ACTION ALERT * UNITED FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE
http://www.unitedforpeace.org | 212-868-5545
===========================================
UFPJ LAUNCHES WHITE RIBBON CAMPAIGN
Wear and distribute white ribbons to honor all who have died in Iraq
See below for action ideas and resources
===========================================

Today, December 10, is International Human Rights Day, a day for us all
to note with shame and anger our government’s violations of human
rights, particularly in the disastrous and illegal Iraq War. Article 3 of
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that “everyone has the
right to life, liberty and the security of person.” International Human
Rights Day is an opportunity to remember the hundreds of thousands of
people whose human rights have been violated in Iraq.

Ending the war requires many steps, both large and small. To make the
growing death toll in Iraq more visible throughout the United States,
and to provide an easy way for people to express their antiwar sentiment,
United for Peace and Justice is launching a White Ribbon Campaign to
Oppose the War in Iraq. We are encouraging concerned individuals and
member groups of UFPJ to initiate white ribbon visibility efforts in your
area.

WHY A RIBBON CAMPAIGN?
The daily tragedies in Iraq are intangible to most people in the United
States. While we can remember the horror of 9/11, many find it
difficult to imagine the reality of hundreds of Iraqi citizens and dozens of
U.S. soldiers being killed weekly in Iraq or the impact the death toll is
having on families, on communities, and on the future of Iraq. While a
ribbon campaign is an insufficient tool for expressing the heartbreak
of families or resolving the crisis Iraqis face, the ribbon is an
effective tool for raising awareness and increasing the daily visibility of
the suffering. British peace and justice allies used the white ribbon to
symbolize opposition to the war prior to the U.S. attack on Iraq in
2003. We hope to revitalize and spread the symbolic white ribbon across
the U.S. and the world.

WHY WHITE?
White is the symbol for peace in many countries around the world and
the symbol of mourning in others. Therefore, the message of the white
ribbon is simple and clear:
“We mourn all of the dead. We support the troops. End the war now and
bring the troops home.”

WHAT ABOUT THE YELLOW RIBBON?
Yellow signifies loyalty to our troops and patriotism for the country.
UFPJ, Military Families Speak Out, and other allies have taken the
yellow symbol of support and added signs of peace to demonstrate support
for the troops and opposition to the war. We feel that the growing
magnitude of the death toll (both Iraqi and U.S.) calls for an additional and
different step: a simple and powerful symbol of mourning that directly
opposes the madness of this perpetual war.

We encourage you to continue to use and support the yellow ribbon
efforts as well: http://www.bringthemhomenow.org/yellowribbon_graphics/
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/merchandise [Note: UFPJ is producing
white versions of our yellow car ribbon magnets; these will be available in
one week.]

IDEAS FOR USING THE RIBBONS
White ribbons can be purchased at any paper or craft supply store or
online. There are lots of ways that individuals and groups can
participate in the white ribbon campaign. Here are just a few ideas:

* Wear a white ribbon on your lapel. Make extras and carry them with
you wherever you go, so you can give them to others who wish to express
their opposition to the war.

* Tie thick white ribbon around trees, car antennas, house fences,
mailboxes and other structures in your neighborhood.

* Distribute and display white ribbons at local holiday events. You
could also use symbols of the season, like the Christmas tree, by
decorating pine trees (inside or out) with lots of white ribbons.

* Ask local churches, community centers, high school groups, and
organization to distribute small white lapel ribbons attached to pins for
people to put on their coat or bag.

* Blanket high schools, community colleges, or university campuses with
white ribbons to represent all those who have lost their lives in Iraq.
Students and faculty at American University hung 100,000 ribbons all
over campus on December 5 to represent the vast number of deaths caused
directly and indirectly by the Iraq war. The number is based on a study
of Iraqi civilian deaths by Johns Hopkins and published in The Lancet,
a highly respected medical journal (http://www.thelancet.com). Another
source for information about the growing Iraqi civilian death toll is
http://www.iraqbodycount.net.

* Integrate the white ribbon into your campaign to pass a local
resolution to bring the troops home. Work with allied City Councilors to
blanket town or city hall with white ribbons: http://www.citiesforpeace.org

* Use the color white at upcoming vigils and demonstrations. Use long
sheets of white fabric to stretch the length of your march. Construct
white ribbon flags to lead marches. Pass out white ribbons to all
participants as well as onlookers.

Let us know about your white ribbon ideas and actions by writing to
whiteribbon@unitedforpeace.org - we’ll share them on our website.

===========================================
JUST IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS...
New buttons, t-shirts, and car magnets from UFPJ
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/merchandise
===========================================
DON'T MOURN, ORGANIZE
Disgusted by Bush's election? Get active!
* Visit http://www.unitedforpeace.org for links to events and groups
* Donate at http://www.unitedforpeace.org/donate to enable us to keep
fighting back
===========================================
ACTION ALERT * UNITED FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE
http://www.unitedforpeace.org | 212-868-5545
To subscribe, visit http://www.unitedforpeace.org/email
===========================================