One day, this war and occupation will end. The sun will rise up over Michigan Avenue, where I have been every beautiful, cold morning this week, just like every other day. And some policy maker in this country will rise from his or her bed. And he or she will know that the people want peace and justice. They will take a first step toward that path, and when they are followed by a mass of the people, they will know they have done the right thing.
I don’t know when that day will come. But my cynicism has been washed away on the streets of Lansing, Michigan. And I believe in the faces of all the strangers I have met, the vast majority of whom silently pray for peace.
And I need your help. One day. Today. Join me after the flip if you believe.
I rose a half-hour early today, because I wanted to write to that large world of bloggers. You have a power. A global power. To turn what is a small and beautiful demonstration into more. I’ll be leaving in twenty minutes to take up my post outside Congressman Mike Rogers’ (R-MI) Lansing office, for the final day of the “Picket for Peace.” This is our fifth day running. From 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. I watched him leave the building last night. And I asked him loudly, as we all want to, “Congressman, could you please help stop this war, sir?”
He did not turn. He walked away to his car. But he raised a thumbs-up. A cynical person might take that as defeat. But I take it as a sign of hope. He knows how the people feel. Because we have delivered almost nine dozen single flowers to him, one after another, in the past two days. “Petals for Peace.” And we have delivered dozens more Hershey’s Kisses. “Kisses for Peace.” And it is not just crazed activist sending this message. It is the passing citizens. Stopping. Listening. Happy to engage themselves in stopping this war. It is beautiful. My estimate is that well-over half of the deliveries are from strangers who want the war to end.
We’ve had flowers delivered under the “Petals for Peace” banner from Australia. And a cheer rose up on the picket line when the delivery person told us this. One that was surely heard inside the building.
One day. Today. I’m asking you activists here at the Booman Tribune to assist. Help try to flip Mike Rogers. Impact him as a human being. Maybe his policies won’t change. But inside, the man is human. He has to feel. Let us make him feel big.
The plan:
1. Rate this up, so that all here can read it.
- Take this and spread the word. Cross-post it and rate it up. E-mail it to the wide world. Act together to put it on top of dKos. I know that you have the power.
- Send Mike Rogers flowers today. Whatever you can afford. Make the card say “Petals for Peace — Stop the War.” And/or some other pro-peace message. The key is being nice. This is no longer about anger. This is about change. His address is 1327 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing, Michigan 48912. A good delivery place that is a block away is Bancroft Flowers (517) 371-4120. They’ve been kind to us this week. Tell the delivery person to let the picketers know about the delivery. The office is open 8:30 to 5:00. So act now. We have one day.
- If you can’t send flowers, fax him a picture of flowers with a “Petals for Peace — Stop the War” message. Fax number to Lansing office is (517) 702-8642. If that doesn’t work. Check the D.C. office fax number. But let’s focus first on Lansing. Remember. Be kind. We are winning hearts and minds. Truly, the mood on the street is wonderful. The office is under much stress, but we like the staff people inside. They are human beings. Even Mike is a human being. And he, like John Murtha before him, could arise tomorrow and decide to shock the world. Don’t be cynical. For one day.
- If you can’t fax a flower for peace, then by all means call the office and tell them you support the “Picket for Peace” outside and want them to stop the war. Lansing number first. (517) 702-8000. Toll free D.C. number second. 1-877-762-8762 and ask for Mike Rogers from Michigan (there is one from another state). Remember. Kindness.
- You are at a computer. So an e-mail couldn’t hurt I guess. I don’t have e-mail contacts, so you will have to find them yoursleves. But please do, and amend my post or add the e-mails in the comments section.
- E-mail BooMan, Maryscott, Ductape, Maneegee. Tell them what you’ve done to help out. I’d like to know how things are going. They will have a cell number for me.
That’s it. Not so hard. You can do it people. You can.
Thanks to all who have supported our efforts already. Very cool. And thanks to you who are about to, though you have never before felt capable of making change. Just one day. (I apologize — no time for an edit or a spell check — adios).
