Join Us In Washington, DC April 22-24th – Alternatives to Violence Days
Are you over the hill with workshops, retreats and conferences and want to roll up your sleeves and do some real peace and justice action? Read on!
A truly sane individual does not continue to make the same mistakes. As a nation of individuals we need to work to end our U.S. Government’s practice of using violence rather than compassion and generosity. We know violence is a mistake. Help us correct our past by promoting the Global Marshall Plan, an alternative to violence.
Congressman Keith Ellison of Minneapolis/St. Paul, one of two Muslims in Congress, has presented House of Representatives Resolution Plan for 2015, the Global Marshall Plan. Congressional Resolutions are a good start to bringing about change. A Global Marshall Plan Act is our goal and it can be achieved.
We will be lobbying Progressive House of Representatives offices on April 22-24 to encourage people of compassion and sanity to support the Global Marshall Plan Resolution and Congressman Ellison’s HR 1464, the Inclusive Prosperity Act, a gateway bill to the Global Marshall Plan. Join us at the office of Jubilee USA, 212 East Capitol Street NE, Washington, D.C. 20003 on April 22nd at 9AM in the conference room (Jubilee is just a few blocks from the United States House of Representatives). As a lobbyist, you will have a packet which includes the Global Marshall Plan Resolution. A sheet with a few questions about how your meeting worked out will also be in the packet, along with an email address and telephone number to report on your meeting. Your feedback on the meetings will help guide us in future endeavors.
If you are not able to make the Wednesday morning briefing at Jubilee USA but want to help us make appointments in Congress, please call or write Jack Gilroy or Sharon Dellinger.
We’ll have offices to visit but we need your help. Please call a Progressive Caucus office for an appointment on April 22 through April 24. We all know working for justice is hard. We need to keep pressure on those already committed to compassion and economic justice. Call a member of the Progressive Caucus and ask for an appointment.On the site you’ll find a list of all members of the Progressive Caucus, their congressional district, website, and phone numbers. Check the state and congressional district of the progressive member. Maybe you know someone living in the specific progressive district. The easiest way to get an appointment is to have a constituent call and make the appointment. If that person can’t make it to Washington and you can, then act as a surrogate. Or one of us in Washington can act as a surrogate. Be sure to know which of the three House of Representatives buildings has the office you want to be in. When you arrive at the House office, simply tell the Progressive office receptionist that you’ve been asked to speak on behalf of one of his/her constituents.
Or, if you have no constituent contact to assist, you can call a Progressive members office and introduce yourself as a Progressive who wants to help the congressman or woman with progressive legislation and resolutions. Let them know what national organization you represent, perhaps several groups such as the Network of Spiritual Progressives or Peace Action or Veterans for Peace etc. Ask to speak to a congressional aide and give them your pitch for the Global Marshall Plan Resolution and ask them to sign onto this session’s (2015/16) resolution (a new number is issued each year, for which we are currently waiting).
A third and even more difficult meeting with an aide is to do a cold call. Simply knock on the office door, introduce your self (having a card with a title is always good) and ask to speak to the Communications Secretary, or Foreign Affairs Aide, or Legislative Director. Sometimes you can get lucky. Be persistent. You’re there to help the member of Congress, not sell her/him a vacuum cleaner.
Smile, be courteous, and be sure to ask the Congressional Aide: “What can we Progressives do for Congressman/woman….” Let them know you are on their side, the side of compassion, nonviolence,and justice for all people; not just Americans. You want to promote their resolutions and legislation through the media through Facebook and Twitter to hard print letters to the editor and Viewpoints articles. Let them know you are an activist willing to be at their side.
We hope to see you in Washington, DC. If not, help us with appointments. When you have made one, let us know at one of the numbers below and will have someone make the actual office visits.
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Jack Gilroy can be contacted at Jgilroy1@stny.rr.com or (607) 321-8537. Sharon Dellinger can be contacted at sdellinger@twcny.rr.com or at (315) 436-8797.
