemies surrender any claim to be gov­ (AWOL) since the beginning of the cur­ erned in accordance with the provisions of rent war in Iraq, those involved in counsel­ those Conventions. ing and representing Gis know that the To thoughtful progressives, what fol­ number is in the thousands. Dissatisfac­ lows from these reflections is not simply tion and objection among US troops in this that Afghan and Iraqi insurgents are get­ current war has increased steadily, reflected ting only their just desserts from the US, in growing numbers of GI's seeking dis­ Camilo Mejia cited abuse of Iraqis and but rather that the US military juggernaut charge or going AWOL. In response, a na­ civilian deaths as reasons for refusing to is now so all-powerful and all-encompass­ tional network ofmilitary counselors formed return to military service. Photo courtesy of ing that "conventional warfare" has be­ the GI Rights Hotline to offer information Military Law Task Force come a concept of the past, and conse­ and guidance about discharges, GI rights, ation of easily activated military bases quently, so have the Geneva Conventions. and similar issues. throughout the world. Even properly clothed, with adequate weap­ Members of the Hotline include the Cen­ It took peace and anti-war activists six ons, flak jackets, night-vision goggles, hel­ tral Committee for Conscientious Objectors, years to organize a resistance to the Vietnam mets and pager/radios, Iraqi insurgents­ the National Lawyers Guild's Military Law War. During Gulf War I, it took six weeks or Palestinians-would be no match for Task Force (MLTF), the Center on Con­ before we had the military counseling cen­ their occupiers, who, in addition to all of science and War (formerly NISBCO), ters up and running. When this Gulf War the above, have a full store of artillery, Quakerhouse, and other local and regional began in 2002, we were already prepared. tanks, helicopters, C-130 gun ships, counseling groups. The Hotline was formed In 2003, the GI Rights Hotline received Humvees, Bradleys, and much else. For in the mid-1990s in response to the chang­ 30,000 calls. About 15% of those were from those insurgents, to don uniforms and ing nature of the US military and its ere- continued from page five

Page 4 RESIST Newsletter July/August 2004 Hell No, We Won't Stay continued from page four tion or evidence of imminent Gls seeking Conscientious Objec­ threat; tor claims; 30% were fromAWOLs; • Mistreatment of Iraqi civilians and the rest ran the gamut from and damage to basic living struc­ discharge information to Post tures; Traumatic Stress Syndrome • Mistreatment ofUS forces by an (PTSS). This year the calls are com­ overzealous and war-thirsty ad­ ing in at a rate of 3,000-4,000 per ministration. month, not including calls directly As in the past, many Gl's have to member organizations of the GI come to oppose the war in Iraq as Rights Hotline. _a result of their own experiences in it. Men and women deployed Sample Calls for Counseling to Iraq are reminded daily that To better understand the nature they are viewed as part of an army of our work, it is useful to review of occupation. Images of US the kinds of calls one member Military Families Speak Out gains attention at a press event forces as "liberators" have long in Philadelphia. Photo by John Grant, Veterans for Peace group of the Hotline-the Military passed, replaced by graffiti, rocks Law Task Force-receive on a typi­ and bombs intended to repel an cal day. Reservists and Families Speak Out unwelcome occupier. For example, a military counselor in Staff Sargent Camilo Mejia is the first Military personnel also have access to Northern California called seeking the name soldier known to be tried for desertion af- information that contradicts their original of a lawyer in Kansas. Apparently, MPs ter service in combat in the current Iraqi marching orders. Mainstream news sources and sheriffs in Kansas have found it their conflict. Although he sought status as a report that no WMDs have been found, duty to seek outAWOLGis, capture them, conscientious objector, Camilo was found despite earlier administration claims. And stick them in jail, beat them brutally and guilty and sentenced to a year in the brig. although the Bush administration has care­ then ship them back to their units. Pres­ In his CO application, he described the fully hidden military coffms from media ently 25,000 Marines serve in Iraq, and the conditions of detep.tion and treatment of scrutiny, these personnel know the toll this number going AWOL continues to climb. Iraqi prisoners, including instances where action is taking on the lives, limbs and A second call follows almost immedi­ soldiers were directed to "break the detain- minds of their fellow soldiers. ately and concerns another Marine, this ees' resolve." He also described witnessing News of brutality towards Iraqi citizens one AWOL and suicidal in Iowa. Although the killing of civilians, including children. and torture of prisoners has shaken many his psychologist told the soldier's com­ Nancy Lessin, the founder of Military soldiers who previously supported the vi­ manding officer that the soldier intends to Family Speaks Out, and a member of the sion of this war offered by their leaders, kill himself if he has to go back, the com­ Bring Them Home Now! Campaign, called despite the incredible barrage of racist ide­ mander says he wants him to return imme­ the MLTF because Camilo is being moved ology and images presented by the Penta­ diately, saying he'll deal with the problem. to Fort Sill, Oklahoma. It's an isolated area, gon and American news media. The counselor says they need a lawyer in offering little protection for a GI resister. Other soldiers and sailors have come to Iowa and San Diego. Fortunately, we locate a We contacted an NLG lawyer and law stu­ question military policy through mistreat­ MLTF lawyer in Iowa and a good counsel­ dents in Oklahoma City. We called Camilo's ment and mismanagement of its own ing group with legal support in San Diego. family to give them the names of the Okla­ troops. Current military strategy-includ­ The next phone call is from a GI in Alaska homa contacts and then began to coordi­ ing commitments to long-term occupations who wants to know if Canada is an option. nate the support system for Camilo before with over 31 l,000 publicly acknowledged He's received deployment papers for Iraq. he arrives at Ft. Sill. servicemembers deployed in over 120 coun­ He is connected to a MLTF member in Alaska. Because Camilo·is a Costa Rican citi- tries-has led to "manpower" problems The MLTF received a call from the wife zen, born in Nicaragua, we must also call and forced troops into lengthy and un­ of a reservist just back from Iraq. She re­ immigration defense lawyers to find out wanted duty. "Stop loss" policies allow the ported that her husband suddenly charged about Camilo's deportability. He has a military to retain soldiers beyond their regu-_ into their bedroom thinking that his wife green card and is a permanent resident. lar discharge dates ( although early dis­ was an Iraqi about to shoot him. Appar­ charges, such as conscientious objection, ently he suffered from PTSS, which can be Factors Behind Military Resistance are generally unaffected). Tours of duty in suffered for years when soldier's brutal Camilo's case is perhaps the most re­ Iraq are longer than anticipated, and the memories are triggered. She was asking us ported, but it is far from isolated. The in­ military has departed from past practice by what she should do about it. creasing opposition to the US war in Iraq ordering many combat troops into second Additional calls sought information by military personnel arises from many fac­ and even third tours in combat zones. about disability, AWOL concerns, draft re­ tors, including: Reservists, who reasonably expected sistance and conscientious objection. • Access to information critical of the inva- that they would be used as reserve forces, There are days in which MLTF receives sion and occupation, including analysis have found themselves an integral part of one telephone call every 15 to 20 minutes. about finding no weapons of mass destruc- continued on page six

Vo/. 13, #6 RESIST Newsletter Page 5 Hell No, We Won't Stay continuedfrom page five the war from the outset. National Guard members who, with good reason, thought they had enlisted to help disaster victims or maintain order at home, have been acti­ vated and deployed to Iraq. The Department of Defense reports that 40% of the fighting force in Iraq is com­ prised of reserve forces. This is not only a "backdoor draft," it is also a "senior draft." Reservists tend to be older and have es­ tablished positions in their communities. As a result of this war, some are losing their businesses. Their families are forced into poverty. Children haven't seen their parent(s) for months. Tens of thousands become "militarized" by this war. ct\UfC Another result of mass deployments and the senior draft has been the military's fail­ ure to recognize personal, medical and fa~­ f~T ily problems that make activation or de­ ployment a crisis for many servicemembers and their families. Military counseling OVILIZrD groups report that many clients are being sent to Iraq with serious physical or psy­ chiatric problems. For many, this lack of concern for their health, safety and fami­ lies has led to questions about broader Images of torture in the prisons of Abu Ghraib undermined the carefully crafted image policies and the war itself. of "liberating force" put forward by the Bush adminstration. Photo courtesy of Pittsburgh Massive deployments, poor planning, Indymedia and lack of concern for the troops creates logistical problems as well. Equipment does to reporters or sent home letters express­ tional efforts are essential for not always follow the troops; even basic ing their disagreement with the war or their servicemembers who are otherwise isolated supplies may be inadequate; medical care frustration over the conditions in which and vulnerable within the military. is unreliable in many areas. When the Army they are forced to live and fight. To read Despite the many challenges faced by recently examined the disproportionate the latest letters from Gls, go to the networks that counsel soldiers and sail­ number of suicides among soldiers in Iraq, websites of Veterans for Peace ors, these groups continue to educate and it found that insufficient mental health per­ (www.veteransforpeace.org) or Military guide questioning military personnel sonnel and spotty distribution of anti-de­ Families Speak Out (www.mfso.org). through a difficult process. For many mili­ pressant medications were a significant In many cases, soldiers demonstrate tary counselors and attorneys, educational parts of the problem. resistance individually rather than in collec­ work with GI's, counseling, and support At the same time, the problems of the tive action. This is in large part the result of for resistance within the military remain an first Gulf War-use of depleted uranium in the military's capacity for harsh retaliation integral part of anti-war efforts. Soldiers tanks and shells and use of questionable and its frequent refusal to respect the civil and sailors who speak out against the war vaccines, for example-have not been cor­ liberties available to soldiers. The possi­ or resist combat service are a potent symbol rected, so that soldiers face the same likeli­ bilities ofprivate, and sometimes anonymous of opposition to the war. Those who seek hood of Gulf War syndrome or undiag­ complaints and protest over the internet discharge or go AWOL are a growing ob­ nosed physical and neurological problems. are conducive to individual dissent. stacle to the military's smooth functioning. Dissent is still of great value, and it is Individual and Collective Dissent paralleled by a more collective effort of the Marti Hiken and Kathleen Gilberd are The result of all this is greatly increased families of soldiers who serve or have died co-chairs of the Military Law Task Force frustration and anger within the military. in Iraq. For example, Military Families Speak of the National Lawyers Guild. Gilberd Counselors and attorneys are hearing from Out has educated many soldiers and civil­ also works with San Diego Military growing numbers of conscientious objec­ ians about the reality of the war. Over time, Counseling Project. Both groups tors. While public resisters are few, the collective opposition within the military received grants from RESIST For more number of soldiers and sailors going seems increasingly likely, if it is provided information, contact MLTF, 318 Ortega, AWOL or seeking discharge continues to the legal and political support of the anti­ Street, San Francisco, CA 94122, grow. Large numbers of GI's have spoken war movement. Counseling and educa- www.nlg.org/mltf.

Page 6 RESIST Newsletter July/August 2004 The Trial ofAttorney Lynne Stewart Progressive Defense Attorney Charged with Terrorism PAT LEVASSEUR ("SAM") imposed by the Bureau of Pris­ could signal to the defense bar to cease ons on Sheik Abdel-Rahman; the "factual" and desist zealous representation of per­ A t the time of this writing, the trial of allegations are drawn almost entirely from sons criminalized by the government. 1 ~ynne Stewart has begun. A lawyer privileged attorney-client communications, Following the attacks of September 11 \ who represented Sheik Omar Rahman, con­ including telephone conversations and the administration ha~ presented a skewed victed in the first World Trade Center bomb­ prison visits, which the FBI had been se­ and frightening view of events, seeking to ing in 1993, Stewart is charged with "mate­ cretly monitoring for more than three years." lead the country into war both in lraq and rially aiding" a terrorist organization. The The alleged violations of Bureau of Pris­ at home against our own Constitutional jury will decide not only whether Lynne's ons regulations- if proven- would nor­ rights. The "case against Lynne Stewart has th defense of her client violated any laws, but mally warrant a reprimand by the Bar As­ nothing to do with September 11 • In fact, more to the point, it will be forced to evalu­ sociation. However, the fanatical prosecu­ the indictment came a full two years after ate the law itself-including lawyer/client tion by the Department of Justice has el­ the last alleged act, which occurred during privilege, the USAPATRIOT Act, and mea­ evated the charges to "terrorist" crimes. the Clinton administration and which that sures by the Justice Department to mini­ Or, as the NLG summarizes, "If the govern­ justice department never pursued. mize civil liberties. The trial is expected to ment believed that she crossed the line from last four to six months, during which time zealous advocacy to improper political ad- Politics on Trial, Again the Lynne Stewart Defense Committee in­ Lynne Stewart's trial is taking place in tends to raise awareness about her case the same courtroom where Julius and Ethel and issues of civil liberties during the so­ Rosenberg were tried and sentenced .to called war on terror. death 53 years ago. The Rosenbergs were More than two years have passed since branded with the "C" word (for communist) FBI agents arrived at Lynne's Brooklyn, NY and Lynne Stewart is labeled with the "T" home, handcuffed her and announced with word (for terrorist). Both cases are part of a great fanfare her arrest. FBI agents spent grander ideological scheme perpetrated by the entire day in her law office and left the highest levels of the United States gov­ promptly at 6pm in time to be photographed Photo courtesy of LSDC ernment, one during the Cold War period, for the evening news. They left with boxes and the other during the so-called "war on of materials ( almost none of which will be vocacy, it could have warned her-as it terror." In both trials, the prosecution re­ part of the trial, and the remainder includ­ does corporations-or charged her with lies on the demonization of the defendants ing the usual kinds of documents found in regulatory violations. This heavy-handed as the tool to achieve its goal. a law office). indictment for 'aiding terrorism' is a disturb­ Through the USA PATRIOT Act, which ing new level of attack on the defense bar." was force-fed to Congress in the late weeks Charges Target Attorney-Client Privilege of September 2001, this administration has Lynne Stewart faces a series of charges Image, Intimidation and the Big Chill demanded and been granted broad new from the government, most of which hinge The indictment of Lynne Stewart is less powers. The PATRIOT Act implements a on the fact that she zealously defended her about substance than about image, and is number of domestic antiterrorism measures unpopular client. According to the indict­ designed to send a chill through the pro­ that enhance government surveillance ment, Stewart has ''unlawfully, willfully, and gressive legal community. The image of powers to enable the FBI and other law knowingly combined, confederated, and Lynne Stewart's arrest seemed carefully enforcers to intrude upon the privacy of agreed . . . to knowingly provide material crafted by the Bush-Cheney-Ashcroft Jus­ anyone and everyone in the United States. support and resources, to a foreign terror­ tice Department to elicit feelings offear and Under the guise of making us feel safe, the ist organization." Furthermore, the indict­ revenge. For example, on the evening that Act sacrifices values that are at the core of ment claims she has made "materially false, agents left her law office, Attorney General democracy and thus at the core of our Con­ fictitious, fraudulent statements" and "de­ John Ashcroft made an unusual appear­ stitution. frauded" the Department of Justice and ance on the David Letterman Show to an­ Bureau of Prisons (BOP) by signing and nounce the indictment. Right to Counsel Challenged violating the Special Administrative Mea­ By targeting and indicting Lynne Combined with a range of executive or­ sures (SAM). Stewart, the Department of Justice may ders and legislation like the PATRIOT Act, As the National Lawyers Guild-NYC hope to make an example of an attorney the Bush administration seems poised to Chapter summarizes: "The government's with a long history of progressive political stifle dissent and discourage all who accusations against Lynne stem from two beliefs as well as a reputation for vigor­ struggle for freedom and self-determination. incidents which involved alleged violations ously advocating on behalf of those whose One of the rights under attack is the of the Specia~ Administrative Measures lives have been entrusted to her. Her arrest continued on page eight

Vol. 13, #6 RESIST Newsletter Page 7 The Trial of Attorney Lynne Stewart continued from page seven The efforts of the Defense Committee right to counsel. The many detainees, who are focused on keeping this case in the have been held nameless in a makeshift public eye by urging people to come to prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, under in­ New York City and to come to court. In humane conditions of confinement, are la­ addition, the Defense Committee encour­ beled "unlawful combatants." They are not ages people to be involved in their own allowed attorneys. After 9/11, imprisoned communities with efforts to make the con­ American political prisoners and Muslims nections between this case, the fight to were put in administrative detention. Many remove the Bush administration from power, are still being held for unexplained "secu­ to end the war in Iraq and to fight for the rity" reasons. restoration of our Constitutional rights. We The imprisonment and denial of coun­ believe that it is crucial to the vindication sel to two US citizens in Guantanamo shows of Lynne Stewart for the trial to be wit­ clearly this administration believes that at­ nessed by as many people as possible, for torneys are part of the problem and that the court and jurors to see that the public those whose responsibility it is to advocate has great concern about this case-a case for the rights of the accused and impris­ that should never have been brought. oned need to be controlled and intimidated. Pat Levasseur is the director of the Implications of the Trial Lynne Stewart Defense Committee, Lynne·Stewart is represented by Attor­ which received a grant from Resist this ney Michael Tigar, who has represented, Protestors in Boston refuse to accept the year. For more information, contact: The among others: the Chicago Eight, Angela deterioration of civil rights silently. Photo Lynne Stewart Defense Committee, 350 Davis, and Cesar Chavez's son Fernando. by Eric Rolph Broadway, Suite 700, New York, NY Be has also worked with the African Na­ Stewart is reflective of the nerve struck by 10013; www.lynnestewart.org. The tional Congress in the anti-apartheid this attack on not only Lynne and her life's website has regular reports on the trial struggle in South Africa. work, but on all the defenders of our rights in the "blog" and links to the trial On his defense of Lynne Stewart, Tigar under the Constitution. transcripts. says: The entire legal profession ought to be Paying the Price: standing up and shouting about this case. It is clear that this case has at The Mounting Costs ofthe Iraq War least three fundamental faults. THE INSTITUTE FOR POLICY STUDIES & FOREIGN POLICY IN FOCUS First, it is an attack on the first amendment right offree speech, free • Total number of coalition military deaths between the start of war and June 16, 2004: press and petition. When you read this 952(83~US) indictment (see www.lynnestewart.org), • Of those 952, the number killed after President George W. Bush declared."an end to you will see that Lynne Stewart is be­ major combat operations" on May 1, 2003: 693 ing attacked for speaking and helping • Number of US troops wounded in combat since the war began: 5,134 (Number ill or others to speak. Already, the law under injured in "non-combat" incidents estimated to be over 11,000) which she is being prosecuted has been • Number of US troops wounded in combat since President George W. Bush declared held unconstitutional on this very "an end to major combat operations" on May 1, 2003: 4,593 ground by a judge in California. • Iraqi civilians killed: 9,436 to 11,317; Iraqi civilians injured: 40,000 (est.) Second, this case is an attack on the • Bill so far: $126.1 billion; additional amount to cover operations through 2004: $25 billion right to effective assistance ofcounsel. • What $151 billion could have paid for in the US.: 23 million housing vouchers; health The indictment, announced in a blaze care for 27 million uninsured Americans; salaries for 3 million elementary school teachers ofpublicity by General Ashcroft himself, • Estimated long-term cost of war to every US household: $3,415 seeks to chill the defense bar. The • Amount contractor Halliburton is alleged to have charged for meals never served to government's theory would sharply limit troops and for cost overruns on fuel deliveries: $221 million the rights of lawyers to practice their • Kickbacks received by Halliburton employees from subcontractors: $6 million profession and to represent their clients. • Number of soldiers whose tours of duty have been extended by the Army: 20,000 Third, the "evidence " in this case was • Fraction ofNational Guard troops among US force now in Iraq: 1/3 gathered by wholesale invasion ofpri­ • Percentage of Americans who now feel that "the situation in Iraq was not worth vate conversations, private attorney­ going to war over.": 54 client meetings, and private faxes, let- · ters and e-mails. I have never seen such The above is an excerpted from "Paying the Price: The Mounting Costs ofthe Iraq War" a an abusive use ofgovernmental power. study by the Institute for Policy Studies and Foreign Policy In Focus. For more The initial public support for Lynne information, contact JPS, 733 J5 1h Street NW, Washington, DC 20005; www.ips-dc.org.

Page 8 RESIST Newsletter July/August 2004 The ffiber-N ation of Charities Charities Should Skip Their Traditional Election-season Slumber NAN ARON committees; • Get-out-the-vote he signs of election season are every efforts and voter Twhere. Political pundits are waking registration drives from their four-year hibernation and candi­ to get people to dates are revving up their campaign ma­ vote on the issue. chinery. People are engaged in an endless The IRS consid­ array of coffees and town hall meetings that ers ballot measure provide the backdrop· to the debate over work to be lobbying who is best equipped to lead the country. and not electoral in Meanwhile, charities have been wide-awake nature. Federal tax since the last presidential election, provid­ law treats most bal­ ing services and leading their communities lot measure work as on a broad array of issues. For too long, lobbying activity, when election season arrives, charities feel so charities should that the law compels them to step down Graphic by Doug Potter be aware of how from their role as community leaders and much lobbying they go into a slumber of their own. During this public office, they can engage in nonparti­ are able to engage in without running afoul time, other interests debate and discuss san activity.) So long as they do not ap­ of the law. Filling out a simple one-page policy without the input of the nonprofit pear to support or oppose a candidate when IRS Form-Form 5768-gives charities a community, often to the detriment of their viewed in light of all of the facts and cir­ great deal more latitude and guidance un­ constituencies. It is time for charities to cumstances surrounding the activity, chari­ der the law ( see the free Alliance for Jus­ reject this hands-off attitude and provide ties can play a major role in elections. A tice publication, Worry Free Lobbying for their unique brand of leadership through charity can focus on themes and issues Nonprofits for more details about this so­ the 2004 elections. such as the war in Iraq or civil liberties is­ called 501 (h) election). sues, so long as the message does not ap­ In addition to tax law issues, charities Issues Yes, Candidates No pear to imply support or opposition of a should be aware that state election laws Generally speaking, the more benefits a candidate. frequently require them to register with and nonprofit receives under tax law, the more report to state election agencies as a ballot the law limits the group's ability to freely Ballot Measures measure or political committee. Most state advocate. Because Congress gave chari­ In addition to nonpartisan voter educa­ election offices have all of the information ties the best tax treatment under the law, tion activities, charities can support or op­ and required forms available on their web most notably the benefits of tax-deduct­ pose ballot measures. Ballot measures are sites. Remember, just because a state elec­ ible contributions, it also imposed the great­ referenda, ballot initiatives, constitutional tion division regulates a charity as a politi­ est restrictions on advocacy compared to amendments, or bond measures that are cal committee does not mean the IRS will other types of nonprofits. legislative in nature, but go to the voters believe the charity is engaged in illegal can­ Tax law strictly prohibits charities from for approval rather than the state or local didate electioneering. electioneering - supporting or opposing legislative body. Thes~ are found in virtu­ candidates for public office. The bottom ally every state, at least in the form oflocal Opportunities During Election Season line is that they may never implicitly or ex- bond measures. Lately, everything from Ballot measure work is the only way for . plicitly give an opinion on the candidacy gun control to tax reform has hit the ballot. charities to champion a specific voting of any particular candidate or political party. Often, the issues squarely affect policies position during an election. However, there If a charity does cross the line, the IRS can that are important to nonprofits and their are other opportunities for charities to play revoke its tax status and even fine officers constituencies. It is critically important a significant role this election season. With and directors if they egregiously violate that charities become engaged in the de­ political groups focusing limited time and the rule. The fact that this is a particularly bate over the passage of these laws. resources on who wins the.elections, chari­ harsh penalty scares too many charities Charities are able to engage in a wide ties can fill a vacuum in voter education, away from even the safest election activity. array of activity in support of or opposi­ nonpartisan voter registratio_n and get-out­ Despite the law's prohibition on elec­ tion to ballot measures. They include: the-vote drives. tioneering, what remains is a generous list • Proposing the initiatives, or collecting Rather than shrink away from the law's of permissible activities that charities can signatures for ballot approval; electioneering ban, charities should em­ support. (While charities cannot do any­ • Active campaigning; brace what it allows, taking on the role of thing to support or oppose a candidate for • Contributing to ballot measure continued on page ten

Vol. 13, #6 RESIST Newsletter Page 9 The Hiber-Nation of Charities

continuedfrom page nine son away, charities should see it as their that promotes a fair and independent providing nonpartisan candidate informa­ duty to maintain their public leadership role judiciary and strengthens public interest tion. The IRS looks at all factors when this upcoming election season. advocacy. For more information, deciding if voter education is nonpartisan, contact Alliance for Justice, 11 Dupont including the timing of the event or publi­ Nan Aron is founder and president of the Circle NW, Washington, DC 20036; cation, and how it fits in with candidate Alliance for Justice, a national coalition www. al/ianceforjustice. org. speeches and advertisements. It is also critical that the presentation is non-biased and covers a broad array of issues to avoid showing single-issue favoritism for one candidate over another. Some possible voter education activities include: Below is a partial list of organizations for those interested in learning more about • Setting up practice voting stations prior conscientious objection, anti-war organizing and military counseling. Many of these to Election Day to allow nervous first-tim­ groups ' websit,es include links to additional resources. ers a dry run; . • Producing nonpartisan voter guides Alliance for Justice Cambridge, MA 02140 that print candidates' answers to a 11 Dupont Circle NW, 2nd Floor [email protected] nonbiased questionnaire on a broad set of Washington, DC 20036 Carries out programs promoting peace issues facing the state; www.allianceforjustice.org and social justice throughout the world. • Hosting nonpartisan candidate debates; Working to support and educate a vari­ • Submitting questionnaires to all can­ ety of nonprofit advocacy groups. Center for Constitutional Rights didates and creating a voter guide based 666 Broadway, 7th Floor on their responses. New York, NY 10012 Voter registration and get-out-the-vote [email protected] drives are other important strategies. This A nonprofit organization election season, charities have a unique dedicated to fighting for chance to build on the increased interest the constitutional and hu­ in the presidential election through non­ man rights of those cur­ partisan voter registration drives. These rently underserved by the can be simple messages in the monthly legal system. newsletter, or a concerted public campaign. It is also a good time to remind people to Bring Them Home Now! register for an absentee ballot. In fact, many c/o Veterans for Peace states are making vote-by-mail an option 438 N Skinker Blvd for everyone, whether or not they will be St. Louis, MO 63130 out of town on Election Day. Regardless www.bringthemhomenow.org Veterans and others gather, saying freedom is being of the mechanism a charity chooses to reg­ threatend in the name of patriotism. Photo by Eric Rolph Works to mobilize military ister voters, they -may not support or op­ families, veterans, and Gis pose any candidate. American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) themselves to bring an end to the Iraq The IRS approves of charities encour­ 125 Broad Street, 18th Floor war and other misguided military ven- aging or helping people to vote. Charities New York, NY 10004 tures. may provide services to disadvantaged www.aclu.org voters, such as rides to the polling places . Defends civil liberties in courts, legisla­ Center on Conscience & War for people with disabilities, seniors or tures and communities. 1830 ConnecticutAvenue NW people without adequate transportation. Washington, DC 20009 They can also put out public service ad­ American Friends Service Committee www.nisbco.org vertisements that generally encourage National Youth and Militarism Project Works to defend and extend the rights of people to vote. 1515 Cherry Street conscientious objectors. Philadelphia, PA 19102 Charities Snooze, We All Lose www.afsc.org/youthmil/Default.htm Central Committee for Conscientious Charitable organizations are uniquely Works to change and counteract the Objectors qualified as community leaders to provide presence of US military recruiters in 630 20th Street #302 voters with important information and ser­ schools and support those who refuse to Oakland, CA 94612 vices. The high profile nature of the 2004 participate in militarism. election provides exceptional opportuni­ ties for charities to continue to serve the American Friends S~rvice Committee public interest. Rather then lumber into New England Regional Office service. their proverbial caves to sleep election sea- 2161 Massachusetts Avenue continued on page eleven

Page 10 RESIST Newsletter July/August 2004 Peace Resources

continued from page ten Seattle Draft and Military Citizen Soldier Counseling Center 267 Fifth Avenue #901 P.O. Box25681 NewYork,NY10016 Seattle, WA98165-l 181 www.citizen-soldier.org www.scn.org/ip/sdmcc Provides educational resources about US Provides information about military law militarism and soldiers' rights. and policy to enl_istees and conscientious objectors and others who seek it. Committee Opposed to Militarism and the Draft September:- 11 th Families for POBoxl5195 Peaceful Tomorrows San Diego, CA 92175 P.O. Box 1818 http://www.comdsd.org Peter Stuyvesant Station Challenges US militarism through commu­ New York, NY 10009 nity education, direct action and youth www.peacefultomorrows.org outreach. Families and friends of the 9/11 victims organizing for peace and justice. GI Rights Hotline 630 Twentieth Street #302 Service Members Legal Defense Oakland, CA 94612 Families of soldiers continue to pressure Network http://girights.objector.org policymakers. Photo courtesy of Military POBox65301 Families Speak Out Provides information to servicemembers Washington DC 20035-5301 about military discharges, grievance and Project on Youth and Non-Military www.sldn.org complaint procedures and other civil rights. Opportunities (Project YANO) Watchdog and policy organization dedi­ POBox230157 cated to ending discrimination against Lynne Stewart Defense Committee Encinitas, CA 92023 and harassment of military personnel 350 Broadway, Suite 700 www.projectyano.org affected by "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and New York, NY 10013 Provides young people, particularly the related forms of institutional intolerance. www.lynnestewart.org low income and minority students tar­ Working to defend and call attention to geted by recruiters, with alternative per­ Veterans Against the Iraq War (VAIW) the case of Lynne Stewart, a human spectives on military enlistment. 545 West 111 Street #9M rights lawyer arrested in 2002, falsely New York, NY 10025-1970 accused of helping terrorists. Quaker House www.vaiw.org 223 Hillside Avenue Organizes and informs veterans who Military Families Speak Out Fayetteville, NC 28301 oppose the war on Iraq. P.O.Box549 www.quakerhouse.org Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 Working against violence and prejudice Veterans for Peace www.mfso.org through education, advocacy and coun­ 438 N. Skinker Brings together soldiers' relatives to seling. St. Louis, MO 63130 speak out against the Iraq war. www.veteransforpeace.org Resource Center for Nonviolence A national organization of veterans work­ National Lawyers Guild Draft & Military Alternatives ing to end war. 143 Madison Ave 4th Fl., NY, NY 10016 515 Broadway [email protected] Santa Cruz, CA 95060 . Vietnam Veterans Against War Working towards a coordinated effort by www.rcnv.org PO Box 408594 US legal professionals to maintain and Provides counseling and support for Chicago, IL 60640 protect the civil rights and liberties of those already in the military or consider­ www.vvaw.org workers, women, farmers, minority ingjoining. Works to teach the lessons of the Viet­ groups and others. nam War and works for peace and justice San Diego Military Counseling Project everywhere. National Lawyers Guild - Military Law P.O. Box 15307 Task Force San Diego, CA 9217 5 War Resisters League 318 Ortega Street www.sdmcp.org 339 Lafayette Street San Francisco, CA 94122 Provides military-affiliated individuals New York, NY 10012 www.nlg.org/mltf and families with information and support www.warresisters.org Trains and informs counselors and mili­ in asserting remaining rights, applying for Dedicated to eliminating war and its tary law attorneys and provides updates discharges, and obtaining nonmilitary causes through education and nonviolent on changes in military law and policy. legal, medical, and spiritual counsel. action.

Vol. 13, #6 RESIST Newsletter Page 11 (3RANIS

Resist awards grants six times a year to within the organization and community. ing the medical consequences of nuclear groups throughout the United States en­ bombs. The publication of their research gaged in activism for social and economic Boston Social Forum (BSF) findings influenced President Kennedy justice. In this issue of the Newsletter we c/o Initiative for Change, 33 Harrison to initiate the Limited Nuclear Test Ban list a few grant recipients from our June Avenue, 4th Floor, Boston, MA 02111 Treaty of 1963. The Oregon chapter was 2004 allocation cycle. For information, con­ www.bostonsocialforum.org founded in 1980 and has expanded from a tact the groups at the addresses below. group of physicians and scientists to Modeled after the World Social Forum, include a wide variety of heath profes­ Many and One Coalition the first of which was held in Porto Alegre, sionals and other concerned citizens. . PO Box 79, Lewiston, Maine, 04243, Brazil in 2001, the BSF will be the first of A RESIST grant of $2,000 will fund a www.manyandone.org its kind held in the United States. Orga­ project entitled SMART Security-A nized as an alternative to the concurrent Sensible, Multilateral, American Re­ MAO was founded in the fall of2002 in Democratic National Convention, also in sponse to Terrorism, whose goal is to response to Lewiston mayor Larry Boston, its aim is to bring together non­ mobilize the public to advocate for an · Raymond's public campaign against governmental forces working for social alternative to the war on terrorism based Somali immigration and the subsequent change to engage in an extended dialogue on multilateral cooperation and interna­ incursion into Lewiston by national white on progressive visions for the future. tional law. supremacist groups, including the World A RESIST grant of$3,000 will provide Church of the Creator (WCC). MAO is a translation services for deaf and hard-of­ Vietnam Veterans diverse coalition of community groups hearing participants in the forum. Against War (WAW) whose initial action was a 5,000 person PO Box 408594, Chicago IL 60640 march against WCC and the racism and Physicians for Social www.vvaw.org violence it advocates. They have since Responsibility(PSR)-Oregon developed into-a more permanent coali­ 921 South West Morrison, Suite 308 VVAW was founded in 1967 to oppose tion dedicated to ending racial, economic Portland, OR 97205 the US war in Vietnam. Since the war they and social injustice. www.oregonpsr.org have continued to oppose US military A RESIST general support grant of adventures, particularly in Latin America $3,000 will enable MAO to further PSR was founded in 1961 by a group of and the Persian Gulf. Their more recent develop its leadership and analysis Boston physicians dedicated to analyz- work has included initiating a military •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• counseling program and developing a • media project offering the public a cri­ Join the Resist Pledge Program! • • tique of the invasion and continued We'd like you to consider So take the plunge and become a • occupation of Iraq and opening up space Resist Pledge! We count on you,and • for other voices of opposition. becoming a Resist Pledge. the groups we fund count on us. • Pledges account for over 30% • A RESIST grant of$3,000 will provide D I II send you·my pledge of $__ · • general organizational support. of our income. every month/quarter/six months/year • (please circle one). • By becoming a pledge, you help guarantee • .Youth Gender Project (YGP) D Enclosed is an initial pledge • Resist a fixed and dependable source of • 1800 Market Street, #412 income on which we can build our grant- contribution of $___ _:_. • San Francisco, CA 94012 making program. In return, we will send • D Please automatically deduct my • www.youthgenderproject.org you a monthly pledge letter and reminder pledge from my credit card (below). • along with your newsletter. We will also • D I can t join the pledge program • YGP was founded in 1999 to provide keep you up-to-date on the groups we • have funded and the other work being now, but here s a contribution of training to those who work with $____ to support your work. • done at Resist. transgender, gender-variant and ques­ • Name tioning (TGIQ) youth, to work on commu­ • nity building for transgendered youth • Address • and to otherwise foster gender and cul­ • Phone Number (for confirmation only) tural diversity and equality. • A RESIST grant of$3,000 will develop • Visa/Master Card # YGP's youth leadership and provide • Expiration Date • training to young people within the • Resist • 259 Elm Street • Somerville • MA • 02144. Donations are tax-deductible. ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• • organization . Page 12 RESIST Newsletter July/August 2004