Via E-mail from Ian Thompson, who was arrested yesterday at the press conference. Note: Rally has permits, but Die-In is a civil disobedience action.What to bring to the Sept. 15 Die-In/FuneralPlus: Recruit others to join the action
Dear ---,
Hundreds of people have signed up to participate in the mass Die-In/Funeral that will take place at the Sept. 15 Mass March to Stop the War in Washington, D.C. Interest is growing each day. Iraq war veterans, military families, students and many others have committed to make the action and the demonstration a huge success. It promises to be an historic day of great political importance.
We are contacting you today because you have completed the online form indicating your interest in the Die-In/Funeral.
In the days leading up to Sept. 15, we will send regular emails updating you on the status of the Die-In/Funeral and what you need to know if you are participating, including the answers to legal questions and much more. Please see below for information on what you will need to bring to the Die-In/Funeral.
Photographs of Iraq war deadAll people participating in the Die-In/Funeral, if you are compelled to do so, are welcome to select the name of one of the nearly 4,000 soldiers who have been killed in Iraq. You can select a family member, friend or someone from your city, town or state.
There will also be a dramatic representation of Iraqi war dead. Many demonstrators are choosing to select the name of an Iraqi citizen who has lost their life in this unjust war. At a minimum, hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have been killed.
When you come to D.C. on Sept. 15, please try to bring with you a photograph of that person and/or make a sign with his or her name on it.
Click here for a
list of U.S. soldiers. Click here for a
list of Iraqi people.
Wear camouflage Many of the veterans leading the Die-In will be wearing camouflage to further illustrate the needless deaths of U.S. troops in Iraq. It will be part of the civil disobedience and is aimed to heighten its visual impact.
Other Die-In/Funeral participants also are encouraged to wear camouflage hats, shirts and/or pants. Wear your own, borrow them from friends or family, or purchase them online or at your local military surplus store.
If you are looking to buy camouflage clothing, search for “U.S. military BDU” on Google.com or your favorite web search engine. You can also find military surplus stores in your area in the phone book or online. Search “military surplus store,” along with your city or town’s name online, and a list of phone numbers will come up if any stores are in your area. Call the stores and ask whether they have camouflage shirts, hats or pants. They are also referred to as “cammies.”
New camouflage shirts, pants and hats cost around $20, $25 and $10 respectively. Used shirts, pants and hats cost anywhere from $6-15, $14-20 and $3-6 respectively.
Here are a few online sites where you can order camouflage clothing before Sept. 15.
Links: Site 1 Site 2 Site 3
Try your best to wear camouflage for the Die-In/Funeral. Email us if you are planning to wear camouflage on Sept. 15, and let us know if you are able to acquire it in advance of the Die-In, or if you need to get it on the 15th.
Recruit others for the Die-In/Funeral
Although many hundreds have signed up to for the Die-In/Funeral, there is potential for the numbers to swell greatly in the days before the protest. We want your help to make this happen.
If you are part of an organization mobilizing for Sept. 15, we urge you to recruit others from your group to sign-up for the Die-In/Funeral and to participate. You can also recruit friends, family members and co-workers. Get as many people as possible involved in this action.
Click here to go to the
form to sign-up for the Die-In/Funeral. Please ask anyone who is planning to participate or considering participating to fill out the form.
If you are taking group transportation to D.C., try to recruit others on your bus or car caravan to be part of the Die-In/Funeral. Ask your transportation coordinator to let you make an announcement to motivate the action and get volunteers.
Sincerely,
Ian Thompson
Die-In/Funeral Logistics Coordinator
ANSWER Coalition organizer
ianthompson@answercoalition.org
www.Sept15.org
202-544-3389