sent 9/3/13 One Week to Stop a War PLEASE a) REVIEW THESE RESOURCES, b) CALL and c) TAKE THIS VIRAL

Subject: One Week to Stop a War PLEASE a) REVIEW THESE RESOURCES, b) CALL and c) TAKE THIS VIRAL

I have been reading most of the day.  There is a vast array of voices and people our there working to forestall the seemingly-imminent attack on Syria.  I think we have a chance.  The Friends Committee on National Legislation is only one small part of that vast array.  Small or not, their resources in this message from them that I am forwarding to you below are the very best.  I have fixed all the links so that they work but will not identify you as me.

I will send a short list of excellent and relevant articles a bit later, perhaps tomorrow.  If you receive this email and you're not on my list you can find the followup at my blog site.  There are no comments and there is therefore no login required.

Please a) review these resources, b) call and c) take this viral.  Thank you for whatever you can do to help.  Please lean on it this time.

Larry

Dear Larry A Scott, What Congress hears from you today or tomorrow could determine whether the U.S. bombs Syria. Please call your local congressional offices now and tell them to vote against any U.S. military action. We expect Congress to vote early next week on an authorization for the use of military force in Syria. Many members of Congress have grave doubts about the president's proposal for military action in Syria. But they are also under tremendous pressure to approve a congressional resolution authorizing the use of military force. They are looking to their constituents—to you and others in your community—to help them decide how to vote. Take Action: Call Your Local Congressional Office Today Please call the local offices of your senators and representatives (look up the telephone numbers on our website). Here are some points to make on your call: I oppose U.S. military action in Syria. Military action will not stop the killing in Syria or bring those responsible for the use of chemical weapons to justice. Diplomatic engagement with all regional stakeholders is what is called for right now. The U.S. shouldn't respond alone to the use of chemical weapons. Our country should work through the U.N. and the International Criminal Court. What is the member's position is on authorizing military force against Syria? Are there any local public events happening where I could express my views to the member directly? Please call today and forward this email to 3 friends who might be willing to call too. After You Call: Go Public Please consider writing a letter to your local newspaper and posting comments on the newspaper's website. Let your community know that war is not the answer to the use of chemical weapons in Syria, and, most importantly, mention the names of your senators and representative by name in the letter. Join Us Thursday at 8 p.m. FCNL's lead Middle East lobbyist Kate Gould and other staff will be on the phone this Thursday at 8 p.m. Eastern to provide updates and answer your questions on efforts to stop a war with Syria. Mark your calendars now and plan to join us! The number to join the call is 213-342-3000, and the access code is 283096. Please invite others in your community to join in as well. You Are Making a Difference The president's decision to seek congressional authorization for military action in Syria offers a critical opportunity for you to express your views. It's clear that public support in the U.S. and among U.S. allies is very low for military engagement in Syria's civil war. Your advocacy over the past days and weeks has been a part of this opposition. Now the president has launched a full court press to win congressional backing for this war. This is the week to let our representatives know that they should oppose this new war, that bombing Syria will not protect civilians or bring an end to the humanitarian crisis. As Executive Secretary Emeritus Joe Volk writes, diplomacy, not military action, is the best way to keep the Syrian people safe. And U.S. military action could potentially increase the level of violence while doing little to deter future use of these terrible weapons. We can all agree that the use of chemical weapons is wrong, but we must work with our elected officials to press for effective ways to prevent future uses of these weapons. Thank you for your advocacy this week to send a strong message to your members of Congress that War Is Not the Answer. Together our voices make a difference. Sincerely, Diane Randall Executive Secretary Our FCNL team has assembled an impressive set of resources that can help in the effort to prevent a new war with Syria, including: A letter to President Obama explaining why military action is not the solution and highlighting some of the many other voices saying military action will not stop the violence in Syria or even bring those using chemical weapons to justice. Advice on how to call and tweet members of Congress. A Fox News op-ed by FCNL's Michael Shank and Rep. Raul Grijalva (AZ), "If America wants Assad to respect international law, it must respect it, too." A list of Catholic, Jewish, Quaker and other faith groups that are against military action, and a list of the more than 140 members of Congress who are reluctant to go to war. Find all these resources and more on our website.