Action Alert: Continue the Effort to End U.S.-Sponsored Torture

TORTURE IS A MORAL ISSUE

Dear Friend:

In less than three years NRCAT has become an important organization in the effort to end U.S.-sponsored torture. That would not have been possible except for the work of people like you.

NRCAT has more than 38,000 people of faith across the country who participate in its work, more than 240 religious organizations that are NRCAT members, and an office on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. with six staff members who are assisted by interns and volunteers. With all of us working together, we are very proud of what we've been able to do. Highlights of NRCAT's work can be found below our names.

The 2008 election has provided a crucial opportunity to make our goals a reality:
A Presidential Executive Order banning torture;
The codification of the elements of an Executive Order into law;
A Select Committee of Congress or a commission to investigate torture policies and practices since 9/11;
Growing the moral consensus that torture is always wrong.
Again NRCAT needs your continued support to achieve these goals. Please consider an end-of-the-year gift in 2008. You also might wish to participate in NRCAT's new monthly or other recurring pledge program to help ensure that we will have the funds we need, when we need them, to be both proactive and to seize key opportunities when they arise in 2009. All contributions to NRCAT are fully tax-deductible.

There are several ways you can contribute:
Make a one-time contribution to NRCAT by credit card. Go to NRCAT's website www.tortureisamoralissue.org. Click on Donate.
Make a monthly or other recurring pledge. On the Donate page, click on "Commit to monthly or other regular donations to NRCAT." This will take you to a page where you can indicate the amount that you wish to pledge and how often you wish to give it.
Send a check made out to NRCAT to National Religious Campaign Against Torture, 316 F St. NE, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20002.
NRCAT needs your financial support now to restore the goodness of our nation and rebuild the moral foundation of our country. With your support, NRCAT will continue to work at the forefront of this struggle.

Nothing less than the soul of our nation is at stake. Thank you again for your efforts to end torture and for your support.

Sincerely,

Linda Gustitus, President
Rev. Richard Killmer, Executive Director

HIGHLIGHTS OF NRCAT'S WORK
Recognized as the "the most organized of the anti-torture voices" by historian Marty Martin in issue 70 of Christian Ethics Today. NRCAT has 173,000 'hits' on Google.
Created "Banners Across America" to recruit 330 congregations in all 50 states and DC to display an anti-torture banner in June 2008 - Torture Awareness Month. There were more than 100 press stories across the country on this effort.
Works with the Center for Victims of Torture and Evangelicals for Human Rights to urge the President-elect to issue an Executive Order prohibiting torture.
As a part of this effort, NRCAT sponsored the National Day of Witness for a Presidential Order Banning Torture. More than 50 delegations visited congressional offices in 25 states to urge their Members of Congress to endorse the "Declaration of Principles for a Presidential Executive Order on Prisoner Treatment, Torture and Cruelty" and to support the creation of a Select Committee of Congress or a Commission to investigate torture policies and practices since 9/11. There have been almost 50 press stories across the country, including a Reuters story that was picked up by news outlets around the world.
In Washington, D.C. the Washington Region Religious Campaign Against Torture collaborated with NRCAT to organize a solemn procession to the White House, featuring anti-torture banners displayed by area congregations and remarks from prominent religious leaders.
Has more than 38,000 people participating in the work of NRCAT, including endorsers of "Torture is a Moral Issue" - NRCAT's Statement of Conscience, and the Declaration of Principles. As important partners of the organization, endorsers receive information about how they and their congregations can be engaged in efforts to end U.S-sponsored torture.
Created Evangelicals for Human Rights (EHR) in 2006, which enabled the National Association of Evangelicals to adopt a powerful statement "An Evangelical Declaration Against Torture."
Enabled almost 1000 congregations to have showings of Rory Kennedy's film "Ghosts of Abu Ghraib."
Placed several advertisements in newspapers and other publications, including The New York Times.
Provided small grants to state and regional religious organizations for anti-torture work.
Enabled thousands of people of faith across the country to urge their Members of Congress to support legislation that would end U.S. -sponsored torture. In March 2008, NRCAT encouraged its constituents to send an email to the White House urging the President to sign, not veto, the anti-torture provision of the Intelligence Authorization bill. Over 11,000 people of faith did so.
Co-sponsored the National Summit on Torture: Religious Faith, Torture and Our National Soul, with Mercer University in Atlanta and Evangelicals for Human Rights. It is the first conference of evangelicals devoted to exploring what faith has to say on U.S.-sponsored torture in the war on terror.
Helped organize a meeting with senior national religious leaders and FOX Entertainment to discuss and influence the depiction of torture on primetime television, particularly on the popular show, "24." NRCAT collaborated with No2Torture and Human Rights First on this effort.
Established the NRCAT Action Fund to increase its work in public policy advocacy and to engage in campaign intervention: http://www.nrcatactionfund.org.

You have received this message because you endorsed the "Torture is a Moral Issue" statement of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture OR you signed up to receive more information from NRCAT.