Petals for Peace: Getting Involved


I’m just throwing this up as a planning diary.  We have another round of Petals for Peace going tomorrow.  And we’re doing some cool things.  We’re spreading out to yet another wing-nut Congressman.  Rep. Bill Shuster.  Thanks to tampopo’s initiative.
Let me give you the e-mail I’ve sent out to the local peace people:

Petals for Peace

Petals for Peace is creative and easy way to protest against the war in Iraq.  People simply deliver a flower to their congress person on a selected day.  So far we’ve delivered approximately 850 flowers over the course of seven days.

The next Petals for Peace day is Friday, July 7, 2006.  Delivering a flower to Congressman Mike Rogers is easy.  There are three methods of delivery:  1) Call it in.  Bancroft Flowers will deliver for you (1-866-476-8608);  2)  Personal delivery.  Pick up a flower at Bancrofts (1417 E. Michigan Ave. Lansing) and walk it next door to Rogers’ office (1327 E. Michigan Ave. Lansing, Michigan);  or 3)  Fax it.  Draw a flower on regular paper and fax it to Rogers (517) 702-8642.

Be sure to send us an e-mail (tjayolson@hotmail.com) so we can count your flower delivery.  We’re trying to get to 1,000 flowers this time around.  So tell a friend or two.

For those of you who are really motivated, we have expanded Petals for Peace to include two other members of Congress.  You can also deliver your Petals for Peace to Rep. Joe Schwarz (MI-07 — 6604 W. Saginaw Highway, Lansing, MI; Fax 517-327-7488) and Rep. Bill Shuster (PA-09  —  100 Lincoln Way East, Suite B, Chambersburg, PA — Fax  717-264-0269).

Thanks for joining in.  Peace.

If you are a blogger (and you must be if you are reading these words), then here are some of the things I could use your help with.

  1.  Put your ideas in the comments.  This is a pretty organic movement.  And new ideas are welcome.
  2.  I’ll be out picketing tomorrow.  But I’ll thow up a diary here asking for people to get involved.  The diary will also go up at dKos and My Left Wing.  Recommend the diaries if you can, and you like this idea.  Also, spread it around at other blogs.  And by e-mail.  Etc.  I’m going to try to get my diaries up early.  Between 7-8 a.m. EST.  And then on to start deliveries.
  3.  Let’s get a good start for tampopo’s Congressman.  I’m suggesting that we actually schedule fax or flower deliveries for each hour of the day (that only takes eight of us).  Or each half-hour if we have that much energy/interest.  I’m definitely in for that.
  4.  Please take the time to deliver one to Rogers, if you can.  By phone or fax.  Or in person for the rare one of you in my viewing area.  I’ve got 43 deliveries pledged so far.  So I’m still 107 short.  That is going to have to come from blog land, or somewhere.  If you can’t afford to participate, check out item 5.
  5.  For those who can’t afford to participate, I’m going to offer this.  Just put your name below.  Whatever.  First name and initial.  Or blogname.  And your message to Rogers — be civil — we’re being civil.  And I’ll make sure we fund your flower delivery.  But we’re not delivering without a sponsor.  So I need your names/messages.  Locations would be great too.  Whatever you want.  If you don’t feel comfortable posting such things, you can e-mail me (tjayolson@hotmail.com).  If I don’t respond by sometime late this evening, just figure that your message got weeded out by my e-mail.  And try me again.  I never fail to respond when I get an e-mail — but my e-mail is a bit touchy sometimes.

That’s all I’ve got for now.  Off to meet with contingent going to Schwarz office.  One of the results of your efforts.  We’re meeting his staff today to discuss peace.  A dialogue.  Cue chorus of angels on my mark.

Thanks to all who’ve helped before.  And will help again.  And to all in general.  You are all pretty good Joe’s in my book.  Not that my book is all that good.