We are an organization of individuals who are comfortable working in an interfaith context. We do not require members to belong to a religious organization.
LOUISE SPECHT, Convener. Louise has been working to end U.S. torture since the Abu Ghraib pictures came out. As a Protestant Christian, she references Matthew 25:40, “As you did to the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me”, to affirm that each of us is beloved in the eyes of God. As Convener of BARCAT, she works with members to create and carry out the vision of BARCAT.
GEOFFREY GASKINS, M.Div., Organizational Development and Strategic Planning Consultant. Geoffrey works with BARCAT to develop workshops, presentations, and web content. "Torture is evil and is, therefore, something about which people of faith cannot remain silent." Geoffrey has been active for approximately five years in the movement to end torture in national and internatnional affairs. He is the project director for the California Interfaith Campaign on Solitary Confinement, which seeks to address torture in the form of prlonged solitary confinement in California prisons and other places of detention. "I believe that people and faith have a special role to play in movement to end torture. Perhaps more than others, we understand every human being to have been created in the image of God and, therefore, perpetually worthy of respect and redemption. To diminish or demoralize any one is, therefore, to diminish the creative work of the Divine in human evolution, and there can be no greater sin."
ALAN KELCHNER, Bay Area artist. Alan is coming on board as BARCAT's webmaster and will be working to redesign our current site and keep site content updated.
