Opportunity to push doctors to reinforce their rejection of torture (re. Bradley Manning)

This looks like a great idea to me,  and hopefully people will find ways to help,  whether in real life, or digital.

Regards,
proclus
http://www.gnu-darwin.org/

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From: mirjameikelboom@hotmail.com
To: dc@codepink.org; courage@riseup.net; act@firedoglake.com; shelley@veteransforpeace.org; virginia@veteransforpeace.org; zkjcallan@ivaw.org
Subject: Opportunity to push doctors to reinforce their rejection of torture (re. Bradley Manning)
Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2011 23:16:18 +0000

Dear Madam, Sir

A couple of weeks ago I wrote an open letter to the American Medical Association - asking them to clarify that the treatment of Bradley Manning is nowhere near medical, but is torture. See: http://wlcentral.org/node/1379 & http://original.antiwar.com/engelhardt/2009/06/07/pioneers-of-torture/

So far I did not receive any reply whatsoever -but there was an organization that drew the same conclusions as I did: 

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Open-Letter-on-the-Humilia-by-Psychologists-for-110309-479.html

When I contacted the writers of this letter, expressed my gratitude and told them about my inquiry they gave me more or less the following answer: AMA is a bureaucracy and doesn't like to take a stance in a situation like this, so don't expect an answer. Their organization has tried for years to realize disciplinary action for psychological/ medical staff that aided and condoned Quantico - so far with no result at all.

My first response was a renewed effort to tweet my article in combinations with "American medical association" -

It is in that way that I discovered that the Student members of the American Medical Association hold their annual convention from March 10 till March 13 in Washington: http://inspirationexchange.amsa.org/AMSA/AMSA/Home/Default.aspx

The purpose of this letter (however late) is to see if it is possible to go down to this convention and ask help to the students to encourage/force AMA to make a crystal clear statement that the treatment of Bradley has nothing to do with medicine at all. I personally feel that -if this would succeed- it would mean a major step forward in proving that Bradley Manning is maltreated. On top of that the army would have much more to explain as to the exact origin and nature of this maltreatment. I cannot go myself - as I am in the Netherlands - but i hope that all the organizations that are in the header of this mail may be able to work together and bring this about. Probably you are all good friends ;-)

In my estimation a small team of people (esp. impressive people like veterans or mothers ;-)  ) could be enough to 1. create publicity 2. get enough student involvement to make the AMA students reject the abuse of their profession for the torture of Bradley Manning.

I sincerely hope that something is possible,

With many greetings,

Mirjam Eikelboom