Flower Lobbying?

In this week's Legislative Action Message, we asked our network to help change the health care debate by taking flowers to their members of Congress. This positive message of "thanks for tackling health care and please work to pass a bill this fall" is already producing excellent results!

It gave Marilyn, one of FCNL's weekly volunteers, her first chance to lobby. Here's what she had to say about the experience:

"Just a few moments ago, I received the opportunity to be a lobbyist for the day! Yesterday, FCNL sent out an alert that proposed a way for people to approach their Representative in Congress in a peaceful, non-aggressive way. Lately, in the news, there have been flare-ups in pockets of the nation over the issue of health care reform. So today, I took a stand for 'practical health care reform with a public option' and lobbied both of my Senators and my Representative.
"I thought it was going to be a scary situation, but it actually turned out great and I ended up receiving passes to the Senate and House Galleries from one of my Senators. In all, I have to say, it was a good day."

We have also been getting lots of positive responses from our network around the country who were eager for a positive way to lobby their members of Congress. Here are some of their responses:

"Thank you for this great idea and the change of spirit this carries to the debate – I love it."
-Johanna, Ph.D. CMT. Sheep Ranch, CA

"Great idea! I will do this."
-Mary, Evansville, IN

"As scheduled, I visited Rep. Wu's office with flowers in a vase, a thank you note, and my position and request printed out. I was very well received by the staff, since Rep. Wu was holding town-hall meetings, and they expressed their appreciation for the gesture. They assured me that they would pass it on to Rep. Wu."
-Karen, Portland (Hillsboro), OR

"I will take a flower, send a flower or call on them personally."
-LM

"Just to keep you advised, I picked up a couple of bunches of flowers and delivered them to Alcee Hastings' and Bill Nelson's satellite offices today in Broward County Florida and spoke briefly with staff at both locations and expressed my gratitude for their public service and told them that the Fort Lauderdale Friends Meeting is in favor of Single Payer and Universal Coverage in the Health Care reform Bills now pending.
"The staff members seemed to be appreciative and promised to relay my concern and support to the Congressman/Senator however they refrained from making any commitment for their principals. In Peace"
-George

"Thanks. Am meeting Sen. Specter's office tomorrow - will also take flower. Why are so many feeling threatened by health insurance reform? Is this societal fear of economy or is it skepticism of big government, or can it be political obfuscation? Why are not those without health care or the slighted not breaking down the doors to counter the smear? Peace"
-Phil, Philadelphia, PA

"I took flowers to a health care forum in Durham North Carolina run by Representative David Price and SEANC the state employees group. Other than folks asking me why I brought flowers I really didn't need to but all thought it was a great idea. The forum was relative civil, few screamers came and those who did were quickly escorted out. Price received a warm reception. The tide seems to be turning."
-Mary

"The visit was reassuring, supportive, and informative. Rudy, Betty, and I navigated to a previously unknown to us local office of our representative John Hall. Betty had brought flowers from her garden which were graciously accepted with genuine appreciation. The peaceful encouraging tone of our meeting was in such sharp contrast to the raucous town hall meetings we'd heard about in the news. It was uplifting to find so capable people working to make things better for all."
-Valery

"Three of us-- Ruth who is a Quaker and reads FCNL, Annette who is a Democratic precinct committee chair, and I-- visited with Harry Mitchell's aide. We took a few red carnations and asked a few questions about Health Care, but mostly heard from him about the views they had."
-Ann

We also had a great report back from one of our colleague organizations, Women's Action for A New Direction (WAND) who loved this idea. Marie and her intern visited 7 representatives' offices and Speaker Pelosi's office bearing flowers.

Marie said this of the experience: "Thank you so much for setting us up for this incredibly democratic (with a small d) experience! The timing was just right--recess so there was time for conversations, and the nation is all about this issue right now. The Organizing for America flyers were just right and your flower idea and very helpful reasons why the House health care bill is good were just the right complement. I knew I wanted to do something sometime for health care, and this addressed my need for that perfectly. Hooray for FCNL!"

She also said that Speaker Pelosi's office "mainly just seemed surprised someone was being nice to them."

Do you have a recent lobbying experience that went well? Have you taken a flower to your members of Congress yet? Tell us about it in the comments section below.

Let's change the debate on health care reform!

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FCNL Gets A Shout-Out in a Rap Video!

Check out this awesome music video!

Listen to the end to hear the shout-out for FCNL.

If you like the video, visit the artist's myspace page to learn more:

http://www.myspace.com/jonwattsmusic

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In Memory of the Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

FCNL staff members light a candle for a moment of silence in memory of the bombing of Hiroshima on August 6th, 1945 and Nagasaki on August 9th. To see more pictures, check out Citizens for Global Solutions' Virtual Vigil.

These bombings killed over 200,000 people by the end of 1945. 64 years later, we are still standing in the shadow of nuclear weapons. Although Obama has committed to working toward a world free of nuclear weapons, we still need to work hard to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).

What can you do? You can help by distributing this flyer, organizing in your community, and getting the attention of your elected officials through letters to the editor and op-eds in your local newspaper. Check out the July/August Contacts Newsletter to find out more you can do to ensure that by this time next year we are celebrating the ratification of the CTBT!

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Diplomacy Works!

What would you say if pure diplomacy--without any threat of war or sanctions if the other party didn't give in--with one of the U.S.' most feared "enemies" really worked? One might then conclude that diplomacy without preconditions is an effective tool to be used even in some of the direst circumstances.

That is exactly what happened yesterday when former President Bill Clinton went to North Korea to negotiate the release of two American journalists. Today, those journalists are home with their families and the U.S./N. Korea relationship looks a tiny bit more hopeful. Bill Clinton went to North Korea without any intention or even ability to threaten Kim Jong-il with force if he didn't hand over the American journalists. Instead, he went to talk and listen.

What if the U.S. used this tactic with other "enemies"? What if instead of threatening Iran with further sanctions (which seems to be what Congress is determined to do), we gave diplomacy a chance? What if we tried serious negotiation with Taliban groups? I don't think the U.S. has been seriously committed to negotiations in either of these situations. Even in North Korea, Mr. Clinton's trip marks the first time the U.S. has been committed to negotiations there since Madeline Albright went to Pyongyang in 2000.

Maybe we should change John Lennon's "Give Peace a Chance" to "Give Diplomacy a Chance"...Not quite as catchy, but it's effective!

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