December 26, 2007
Jamie Leigh Jones
It takes a lot to endure the stigma of going
public with being raped, especially when the President and the
Vice President of the United States are doing nothing
to help find and prosecute the rapists, especially when the company who employed
the alleged rapists used to be headed by -- and still has extremely close ties
to – the Vice President of the United States.
But that is just what Jamie
Leigh Jones did,
even though the Department of Justice didn't even send a lawyer to the Congressional
hearing into her charges that she was gang-raped while working for Halliburton/KBR
in Iraq.
As the BuzzFlash reader who nominated Jones wrote: "I was so impressed with
this 23-year-old woman's courage in fighting back at Halliburton/KBR for the
brutal gang rape she experienced, only 20 years of age at the time. I have no
idea where this will go -- or who the perpetrators were. But it is clear that
she was brutalized (medical evidence) and that she's one hell of a young woman.
When I saw her before the Congressional Committee, I was extremely impressed
with her courage. I also have no clue what her "politics" are -- she
could be a raging reactionary, for all I know. But it doesn't matter: She's courageous."
It is abhorrent beyond belief that an administration that sells itself as "moral" to
the American public is, in essence, condoning rape by failing to investigate
the crime or put pressure on Cheney's former firm, Halliburton/KBR, to cooperate
in identifying and helping prosecute the rapists.
Jamie Leigh Jones has set up a foundation that
is "dedicated to helping United States citizens and legal residents who
are victims of sexual harassment, rape and sexual abuse while working abroad
for federal contractors, corporations, or government entities. We believe that
overseas contractors and corporations should act responsibly, and be held accountable
to provide safe housing and a work environment free of sexual harassment, and
limit the potential for abuse. We believe that United States civilians who perpetrate
crime while working in foreign countries should be held accountable for their
actions."
She deserves our support and merits this week's BuzzFlash Wings of Justice Award.
* * *
Nominated by Karen Porter of West Chester, PA.
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