Apr 99
American Friends Service Committee Peacework Magazine Patrica Watson, Editor Sara Burke, Assistant Editor Pat Farren, Founding Editor
2161 Massachusetts Ave.
Telephone number:
Fax number: pwork@igc.org Peacework has been published monthly since 1972, intended to serve as a source of dependable information to those who strive for peace and justice and are committed to furthering the nonviolent social change necessary to achieve them. Rooted in Quaker values and informed by AFSC experience and initiatives, Peacework offers a forum for organizers, fostering coalition-building and teaching the methods and strategies that work in the global and local community. Peacework seeks to serve as an incubator for social transformation, introducing a younger generation to a deeper analysis of problems and issues, reminding and re-inspiring long-term activists, encouraging the generations to listen to each other, and creating space for the voices of the disenfranchised. Views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily of the AFSC. |
Give this Poster a Ride Jaime Suarez-Potts directs the AFSC New England Criminal Justice Program. Over and over again, anti-death penalty advocates hear politicians say, "The overwhelming majority of the voting population is in favor of the death penalty. It is undemocratic not to give them what they want." Unfortunately, the statements are probably true. In Massachusetts, where the governor has promised to put the death penalty question on the ballot, we were left with an organizational conundrum. We needed to figure out a way to reach a broad segment of the voting public and get our message to working class people. Most of us ride in public transportation every day. We looked at the advertising lining the ceilings of the trains and buses and we began to see a way to engage a broad segment of the voting public in a "one-to-one" dialogue on the death penalty. We approached individuals in advertising who shared our concern about the death penalty, and, guided by photographer Lou Jones (see pp. 5 and 8 of this Peacework), we created a public advertising campaign. The campaign rests on portraits of individuals, local celebrities, community leaders, religious leaders, and youth, combined with individual, 20-word quotes that engage the reader in a dialogue on the death penalty. Commuters are encouraged to call their state representatives. The campaign began with a photograph of Boston's Cardinal Law and will continue with other individuals over the ensuing months. It will be mounted first on the Boston public transportation system. Later, it will be mounted throughout the Commonwealth. We have deliberately not copyrighted the design so that it can be modified by other anti-death penalty activists in other states. In order to fund the project we have started a "Give this poster a ride for fifteen dollars a month" campaign. For more information, contact the AFSC New England Criminal Justice Program: 617/661-6130. |
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