Congratulations and thanks to all those who marched yesterday. The march was successful, as you all know, drawing at least 100,000 protestors (likely around 250,000). But we're not done yet, and I want to encourage people to keep working for peace.
Much of the march went unseen by the American people, due to a variety of factors (Hurricane Rita, media bias, etc). We need to make sure that the power of the protest is not lost on our Congressmen and Congresswomen. Because the Bush administration refuses to address the issue and says that the U.S. will "stay the course" in Iraq (after all, they will not have to face another election), we need to demand withdrawal from Iraq from our representatives in Congress. Since every representative in the House is up for reelection in 2006, they will be forced to address the overwhelming public disapproval of the handling of the Iraq War.
Please continue below the fold.
We can use this to our advantage to help bring our troops home. The time is perfect - right after one of the largest protests in DC history - to contact representatives in Congress.
Here is what I am proposing: each and every one of you who is reading this should send an email to your representive. Knowing that many if not most of you do not have the time to compose a letter, please feel free to copy and paste mine below:
Dear Representative [Insert Last Name],
On Saturday, September 24, over 100,000 American citizens came to Washington, D.C., to demand an immediate withdrawal of United States soldiers from Iraq. In addition, tens of thousands protested in other American cities such as San Francisco. The message of the American people is clear: the current situation in Iraq is unacceptable.
Over 1,900 U.S. soldiers have died in Iraq. Thousands have been wounded, both physically and emotionally. Most will carry their scars for life. As insurgents develop new ways of killing American soldiers, the situation becomes more hopeless every day.
I am stunned that Congress has not stepped in to put an end to the needless waste of American lives in Iraq. I want to think that I can trust the representatives I elect, but I am full of doubt after witnessing Congress stand pat while Americans are slaughtered.
A New York Times poll indicates that the majority of Americans want the immediate withdrawal of U.S. armed forces from Iraq. These are the same people who will be going to the polls in November of 2006 with the war on their minds (if it has not ended by then). Our will must be respected.
I am writing to demand that you sponsor or support a resolution calling for the immediate withdrawal of United States soldiers from Iraq. Congress cannot afford to wait any longer to address the Iraq quagmire. I urge you to speak with your fellow representatives in order to gain their support for troop withdrawal.
Thousands have died in Iraq as a result of lies and deception, but it is not too late to save the lives of the young men and women of the armed forces serving in Iraq. Please act now without hesitation to bring them home.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Don't know who your representative in the House is? Don't worry. Go to the House of Representatives' website and enter your zip code (near the top of the page). Once you have reached your rep.'s page, either (a) Use his/her online contact email form to submit your letter or (b) Find his/her email address and submit the letter through your own email service provider.
Have any suggestions or want to post other copy-and-paste-able letters? Please feel free to add your comments and I will update the diary with your letters. I just started a blog that I intend to use to launch future grassroots activism campaigns, so please feel free to post your suggestions there as well.
Please take the time to do this. I know that it seems pointless at times, but we cannot stop fighting for our troops - after all, they never stop fighting for us. I don't usually ask for this, but if you want to support this email campaign, please RECOMMEND this diary so it gains maximum exposure here at dKos.