Band of 31

If you care about torture, and let's be perfectly, brutally honest here, not many of you do, you are in a select minority. And though the President may not be on your side, there is reason to hope. (Remember hope?)

There is a band of 31 people in our government who can help.

They are led by Senators Patrick Leahy, Barbara Boxer, Carl Levin, Sheldon Whitehouse, and my knight in shining armor forevs (srsly I luvs him) Russ Feingold.

Harry Reid has promised to fund senate committee inquiries.

John Conyers has subpoenaed Karl Rove, Harriet "Nina" Miers, and Josh Bolten.

24 cosponsors in the House have pledged their time for an independent panel investigating torture.

What we may end up with is a so-called Truth Commission. This wouldn't be ideal, as it would pave the way for a sort of pay-for-play testimony-for-immunity type situation; but when you have the President dragging his heels the whole way, it might be our best shot.

There may be more to it than that, there may not, but even if that is all that happens, we can all hope that it sends a message. Whether it be to the international community (that we as Americans don't condone torture and will root it out even, and for god's sake especially when it's inconvenient), our President (to whom most of us probably doubted we'd ever have to send a reproving message, lately become the type of political scumbag he tricked us into thinking he wasn't), and ourselves (that the Yes We Can spirit wasn't wrong in any way whatsoever, but that it needs to apply to more than just a reason every four years to delete politically contrary facebook friends, but to everyday life).

It's not going to be convenient. It probably won't be everything it should. But it's going to be right, and these 31 people deserve to be remembered for their efforts.