Letters to Congresswoman Pelosi - Grab a pen - 12/18/07

Tue Dec 18 13:55:22 EST 2007

- SAMPLE LETTERS TO PELOSI AND WEB SITE RESOURCES POSTED

It's less than 24 hrs since I sent the call to action and I've already been
copied on a dozen powerful, heartfelt letters like these to Speaker Pelosi.
I'll share one or two in the hope that it will inspire you to TAKE THE TIME
to write.  It's wonderful when the letters come from your own voice, own
experience, and your own passion.  This is the best holiday present you
could possibly give me or our children and grandchildren - a way to pay it
forward.     

Some of you have gone to Pelosi's website and emailed her from there. That's
good but I ask that you please also print out your message and mail it. I'm
told postal mail has a bigger impact.

TO HELP MAKE THIS EASIER, the statements that align the marriage education
mission with their stated platforms, FAQ summaries of family-breakdown
STATS, and all kinds of back-up documents are posted on the California
Coalition website. http://www.camarriage.com - click Smart Marriages
Invitation in left column, or go directly to:
http://camarriage.com/getinvolved/index.ashx?nv=10&pg=15

Having these three (Arnold, Maria, Nancy) address our conference and the
attendant media will do more than anything else possible to raise awareness
about all that marriage education has to offer.

Grab an oar. Or, in this case, grab your pen!  It doesn't have to be
perfect.  Just get it in the mail.

Send me examples of your letters to Gov and First Lady Schwarzenegger.

- diane 

PS. Someone was concerned that this campaign would get us branded as "freaky
marriage activists".  That gave me an idea.  I think we'll start selling FMA
t-shirts. When people ask you what it means, it will give you the chance to
TELL THEM.  ;) 

----------------------
> Dear Diane,
> 
> Attached is a letter we are sending to Congresswoman Pelosi.  This is a
> campaign that must succeed.
> 
> Thank you for your diligence and persistence in Healthy Marriage arena.
> 
> Krsnanandini & Tariq
> Krsnanandini Devi Dasi
> Co-Director 
> Dasi-Ziyad Family Institute
> www.dzfi.org
> 
> Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi
> Speaker of the House
> 235 Cannon HOB
> Washington, DC 20515
> 
> Dear Congresswoman Pelosi:                    December 18, 2007
> 
> As Speaker of the House, we realize that you speak for all Americans in your
> unique position. We are writing to add our voice to the many who are
> requesting that you welcome the Smart Marriages organization to your state
> when it convenes the 12th Annual SmartMarriages conference in San Francisco
> in July, 2008.  About 2,500, family professionals and lay people from all
> over the U.S. will gather to share information about proactive, preventive
> Healthy Marriage Education programs to strengthen families and couples and
> save children. 
> 
> At a time, when Americans everywhere are reeling from the effects of broken
> homes, absentee fathers, abandoned, delinquent and neglected children, mental
> breakdowns due to unhealthy relationships that result in isolation and
> alienation, grandparents straining to care for their grandchildren in lieu of
> the parents, and many other social ills, we need our representatives to take
> strong positions to improve the quality of family life in our country.
> 
> Statistics abound with the devastating effects of marriages gone sour or never
> entered, despite the birth of children. Where we live in the greater
> Cleveland, Ohio area, more than 60 % of children are being raised by single
> parents. Harvard Professor James Q. Wilson, cites statistics that indicate a
> rising trend in cohabitation and single parenthood, and reveals their
> disturbing consequences on children, including:  higher drop-out rates,
> emotional problems, drug use, higher rates of teen-age pregnancy, delinquent
> behavior and criminal activity.  The good news is that there are skills people
> can learn and commitments they can make to improve their relationships and
> create or sustain satisfying marriages and, at the least have healthy
> parenting interactions with an absent parent.  When marriages (families) are
> healthy and strong, then communities are healthy and strong.
> 
> Smart Marriages is a wonderful coalition of Marriage/Family educators,
> therapists, scholars, government agencies, and others who know the value of
> prevention through healthy relationship education, premarital education and
> marriage enrichment.  The important work of the SmartMarriages community is
> needed across the board in all socioeconomic populations.
> 
> Therefore, we encourage you to be a part of this exciting movement to
> strengthen families through promoting Healthy Relationship skills education.
> As a wife, mother and grandmother, you know the importance of healthy
> marriages to our society.  We look forward to welcoming you at the convention.
> With warm regards,
> 
> Krsnanandini D. Dasi,
> Tariq S. Ziyad
> Co-director    

----------------------
> Dear Speaker Pelosi:
> 
> I want to add my voice to those who are encouraging you to accept the
> invitation to speak at the Smart Marriages Conference this July in
> San Francisco. I won't repeat what others are saying about the
> importance of the issue of healthy marriages for the public agenda.
> As a lifelong Democrat, I think that your speaking at the Conference
> could be a valuable way to help fellow Democrats find their voice on
> this tricky topic. Unfortunately, our understandable concerns about
> same sex marriage and about not disparaging single parents has led
> many Democrats to cede the marriage issue to conservatives. There
> have been major liberal voices on this issue, starting years ago with
> Daniel Patrick Moynihan, and I think we can refind our voice today. I
> hope you will accept the speaking invitation.
> 
> Sincerely yours,
> 
> William J. Doherty, Ph.D.
> Family Social Science Department
> University of Minnesota

**************************
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