#186 Urge The Media To Cover Journey For Justice

Date: Thu, 28 Sep 2000
Subject: # 186 Urge The Media To Cover Journey For Justice

Urge The Media To Cover Journey For Justice

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DrugSense FOCUS Alert #186 Thursday September 28, 2000

For the past several days, a number of dedicated drug policy reform
activists have been making their way through Texas in order to
publicize the cruelty and absurdity of the drug war. To learn more
about the Journey for Jubilee Justice, go to its web site at
http://www.journeyforjustice.org

Over the coming days Vigils will be held around the nation calling
attention to prison and drug war issues. See http://www.november.org/upcomingvigils.html
for an updated list of times and places.

The Journey for Jubilee Justice has received some press coverage (to
see some articles go to http://www.mapinc.org/journey.htm), but
organizers are hoping for even more as the journey comes to a close in
Austin on Friday and as other vigils get underway (many on September
29th.) Journey organizers are urging activists around the country to
call their local network television news outlets in order to encourage
local broadcasts of reports from the journey finale (see the note from
Kevin Zeese below).

Please use the link below to find contacts for your local network
television stations. Call the station’s news room and ask if they will
be covering the Journey For Justice. Explain that the Journey For
Justice is an event that is important to all Americans and to suggest
that it be covered in some way.

CALL A NEWSROOM TODAY!

It’s not what others do it’s what YOU do

============================================

PLEASE TELL US WHAT YOU DID (Letter, Phone, fax etc.)

Please post a copy your letter or report your action to the sent
letter list (sentlte@mapinc.org) if you are subscribed, or by
E-mailing a copy directly to MGreer@mapinc.org Your letter will then
be forwarded to the list with so others can learn from your efforts
and be motivated to follow suit

This is VERY IMPORTANT as it is the only way we have of gauging our impact
and effectiveness.
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CONTACT INFO:

The following site offers links to local television stations by city.
Find the network affiliates in your city or town and please give them
a call. If your local stations aren’t listed at this site, please find
the appropriate contact information in a phone book or through a
general search engine.

http://www.tvrundown.com/statnint.htm

Another great source is http://congress.nw.dc.us/wnd/ See the “Guide
to the Media” insert your zip code and you’ll have a great list of TV,
Radio stations, newspapers etc. in your area (or an area where a vigil
will be occurring soon) complete with phone numbers, Email and other
contact info.

========

ARTICLE

(This message was sent from Common Sense for Drug Policy President
Kevin Zeese as he participates in the journey.)

Friends:

We’ve appreciated the email messages of support from those who have
written — our virtual fellow journeyers.

The Journey for Jubilee Justice arrives in Austin tomorrow and will
conduct a workshop at the Mexican American Cultural Center. The
workshop will focus on how people can exercise their first amendment
rights effectively.

You can help us make our events in Austin a national story by calling
your local television network and asking if they will be covering it.
Below is our schedule or visit http://www.journeyforjustice.org. Also
check http://www.november.org to see if their city is one of their 20
vigil cities this weekend. Encourage your station to call their
network affiliated station in Austin and ask for video of the event.

There is still time to get a last minute inexpensive fare to Austin on
Southwest or over the Internet. So you can still join us.

Thanks for your support and encouragement.

Kevin and Jodi

Schedule

Friday, 29. 2000 9:00 ­ 10:30 AM Assemble at the Mexican American
Cultural Center to march to the Capitol. 12:00- 1:00 PM Press
conference at the Capitol 4:00 – 6:00 PM vigil in front of Governor’s
Mansion

SAMPLE MESSAGE

There is a story taking place in Texas with both local and national
significance that your viewers should know about. A group of people
who have been hurt by the drug war are marching through Texas to
protest the harmful policies that have jammed our prisons and denied
citizens adequate medication. Some of the participants are confined to
wheel chairs but the have bravely traveled hundreds of miles through
difficult conditions to illustrate their plight. The Journey for
Justice ends in Austin, Texas on Friday and I think any coverage you
could provide would be greatly appreciated by viewers. Thank you.

ADDITIONAL INFO to help you in your letter writing
efforts

3 Tips for Letter Writers http://www.mapinc.org/3tips.htm

Letter Writers Style Guide http://www.mapinc.org/style.htm

TO SUBSCRIBE, DONATE, VOLUNTEER TO HELP, OR UPDATE YOUR EMAIL SEE

http://www.drugsense.org/hurry.htm

TO UNSUBSCRIBE SEE http://www.drugsense.org/unsub.htm

Prepared by Stephen Young – http://home.att.net/~theyoungfamily Focus
Alert Specialist

= Please help us help reform. Send drug-related news to
editor@mapinc.org