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M
ESSAGE FROM
E
FRÉN
S
UPPORTING
C
ALL TO
A
CTION TO
A
BOLISH
J
UVENILE
L
IFE
W
ITHOUT
P
AROLE
(JLWOP)
 
S
ENTENCES
"We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality,tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly,affects all indirectly." —Martin Luther King, Jr.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009Dear Friends,I am writing in support of Helen's call to action urging people to contact your state legislatorsand asking them to support the forthcoming legislative bills seeking to abolish juvenile lifewithout parole (JLWOP) sentences in Michigan.I am currently constructing a letter to President Obama's transition team and administrationencouraging them to ratify the Convention On the Rights of the Child (CRC). The CRCexpressly prohibits the imposition of JLWOP sentences, however, the U.S. has not ratified thetreaty.The CRC was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1989 and instituted asinternational law in 1990. The U.S. signed the treaty with reservations, but is the only remainingcountry in the world that has not ratified it besides Somalia. Somalia, however, does not have afunctioning government.A couple months ago when asked about the CRC on the campaign trail, President Obama stated,"It is embarrassing to find ourselves in the company of Somalia, a lawless land." He continued,"I will review this and other treaties and ensure that the United States resumes its globalleadership in human rights." You can view his response at
http://tinyurl.com/auerqp
.I believe President Obama's recent vow to reclaim our "moral high ground" in the world, hiscommitment to ensure that "transparency and the rule of law will be the touchstones" of hisadministration, and his signing of the Executive Order banning torture to protect the humanrights of foreigners abroad, signal that he will also ensure the protection of children's rights athome.President Obama signed the Executive Order to ensure that the United Nations ConventionAgainst Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment is adhered to.This same treaty contains provisions which offer protections of juveniles as well. JLWOPsentences constitute a violation of this treaty along with several others, including theInternational Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention On the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination.
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