Thursday is for Letters
I'm starting a new habit, hopefully. Thursday is letter-writing day, and I don't mean letters to The Dog imploring her to get a job or stop trying to eat snails. I mean political letters. Not form letters that I click to have someone else write for me, but actual letters that I write and send, hopefully on paper.
A couple of Thursdays ago I wrote letters to my federal delegation, President Bush, and the Chinese Ambassador to the U.S. about a journalist named Hao Wu who is being detained in China. Guess what? They didn't let him out yet. So if you're so moved, you can write one yourself. Mine are after the cut. (The one to the Ambassador went on paper, but the ones to the delegation went through their contact forms.)
I used the Amnesty International Letter Writing Guide to put them together. Eloquence is not necessary, so I skipped that part.
This week I wrote a letter to my federal delegation asking them to sign on as co-sponsors of the Prevention First Act. My letter to them is also included below, feel free to make it yours and send it to your own reps. (These I'm printing and putting into envelopes as we speak.) I'd be shocked if any of them actually did it, but they're the only representatives I have and I'm going to let them know what I want.
Then for extra credit, I wrote a e-postcard to the President asking him to support a stronger multi-national peacekeeping force in Darfur and wrote an e-thank you note to Rep. Michael McCaul for the House decision last week to approve emergency funding for Darfur.
At what point will they start to consider me a chronic letter-writer?
Hao Wu Letters
Sent to President George W. Bush via comments@whitehouse.gov, Senator John Cornyn, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, and Congressman Michael McCaul:
I am writing to ask that the U.S Government take some kind of action on behalf of Hao Wu, a U.S. permanent resident who is detained in China.
Hao Wu (surname Wu) was detained on February 22nd, though he has not to my knowledge been charged with a crime. He has been denied access to a lawyer. According to China’s own Code of Criminal Procedure, a person cannot be held without charge or arrest for more than 37 days. His detention has well exceeded that period of time.
Mr. Wu’s family is suffering. Please help Hao Wu!
To:
Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong
Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the United States of America
2300 Connecticut Ave., NW
Washington, D.C. 20008
I am writing to ask that out of compassion for his family the government of China release Hao Wu.
The story caught my eye because I have a family member traveling to China this summer to share ideas with teachers in China. I am very excited for her to visit China and learn more about the country, but I am sad to think of how Hao Wu’s family is suffering in fear.
Hao Wu (surname Wu) was detained on February 22nd, though he has not to my knowledge been charged with a crime. I would ask that you review this situation immediately.
Thank you.
Prevention First Act Letters
Senator John Cornyn
517 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison
284 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-4304
Congressman Michael McCaul
415 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Please sign on as a co-sponsor to the "Prevention First Act". [In the Senate, the bill is S. 20. In the House, the bill is HR 1709.]
The Prevention First Act would put taxpayer dollars where they have the most impact – on prevention of unwanted pregnancies. This is hands-down the most effective way of reducing the need for abortion.
The Act would also provide medically accurate information about birth control. There are still women in this country who believe that the pill may protect them against sexually transmitted diseases, that they can not contract an STD from oral sex, and think that you can tell by looking at someone if they have an STD. These women deserve accurate information that they can use to protect themselves.
Thank you.
1 Comments
Good for you for taking action. I am a chronic letter writer, too.