This situation has gotten increasingly worse for not only the inmates but for the American people, who ultimately are affected negatively by the bad reputation this slight on human rights has caused around the globe. Whether you know it or not, you are affected by Guantanamo in multiple ways: millions of your tax dollars are being spent to run the prison as well as the useless, private military tribunals taking place; America's reputation as a country that fights for human rights and fights against torture is being warped by the double standard of Guantanamo, leaving other countries a reason to excuse their own use of torture and illegal imprisonment (i.e. why can't we do it? the U.S. is doing it!); Guantanamo impedes on our supposed moral standing and creates hostile environments around the world even more hostile for U.S. citizens.
Not to mention the elephant in the room that no one in government or elsewhere seems to be addressing
, which is that the Cuban people themselves DO NOT want this prison on their soil any longer. While the prison may be out of sight, out of mind for us, it isn't for the people who live near it or even work there for a living and have to witness the injustice that occurs daily.
Obama made us a promise in 2009 that he would make efforts to shut down the prison. Congress hindered the efforts along the way, for years and years, making the situation for the inmates more and more hopeless as they continued to linger in illegal limbo. 80 prisoners have been cleared for release, yet they have yet to be let go. To me, this is just plain negligence. Something must be done.
My petition to Congress to shut down Guantanamo has reached 78 signatures so far. The word continues to spread, all over the U.S., and even in other countries like Germany, Mexico, Canada, and Czech Republic. The whole world cares about this, and we as Americans should care, too.
Sign the petition here and help put an end to this illegal and unconstitutional madness.
