One year past the Bush Regime, war criminals still run loose as the Torture Team returns to the comforts of academic and corporate life. UC Law still claims an "academic freedom" figleaf protects John Yoo's teaching job, even as Yoo's new book justifies illegal torture all over again. Condoleeza Rice enjoys the good life at Stanford, Jay Bybee sits on the federal bench and Obama taps Bush to help Bill Clinton represent the "aid" Haiti can expect from the U.S.

This semester, UC has decided to keep Yoo's class location secret and closed to public perusal. So on January 12, Yoo's first scheduled day of class, we took our protest to the office of Dean Christopher Edley, where the Dean himself was out (surprise), so his chief of staff met with us instead. World Can't Wait re-raised our standing proposal, initiated in a meeting with the Dean in October: "Dean Edley and Boalt Hall shall sponsor a major all-university event (a symposium, forum with workshops, series of panels or programs - exact form to be developed) engaging the controversy and debate over the role of lawyers (including but not only John Yoo) in the so-called "War on Terror" and specifically the ways through which US torture ("harsh interrogation") has been made a key weapon in that war.

These matters have raised grave questions far beyond the university and law school, indeed for all of society. Both the Dean and our movement against torture have been speaking to this for several years, and it is a complex and ongoing situation.

In relation to what torture has become in US policy and in the world, obviously Yoo as an Office of Legal Counsel attorney did not act alone and the question of torture is far bigger than any one Bush era figure such as Yoo. Along with the political crisis the torture question is now posing high in the halls of power, with investigations and prosecutions being discussed and demands for these coming from various quarters - the country and everyone in it is facing huge moral and ethical questions: will the torture regime be repudiated or will it become permanent?

At the October meeting we presented to Dean Edley arguments for why this is, in a more concentrated way, a crucial debate to open up here at Cal where John Yoo is actually teaching (while he continues to defend to the world his work under Bush and Cheney). Through a 45-minute exploration, we and the Dean came to agreement that such a major event (symposium, forum, etc.) would be beneficial to the entire university community. There have been many airings of both basic positions (Yoo doesn't belong in the classroom/Yoo belongs in the classroom).  However, we're at a juncture where people should be able to hear both sides argued, in the same place and confronting each other deeply and well by the most articulate and respected advocates available. Similar to the 2006 Boalt Hall Terrorism Conference, this event would be both very sharp and controversial politically, while also including a high level of scholarly debate.  

Meanwhile, Yoo's campus whereabouts may be secret, but he is still travelling the country on book tour.  Thanks to all who continue supporting the effort to call all the war criminals to justice, including the demand that Torture Professor John Yoo be fired, disbarred and prosecuted for war crimes. To see how much this demand is impacting the situation, check out these news clippings about Yoo's "secret class" from before and after our January 12 protest. 

New York Times interviews Yoo 12/29/09

SF Bay Guardian (Steven T. Jones' blog) 1/4/10

KPFA Flashpoints interviews World Can't Wait's Stephanie Tang

Scoop, a New Zealand-based news blog

New York Times (Bay Area) 1/13/10

Daily Californian 1/14/10

SF Chronicle 1/16/10

Berkeley Daily Planet 1/18/10

Re: Yoo's 1/11/10 Daily Show appearance with Jon Stewart