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Say "I Don't Want War" and Be Heard
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Progressive Portal
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Sep 26, 2001 23:42 PDT
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To: Tues911discussPP <Tues911d-@topica.com>
From: ja-@vision-and-values.com
Subject: How To Say "I Don't Want War" and Be Heard
Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2001 16:09:19 -0700 (PDT)
(c) 2001 janet j. jai
Contrary to what you read and hear, many (possibly most) Americans do
NOT want war. Why aren't we hearing from them? Many are quiet because
they don't know there are effective alternatives. (There are. See
Alternatives to War below.) Most are quiet simply because they don't
know how to make their voices heard. Here's how.
Overview
========
There are three groups you need to reach to be sure your voice is heard
on this important issue: 1) the government, 2) the media, 3) people in
general. Always remember, the main message you want to convey is "I
don't want war." Always be polite.
Children and teenagers as well as adults are encouraged to participate
in this process. Young people own the future. It is they who will have
to deal with the results of our decisions today. They too have a right
to speak out and be heard.
Four Phone Calls and a Letter
=============================
Don't be overwhelmed by the number of ways to speak up that are listed
below. Your first goal should be: Four phone calls and a letter. Those
phone calls should be to your representatives in the Senate and Congress
and to President Bush. The letter should be to one of the major media in
your area. This will be a GOOD beginning! Doing more if you can will
make your voice louder.
How To Reach the Government
===========================
Call your state's U.S. Senators, your U.S. Congressperson, and President
George Bush. Most of them have public answering lines, and callers seem
to be getting through easily even recently. The White House Direct
Comments Line is 202-456-1111. If you don't know how to reach your
Senators and Congressperson, call your local League of Women Voters
(LWV) office. They can give you your representatives' names, telephone
numbers, addresses, and e-mail addresses. (Note: LWV is non-partisan and
supplies this information to anyone who asks.)
When you call your representatives, say "I don't want war, and I am one
of your constituents" (if you're too young to vote, say "I am one of
your future constituents") and give your name and address. You can also
write or e-mail them if you can't get through on the phone. Writing is
more effective than e-mail. (Regarding what to say, see below.)
How To Reach the Media
======================
First, don't think of the media as "The Media." Remember that the media
are composed of individuals, people who are in many ways just like you.
You may even know some reporters, editors, publishers, news
photographers, station owners, producers, camerapeople, etc. A lot of
them may feel the same way you do.
Also, remember that you have power. The media know that for every person
who speaks up on an issue, at least 10 others feel the same way. Even a
few people speaking up can add up to a lot of subscribers or viewers.
And the media know that people who speak up are likely to change their
buying, reading, and viewing habits if they are not paid attention to.
Newspapers To reach newspapers, it's most effective to write (that means
either type or handwrite). Calling is second. E-mail is third.
1. If you write a letter to the editor, say clearly: "I don't want war."
You can add your reasons for not wanting war, but you don't have to.
Don't worry about how you write the letter, but always be polite. If you
subscribe to that newspaper or buy it regularly, say so. Sign the letter
with your name, address, and phone number. If you are under age 18,
include your age beside your name.
Put your letter in an envelope and seal it. Then print on the lower left
part of the envelope: I Don't Want War.
It's fine to mail the letter, but it's quicker and more effective if you
carry it into the newspaper. If you'll feel more comfortable, get a
friend to go along with you, hopefully one who has also written a
letter. Delivering the letters will be easier that way, and two letters
already begin to make your message carry more weight.
While at the newspaper, you might ask to introduce yourself to a
particular reporter or editor to whom you would like to convey this
message. Be understanding if they're not available. It's a difficult
time. But you might be surprised to find that they want to talk with
you.
If you have the time and energy, do this for every newspaper you read,
but be sure to contact at least one newspaper in your area.
2. If you want to call, decide which reporter or editor you want to
deliver your message to. Perhaps you have a favorite local columnist.
Names of editors are generally listed on the editorial page of a
newspaper. Call and ask to speak with them or leave a message on their
voicemail. Say, "I don't want war." Again, let them know if you
subscribe to or read their newspaper regularly. Then give your name and
phone number.
3. If you want to e-mail, most newspapers have Web sites with e-mail
contact information available. On the subject line of the e-mail, say "I
don't want war." In the body of the e-mail, repeat this message and add
your name, address, and phone number and any other comments you want to
make. Be sure to tell them if you subscribe to their newspaper or read
it regularly.
Two days after you've delivered your letter (or called or e-mailed),
follow up with a phone call to the editor or other person to whom your
message was addressed. Tell them you're interested in knowing how many
such letters, phone calls, etc. their paper has received and if they
will be publishing them or reporting on them. Let them know in this way
that you continue to be interested in what they're doing about this
issue. Of course don't call too many times. They are busy and you don't
want to be seen as an annoyance.
Alternatives to War
===================
I have been interviewing peacemakers across the country for a series of
articles on alternatives to war. The first two articles have been
published at <http://www.alternet.org/issues/911_archive.html>. Please
take a look at these articles. Peacemakers are offering some promising
and important ideas about how to resolve the current conflict without
going to war. For example, in the September 19th article, attorney
Daniel Sheehan talks about how effective legal action can bring
terrorists to justice, and Janice Auth urges President Bush to involve
world-renowned peacemakers in his strategic discussions.
Alternet.org is a syndication site. That means newspapers, magazines,
etc. can publish articles from the site for a small fee. If a newspaper
can't afford the fee, I can e-mail them the articles free of charge
since Alternet.org is non-exclusive. Editors/publishers can contact me
at jai-AT-vision-and-values.com (replace "-AT-" with "@").
Call your local newspapers and tell them that these (and other good
peacemaking articles) are available at Alternet.org and that you want to
read this type of article in their newspapers.
To find out more about alternatives to war, contact the peace groups
that abound on the Internet and locally in your area.
Radio and TV
============
There is no reason that radio and TV news personalities, editors, and
station heads can't be approached the same way you approach newspapers,
with letters (mailed or carried in), phone calls, or e-mail. Plan to
contact in some way all the major TV stations in your area. (For what to
say, see above and below.) Call or walk in and hand your letter to the
receptionist in their lobby. Receptionists are generally very nice
people. Understand they may be busy too.
Radio Talk Shows
================
Call one or more radio talk shows in your area. If you're nervous about
this, it's understandable. Some talk show hosts and guests can be very
acerbic. Also, talk shows are based on dialogue so hosts or other
callers may ask questions about what you suggest. Here are some ways to
make calling as positive an experience as possible for you.
For moral support, get a friend to be with you when you call. Also,
listen to the show a bit. There are liberal talk show hosts and
conservative talk show hosts. If a host sounds too aggressive or too
likely to be negative about the purpose of your call, put that show at
the bottom of your list.
Also, know that you don't have to talk on the air yourself. You can call
and leave your message for the host, or fax or e-mail your message. The
host may then decide to read your comments on the air and discuss them.
When you call a talk show, give only your first name and possibly the
city where you live. Again, the main message you want to convey is "I
don’t want war." If you're asked what you mean, the basic idea is:
NO bombs and NO killing thousands of innocent men, women, and children.
If they want to know what the U.S. can do instead, you could say, "Take
legal action rather than military action." Another good idea is: "Have
President Bush include well-known peacemakers as well as military
advisors in his strategic discussions." You can also refer them to the
articles on Alternatives to War at Alternet.org (especially September
19: Avoiding War, Peace Leaders Speak). You don't have to know all the
answers.
If you decide to call more than one show, you might find that you can
become brave enough to call the ones at the bottom of your list. If you
are religious, it might help to remember that each person has the light
of God in them. Before calling, you could pray for the hosts who are
most aggressive. They certainly need the prayers.
How To Reach People in General
==============================
TALK: Many, many people who don't want war feel that they are totally
alone.
Share the fact that you don't want war with your family, friends,
neighbors, and acquaintances. Feel free to talk about this in public so
that others at nearby tables or who pass by can overhear you. They may
also need to know that they are not alone in such feelings.
Also, share your views with community and religious leaders with whom
you have contact. They can help spread the message. And they are welcome
to print all or part of this article on their Web site or in their
publications. (Please always include my copyright.)
USE THE INTERNET: Forward this article (or copy and paste it) to
everyone on your e-mail list. Print the article and distribute it to
those who are not on your e- mail list but would be interested. Sign
Internet petitions that call for peace not war and pass them on. You can
find petitions for peace and other good causes at
www.thepetitionsite.org. For more peace articles, check www.alternet.org
and www.commondreams.org regularly. Forward other messages of peace to
your e-mail list. Always be respectful of those who might not wish to
receive this or other such e-mails. If you have any other tips about how
to make your voice heard on this important issue, e-mail me at
ja-@vision-and-values.com.
Go in Peace! And go quickly.
### janet j. jai is a writer and founder of the firm Vision and Values.
She is currently writing a book called World Peace: A Beginners' Guide.
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