As I mentioned in my last diary, I am planning to distribute information on Iraq Moratorium Day (September 21st, 2007) in memory of those who have died. If anyone else is interested in doing the same, I would urge you to go to the official Iraq Moratorium website and sign their pledge to participate, and to visit the sites listed below the fold for reading material.
In my search to find others in my area (Miami) who will be participating, I came across a clever and unique idea for protesting the war- by using toy soldiers.
Please read on...
The story was covered by Ana Menendez of the Miami Herald on Sunday; Toy soldiers serve in war against war. Little green army men, each armed with a tag reading "Bring Them Home!" and listing the names and phone numbers of Florida's Senators, Bill Nelson (D) and Mel Martinez (R), are being left in public places throughout Miami by the local Unitarian Universalist congregation.
The pacifist toy soldiers are popping up in supermarkets, drug stores and other public places. Call it the Dada protest: It's driven by the hope that war, that most destructive of pursuits, can be halted by a sly creative genius just this side of the absurd.
Dozens of the toy soldiers bearing messages of peace have been sent out on their protest "mission". Although the offices of Senators Nelson and Martinez have as of yet reported no increase in calls, I believe this to be an excellent way to express peaceful protest, and may cause more of a reaction if the idea spreads and is adopted by more groups.
In the past, other Unitarian Universalist congregations have participated in the Toy Soldier Project, in places like Portland and Rochester (just a couple that I found- I'm sure there are more)... Miami is just the latest getting into the act.
I haven't really been involved in any political activity beyond the occasional call to my congresspersons or Letter to the Editor of my local paper (with big thanks to the Democratic Party for making it easy)... but this seemed like a really easy way to do something "more". So after work yesterday, I went to the local mall.
After a quick trip into KBToys for army men ($2 for a bag of 40), Hallmark for tags ($1.25 for 30) and ribbon ($2 for a roll), and Mrs. Fields ($3 for a cookie & coke while I wrote out the tags), I was ready to go. It took me about 1 hour to write out 30 tags that all read:
Outside: BRING THEM HOME!
Inside: Support our troops.
Bring them home.
Call your local
Senators to let them
know you support
an end to the ongoing
occupation of Iraq.
Back: Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL)
(202) 224-5274
Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL)
(202) 224-3041
The first soldier I placed in Teavana, a specialty tea and teapot shop, made my heart pound, my hands sweat, and my head swim. After that, it got easier.
I placed about seven total (not much, but I had to get home), but I've got a whole bag full and I'm going back today to place more. I don't know if it will make much of a difference... in fact, I'm sure that my phone calls and letters will have a much larger impact in the long run... but it felt really, really good to be getting out there and actually doing something. Actively participating; what a rush! It was a lot of fun, and it's really made me feel like participating in further organized efforts in my community.
I will definitely be distributing little green army peace soldiers around the local stores before I begin speaking on September 21st. I hope others will do the same. Can you imagine the impact it would have, if everyone who signs the pledge puts out just a couple dozen army men? That's almost 40,000 messages of peace reaching out. That sends a pretty impressive message.
What will you be doing on Iraq Moratorium Day?
For your use, here's my list of reading materials again:
Iraq Coalition Casualties: US Names by Date
Named and identified victims of the war in Iraq
The Human Cost of the War in Iraq
Rising to the Humanitarian Challenge in Iraq
FBI Inquiry Details Abuses Reported by Agents at Guantanamo
The Black Sites