Iraq Moratorium

One of the biggest shifts that’s taken place in the midst of postmodernity is a simultaneous expansion — and contraction — of agency. What do I mean by that? Well, there is more structural possibility than ever before for people to make a real difference — even individuals — because voices can be amplified so quickly, and authority structures are flattening. But at the same time, the status quo “powers that be” have done a tremendous job of helping us believe that we can’t do anything about anything, so people’s sense of their own agency has eroded. We have both more real opportunity to accomplish something, and much less belief that it’s possible. It’s a frustrating paradox, particularly at a time when communities of faith need to raise our voices more strongly than ever.

Right now the war in Iraq is at a key point. Congress has been unable (witness their latest flop) to do anything to compel this administration to change course. At the same time, certain groups within the administration are working to expand the conflict into Iran. Many of the rest of us are beginning to despair, believing that nothing can be done. THIS IS THE POINT at which communities of faith need to step up. We need to listen carefully to our core teachings (very conveniently in the lectionary this past week), and bring both hope and action to the despair surrounding us.

I've written in here before about the Iraq Moratorium, an effort to get people to pledge that on the third Friday of each month starting in September, "I will break my daily routine and take some action, by myself or with others, to end the War in Iraq." This is a process that ANYONE can be involved with, and that local communities of faith can get energized by. Think about what you can do, about what your church can do, about what your neighbors can do. Pray, show a film, wear an armband, send money, visit your elected representatives -- but most of all, take action. Each step, no matter how small, makes a real difference. As Christians we are called to be a people of hope -- let that hope shine through you!

I just received an email from the Iraq Moratorium organization, noting the progress they're making, and asking for help -- particularly in getting the vast numbers of US folk who oppose the war but haven't done anything except tell pollsters that, to do something. I don't usually do this, but because it's so important that we take real action, I'm reprinting their notice in its entirety here. Please spread the word!

"Some recent highlights as the campaign moves forward:

* National organizations continue to incorporate the Iraq Moratorium into their plans for the fall. Among the significant additions are United For Peace & Justice, the country's largest anti-war coalition, and Military Families Speak Out, a major thorn in the side of the war machine.

* In addition to our new and increasingly diverse endorsers, some noteworthy names have cropped up in the list of those who, like you, signed up to take part, like Daniel Ellsberg, Doris "Granny D" Haddock and Frances Fox Piven.

* Students at campuses across the country have put themselves forward as local contact people for what is shaping up as a major surge of anti-war protest this fall, and a Facebook group started by a MN student named Mike Cason has over 700 members already!

* An Iraq Moratorium planning group in San Francisco recently held a meeting of over 50 activists and newcomers who have identified 30 sites around the Bay Area where activities will be taking place on September 21!

[More info on each of these developments, and others, can be found on the http://iraqmoratorium.org website.]

Even as the Iraq Moratorium project gains traction, time is racing on. The Moratorium aims to reach much deeper into the 60% of the population that wants the war over "yesterday"! and to mobilize millions of first timers to take some kind of action. To make that happen, our tiny original core must in turn reach more deeply into the ranks of those, like you, who grasp the importance of this initiative.

We are asking you "early adopters" to do four things.

Spread the word!
The statement of commitment featured on the website has produced interesting results. The rate of signers who have checked a box to be contacted by email or volunteered to help organize locally is over 93%, an unheard-of rate for a website sign-on like this, where a response in the teens is considered fabulous. Still the sign-on rate so far also emphasizes how much more outreach is needed. As the first Moratorium Day draws closer, we are aiming to get a surge that will take us into the tens of thousands by the end of August. We get rushes of new signers every time a piece on the Moratorium gets on the internet or an e-mailing goes out to a large list.

Please do what you can to keep reaching out with word of the Iraq Moratorium.

Donate money!
Scaling up is already costing money and we've only just started. We have already rented our own dedicated server to handle our growing volume. We need staff and travel expenses. We need buttons, stickers and other literature. Every one of you gets hit up for contributions for good causes regularly. Why donate to the Iraq Moratorium? Because it holds the promise of making a decisive change in the political climate in this country, at a time when that change is desperately needed. You can donate online, by clicking here: https://www.communityroom.net/NPOMission.asp?459, or by making out a check to Iraq Moratorium/FCL and mailing it to:

Iraq Moratorium/Foundation for Civic Leadership,
30 Bow Street
Cambridge, MA
02138 USA
All contributions are tax-deductible.

Please give generously and please give now!

Start organizing!
Some of you don't even need this one. The Iraq Moratorium website gets from people every day announcing what they are doing, like the comedian in Houston who is setting up a comedy showcase for Moratorium Day. Some folks have started making plans:

* Holding a free forum about the war at my place of business.

* I am a member of the theatre community in Chicago and would like to talk to theatre producers to see if they would let their venue be used to have a Q&A with local congressional representatives.

* Armband at work (Execs at company are big Republican donors)

* Others are thinking seriously about what action they will take ("I'm thinking about what to do") or asking for suggestions for actions. Let us know what you are planning and if you want to correspond or talk with someone to help you plan, let us know!

Please, if you have a few hours a week to spare, volunteer to help build the national Iraq Moratorium structure in media, online presence, fundraising, caucus-building, etc.

Register for the Website!
Signing the pledge, our statement of commitment, does not automatically register you on the Iraq Moratorium website. This website, an amazing creation by our programmer and IMC member Mar, has the capacity to serve as a framework on which to build the campaign. The site has pre-prepared caucus areas for every state and for a wide range of other organizing sectors communities of faith, culture, media, and many more. By registering, you not only get to post and comment on our public blog, but also the opportunity to sign up for these brand new caucuses, with forum and chat capabilities, and help get them off the ground.

Please, click here http://iraqmoratorium.org/members.html to sign up (and help will be provided upon request for internet newbies).

In closing, again, thank you for stepping forward and helping launch this effort. What we are out to do here is make history this fall, starting where real history is always made, among everyday people at the local level. Together, and joined by countless more fed-up folks like us, we can do it.

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