People of Good Faith

Okay. I'm a little put off by the way the BBC headlines this, as a "US Christian Group" before going on to explain that Jews and Muslims are represented too, but this is something hopeful nonetheless.

I've wondered when "media friendly" people of faith would voice the moral outrage and righteous indignation over what is being done in our name. Especially given the level, and systemic nature, of prisoner abuse and torture, and as it is more fully revealed to the public eye (despite Ashcroft's worst efforts). Don't get me wrong, there have been selected moments, and voices (my own very much included), speaking with faith-based outrage and despair, decrying the acts of this government on not only political and diplomatic grounds, but deeply held religous belief as well. These moments however are but a drop in the bucketful needed to counteract the image of American Jews and Christians that is held by Muslims worldwide (to say nothing of the progressive community here at home). This is another such moment:

FaithfulAmerica.org - a non-profit lobbying group that started a month ago - has paid $20,000 for the ad to be shown in several slots next Tuesday on the two biggest pan-Arab satellite TV stations, Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya.

The money came from more than 1,000 donors. More than 15,000 others have endorsed the message.

The ad mirrors recent appearances on Arab TV by senior US officials - most notably President George W Bush - promising firm action over the Abu Ghraib scandal.

But FaithfulAmerica.org says the administration has not faced up to the moral wrong of what happened.

A senior member of President Bush's own United Methodist Church, Bishop Melvin Talbert, is the public face of the campaign.

He told the BBC he believes the administration should be more forthright and forthcoming in dealing with the abuse scandal and rectifying it.

He said he hoped the ad would show people in the Arab world that many Americans do care about them and want for Arabs what they want for themselves.

Watch the ad here and, if it strikes a chord, endorse it and add your name to the list.