Mairwen
April 28th, 2001, 12:50 PM
Date: 4-24-01
From: Pagan Unity Campaign Political Action Committee (PUC PAC)
Subj: PUC PAC Encourages Participation Of All Members Of The Community
Dist: Please Distribute Unedited Copies Freely
Misc: The I Am Project is the first step in an 18 month long mail campaign focused on federal, state and locally elected officials. This first step has a very simple message; we are here and we live in your district. Just a
simple, but loud "hello".
In the upcoming Summer Solstice mailing (June 18 - 23, 2001), we ask Pagans from across the country to get a postcard that has a picture of their city, favorite local museum or other local scene and write on the back; "I am a Pagan ____." The blank can be anything like Mother, Son, Veteran, Banker, Cook, Teacher, etc. And along the bottom of the card write, "I am free. We
are united." Any extra message will detract from our "loud hello" message.
If you are not Pagan, but support the rights of Pagans to practice their faith as others are afforded, we want you to participate. Pagan friendly people can get a postcard that has a picture of their local area and write
on the back, "I am a _______ and a Pagan supporter." The blank can be anything like Jewish Mother, Christian Veteran, Muslim Baker, Atheist Teacher, Buddhist Pharmicist, etc. We encourage you to be sure to place your faith or personal philosophy as a prefix to the title.
For complete details on the I Am Project, surf to -
http://www.paganunitycampaign.org/iam
Body: We only need 120 seconds. Two minutes is the average time it takes to fill out a post card, apply the stamp and drop it in a mailbox.
The "I Am Project" depends on the good will of Pagans and Pagan-friendly people all over the United States to be successful. Without that good will, Pagans will once again appear to be the social cast-off's that Congress
thinks we are.
But a simple post card will not make America see Pagans in a realistic light. It will take several post cards, many trips to the ballot box, an occasional Pagan winning a seat on the school board, and a continued and sustained battle for our religious rights.
However, many groups came before us and fought long and hard. Some continue to fight for their rights. Should they stop because the odds are not in their favor?
Women gained the right to vote, Blacks gained the right to vote but Pagans already have the right to vote. We must use the gift, others have long suffered to obtain, to gain our religious freedom from persecution.
Women could have thrown up their hands and decided that they would never have the right to vote because all politicians are male. It was once illegal to teach a woman about contraception, but activism changed that.
Dr. King could have let the beatings, the lynchings, police harassment and death threats keep him from demanding Civil Rights for people without regard to color. In 21st century America, Blacks can sit anywhere on the bus or at any lunch counter in America. They can OWN the lunch counter because four Blacks sat down and refused to leave.
Our wants are simple. We want to see a day where our kids can wear a pentacle to school without being harassed by school officials. We want the courts to stop taking our children because we are Pagan. We want zoning boards to stop blocking our religious gatherings simply because they are outdoors. We want elected officials to stop promoting other religions while
degenerating ours.
We know that the obstacles seem insurmountable, especially since most politicians are Christian. How can a Pagan get fair representation in this environment? Women did it, Blacks did it and we can do it by putting one foot in front of the other. We can do it by surrendering two minutes of our time.
Just two minutes.
Two minutes isnšt long, it took you longer to read this press release.
All we ask is for another two minutes.
For complete details on the PUC PAC, surf to -
http://www.paganunitycampaign.org/
For interviews or other media requests, please mail the staff at - media@paganunitycampaign.org
"The United States is not a Christian nation any more than it is a Jewish or a Mohammedan nation."
-- Treaty of Tripoli (1797) signed by John Adams
***End Press Release***
From: Pagan Unity Campaign Political Action Committee (PUC PAC)
Subj: PUC PAC Encourages Participation Of All Members Of The Community
Dist: Please Distribute Unedited Copies Freely
Misc: The I Am Project is the first step in an 18 month long mail campaign focused on federal, state and locally elected officials. This first step has a very simple message; we are here and we live in your district. Just a
simple, but loud "hello".
In the upcoming Summer Solstice mailing (June 18 - 23, 2001), we ask Pagans from across the country to get a postcard that has a picture of their city, favorite local museum or other local scene and write on the back; "I am a Pagan ____." The blank can be anything like Mother, Son, Veteran, Banker, Cook, Teacher, etc. And along the bottom of the card write, "I am free. We
are united." Any extra message will detract from our "loud hello" message.
If you are not Pagan, but support the rights of Pagans to practice their faith as others are afforded, we want you to participate. Pagan friendly people can get a postcard that has a picture of their local area and write
on the back, "I am a _______ and a Pagan supporter." The blank can be anything like Jewish Mother, Christian Veteran, Muslim Baker, Atheist Teacher, Buddhist Pharmicist, etc. We encourage you to be sure to place your faith or personal philosophy as a prefix to the title.
For complete details on the I Am Project, surf to -
http://www.paganunitycampaign.org/iam
Body: We only need 120 seconds. Two minutes is the average time it takes to fill out a post card, apply the stamp and drop it in a mailbox.
The "I Am Project" depends on the good will of Pagans and Pagan-friendly people all over the United States to be successful. Without that good will, Pagans will once again appear to be the social cast-off's that Congress
thinks we are.
But a simple post card will not make America see Pagans in a realistic light. It will take several post cards, many trips to the ballot box, an occasional Pagan winning a seat on the school board, and a continued and sustained battle for our religious rights.
However, many groups came before us and fought long and hard. Some continue to fight for their rights. Should they stop because the odds are not in their favor?
Women gained the right to vote, Blacks gained the right to vote but Pagans already have the right to vote. We must use the gift, others have long suffered to obtain, to gain our religious freedom from persecution.
Women could have thrown up their hands and decided that they would never have the right to vote because all politicians are male. It was once illegal to teach a woman about contraception, but activism changed that.
Dr. King could have let the beatings, the lynchings, police harassment and death threats keep him from demanding Civil Rights for people without regard to color. In 21st century America, Blacks can sit anywhere on the bus or at any lunch counter in America. They can OWN the lunch counter because four Blacks sat down and refused to leave.
Our wants are simple. We want to see a day where our kids can wear a pentacle to school without being harassed by school officials. We want the courts to stop taking our children because we are Pagan. We want zoning boards to stop blocking our religious gatherings simply because they are outdoors. We want elected officials to stop promoting other religions while
degenerating ours.
We know that the obstacles seem insurmountable, especially since most politicians are Christian. How can a Pagan get fair representation in this environment? Women did it, Blacks did it and we can do it by putting one foot in front of the other. We can do it by surrendering two minutes of our time.
Just two minutes.
Two minutes isnšt long, it took you longer to read this press release.
All we ask is for another two minutes.
For complete details on the PUC PAC, surf to -
http://www.paganunitycampaign.org/
For interviews or other media requests, please mail the staff at - media@paganunitycampaign.org
"The United States is not a Christian nation any more than it is a Jewish or a Mohammedan nation."
-- Treaty of Tripoli (1797) signed by John Adams
***End Press Release***