Congrats to the New Pres.

The following is of two parts. First, an important press release from Human Rights First. If any of you are formally connected to tjhe pres, and have any questions you may Krista Minteer regarding this press release. The second is my own message to President Barack Obama. which can be found at http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/blog/robertmills


For Immediate Release: November 5, 2008
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Krista Minteer (212) 845-5207




HRF Calls on President Elect Obama to Make Restoring U.S. Commitment to Human Rights a Top Priority

New York, NY - The new administration will have its work cut out to restore the United States to a position of leadership in promoting and defending human rights, said a leading human rights group.



"The erosion of human rights protections in the United States in the aftermath of September 11th has had a profound impact on human rights standards around the world," said Elisa Massimino, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Human Rights First. "We urge President-elect Obama promptly to turn the page on the policies of torture and other abuse that have deprived the United States of its ability to lead on human rights for the past seven years."



In the course of his campaign, President-elect Obama called for an end to the Bush administration's policies sanctioning official cruelty, rendition, and prolonged detention without charge or trial. He has committed to closing the Guantanamo detention camp and reviewing the cases of the prisoners held there. During the primary season, President-Elect Obama met with a group of retired senior military leaders, convened by Human Rights First, to discuss the role of the next Commander in Chief in ensuring that interrogation and prisoner treatment policies are consistent with the welfare of the military and with American laws, values and interests.



Human Rights First has issued two blueprints for the next administration to chart a return to the rule of law, each setting forth a detailed, multi-stage strategy for addressing some of the most pressing human issues President-elect Obama will face. The two blueprints, How to Close Guantanamo and How to End Torture and Other Cruelty, are the first in a planned series, which will also take on issues such as private security contractors and Iraqi refugees.



"Vice President Cheney once attempted to justify the Bush administration's blatant disregard for the rule of law as 'the new normal.' The Obama administration must act decisively to prove that prognosis wrong" Massimino said. "The world will be watching what we do."


I want to congratualate you for a job well done. You have inspired people to make a change. It is my hope and prayer that you will be able to fulfill the promise and the trust the voters have made by electing you to be the 44th president of the United States. You were right in your acceptance speech about the nedd for unity and bipartisanship. One more thing though, for when you step up to that podium, you will be raising your hand and making a pact with the people to defend and protect the constitution. I encourage you to think deeply about that pledge and that promise. We need our rights to be restored and the constitution once again needs to be a living document, not some dead weight museum item to be admired by historian and school children. When you take that pledge, among the first thing to do in your agenda is to re-examine akk the changes that have been made in tha last 8 years and find ways to make it possible to live and feel like a free american. You may feel it neccesary to dismiss my writing this, because I did not click on being registered voter. There is reason, why I have not been a registered voter. I have felt most of my life as being excluded as a citizen, and more like a flying Dutchman. I was born of both American and Okinawan parents. Most all of my family live in Okinawa, while both my parents are dead in this country. I have a half brother whom I barely know - as we have been seperated all of our lives. His father was a n American Marine, but because we could not prove that hhis father was an American. So he was forced to live in poverty in Okinawa during it's reconstruction. Many Okinawans feel that Okinawa has been unjustly 'occupied' by the U.S. and desire the U.S. bases be closed. So I want to add in these last days before you decide to close this web site, my own feelings, hopes and desire.

A New Hope and Promise.
By Rev.Robert Mills - Nov 5th, 2008 at 10:59 am EST

So now you are President, the first African American to be elected to office. I just remember not too long ago, so many saying it was not possible for this to happen. So for me, it is a wonderful event and rekinders in me some new renewed hope after such a long period of time, when it seemed we were going going down the dangerosu path of autocracy.

I am still convinced that there is a hidden 'aristocracy' running things and that real change will be extremely difficult and will not come about except through revolution. I am a Gandhist, and belive with my whole being that non-violence is the means to bring about this revolution. The civil rights movement inaugurated by Marin Luther King was a significant part of this revolution. But he was the vopice, and those who boycotted buses, those who sat down in coffee shops and refuse to move, and thosew who demanded the integration of the schools, the many who went on drives through the south and some aqho sacrificed even their liveshave to be counted. This inspired the hispanics, the Asians and many others to fight for civil liberties and to clarify what the Founding Fathers meant in their vision for democracy and freedom.

So once again, I say to you President Barack Obama... when you stand on tha podium to accept the nomination as President of this great country, think deeply upon the outh of office and especially the part about defending the constitution. Many of our charished freedoms and rights have been seemingly made frivolous by changesi so called security laws instituted by the previousadminsitration. The Constitution and the bill of rights needs to be renewed and restored to being the highest law of the land.

The next thing need to be attended to, is to return our trops, and restore funding to the many innovative community efforts to end homelessness and poverty. This country is the nmost powerful one in the world and has the enough welath to be shared and to help the poor uplift themselves if given the chance, This means we need a better health care infrastructure, a better way to deliver transportation to those who cannot afford having a car, a better way to empower communities to lift themselves out of poverty. This not only means restoring Welfare programs, but also provide more opportunities for the small business and for the housing industry. The war in the middle East has drained many of these resources and have put us in debt for perhaps the next two generation. So the elderly needs to be assured economic security and future genearations should not have to worry about whether they will be secured after working all of their lives.

These are jsut a few of the things that has to be considered in the coming weeks and months. And it is hoped that by your first State of the Union address that you can say confidently that we are now on the right path to strengthen America and to seek an end to poverty and homelessness, and that All Americans can be positive of a secure future.