Who are Friends For Civil Action?  Friends For Civil Action believe inclusive policies are the right policies for community life, public safety, the economy, and the human spirit.  We are an informal network–without dues or infra-structure–of friends and neighbors branching to many neighborhoods across the country. As we present our goals to elected officials, we do so with civility, avoiding name calling. We focus on issues that are vital to community well-being.  We are residents of our neighborhoods and of the world.

What are postcard storms?  Postcard storms are work sessions to which Friends For Civil Action invite people to write postcards to elected officials concerning our stand on individual pieces of legislation.  We bring people together to write, so we stay on task and so we have the energy of mutual support being together creates.  We provide sample postcard scripts to help writers get started.  Storm hosts provide water and adequate seating and table space.  Hosts also keep gatherings streamlined and focused. Stormers with Friends For Civil Action–stormers are those who come together to write their elected officials–bring their own stamps and postcards, unless they forget or don’t have a chance to pick up supplies; then the host offers back-up materials.

We write our elected officials regularly to let them know about policies we oppose. On this blog you will find lots of scripts to make it easier for you to give voice to your message, if you feel the call that we feel to claim kind, caring policies for our communities.  We write elected officials who favor inclusive policies to affirm their positions.  Our work at present is more about opposition than support, but we are working together positively and persistently, with the hope of arriving at a day when there are community building policies being considered nationally and statewide.

Initially, we have two hundred women writing from these scripts, adapting the message to their experiences, or more simply, just sending the short, core message.  In the coming months, our objective, with your help and with the help of others you recruit to this effort, is to multiply our numbers many, many times.  We hope that you will join this effort, if you haven’t already, and WRITE, WRITE, WRITE, creating a postcard storm of the magnitude that has never before been experienced.  Our goal is to see that qualified candidates are encouraged to seek political office, knowing that there is a groundswell of support for elected officials who serve public interests rather than self-interests.  With those candidates recruited, then we hope to encourage previously apathetic voters to get to the polls and help elect candidates that represent the people by working through complicated issues to find solutions that work rather than depending on a political posture to get the job done.

Yes, it is possible to participate in a postcard storm, or, perhaps we should start calling it THE POSTCARD STORM, remotely.  It is fine to write messages in the comfort of your own home, or elsewhere.  The point is storm however you can.  When you are able to show up with other stormers, there is a collective transfer of energy that keeps us all going, so that’s why we encourage group gatherings.  But get those messages to your elected officials in way that works for you. Importantly, multiply this effort.  Bring others to The Postcard Storm, remotely and in person.

Here is a sample script to give you a flavor for the messages stormers write:

Topic:  the border wall

the short script

Dear President Trump,

I object to any country or any budget source paying for a border wall between the United States and Mexico.  People who think this is a good campaign promise don’t know their topic.

Sincerely

a longer variation

Dear President Trump,

I object to any country or any budget source paying for a border wall between the U.S. and Mexico.  People who think this is a good campaign promise don’t know their topic.   An expanded wall is an expensive infringement on the landscape.  Yes, fewer people will come in.  But there will be those who find their way around, over, and under the wall.  I favor policies that create immigration reform and allow hard-working, good community members to become documented.  I favor policies that directly address drug cartels.  The wall is an absurdity, an amazingly expensive absurdity.

Sincerely,