WHITE RIBBON Campaign to honor all who have died in Iraq

[G_j]

ACTION ALERT * UNITED FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE
http://www.unitedforpeace.org | 212-868-5545
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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
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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

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 [e-mail] - we'll share them on our website.

[ClintonTyree]

1. I'm sorry...................

I know this is well intended, but I'm fed up with the "ribbon wars". It's getting so you can't see the cars for the ribbons now days.
Let's get creative and come up with soem other idea to make a point other than another ribbon. People don't even bother looking at them anymore.
Sorry, don't mean to pee on your parade. That's just the way I see it.