In order for democracy to work, for our government to represent US and OUR interests, we must be ready to speak.
As I am sure many of you know, activist networks create handy online petitions and form e-mails for you to add your name to and click. This simple act sends a message to your representative.
While convenient for us, I am afraid sending e-mails is perhaps not as effective as CALLING or sending SNAIL MAIL or FAXES.
Also, we should not just sit back and wait for activist groups to draft letters. We must be willing to do this for ourselves and on our own....
But, if someone has taken the time to write something, why not use it. Draw from it. Develop it to make it your own. Then print it and put a stamp on it.
Here is a letter I developed to ask our Senators and House Representatives to Save the Victims of Crime Act Funding. Use Liberally:
I have recently learned that domestic violence and sexual assault agencies would lose funding under the proposed federal budget for FY2009-2009. The proposed budget cut would redirect Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) money to the general budget. This funding MUST be directed to state agencies, local programs, and state agencies that use it to provide services for victims of crime.
President Ronald Reagan and Congress created VOCA in 1984. No tax money is used to support VOCA; instead, money is taken from a range of federal criminal fines, assessments and penalties. Make the perpetrators of crime pay to support the safety and rehabilitation of survivors. Across the nation, agencies receive assistance from the $2 billion collected. If this funding in cut support agencies would lose all of their VOCA funding by 2010.
YOU have the power to protect funding for local agencies that offer support to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. Victims of crime often have no one to turn to but these agencies. Such agencies rely on VOCA money to provide services for victims and pay their staff.
Protect these agencies. Protect their funding. Demand that VOCA money be directed to state agencies, local programs, and state agencies that use it to provide services for victims of crime.
Please use this text to craft your own letter.
Let your legislators know that you do not support a federal budget that takes funding away from agencies that support victims of domestic abuse and sexual assault.
.JPG)
