A SERIOUS matter. Mari333 & a WICKED DU idea

[Tinoire]

First and foremost has anyone seen Mari333? She needs prayers and support right now.

Her son, if I recall properly is serving near the infamous prison in question and I think is part of the unit guarding the region around it. I can only imagine the anguish she is going through...

:hug: to you Mari if you read this because we all know how horrible this year has been for you.

Mari333 is a fellow DUer in pain and her last post here indicated that she could use a little help. Anarchy1999 started a thread the other day asking people to help, offered to facilitate, and tried to get a ball rolling.

I had a wicked idea to help her out financially, collect some stuff for the troops, open the average American's eyes to what is going on, and get to have fun with each other.

Idea

Bakes Sales & Carwashes DU style. With friends, family and whoever will help even if they're not DUers!

I submit to you that we get together in our little geographical groups, (this is even facilitated since we have the state forums now)
and throw DU car washes and bake sales.

Skinner should be able to give us a very good price on DU t-shirts so that everyone could have one (FREE PROGRESSIVE ADVERTISING IN ACTION SKINNER) and we get together that way, raise the money and the goods for the troops.

Bake sales outside of grocery stores...

As people go in, we hand them 2 things
-a list of the supplies our troops are begging for
-the supporting facts & reason that the troops don't have these things

Top 10 =

1) Beef Jerky
2) Hard Candies (nothing that will melt)
3) Peanuts, Popcorn, Chips etc
4) CD's and Books, Magazines
5) Fruit Cups, Fruit Roll Ups...
6) Baby Wipes
7) Benadryl
8) Gold Bond Powder or any anti-fungal powder
9) WHITE SOCKS (better than gold)!!
10)Viennese sausages.

- on their way out (because they will have had plenty of time to think in the stores) is when we can give them a professional break-down of what is rally going on over there properly crafted not to offend the sensibilities and remnant loyalties of good-hearted people who are simply unaware (IOW nothing calling Bush a NAZI etc). This would have to be very carefully done and I'd love to lead this particular effort of the brochure because it needs to be the same EVERYWHERE we do this.

And carwashes?

Sorry to impose on people's muscles but "Free Carwashes" (exterior only). Make sure to have a professional looking DU Banner (needs to be the same everywhere) prominently displayed right under FREE CARWASH.

Carwash is exterior only. People have to roll up their windows. Before they do, we hand them a slightly different brochure than the one we gave to the shoppers because from these people, we want cash donations to help out Mari333, other DUers with families over there who are in need. They will read the brochure as you lovingly wash their cars and donate, if they want, on their way out. Decent Republicans & Moderates will get chuckle about pulling one over on Democrats for a free car-wash until they read that brochure. A few bad apples will drive off- big deal.

Two things accomplished- we help & we get the word out. We could even hand out a very well made CD with a presentation on it of what is REALLY going on over there. This presentation would have to be very well sourced so as to be irrefutable.

Fellow DUers what say you? Feel free to embroider, critique, trash, whatever... I won't be hurt... But it would feel so good to DO something as DemocraticUnderground!

With all the talent we have... please, if you have a very special one, such as producing video CDs, please volunteer for whatever your domain is and how you would want to help (if people like this idea).

Peace

Here is Anarchy1999's thread which started this... http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x1490893

[ewagner]

1. I was wondering about Mari333

earlier today.

I like your idea(s). Don't know if I can organize anything here but if other area DUers (I think there are two) want to PM me maybe we can get something going.

[Tinoire]

5. Do you already have a DU group?

I know a lot of the DUers get together and protest so some people know each other but so many of us don't know who is in our area. Where are you?

[ewagner]

8. No, not really

I just met one who lives about 10 miles away(Sybila and her husband madashell). Willbowden is in Milwaukee (150 miles), Jackpineradical is in Chippewa Falls (75 miles)Bobthedrummer is in Green bay(110 miles). Eyesroll and Whitacker are south of Milwaukee.......

[Tinoire]

15. I hope someone has an idea of how we can organize a covert

way of allowing people to sign up by area if interested so that we can know who's near each other...

Do you have any thoughts?

[Tinoire]

25. You know. That was a Dumb idea to limit it to DUers

that was unintentional.

Friends, family and whoever would help... We can draft our Activist groups, church groups, whatever progressive groups & people we associate with... whatever... what do you think?

[bearfartinthewoods]

68. no grocery store will allow it

no political content....i tried. they won't allow it.

[Tinoire]

79. That would certainly put a cramp into things

Can you share what you learned so we can entertain alternatives?

[sybylla]

50. Checking in

We'll talk about the possibilities tomorrow.

[Tinoire]

57. Great! Thanks Sybylla :) n/t

[doni_georgia]

84. For those in Atlanta

I'm sure we could get something going maybe in the Little Five Points or Virginia Highland areas.

[dolo amber]

2. I'd be all over the bake sale idea

I actually had a similar idea myself. Excellent thoughts, Tinoire. I'll put a link to this thread in the NC forum. :hi:

It's utter insanity that our people (or any people, for that matter) are going without over there. :grr:

[Tinoire]

7. Thank you Dolo!

How many DUers do you know in NC? Think this could work?

[dolo amber]

11. My pleasure

I've had at least 4 to my house; went to a protest with 2 others...hopefully I can get something stirred up. I've already posted the thread in the NC forum, you can go there to check in periodically if you like. :)

[Tinoire]

16. Cool! Thanks n/t

[ncrainbowgrrl]

17. I'm all for this idea!

Yet another NC person checking in.

[dolo amber]

20. YAY!

Hello, my fellow protester! :D

Thanks for the pics, btw...I don't think I ever emailed you back. I suck. :( :spank:

[Tinoire]

22. YAY! Thanks! Let's hope you live near each other

;) Thanks so much! With enough people, I really think we could do this.

[G_j]

24. NC

here in Asheville. I've met two DUers who live in Charlotte.
Most of the people I work with in activist causes here are not specifically DUers but have similar sentiments just maybe a bit more radical. Some may be into exploring an idea like this.

[Tinoire]

27. That's 3 DUers + activist friends! YES!

I see NC coming together!

Maybe we need to forget the idea of DU t-shirts and have special ones made up. Hell, we don't need T-shirts. That was kind of silly.

Brochures & readig materials should be enough... And a CD for sale if we find the right people to make it. I could help copy them...

[G_j]

31. if it's a music

CD I'd gladly donate a song.

Yes, if we step beyond it being stricktly DU, I can imagine our local Veterans for Peace group might help out in something like this.

[Tinoire]

33. Terrific!

You're VFP too? I'm in it too and you're right, they would certainly help! I have got to stop thinking of DU as my only family lol.

And MFSO would help too!

Who else? If this idea takes off, it would be good to have them announce this on their boards with place, dates, time.

Yowza!

[G_j]

38. not a VFP specifically

but they are part of our coalition. In fact I will probably see a few of them tomorrow at a peace rally.

edit: perhaps we might explore the idea of a sort of coalition around something like this.

[Kanary]

53. It wasn't silly, Tinoire

T-shirts for everything under the sun, yes, it gets overdone.

However, this is for the purpose of identifying as a group for a certain purpose. Therefore, t-shirts, or buttons, or hats.. whatever... something for indentifying that we're coming together for a certain goal. Not only reasonable, but helpful for those who haven't yet met in person.

Silly? No! Don't talk about my friends that way. ~~chortle~~

Kanary

[Tinoire]

58. That's what I thought at first

but then it kind of grew into having friends and other groups and people from other boards and I realized the others wouldn't want DU t-shirts.

Of course DUers should wear theirs if they have one... Ok... you're right for shirts. Maybe we can get Skinner to give people a good price. It would be so cool to walk up to people wearing their shirts and ask "who are you?" :)

[Kanary]

61. Doesn't *have* to be DU shirts, or buttons, or.....

I guess I didn't say it very clearly.... doesn't have to be limited to DU... but, some sort of indication of an organization of some sort....sorry, can't think of a better word than "organization" right now (need more choklit), but that's not the word I'm looking for.

I believe you have someone willing to come up with some graphics.... just something unifying for all who wish to participate, so we recognize each other, and so those who "buy" from us can see it's a group thing.

sigh.... some day I'll learn to talk...... ^_^

Kanary, over to check the Colorado forum, and see if anything is posted there, yet.....

[TeeYiYi]

3. I wonder where she is . . .

. . . I saw the post for help but I haven't see her. . . :-(

TYY

[Tinoire]

21. I know. I wonder too. I can't imagine being in her situation.

:( Painful and maddening.

If we get this thing off the ground, would you help with the graphics? Your flag was really impressive!

[TeeYiYi]

28. Oh, well since you said that . . .

:7 :) :7 :) :7 . . . about my flag. :) *lol*

Seriously though. Of course I would help. I just haven't found too many DUers in Utah. I'll go check out the Utah forum and see who's there. I think your idea is scandalous and wicked smart. I think you're a genius for coming up with it. And striking while the iron is hot . . . well, the iron couldn't get hotter right now if it it broke off and fell straight to hell. Oh yeah, it did.:evilgrin:

TYY

On Edit: I just re-read your post. Of course I'll help you with graphics. I'd be honored.

[Tinoire]

30. Is it possible to use Meet-Up for this purpose? (is it still alive?)

Or to reactivate e-mail lists we had from those days of working with people who supported our various candidates during the Primaries?

[nostamj]

34. i still get DU Meet-Up emailings

went to one event, but was the only one who showed up.

(it was a horrible day, weather-wise) :shrug:

[TeeYiYi]

39. . . .

. . . I thought Tinoire meant Kucinich meetup. Is there a DU meetup?

TYY

[Tinoire]

40. All the candidate meet-ups

For me it would be Kucinich, for another Clark, for another Dean etc..

Just thinking that some of us got to know each other that way

[TeeYiYi]

43. Oh. OK. Thanks Tinoire. ;-) ...n/t

TYY

[nostamj]

47. yes. n/t

[TeeYiYi]

Probably . . .

. . . but for me, there never was a meetup. Not enough people. :( I could check the meetups farther north maybe . . .

TYY

[Tinoire]

42. Any progressive groups in your area? Code Pink, Vets for Peace

I am wondering, if we wrote to meet up, if they would allow us to use them as a tool to communicate :shrug:

The more non-partisan a tool we can find the better...

[TeeYiYi]

44. There might be in Salt Lake . . .

. . . I'm about 50 miles south of there right now but that's not a big deal. I'll have to check around and see what's available. I'll let you know what I find out.

TYY

[Tinoire]

45. Great! Thanks! n/t

[Ladyhawk]

4. I'm in a red zone. There are no DUers here.

Is there any way to contribute directly to Mari333? Does she have a PayPal account? Would she mind giving us the information if she does?

Mari333, please check in. Please! :cry:

:hug: :grouphug:

(BTW, Tinoire, thank you for all your hard work here on DU. You're much appreciated.)

[Tinoire]

9. Hey my animal-loving friend!

I don't know how to contact her directly but some DUers do and I'm hoping they'll pipe in. Also, I think that in anarchy1999's original thread, they discussed that. Not sure who the best contact is but I know we can and that some people have her particulars.


:hug: & thanks

[Ladyhawk]

13. OK. I'm also interested in sending a care package...

...and would like the particulars of how to send it.

This war is breaking my heart. I feel pain for our soldiers and for the Iraqis. It just isn't right for anyone. :(

[peacebuzzard]

56. Ladyhawk, I have an address for you....

I will pm you.

[Tinoire]

59. Peacebuzzard- stay in touch ok? We may need you if this takes off

Peace :)

[October]

77. Would you send me an address as well?

Thank you.

[nostamj]

6. i have been very worried

I was pretty sure that was the same prison where her Michael was posted. though, IIRC, these atrocities occurred before he got there.

if there's a bake sale in NYC, i'll be there.

[DrWeird]

10. I've a couple of concerns.

One, Mari's stepson was being intimidated by some of the other troops, two, her son had told Mari that he had seen awful things but was afraid to tell her what before he got back home.

[nostamj]

14. exactly what I was thinking about...

made worse by her absence since this torture story broke.

I *almost* posted several times today on other threads but held back. but, the question is out there now.

damn.

mari, hope you're OK. "mrs. brown" has touched more people than she'll ever know with her calls to Guy James and other activism.

[DrWeird]

18. Has anybody ever gotten in touch with her?

Anybody know her personally?

When was the last time we heard from her?

[nostamj]

23. only through DU for me

I set up a couple of call-ins to Guy's radio show through the forums here. but never a call off-site and I don't have a private email. and she does not list on in her profile...

[Tinoire]

36. Oh.

OMG.

[Tinoire]

12. Do you know any DUers in NYC?

In San Francisco we have a pretty tight group and we can rouse about 10 people minimum at the drop of a hat. The sad thing is that I KNOW there are many more DUers in my area but we don't know who they are.

[nostamj]

19. oh yes.

there are quite a few and I've met many 'off-site' over the past couple of years.

beetwasher, stephanie, thebididea, americanstranger, sterling, bleachers7 (LI), rbnyc, magic rat, newyawker99, NYC, NJCher, cassandra... i'm still forgetting some... some new folk that have contacted me about TALTY or the ?W Revue too...

oh, there are a lot! my mind is just blanking out!

[Tinoire]

37. We could be on a roll with this

And every single one of those people has friends and activist groups who would probably be interested!

[alittlelark]

67. I'm in Los Altos.

[Tinoire]

78. Great because you're near at least 15 of us in CA! n/t

[markses]

26. Her stepson is an MP in Abu Ghraib Prison

Not near it.

Which of course leads me to offer my best wishes for her family and her stepson - even more than before.

[Tinoire]

29. I was hoping that wasn't the case. That is even worse.

Mind-boggling.

[G_j]

32. I thought of

her as soon as I heard where the tortures had taken place.
It grieves me to think about what they must be going through.

[TeeYiYi]

35. I thought about that too. `:¬( ...n/t

TYY

[slinkerwink]

55. so her son might've participated in what happened?

[nostamj]

66. IIRC

these photos are from before he got there.

[doni_georgia]

86. No he was sent in in January I think - months after the govt found out

about the abuses.

[gulfcoastliberal]

41. Be Strong, Mari

We're here for you. I sincerely hope all is well for you, your husband, and stepson.

[jdj]

48. here's a post of hers I saved when I was lurking.

"...he said when they get a box of snacks and food its gone in 10 minutes...there's 250 guys in his unit, and here is their address:

428th Military Police Company
Baghdad, Iraq
APO/AE 09342

if you get a chance these kids would sure love candy, chips, chapstick, any kind of food cause they hate the MRE's and miss the stuff they could eat here. My husband and I send a couple boxes a week. It just means a lot to them I guess to get some stuff...michael said they don't get much from home right now, so if you want to send them what they like, it's appreciated."

[Ladyhawk]

51. Thanks for the addy! (nt)

[thebaghwan]

71. My understanding is you need a name and address of a specific soldier

otherwise it may be all for naught. Tried to get an address from Anarchy1999 the other night but did not hear from him. So I did some research and it appears that if a package is not addressed to a specific name and address it doesn't go. Also no homemade, non factory wrtapped items many articles said.

I just sent Tinoire this info also. I have a package ready to address and send but I need an address and I think we need to check out the best process for getting the packages to the troops. Also check out this website: www.anysoldier.us

Can anybody give me an address?

[Sparky McGruff]

52. Me too...

Not much else to say, but I, too, hope all is well for you and your family.

[progressivebydesign]

64. Oh. I was wondering if that was the case..

I haven't seen her on DU today.... I hope it's all okay.

[Tinoire]

46. Going to bed now.

Totally exhausted from the rought week we had. Please keep this kicked occasionally.

THANKS!

[Hell Hath No Fury]

49. As ususal....

count me in!

We could kick ass here in the Bay Area!

:hi:

And Mari, if you're reading this, :hug:

I can only imagine what you must be going through right now.

[Name removed]

54. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Tinoire]

60. What an utterly vile post

Please erase that immediately or I will ask a mod to do it for me.

The only thing I find disgusting is you popping in here on a thread of compassion with that filth.


On edit, never mind changing it. I'd like the mods to see it.

[classics]

62. Doesnt seem vile to me.

Whats disgusting? Its a question. I'd like to know if thats the same person I'm being asked to help or not.

I didnt make that person post all those vile things. If its not the same person we should know it was just a troll so nobody is confused about it.

[progressivebydesign]

63. I think you're confused... it's not the same.

She talks mostly of her stepson in the service in Iraq... and how utterly angry she is at the situation there. I didn't take your post to be vile.. I just think you misunderstood who it is. She posted recently that her stepson's unit really needs some things from home... because God knows our own country can't seem to care the troops they sent to that hellhole.

[Skittles]

65. I sent my fourth package to Michael last weekend

each time I PM Marianne the list of goodies. I'm trying to lift her spirits but it helps me too because "Support the Troops" means more to me than sporting a yellow ribbon in my cube.

[anarchy1999]

69. To everyone here I would like to say thank you and give a shout out to.

These are all great ideas.

Mari333 and her family are okay. This has been a rough week for everyone and yes, her step-son is stationed at Abu G.

Our efforts to help have lifted their spirits more than you know. It helps to be able to do some small something.

Mari333 does not have a PayPal account, I'm looking into setting one up. It was suggested to me by Stephanie that we do this, there are many that want to contribute in some way. If any one can advise me on this the help would be greatly appreciated. We are also working on getting more names of soldiers with Michael so we can share the goodwill.

Once again, on Mari333's behalf and for all our soldiers that we have placed in harm's way. Thank you all.

[nostamj]

70. thanks! the update is MOST appreciated n/t

[anarchy1999]

72. Check your inbox, I pm'd you.

n/t

[Ladyhawk]

73. I tried looking for her e-mail addy to send her money through Paypal.

But it isn't listed in her profile, probably for privacy reasons. If someone gets a PayPal account set up for her, please let me know.

:kick:

[VolcanoJen]

74. KICK! And, count me IN, Tin!

I'm such a poet...

Cheap DU shirts... I love it!!

[Tinoire]

81. Lol... Was counting you in before you even showed up...

Any ideas on how to get this thing rolling?

[imax2268]

75. if there is anything I can do...

please let me know...my website is below...if not I would be glad to send someone a box of stuff to send to the troops...

perhaps DU'ers from different states can send postcards to these guys letting them know how much we support them...maybe with skinner's permission only...I can have some postcards printed up with something like "DemocraticUnderground.com Salutes You" or something to that effect...everyone can add their personal messages on the back and just send them out to the troops...

Maybe someone here can create website or webpage and all of us or anyone in general can post a thought or praise for our boys and send them out in emails to random soldiers...

anyway...if there's something I can do please private message me and let me know...

[Tinoire]

82. That would be an awesome supplement! n/t

[ScreamingMeemie]

76. This is a great idea!!! And I think there are a few of us in the Detroit

metropolitan area who could do this!!! :hi:

[Nashyra]

80. Do any DUer's belong to a Democratic womens group

Here in Douglas County we have a new Democratic womens group that meets once a month and we have fundraising events. I could investigate whether or not our group would be willing to adopt Mari's sons unit and maybe we could start a nationwide Democratic womens group adopting individual units?

[doni_georgia]

83. Just got back from buying care package items for Mari333's son

I'm game for the bake sale. Car wash is a no go where I live due to outside watering bans.

[Tinoire]

85. OK.... we can use meet-up to organize

About Meetup
Meetup helps people get together with a group of neighbors that share a common interest.

We power global, monthly "Meetup Days" for almost any interest group.

Meetup is an advanced technology platform and global network of local venues that helps people self-organize local group gatherings on the same day everywhere. Meetups take place in up to 634 cities in 58 countries at local cafés, restaurants, bookstores, and other local establishments.

To keep it running, Meetup earns money from:

Establishments that pay to be listed as possible Meetup venues (MVPs).
Users that sign up for Meetup+.
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We believe that it's possible to be profitable while doing great things for people.


===

Meetup Member Bill of Rights
The Right to Meetup
It's free to sign up for standard Meetups.

The Right to Privacy
Meetup will never share your email address with anyone without your permission (unless required by law).

The Right Not to Get Annoying Ads
Meetup will not have pop-up ads, and Meetup will not spam you. All email from Meetup will primarily be related to your Meetups. (There may be simple text ads in our emails and on our site.)

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Meetup is non-partisan, non-denominational, and enables all topics as our resources allow (with few exceptions for hate and adult-related topics).

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In exchange for these Rights, please show up at your Meetups and support Meetup by joining Meetup+, patronizing your venues (buy a drink!), and being patient as we constantly improve.

====================================

The only thing we need is to get the topic 'approved' & then it seems we can use them no problem for organizing and figuring out locations.

:bounce: :bounce: