A mid-term campaign…for justice

Our justice system has a proven track record of bringing terror suspects to justice. Trying suspected terrorists in a discredited military commissions system doesn’t make us safer.

National security experts agree. In fact, this week in Illinois, we’re bringing 11 congressional candidates–Republicans, Democrats, and Independents–together with retired generals who have a simple message to share: America must choose facts over fear. Watch them make their case in our most recent video.



We’ve already held similar meetings with candidates from Pennsylvania and Delaware, and we’ve started on an ambitious plan to spread our message across the country before the November elections.

Human Rights First is recruiting monthly sustainers to help us build momentum on this campaign to fight fear with facts in this election season.

Our cause is as urgent as it has ever been: Just last week, the first military commissions trial under the Obama Administration got underway with proceedings against the alleged child soldier, Omar Khadr.

Guantánamo undermines our security. It tarnishes our reputation. We want to close it.

Help us get the word out to candidates that trying terrorists in military commissions is not only wrong, it’s ineffective. Since they began in 2002, military commissions have tried only 4 people. In the same time, our federal courts have convicted over 400. But the politics of fear–not the facts–has dominated the public debate about this issue.

The 2010 election season is the perfect time to educate candidates. A monthly commitment today helps by giving us the steady flow of resources we need to:

• Travel with retired military leaders to key states in the lead-up to the election to make sure candidates and voters understand the facts about Guantánamo and the proven track record of our federal courts in delivering justice.
• Put the facts front and center in the public debate through op-eds, radio interviews, and other targeted media work.
• Mobilize a wide network of supporters to contact decision-makers–now and after the November elections are a thing of the past–to voice support for policies based on facts instead of fear.

Make a monthly gift before August 20 to help sustain our campaign, and your gift will be worth twice as much for the first 6 months, due to a match from a generous donor.

You can also join us in spirit in Illinois, by signing our petition that we’ll hand-deliver to candidates!