I just got this email from one friend, the header was huge with names. Since my thread on war and peace etc, I have really been thinking what could I do, to turn the enoxerable tide that seems to be running out. I refuse to give up on peace.

This seems to be a really simple way to get a message home, then perhaps the issue can be sorted with the whole UN and the people together, maybe. Anyway MY bag of rice is going first post, air mail, tomorrow. I am also posting one to my Prime Minister John Howard and one to the British Prime Minister.

Namaste all

Douglas

There is a grassroots campaign underway to protest war in Iraq in a simple, but potentially powerful way.

 Place ½ cup uncooked rice in a small plastic bag.

 Squeeze out excess air and seal the bag.

 Wrap it in piece of paper on which you have written, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them (Romans 12:20).  Please send this rice to the people of Iraq; do not attack them.

Place the paper and bag of rice in an envelope and address them to:

 President George W. Bush,
 White House
 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
 Washington, D.C. 20500

(mine added here)

Prime Minister Tony Blair
10 Downing Street
London
SW1A 2AA
UK.

Prime Minister John Howard
Parliament House,
Canberra ACT 2600
Australia

 Attach $1.06 in postage (Three 37-cent stamps equal $1.11).
 

Drop this in the mail. It is important to act now so that President Bush
 gets the letter, ASAP.

 In order for this protest to be effective, there must be hundreds or thousands of such rice deliveries to the White House. We can do this if you each forward this message to your friends and family.


 There is a positive history of this protest! In the 1950s, the Fellowship of Reconcilliation began a similar protest, which is credited with influencing President Eisenhower against attacking China. Although the President did not acknowledge receipt of the bags publicly, and no rice was ever sent to China, it was learned a decade later that the campaign played a significant, perhaps even determining role in preventing nuclear war.

Twice while the campaign was on, President Eisenhower met with the Joint Chiefs of Staff to consider U.S. options in the conflict with China over two islands, Quemoy and Matsu. The generals twice recommended the use of nuclear weapons. President Eisenhower each time turned to his aide and asked how many little bags of rice had come in. When told the numbers in the tens of thousands, Eisenhower told the generals that as long as so many Americans were expressing active interest in having the U.S. feed the Chinese, hecertainly wasn’t going to consider using nuclear weapons against them.

 Send your rice today!!fficeffice" />>>