verbena-19

The A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition is supporting the work of School of the Americas Watch (SOA Watch) to support a Congressional amendment to close the SOA/WHINSEC. SOA Watch is the organization that has brought this issue to the attention of the country and the world through its mobilizations of thousands of people in Ft. Benning, Georgia. During the course of these actions, many of its members and supporters have made great personal sacrifices, including going to jail for six month periods, to highlight the criminal nature of the SOA and demand its closure. Please read the message below and call Congress today or tomorrow.

A message from SOA Watch:

Tell Congress:
Close the School of the Americas -
Vote YES to cut its funding now!

This week (the week of June 5) Congress will vote on an amendment to close the notorious School of the Americas/WHINSEC. The School of the Americas, funded by our tax dollars and located at Ft. Benning, Georgia, has trained - for more than 60 years - over 60,000 Latin American Soldiers in torture, psychological warfare and war against civilian populations. Many of the tactics of Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay began at the SOA to be used on civilians and those working for justice in Latin America. This school has graduated the worst human rights abusers in Latin American History. Rep. McGovern (MA) will introduce an amendment to the Foreign Operations appropriations bill to cut funding for the SOA/ WHINSEC and stand up against the legacy of torture as a part of U.S. Foreign Policy!

We expect a close vote and need as many people as possible flooding the offices of the House of Representatives with calls, e-mails and faxes in support of a YES vote on the amendment every day through Thursday, June 8th. This is it! You can make a difference and it's the people power of our movement that will get this amendment passed!

Call Congress today or tomorrow!

Please take the time to call the DC office of the Representative from your district through the Capitol Hill Switchboard at 202-224-3121 or toll free at 888-355-3588. Ask to speak with the foreign affairs legislative assistant.