Agenda for Washington April 12

[LetsGo]

Fall might be better. Congress adjourns in May and doesn't return until August/September.

[bigbob]

Being CR foundation was planning to reintroduce Bill at our march would that alone be worth it.

[Clipper]

Let me be blunt.

If there are any plans to have a gimmick/stunt such as those mentioned, I will not lend my support to this effort. At all. Period. I plan on asking my boss to utilize the resources of my firm. But I am not willing to attach my name - or my firm's name - to anything that involves gimmicks/stunts. I am a professional, and I work with the Washington media every day. I'm not willing to erode my professional relationships by being involved in staging such events.

Obviously we have different views on how to accomplish things. And I respect that. But if you want to go the way of gimmicks, please ask someone else to do the things I have offered.

[Malibu]

I agree with Clipper,


Gimmicks are for someone that has nothing to offer. If American journalists or Congress and even George Bush cannot see the reality associated with our cause, then we are just selling ourselves short. Maybe visability is not the main thing in a war. We are mainly to effectively communicate with unwavering persistance. We may not bat 1000 the first time but the main point is that we will be back. Even if we have to bring Arnold from California himself. Surely, we will prevail. Our numbers will grow if they refuse us. We are determined to have "FREEDOM from Paralysis" It is possible to cure us, we just don't want to wait for the pork to hit the budget before we can get ourselves into it also. Fiscally responsable is the name of the game. The rule is that we got family and friends imn very large numbers and we know how to focus our knowledge of politics.

[Faye]

Originally posted by Kaprikorn1:


LetsGo...you don't think 50 empty wheelchairs with signs indicating they are for the "x" number of americans that will be forced into them by SCI parked at the foot of The Capitol steps with another couple hundred supporters with signs behind them wouldn't be a good enough "gimmick" or "spark"?

If not...what do you suggest?

Kap

(This space available)

Kap I still think that is a wonderful idea!

AND I think LetsGo thought we had abandoned such an idea, because there was no more talk about it....

~ Choices Are The Hinges Of Destiny ~

[Patricia]

FYI ... in case it is helpful, Christopher's birthday is in September.

Persist ... in Hope,

Patricia

[Faye]

For some reason Spring feels right....New Beginnings and all. If we could get a block of about 40 rooms .5 miles from the Capitol steps at $139 per night Apr. 11- Apr 13, and also have two or three other options available in Crystal City or Metro Center at lower rates, would we be interested in that?

Not sure if you were aware of this Patricia, but Trisha Brooks at the CRPF offered to supply us with talking points, since they know the CRPA inside and out.

So as far as materials are concerned, we basically don't need to come up with anything of our own. We just need to provide participants, banners and media coverage.
CRPF will be setting our appointents with legislators too.

Both the CRPF and the PVA are very excited about our plan for the April Washington Rally!

~ Choices Are The Hinges Of Destiny ~

[Jeff]

I want to thank all the organizers and everyone who has offerred to donate time and money for this event. It has been a dream of the online SCI community to have just such a roll on Washington, DC for many years. It always seemed that we couldn't build the required momentum to get the event off the ground. It always just seemed to fade away. Which is why I'm so thrilled about the effort this time.

But I do think that combining the roll with Neurotrauma would give us potentially the biggest bang for our buck. A lot of members would like to attend both. By doing the roll on the Wednesday before Neurotrauma we could easily attend Neurotrauma meetings the folllowing day. And we could bring national attention to the Neurotrauma conference and any exciting research that gets presented. There will also be a lot of research heavyweights in DC due to the conference. They might be a great help to us in our cause and we to them. Maybe they could address the CareCure Community in a Wed eve session. Maybe we'd just end up partying with them! LOL.

Anyway, combining the two events would be a unique opportunity. Especially since that would give us more time to recruit hundreds of wheelers who live within driving distance and who could more easily attend. Plus add all of Patricia's information about Fall being a great time.

Sorry to deflate any passion for the earlier date. Just something to think about.

~See you at the SCIWire-used-to-be-paralyzed Reunion ~

[Malibu]

Is there any chance of asking Barbara Walters to do anything. I am not a media person so I don't even know how to ask the question.

I do think that she was fond of Christopher Reeves and eventually this may be addressed by the media (hope) in a revealing light thru the DOORS of HOPE ...

Maybe family is our best resource. This paralsis comes in a lot of ways. Just taking an inventory and getting everyone focused will be our golden doors opening for us.

I am going to try contacting Joni and Friends to see if she can broadcast this march. I will wait to see when and then I wil get out the WORD.

[poonsuzanne]

Are we going to do it once a year only or more often than that? The answer is crucial to the latest debate of the appropriate month or time of the year of the MARCH.

Suzanne

[bigbob]

The March doesn't have to be perfect, there will always be a better time or way to do it.
If we stop now you know what will happen. There will always be reasons to delay, even in the fall. Hey, what if another 911 happens who will give you the time of the day then.

[bigbob]

Jeff, I hear you, but if we march now we set the climate for all following events-Theres a big difference in exchanging ideas and advocating, maybe they should be separate.

[Faye]

Originally posted by Patricia:

FYI ... in case it is helpful, Christopher's birthday is in September.

Persist ... in Hope,

Patricia

Another important date to note is the date CR became paralyzed, I believe that was in June of 1995, exactly a decade ago.

~ Choices Are The Hinges Of Destiny ~

[Princess "Leia"]

Kap, I think the idea is great and will make the point in a silent but eye opening way. It is not gimmicky but more of a spark, a shock, a reality check.

We all know most people haven't a clue what is it like to have a SCI. Visabilty should be a major objective because forever we have been treated with "out of sight, out of mind". We would be further along if more people fully grasped our daily struggles or knew how easy it is to become SC injured.

We can achieve media attention without being gimmicky, wild or crazy and it can be done in a manner that is acceptable to all. I think Kap's idea fits the bill and just needs some fine tuning.

Leia

[bigbob]

I wonder why some of you waited till we built up steam and support to try to put this on hold?
We had enough people and more to come join us soon, it could have worked. I don't get it?