You know you’re an organizer when holidays become public outreach events. Communication tactics abound with upcoming fairs, civic and Pride celebrations. Here’s one I leapt on because it landed in my mailbox. I printed 100 copies of this “Letter to the Editor” of a local volunteer newsletter, and distributed it in my neighborhood.
Do you have your flyers ready? Is there enough “white space”? Is there a graphic on every panel? Is it easy to read? Is your headline an attention grabber? We have to be more creative than the propaganda machine grinding away at everyone, day in and day out. I keep trying to find the humor. Be the media.
May 13, 2007
Neighbors in Action
Letters to the Editor
Mother’s Day Started in 1870 to Promote Peace
Dear Editor:
Your May 2007 issue of Neighbors in Action contains an article on Mother’s Day which is historically erroneous. The original Mother’s Day predates the 1905 version you described in that article.
I refer you to Robert Greenwald’s recent article, “Story of Mother’s Day” posted at http://www.alternet.org/asoldierspeaks/51545/ where he notes:
“Julia Ward Howe, the author of the Battle Hymn of the Republic, wrote the original Mother's Day Proclamation in 1870 calling upon the women of the world to unite for peace. She had just witnessed the carnage of the American Civil War and the start of the Franco-Prussian War.”
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May we celebrate Mothers Day by bringing home those who fight this illegal oil war on behalf of multinational corporations. Let’s back up our sentiments with action: don’t drive for an entire week this month. Let’s end these oil wars, and have fewer to mourn on Memorial Day.
Maybe then we can truly share a happy Mother’s Day.Your neighbor-in-peace
