Washington, DC |April 17, 2009| www.adc.org | The American-Arab Anti- Discrimination Committee (ADC) commends the decision by the Obama Administration to release memoranda from the Department of Justice‘s Office of Legal Counsel, during the Bush Administration, which authorized the use of torture, including waterboarding. The release of these memos today is another positive step in the direction of better understanding the dangerous and unlawful policies of the past administration.
The President has made it clear that the United States does not torture, and numerous reforms have been put into place to make this policy a reality. This move by the Obama Administration is part of a series of progressive policy changes on civil liberties and human rights. During his first day on the job, President Obama‘s
ADC President Mary Rose Oakar said, “Since taking office, President Obama has set the United States on a positive path to restore our own dignity and humanity, as well as regaining the respect and leadership of the global community. ADC looks forward to a continued effort on the part of the Obama Administration to reestablish the rule of law and respect for human rights”.
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NOTE TO EDITORS: The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), which is non sectarian and non partisan, is the largest Arab-American civil rights organization in the United States. It was founded in 1980, by former Senator James Abourezk to protect the civil rights of people of Arab descent in the United States and to promote the cultural heritage of the Arabs. ADC has 38 chapters nationwide, including chapters in every major city in the country, and members in all 50 states.
The ADC Research Institute (ADC-RI), which was founded in 1981, is a Section 501(c)(3) educational organization that sponsors a wide range of programs on behalf of Arab Americans and of importance to all Americans. ADC-RI programs include research studies, seminars, conferences and publications that document and analyze the discrimination faced by Arab Americans in the workplace, schools, media, and governmental agencies and institutions. ADC-RI also celebrates the rich cultural heritage of the Arabs.
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Contact: Yousef Munayyer
American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee | www.adc.org
1732 Wisconsin Ave., NW | Washington, DC | 20007
Tel: 202-244-2990 | Fax: 202-244-7968 | E-mail: media@adc.org