7 November 2002
Here are some of the messages people have sent in response to my email note… (We will continue to post interesting responses as they come in.)
Thanks for your stand against war and hate. In Oxford we start regular vigils for peace every Wednesday at noon in the town park. The idea of women in black…
love and peace to you,
Josette
Ps. Even though I am greatly saddened by the election results I try not to let the “elephant turkeys” get me down.
Thanks for doing this. You’re message will mobilize many people that may not have taken any, some or all of those steps!
Jessie
This email is great. My sister is representing us with some friends in San Francisco and we will be at the candlelight vigil, smaller but nevertheless a good thing, here in Los Angeles.
The demo here two weeks agao, though organized by fringies, nevertheless was fantastic — over 10,000 people, lots new, totally diverse, multigenerational, families, queers, EVERYONE….
I believe this war is so insane that most people are opposed to it and many of us will draw a big fat line in the sand.
Torie
I read your e-mail not knowing who Paul Wellstone was. Many more of us know now. Same day I heard of him, he died. Coincidences are very weird sometimes.
There is an event in the works here in Lansing similar to one many faith groups sponsored on Afghanistan with folks from Iraq who are in this area. We are lucky to have lots of choices to be active in peace work with others.
Thanks for your e-mail and for reminding us all that each voice counts.
Terry
Thanks for this. We have a daily prayer vigil going from our Unitarian Church. And you know what, it’s working.
With every day that passes, the forces of Peace grow stronger. The Hawks are being held down throughout the world by conscious folks who know that to unleash the hounds of war at this time would cause a world wide eruption of violence, that we may never see the end of.
Thank you so much for your huge heart!
Catherine
Thanx for all your outreach efforts, Margie. You are truly a gift in many ways. Remember the Peace Corp? I know the colleges still have ROTC. Do you think the idea of a Peacekeepers ROTC/type program would be doable? Young people are such a great resource, it’s such a shame to train them only for waging war.
Ruth
Thank you for your pro-active account. I’m glad to get this message and the information.
Joanne
I thought these were all great ideas. I have already done most of the things you suggested, but I was glad to get your letter anyway. The media is so “pliant” that it is sometimes hard to remember that there are so many people who share my opposition to the war in Iraq and to most of Bush’s other policies. Thanks for taking the time to write.
Best Wishes, Martha
Right On Marg! We all have been needing something JUST LIKE THIS!! I’m sending this on.
Thanks….Judy
Thanks for your courage, Margie! I’ll look for you on Saturday, but, hopefully, there will be too many thousands of people to find anyone!
I called the White House, too; voted absentee this week; and gave $250 to Paul Wellstone’s campaign when he was here in September. Great suggestions!
Best wishes, Paul
Thank you for speaking out and providing information for people to speak up against going to war. My friends and neighbors in the northwest corner of Connecticut are renting a bus to go to the protest in Washington DC on Saturday. I enjoy your music and I wanted you to know that your call to action is being heard.
Elaine
Dear Neville Chamberlin Adam, Please remove my name from your mailing list! Your naive pacifism is pathetic – uninformed and naive. If Hitler had been removed before he got to invade other countries and start WWII – millions would be alive. Today’s situation is similar. There were people with your attitude then and there are people like that now – unfortunately.
Trudy
Here are some notes from our local peace group. We look for things that “regular” people can do.
Ann
- Make Peace an issue at all levels in the election. Tell candidates you won’t vote for them unless they oppose war. Attend debates and forums and ask questions.
- Write letters to the editor. Glenda, Diana and Ann will write the first letters. Others will respond to those letters. The goal is to make it appear that lots of people are opposed to the war. Dayton Daily, Troy Daily, Women’s paper, Advocate. Let the group know when you write or see a letter in the paper.
- Use peace symbols…dove and 0 in lots of ways. Tattoos, yard signs, bumper stickers, lawn ornaments, etc.
- Participate in the dove ribbon campaign. Wings of the Dove Campaign; PO Box 1051; Troy, OH 45373.
- Visit Congressman Boehner’s office and register your opposition to war every time you are in town.
- Go as a large group to Congressman Boehner’s office when he or his staff are having office days. Bring everybody you know along.
- Write a letter to your family and friends telling them about how you feel about peace and ask them to join you in opposing war.
- Inform every teen and young adult you know that there is serious consideration of reinstating the draft.
- Begin thinking about how we can help draft resisters. More on this in future meetings
- Inform people about the PATRIOT act and the Homeland Security act and how they are eroding our civil liberties. Read Nancy Chang’s book “Silencing Political Dissent”.
- Participate in non-violent protest. Read Walter Wink’s “The Powers That Be”.
- Try to find a very well know spokesperson to carry the message.
- Insert a short blurb in your church, mosque, temple, synagogue or coven bulletin. Ask people to join us.
- Take the Iraq Peace pledge and give it to everyone you know. Peace Pedge Union
- Keep the bigger picture for peace in mind while focusing our immediate energy on Iraq.
- Support humanitarian efforts in Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine, Israel, etc.
Thanks very much. I went back to music school and I’m too busy to pee, but thanks for reminding me there are more important things than midterms. I’ll try to take some action.
Ruth
Brava! this is a great call for action!
Renate
Onward and Outward!
