August, 16 2010, 02:35pm EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Cynthia Papermaster, CODEPINK, 510-333-6097, cynthia_papermaster@yahoo.com
Medea Benjamin, CODEPINK 415-235-6517 medea@globalexchange.org
Pink Slip John Yoo: Press Conference; Procession Against Torture
BERKELEY, CA
On Monday, August 16, at 11:20 am, as John Yoo begins
teaching his fall semester Constitutional Law class at UC Berkeley Law
School, human rights, peace and justice groups, students, alumni,
lawyers, and city officials will gather for a press conference and
"Procession Against Torture" to demand Yoo's dismissal, disbarment and
prosecution for his work at the Department of Justice.
What: Press Conference (12 noon) and Procession Against Torture (12:30 PM) When: Monday, August 16 Where: UC Berkeley Law School, Bancroft Way & College Ave., Berkeley Who: Press conference with Medea
Benjamin, co-founder, CODEPINK Women for Peace, speakers from National
Lawyers Guild, Progressive Democrats of America, World Can't Wait,
Meiklejohn Civil Liberties Institute, UC students and alumni, National
Accountability Action Network (NAAN) Compelling visuals: Procession
Against Torture featuring raised "bloody hands", orange detainee
jumpsuits and hoods; CODEPINK women in pink slips for Pink Slip action;
giant John Yoo bobble head on person wearing prison suit
"A Justice Department investigation said "Yoo's legal analyses justified acts of outright torture." (see https://judiciary.house.gov/issues/issues_OPRReport.html),
so despite the well-known fact that Yoo is responsible for the inhumane
treatment and torture of innocent people, the University continues to
employ, with our tax dollars, this unethical, incompetent, immoral law
professor. Yoo's legal advice enabled our government to break the law;
he is directly responsible for crimes of pre-emptive war, torture,
warrantless wiretapping, suspension of habeas corpus, and more. News of
medical experiments on detainees adds to our outrage" says CODEPINK
organizer Cynthia Papermaster. "Law School Dean Chris Edley has students
thinking that Yoo's academic freedom is the issue. This is not about
Yoo's unpopular views or academic freedom-- it's about his work
authorizing illegal torture and other crimes while at the DOJ. UC cannot
continue to ignore worldwide calls for Yoo's dismissal. At the very
least Yoo should not be given classes to teach. Edley's also incorrect
that Yoo can't be fired unless he's convicted of a crime. UC has fired
tenured professors before who weren't convicted of crimes."
Medea Benjamin, co-founder of CODEPINK Women for Peace, says, "This
defender of imperial presidency now enjoys a cushy position at one of
the most respected law schools in the country - UC Berkeley. Not bad for
a man whose legal reasoning stirred an international outrage because of
its inaccuracy and self-serving commitment to ideology over law. While
he is busying himself with speaking engagements and teaching, CODEPINK
and others are keeping tabs on Yoo and won't let up until he is
disbarred."
CODEPINK is a women-led grassroots organization working to end U.S. wars and militarism, support peace and human rights initiatives, and redirect our tax dollars into healthcare, education, green jobs and other life-affirming programs.
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Trump has picked Harmeet Dhillon as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. She has stated that it must be "made unsafe" for hospitals to provide trans care, and frequently shares Libs of TikTok posts. She intends to target trans people in blue states. Subscribe to support my journalism.
[image or embed]
— Erin Reed (@erininthemorning.com) December 10, 2024 at 8:14 AM
Reed continued:
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