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Dear John,
As Americans, the concept of being "innocent until proven guilty" is lauded as one of our inalienable rights. Guantánamo Bay (Gitmo) has been a notorious exception to this American ideal and international human rights standard. As the first American Muslim to visit Gitmo, I saw the conditions firsthand, and advocating for its closure has long been a priority. Like the infamous Manzanar Japanese internment camp before it, Guantánamo should not only be closed, but it needs to serve as a reminder of a time to which we should never return. “The Mauritanian” highlights this point — but on Sunday by shutting out the film for Oscar nominations the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences missed an opportunity to shine a light on the issue. With renewed discussion by members of the Senate, we're seeing increased consensus that it is time for it to close once and for all - but how do we make that happen?
This Thursday at 7pm ET, I'll be moderating a session that brings together Mohamedou Ould Slahi, a Muslim man who was detained and held without charge at Guantánamo Bay for over a decade, and the defense attorney that won his habeas corpus case, Nancy Hollander. If you haven’t done so already, be sure to check out the Golden Globe award-winning film The Mauritanian or Slahi’s best-selling autobiography, The Guantánamo Diaries, an intimate recount of his experiences during detention. This second installment of 'The Forums at MPAC' - Close Guantánamo: Why & How? - is timely, relevant, and not to be missed.
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