Promoted by Steven D.
Cross-posted at My Left Wing and Daily Kos
This is a diary that calls you to action. It combines the efforts of a number of bloggers. It is the kind of idea that catches hold and helps bring change. It has already attracted some attention from the mainstream press (article linked below), and is attracting more (I’ve been interviewed a second time, and will be photographed delivering a flower today, by another newspaper).
But ideas don’t win campaigns like this. People do. Without your help, this idea will fade away. Today marks the mid-point of this demonstration. You can take interest in this idea. Participate. Recommend this diary. And the idea will take root. Grow large. Or you can pass by. I’m encouraging you to read on.
How much cyber-ink has been wasted on why this war in Iraq must end? This is how to help. How you can help. Let your voice be heard.
Last month a local peace organization held a week-long picket at Rep. Mike Rogers’ (R-MI) district office in Lansing, Michigan. As part of the picket, members of the peace community started delivering single flowers to Rogers’ office, asking him to help stop the war. The idea was so popular and easy, passing citizens joined in. About 14 dozen flowers were delivered in a three day period. The deliveries were called “Petals for Peace.”
This week, the “Petals for Peace” campaign continued. With a little advanced planning, “Petals for Peace” has been expanded so that anyone, anywhere can participate. It’s easy. Here is what you need to do:
From Tuesday, April 18 through Friday, April 21, deliver a flower to Mike Rogers’ Lansing office. You can make the delivery by phone, fax, mail or in person. Here’s how:
By telephone — Call Bancroft Flowers at (517) 371-4120. Order a $1 carnation for delivery to Rogers’ office. They’ve agreed to waive the delivery charges.
By fax — Draw a picture of a flower (or if you don’t like drawing, you can print off the “Petals for Peace” image in this diary) and fax it to Rogers’ Lansing office at (517) 702-8642. If you can’t get through to the Lansing office (preferred), then you can fax it to the D.C. office at (202) 225-5820.
In person — Buy your $1 carnation at Bancroft Flowers (1417 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing) and deliver it to Rogers’ office (1327 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing), just one block away. This is the preferred method if you are in the greater Lansing area.
By mail — Draw your flower and mail it to: U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, 1327 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing, Michigan 48912. Mailed flowers should be posted by Tuesday, if possible. (Though if this is your only way of participating, by all means, go ahead and send the flower this way)
While blogging about this action this week, someone suggested that those who are participating from outside Rep. Mike Rogers’ district, might also consider sending a flower to their own representative with an explanation that it is in solidarity with this protest. So that this message spreads. That sounds like a pretty effective idea. There is not reason that this protest could not spread nationally. It is somewhat like viral marketing. (Note: In both press interviews, I was asked if this will continue beyond this week. So I think even the MSM can see the potential of this idea to spread.)
Mares Hirchert, left, her husband and other activists are planning to flood the Lansing office of U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Brighton, with flowers, photos of flowers and photos of children during their upcoming Petals For Peace protest. (coverage courtesy of the Livinston Daily Press & Argus)
Here are other ways you can help:
Recommend this diary so that it stays visible.
Cross-post to the blogs you visit.
Send a flower on both Thursday and Friday.
Tell your friends and family about this.
Comment below on your participation, so your efforts can be counted.
E-mail the protest organizer (me: tjayolson@hotmail.com), so that as this campaign continues in the future, you can be involved.
Other notes:
Be kind. While Rogers has supported Bush and the war, his staff has been polite. We are trying to let Mr. Rogers understand that people are very tired of this war, and that he ought to consider representing the growing majority of the American public who want it to end.
Some have wanted to send other items. We’ve had commitments to send pies and cacti and literature with the words of Gandhi. Some have suggested weeds or wildflowers. Also, some have preferred to send bouquets rather than individual flowers. (Bancroft’s Flowers has also been very kind in this campaign, so rewarding them in some way is not a bad idea.) Whatever moves you. But please be respectful, whatever you decide to send.
In addition to much local support, this effort has grown with national and international support. That is the power of these blogs. So far in March and April we have had participation from Australia, Spain, Argentina, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Oregon, California, North Dakota, Missouri, Michigan, Arizona and Washington, D.C.
For those who don’t like the idea of giving a gift to someone who has been a loyal supporter of Bush and the war, I can assure you that Mr. Rogers understands the context of these flowers from our ongoing campaign. I’ve delivered a letter (specifically, we are asking him to support legislation to stop the war) at the beginning of the action, explaining the protest. So rest assured, even if you say nothing with your delivery, your point will be made.
Thanks for taking the time to read this. I also want to thank several bloggers who have participated in moving this idea forward. Maneegee, ejmw, blueneck, dada, poco, Damnit Janet, SallyCat, Wbythbay (and everyone else who has worked to promote and organize this — forgive me, I’ve run out of time to go back and scour the various threads for all of your contributions). And BooMan, Maryscott O’Connor and Kos, for hosting the sites that make these things possible. (Plus BooMan, MSOC, and MeteorBlades, for lending their big names to the recommended lists in trying to get this idea out). Thanks to CabinGirl, MSOC, RenaRF, teacherken, Steven D, supersoling, MLR, Duke, tampopo, salunga, DJ, and Militarytracy (and the others) who got me started down this pro-peace activist path back in D.C. Have a carload of picket signs, will travel. And have landed in the papers more times than I can count on one hand. Thanks to you guys being a kick in the arse. And thanks to you. For what you’ve done. And what you are about to do.
Anyway. Time to loose this idea on the wide world again today.
If you want to help, go here and hit the recommend button before you do anything else. Leave a comment. Make some noise.
Talk to you.
I’m on it, Terry. Good work.
to ‘see’ you around here ww.
Hard to be more involved, lately, but I still lurk just about every day. People like you keep me coming back.
Was just there to deliver. There was about 10 people in a span of ten minutes. The flower shop mentioned your call. And one from Maryland. Also, she mentioned “The Booman Tribune,” and was having a tough time getting her mind around the concept of a community of people like you — all out here and wanting to stop the war, etc. A good moment.
Things have gotten a bit prickly inside Rogers office. I think we must be pumping up the volume a bit today. Receptionist would not take the flower. Said to drop it in the small waste bucket by the door. Where my flower joined about a dozen or so others. Plus there was some on the counter. Where others must have declined the order to place it in the bucket. (It may well be that the bucket flowers will be rescued and sent to hospital, or some such thing — that’s what we were told happened last month).
So I’ll share the story from the newspaper if it comes out. And I’ll try to run this one more time tomorrow.
Thanks WW. Good to see you. Way to represent for GR.
keep up the good work, Joe.
Thanks Boo. You keep up the good work to.
I recommended your diary on Kos…I hope it makes it to the “recommended list”…Good Luck.
Thanks for trying. It actually did make the recommended list. For about five seconds. It was cool.
I’ll try once more tomorrow. There’s still a day-and-a-half to deliver flowers. I’ve got to go meet photo journalist while delivering my daily flower soon.
But if there is any interest by some ambitious souls here at the green place, by all means, steal this collaborative work and try to send it through kos again.
Thanks to ManE
clik image to open large version in new window, copy URL or download
Precious posters:
DAY 1
DAY 2
Peace
I forgot to redo the text, I got sidetracked by Alias. Thanks for giving out the links dada, they were fun to make.
thanks dada.
Here is my fax. I intend to send it off in the next fifteen minutes or so, after I put it up for comment.
I also added a couple of single tulips to the top of the page flanking the heading, “STOP THE WAR”
Nice Omir. Wish I could have seen that fax come in. There were about 10 people in various stages of delivering flowers when I was there. Along with a reporter and photographer, covering this story.
Flowers piling up in bucket. A few strays on desk.
Nice work. Way to represent for Washington.
You might still if you hurry back. I just got back to the faxer and since nobody has objected, I’m hitting the big green button in about five minutes (as soon as I get the mail-to-fax stuff filled out).
Cool.
All done — look for it when next you visit the office.
Had to post this. Though I’ll write it up in full tomorrow. I got a call out of the blue today. A rank-and-file union person. Didn’t want to be named individually. But the UAW membership took up a collection after hearing about this. Then they went to the flowershop. And delivered 13 dozen flowers to Rogers’ office. In one fell swoop. We’re well over the goal now. Nice work labor people. We love you.
Plus got to have a real nice conversation about building coalitions to bring about positive change. One nice thing about Bush and this war. It is reminded many different groups about the need to pull together to work for a common cause.
Peace out.
BJ – that is just wonderful!