June 23, 2008 -- Your Fight the Right-Wing Wacko Links of the Day.

** American Civil Liberties Union **
( 1 ) At the prison at Guantánamo Bay, convictions can be based on evidence derived from torture, hearsay and secret evidence. Many of the accused have been held in secret prisons, denied access to lawyers for years and even tortured.

The Guantánamo military commissions are a serious mistake. It's time to shut down Guantánamo Bay, and move proceedings to a civilian court of law or a traditional military court operating in accordance with the Uniform Code of Military Justice where constitutional guarantees apply.

We must also end indefinite detention without charge. Detainees who are not charged or convicted must be sent to countries where they will not be tortured or abused.

Sign the petition: Close Guantánamo
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** American Civil Liberties Union **
( 2 ) In the ongoing fight over FISA, privacy and the rule of law are again on the line. That was the case yesterday when the House of Representatives caved and overwhelmingly passed a bill that creates loopholes for Bush to engage in unchecked spying on Americans and cuts off lawsuits against telecom companies that broke the law.

There's a deeply disturbing premise behind this dangerous FISA legislation: The president simply has to claim his request was legal for immunity to be granted to telecom companies that illegally handed over personal information to the government.

No matter how illegal, offensive or intrusive a company's invasion of your privacy has been, it won't make a difference if this legislation passes because if the president gave the company a note claiming their behavior was legal, they're completely off the hook.

The Senate is expected to be vote on the bill early next week. Don't let your senators cave in now.
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** National Parks Conservation Association **
( 3 ) For the past few years Congress and the Administration have steadily reduced the amount of money available for national parks from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which is one key way the National Park Service acts to protect our national parks from private development—by acquiring land within park boundaries from willing private sellers.

Did you know more than 50 of our national parks are incomplete and have private land within park boundaries?

If we don't acquire these lands soon, there is very little we citizens will be able to do to prevent homes or commercial development from being built—right in the middle of our national parks!

Please sign this petition to Congress now — to tell them to step up and fund these critical land purchases!
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** Human Rights First **
( 4 ) On June 4, 2008, famous Burmese comedian and renowned human rights activist Zarganar was detained by ten officials from Burma's State Peace and Development Council at his Rangoon home. Zarganar's arrest came just hours after he appeared in a BBC report about public anger over the military junta's handling of humanitarian aid to cyclone victims.

In the month since Cyclone Nargis brought devastation to the Irrawaddy delta, Zarganar has mobilized hundreds of Burmese volunteers to bring aid to 42 devastated villages. Zarganar's continuing arbitrary detention by the Burmese junta is in violation of international law and directly threatens such relief efforts.

Demand that the Burmese government immediately release human rights defender Zarganar in conformity with both international and domestic law. Burma must also stop hindering the work of private citizens trying to bring relief to victims of the cyclone.
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** League of Conservation Voters **
( 5 ) In a misguided attempt to address rising gas prices, some Members of Congress beholden to Big Oil are adding amendments to bills that call for drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, off our coasts, and other pristine areas. Instead of drilling for dirty energy we should be promoting efficiency and clean, renewable energy to address our nation's growing energy crisis.

Tell your Members of Congress to resist calls for drilling and instead promote efficiency and clean energy solutions!