Senator Tom Carper (D-Del) held a hearing on nuclear waste issues at MIT today. Before the event, he worked the room, introducing himself and shaking hands. When he came to me, I took his hand and placed my other hand over it to make him stop for a moment. I asked him if he'd have the moral and political courage to follow the torture investigations wherever they might lead. He laughed a little, nervously I thought, "That's a good question," he said. "I'll support the President."
"And your oath to the Constitution?"
"I'll do my best," he replied and continued on.
If you ever have a chance to approach a Senator or Congresscritter, may I humbly suggest you raise the same issue in your own manner. It is the only way we will be able to end the torture state we have become and begin to reclaim our Constitution.
After the event, I spoke with Senator Carper again, raising the issue of our unused installed solar capacity in Afghanistan (the over 700,000 solar/dynamo radios US and NATO forces have distributed there since before our invasion). I urged him to consider the fact that these devices were not designed to charge AA and other standard size batteries but can easily be modified to do so, providing reliable low voltage DC power day or night by sunlight or muscle power where no electricity may have existed before.
I also told him about Badshah Khan and his practice of non-violence in the Northwest Frontier Province of what is now Pakistan. It is amazing to me that this tradition of non-violence based upon Islamic teachings (sadr or patience) and Pashtun tradition (melmastia or hospitality) is not better known nor exploited against violent Islamic fundamentalism. Badshah Khan formed what some call the first non-violent army which flourished between 1930 and 1947 and at its peak included over 100,000 people devoted to keeping the peace and advancing health, hygiene, education, and local production. His history needs to be better known and his example followed.
The Senator listened politely, seemingly with interest, but I have no idea whether anything I said about torture, solar, or non-violence will stay with him. All I know is that I took my opportunity when it arose.