• Subject:          Wear Red on Fridays 
  • Date:               May 21, 2004 1:31 PM 
  • Forwarded by Carolyn Scarr
May 21, 2004

Wearing Red on Friday

Dear Friends,
I would like to ask you to join me and Ronnie in wearing something red every Friday until ALL of our service men and women in Iraq are home safe with their friends and families.
Thanks.

Here's some history behind this idea: When Norway was occupied by Germany in 1940, Norwegian women began to knit RED caps for children as a way of letting everyone know that they did not like what was happening in their country, that they didn't like having their freedom taken away by the Nazis.

Similarly, in Denmark, women knit red-white-and blue caps (colors of the Allies) for the very same reason.

The result was that whenever Norwegians and Danes left their homes to go to the store, to work, etc, they could see that THE MAJORITY opposed what was going on in their country. As you know, both countries organized effective Resistance efforts and changed history  - everything that happened began simply by wearing red!!!! (or the colors of the Allies, in Denmark).

I believe, as many of us do, that at the very heart of our democracy is our right to oppose certain policies of our government.  Increasingly, our Government is redefining "freedom" in ways that make too many Americans perceive that it is risky to oppose his
policies -- and, in particular, current inroads about individual freedoms and policies in the U.S. and abroad.

However, many of us DO oppose what our government is doing to individual rights--and I have an idea that will allow all of us to recognize each other very easily so we can see that WE ARE THE MAJORITY.

SO... I have been thinking that it's time to take action in a way that is effective and easy for all of us to do: Just wear red every Friday between now and election day.

Wear a little or a lot-- just be sure that when you leave your house to go about your day -- to work, to school, to the store, to the gas station, wherever you go in your daily routine -- that everyone who sees you will see that you are wearing red because you believe in
freedom and you don't agree with our current administration's policies at home and abroad. I'm really certain that we'll see that lots of us wearing red for freedom -- because WE ARE THE MAJORITY.  We  just need a way to show each other who we are!!! Between now and election day, ask everyone you know to wear red for "Freedom
Fridays".

I have already spread the word to other friends and family members and have had a very enthusiastic response. This email has been forwarded around the country by many who receive it - feel free to send in on to your friends and co-workers.

Lots of love and peace,
Tony Martarella and Ronnie Levin