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The Peace Booth
at the
North Carolina State Fair
Text of This Year's Petitions

  1. Petition for Withdrawal From Iraq
  2. U.S. Support to the UN and its Reform Proposals
  3. Petition for the Humane Treatment of Prisoners - Stop Torture

Petition for Withdrawal From Iraq

To Sen. Elizabeth Dole and Richard Burr and members of the House of Representatives,
Whereas we can best honor the lives and memories of all who have died in Iraq by ending the war, bringing United States troops home, and supporting the rebuilding of Iraq;
Whereas the perception that the U.S. intends to permanently occupy Iraq aids insurgent groups in recruiting supporters and fuels more violence;
Whereas a clear statement of intent to fully withdraw U.S. troops and close all U.S.. bases does not imply the setting of a particular deadline, time frame, or exit strategy;
Whereas such a statement would send a strong signal to the people of Iraq and the international community that the U.S. does not have imperial intentions in Iraq;
Whereas many Iraqi nationalist groups have expressed a willingness to engage in political dialogue if the U.S. clearly states its intention to withdraw from Iraq;
Be it Resolved that we call on the U.S. Congress to adopt a sense of the Congress resolution declaring: "It is the policy of the United States to withdraw all U.S. military troops and bases from Iraq."

This petition received 1172 signatures.
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U.S. Support to the UN and its Reform Proposals

Whereas the United Nations (UN) is celebrating its 60th birthday, and
Whereas the UN has earned the respect and gratitude of millions of people around the world to promote peace, justice, and economic and social well-being, and
Whereas the UN depends on its members to authorize action and provide resources, and
Whereas UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan is recommending to UN members a substantial reform program, and
Whereas it is in the best interest of United States' foreign policy and national security to support these reforms and to maintain our financial support of the UN,
We hereby urge President Bush and the U.S. Congress to support UN reforms, to provide full payment of U.S. dues and peacekeeping allotments, and to pay U.S. dues at the beginning of each calendar year.

This petition received 836 signatures.
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Petition for the Humane Treatment of Prisoners - Stop Torture

To: The honorable members of the United States Congress
We, the undersigned residents of North Carolina, wish to express our unmitigated dissent to the officially sanctioned use of torture by U.S. intelligence agents, military personnel, and contractors.
The practice of torture is criminal and not consistent with the democratic values we claim to uphold as a beacon to the rest of the world. As Patrick Henry declared, "The rack, the thumb screw . . . were left behind in the Old World for good reason. If permitted in this country, we are 'lost and undone.'"
The torture of any human being is flatly prohibited by our domestic laws and by international treaties, even during times of war. We insist these laws be respected and enforced. Discarding the Geneva Conventions only places our own citizens and soldiers at greater risk of being tortured.
The political leaders and governmental officials who have shaped U.S. policies leading to the use of torture during interrogations in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay should be held accountable. Thus far, only young soldiers who obeyed their orders at Abu Ghraib have faced criminal charges. Clearly, the practice of torture is widespread and authorized by U.S. officials at the highest levels.
Lastly, the use of torture will not lead to greater national security. It only engenders greater hatred toward all Americans, which endangers our nation and the lives of our citizens.
We demand that:
  1. all forms of mental and physical torture be banned once and for all FROM U.S. POLICY AND PRACTICE-whether carried out directly BY AMERICAN FORCES, by "proxy" through contractors, or by sending prisoners to other countries known to practice torture.
  2. INFORMATION ON all cases involving torture by U.S. personnel or contractors be fully declassified AND AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
  3. the U.S.politicians and other governmental officials who promote the use of torture be investigated and brought to trial FOR ALL VIOLATIONS OF LAW AND INTERNATIONAL TREATIES.

This petition received 1019 signatures.
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