So I have an idea (bear with me),
I used to be really into writing letters to my representatives, and to the paper, and to polititians in general. I'm trying to get back into it because I think it's an effective, relatively low-cost form of activism.
What if we started a girlmom letter writing campaign? We could pick an issue or event every month or so and someone who feels particularly well informed on the matter, or who has some extra time to look into it, could either draft a letter or just provide easy information with which to draft a letter, and then we could all (that is, anyone who wants to participate) send a version of the letter to our reps.
Is this a silly idea? Does this sound like it could work? What do y'all think?
I like it!!! It sounds good to me!!!
I think it has been discussed before.
Another good idea would be posting links to petitions and things of that nature. I know sometimes I see posts that link things to sign that could effect some of us. Posting the things you see (I know I get e-mails from NARAL all the time with links to senators and congress people about issues that effect my county all the way up to the country) from repudible sources so we as a community are helping out in whatever ways we can. If you think about it lots of people read here (members and lurkers) who can all participate or not.
Back to your idea hilary its awesome! i think just posting issues and addresses might be a good start. we can all take the iniative to post and write.
i think its a wonderful idea. and i think we should start with that maryland rape issue. it just makes me soooo angry!
Good Idea Miss Angelica!
in theory, it is an excellent idea- i just hope there is follow through. count me in!!!
Yah, I think we've talked about it before, even having certain ones of us alerting everyone on different issues.
I get so many emails from naral to envionmental issues, etc so I usually send out the emails. They are pretty good in writing up a nice letter to send and will look up your local reps/senators, etc ... if I have the time, I usually try and add some of my own words.
Sometimes, I get emails too from organizations, asking to call ... which I have done. Obviously you will get a secretary or someone, but you can ask them to take a message or I've been able to leave voicemails for them. Back in Minneapolis Rep Frank Hornstein and Senator Scott Dibble both called me back. Rep Hornstein even remembered me when I visited him on pro-choice lobby day last year! :)
I think the maryland rape law would be a good issue to focus on, unless you all think it is too specific?
Specific is good. What exactly about it? Where should they go?
Specific is great! I think it is really good to send specific letters to state & national people.
To where? I think the senate, the represenatives, I think it shows bigger impact when they are getting letters from women outside of MD.
awesome. I'll find their contact info.
yeah sorry guys, that was vague. I don't mean too specific an issue, I mean too specific to one state. Most of us are not Maryland constituents. Does that matter?
yah, i was thinking about that when i wrote it. but i bet ramone girl is right. it probably has more of an impact, even, because we are not directly affected and yet we still care. im not really sure, though... i dont know a whole lot about laws and things. i think its worth a shot anyway. gimme some contact info, and i am down. there has to be something we can do, even if we are not residents.
It's a starting point. Also, there will probably be a lot of issues that only affect a couple of us directly, but they're still important issues, you know?
anyway, the house majority leader, Steny H. Hoyer, is a Md representative. His contact info is:
Washington Office:
1705 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-2005
Phone: (202) 225-4131
Fax: (202) 225-4300
Main District Office:
6500 Cherrywood Ln., #310
Greenbelt, MD 20770
Phone: (301) 474-0119
Fax: (301) 474-4697
And the senators are:
Benjamin L. Cardin
Washington Office:
B40B Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-2002
Phone: (202) 224-4524
Fax: (202) 224-1651
Main District Office:
100 South Charles Street, Tower I, Suite 1710
Baltimore, MD 21201
Phone: (410) 962-4436
Fax: (410) 962-4256
and
Barbara A. Mikulski
Washington Office:
503 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-2003
Phone: (202) 224-4654
Fax: (202) 224-8858
Main District Office:
1629 Thames St., #400
Baltimore, MD 21231
Phone: (410) 962-4510
Fax: (410) 962-4760
And the address for the office of Governor Martin O'Malley is
Office of the Governor
100 State Circle
Annapolis, Maryland
21401-1925
Do you think these will be good folks to write to, or do you think that the state government is better, since they're the ones that probably passed the law? The state gov's page (Maryland.gov) isn't working right now, but I'm sure I can find info on the state legislature if y'all think that would work better.
what's the next step, guys? Do we write a sample letter?[/b]
I don't think it matters, although I have gotten certain alerts and they will specifically say in the email to only sign/send if you are a resident of that state. But I don't think it would pertain in this, either way I think it's a good thing to write a letter to.
I wrote a letter to Senator Doran and Conrad or ND when I lived in MN about the husband consent law for abortion and Dorgan responded back... so yah, I told him even though I wasn't a resident of that state, I still paid attention to state laws, especially things like that!
Does someone want to draft a form letter? Right now I'm busy, busy, busy, but I can in another week or two if no one else wants to do it.
i will, if someone wants to give me some pointers on what to say.... i soooo want to help but im not sure what specific points we want to make the most clear or what we specifically want to request. i mean, what CAN we request? ive never done this before. i wanna say, FIX IT! THIS IS TOTAL BS! lol. i dont think theyll respond well to that....