Gwen Storm's Blog

Hypocrisy?

Gwen — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:26:22 EDT

Is anyone else concerned with this recent appeal? I'm trying to find an explanation, and I just keep coming up short. I had hoped for more from the Obama administration!!!

The New York Times

Editorial

The Next Guantánamo Published: April 12, 2009

The Obama administration is basking in praise for its welcome commitment to shut down the American detention center at Guantánamo Bay. But it is acting far less nobly when it comes to prisoners held at a larger, more secretive military detention facility at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan.

Talk to The Times: Editorial Page Editor Andrew Rosenthal (April 13, 2009) Times Topics: Bagram Detention Center (Afghanistan)Readers' Comments

"Habeus corpus is what makes us different from the terrorists. ... It is not negotiable if we are a democracy."

Anne Newcomb, Wilson, Wyo.

In February, the new administration disappointingly followed the example of the Bush White House in opposing judicial review for prisoners who have been indefinitely detained at Bagram without any charges or access to lawyers. The administration has now added to that disappointment by appealing a new federal court ruling extending the right of habeas corpus to some Bagram detainees.

The ruling was issued by Judge John Bates of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Narrowly crafted, the ruling essentially grants all non-Afghan Bagram detainees captured outside Afghanistan and held over six years without due process the same right to federal court review that the Supreme Court gave last year to similarly situated prisoners at Guantánamo.

Bagram differs from Guantánamo in that it is located in an active theater of war. Historically, habeas corpus has not extended to detainees held abroad in zones of combat. But the evidence suggests it was the prospect that Guantánamo detentions might be subject to judicial oversight that caused the military to divert captives to Bagram instead.

The theater of war excuse for denying judicial review, the judge found, is unpersuasive when the government imports detainees from elsewhere. “It is one thing to detain those captured on the surrounding battlefield at a place like Bagram,” Judge Bates wrote. “It is quite another thing to apprehend people in foreign countries — far from any Afghan battlefield — and then bring them to a theater of war, where the Constitution arguably may not reach.”

Although Judge Bates’s ruling addresses only 30 of 600 or so prisoners, he found that the process for determining whether a person has been properly labeled an “enemy combatant” even “less sophisticated and more error-prone” than the process the Supreme Court deemed inadequate at Guantánamo. This points to a wider due process problem affecting everyone now held at Bagram.

In the absence of a fair review process that complies with international and military law, there is no reason to feel confident that everyone detained at Bagram deserves to be there. The administration should focus on putting such a process in place, instead of wasting its energies in an appeal that simply recycles extravagant claims of executive power and perpetuates the detention policies of the Bush administration.

Ride available to Grand Rapids to see Obama!!

Gwen — Tue, 13 May 2008 22:14:13 EDT

I will be leaving Lansing tomorrow at 4:15pm and heading to Grand Rapids to see Obama speak at the Van Andel arena. I have room for two people in my car. If you would like to car pool or catch a ride e-mail me before 8am Wednesday, May 14th or call me at 906-250-0653.

The event begins at 7pm and we will be coming back to Lansing late (probably around midnight). For those of you who would like to go earlier with the chance of getting better seats- there is a group leaving from the Gone Wired Cafe at 12:30 p.m. The address is 2021 W. Michigan Ave, Lansing, MI.

LET OUR VOICES BE HEARD! CALL THE DNC

Gwen — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 02:30:32 EDT

Thanks to Lauri Elbing who posted the following event. Get invovled and voice your concerns against seating Michigan's delegates at the convention using illegitimate primary results. As we all know, Barack Obama's name was not even on the ballot. It is very misleading for Hillary to claim (as she does on her website) that she "won" in Michigan.

Call or Write the Michigan Democratic Party and ask them to abide by the rules.

Do Not Seat Michigan Delegates at the National Convention without first having a Fair and Legitimate Primary.

No New Primary, No Seating.

The Democratic Party (DNC)

CALL: 202-863-8000

WRITE:

On-line:
To voice your opinion and concerns on-line, click on: http://www.democrats.org/page/s/contactissues and follow the instructions.
Possible issue headings from scroll down menu: Election 2008, Honest Leadership, Voter Protection, Civil Rights

Mailing Address:
Democratic National Committee
430 S. Capitol St. SE
Washington, DC 20003

The Michigan Democratic Party (MDP)

Leadership:
Mark Brewer, Chair
Tina Abbott, First Vice Chair
Lupe Ramos-Montigny, Second Vice Chair
Ismael Ahmed, Third Vice Chair
Rosa Holliday, Recording and Corresponding Secretary
Dianne Byrum, Treasurer

Also:
Governor Jennifer Granholm
Lieutenant Governor John Cherry
Senator Carl Levin
Senator Debbie Stebenow
Congressman John Dingell
Congressman Dale Kildee
State Senator Mark Schauer

CALL: (517) 371-5140

WRITE:

On-line:
http://www.michigandems.com/contactus.html

Mailing Address:
Michigan Democratic Party
606 Townsend Street
Lansing, MI 48933

*** A THANK YOU NOTE TO CONGRESSMAN JOHN CONYERS would be good to send also, given his lonely stance on the right side of justice.

CALL: (313) 961-5670

WRITE:

On-line:
http://www.johnconyers.com/contact
or E-mail: campaign@johnconyers.com

Mailing Address:
Conyers for Congress
1831 Bay Street, SE
Washington, DC 20003

Obama Works!

Gwen — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 21:30:16 EDT

Here's a great way for social workers in Michigan to spread the good news about Obama while making positive changes in our communities NOW! Watch the video http://think.mtv.com/044FDFFFF0098A0C600170098DA45/ or visit the website at http://www.whyobamaworks.org/involved.html.

I will try to organize such an event in the Lansing area in the coming weeks. Anyone with project ideas or who would like to help organize- please let me know!

Gwen Storm, LLMSW

Michigan Social Workers for Obama

gwyn_34@hotmail.com

March 1st:: Lansing to Toledo for Obama

Gwen — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 20:42:01 EST

I'm heading back to Toledo to participate in the "One Million for Change" canvassing effort. I will be knocking on doors to get out the vote for Obama! I am leaving from Lansing at 7:30AM, Saturday, March 1st and I'd be happy to have company. If you are worried you don't have any experience- what better way to start learning for the November elections. Staying the night in Toledo is optional. Please let me know if you would like to join! I have room for three other people. My contact info: gwyn_34@hotmail.com or 906-250-0653.

Toledo for Obama

Gwen — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 00:28:54 EST

I am joining the "Detroiters to Toledo for Obama" group tomorrow morning at 8:30am. If anyone from Lansing would like to join me I'd be happy to give you a lift. E-mail me before 7am Saturday, Feb. 23rd.

EVENT DETAILS BELOW:

Detroiters to Toledo for Obama - Feb 23rd and/or 24th (Organizing)Hi!!!! Excited OBAMA Supporters!!! YES, WE CAN!!!

CHANGE IN MEETING PLACE TO MOBILE STATION AT 2010 E. JEFFERSON AT ST. AUBIN.You can just stay on the I-75 to East Jefferson and go east on Jefferson until you see the Mobile Station on our right. He's going to give us 10 cents off per gallon from 8-8:30am ONLY!!! on Saturday and Sunday... Thanks Aaron Jordan!!!!

Here's the link for the map to the gas station: http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?latlongtype=internal&addtohistory=&latitude=kw07PEaMlxrDT29Qzbv3Rw%3d%3d&longitude=Vlrmcsed8%2bTe70T79Y3uzw%3d%3d&name=Michigan%20Fuels&country=US&address=2010%20E%20Jefferson%20Ave&city=Detroit&state=MI&zipcode=48207&phone=313%2d567%2d8192&spurl=0&&q=Jefferson%20Mobile%20Gas%20Station&qc=Gas%20Stations

Are you interested in carpooling to Toledo to canvass on this weekend or the weekends up through the March 4th election in Ohio???? If you are, then jump in with me and go to Toledo,too.

I've volunteered to organize people for carpooling from Detroit, MI to Toledo, OH. Email me back. Here's the toledo Office address and link to a map of the office location.
48 South St. Clair Street
Toledo, Ohio 43602
419.244.2008 office
419.244.3357 fax View map
Google Map link is below
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=48+South+St.+Clair+Street++Toledo+OH&sll=39.022518,-83.026428&sspn=0.04361,0.088749&ie=UTF8&ll=41.646108,-83.539224&spn=0.020973,0.044374&z=15&iwloc=addr

Here's the dates I'm working on right now: February 23, 2008 and/or February 24, 2008.
The number of people who sign up will determine which day or days. Our Meeting Place for Saturday. If you'd like to meet up and caravan I'll be at the following location on Saturday, 2/23 at 8:00am. I'd like to leave at 8:30am so that we can get there in time for the 10:00am Toledo Training Session.

We're looking to find a group of committed, fun-loving, change-desiring, hard-working Obama supporters from Detroit to go to Toledo and canvass. I know that's YOU! This is our chance to make Michigan count, too.

Let's help Ohio count all the way for Senator Obama! They will train us at the Toledo Office.

My contact Info is 313-579-9322h or 313-575-4044c

C'mon LET'S BE THE CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN!!!!!