Post Protest: Create art to stop the war

Besides voting (which needs to be a bigger deal in this country) I tend to not be very political. The rest of my political activity consists of ranting about the news to my friends.

I, like many Americans, was excited after voting in the 2006 election. My vote helped give the Dems a victory. But after the party balloons ran out of helium, I thought:

Now What?

Do I just wait another two years until the next election?

I hoped to stop the war, end gov't & corporate corruption and restore the democratic system of checks and balances.

What I got, at least at the time I write this, was a "non-binding" resolution. In the months that followed, there was basically another blank check for the war and a convicted fellon (Scooter) was sent home.

So much for oversight or accountablility. I felt like my vote did not matter, that the political machine would run along without me (until, of course, next election when the Powers That Be will ask me for money to support their campaigns and then spend millions to get my vote). They have already started, started early in fact.

I thought about how I was feeling left out and how I wanted my voice to be heard. Then I realized that in my 20 years of voting I had never contacted my Congress Person.

I thought why not send him a postcard. The idea seemed so simple like a should have thought of it before now.

Then I thought, if I can get other people to create and send a postcard then our combined message would speak louder.

Out of this, the Post Protest "Million Postcard March" and Art Show was born.

The postcards will get the message out directly to our elected public representives and the Art Show will inspire people who will view, reflect and be inspired to join the movement.

Why Postcards?

My logic is that our Congresspeople are very busy but I know that I always have a minute to look at and read a personal postcard, so they could too.

Postcards provide a double impact because we use pictures and words to create a slogan billboard to provide an instant message.

Our Congress people can/do take a few moments to read our artfully created postcards, especially if we make them interesting.

When they do read them, our voices will be heard.

These postcards are read then usually kept on file or tracked electronically. If they are not read directly by the congress person then someone on staff.

I imagine that college kids working as interns (usually for free) will see most of the postcards. I picture them noting the public feedback and perhaps hanging a card that may speak to them in their cubical.

When it comes time to weigh in on an issue, public responses are noted.

Of course, if one does not write a letter or phone in their opinion on an issue it will not be noted.

Politicians are public servants who need to listen to there public in order to keep their job. They are far from unmovable on any issue especially given a large public response.

I feel this small gesture can go a long way, considering how few individual voters contact them.

The great thing about this is that, rain or shine, we can join the Million Postcard March today!