[Newspoetry] FW: PROGRESSIVE SECRETARY NEWSLETTER

This is on the topic of newspoetry perhaps only to the extent that it is an
interesting idea for connecting writing, internet technology, and social
change. There is an option to have the letters sent with blanket approval
from you--that is they/it sends the letter to public officials you specify
and they/it sends you a copy of the letter sent (there is also an option to
have the letter sent to you first, and broadcast only on your approval). The
instigator of the project (Jim Harris) describes himself as a quaker and
activist. I have been disappointed by a letter once so far (out of about 12
letters sent in my name) (a letter of condolence to the pastor of the
Baptists church that was attacked that made me out to be pious--the rest
have been pretty good letters to members of congress, IL legislators, Bill,
and Albert). At the end of the forward is the URL of a page that describes
the project.

mark enslin
----------
From: Jim Harris <ProgressiveSecretary at Earthlink.Net>
To: Mark Enslin <enslin at prairienet.org>
Subject: PROGRESSIVE SECRETARY NEWSLETTER
Date: Thu, Sep 23, 1999, 1:23 AM


Dear Mark;

Newsletter revised on Sept 20:
 PROGRESSIVE SECRETARY NEWSLETTER
 September 21, 1999



  We're Growing!


  PS is growing!  We've passed the 1.5 million mark!  As of September 10, 
1999, more than 1.5 million letters have been sent by PS participants, and 
more are going out almost daily -- sometimes several new letters a day.  
Tell your friends.  Urge them to join PS and make their opinions count.  
Count with very little effort on their part, that is!


  New Web Coordinator


  Candyce Hawk has joined our volunteer "staff" as Web coordinator. A  
professional web designer, as well as a PS participant, Candyce is hard at 
work on a new, improved web site for Progressive Secretary.  The new site 
will be up and running within the next week or two, and we'll send out an 
announcement to everyone as soon as it's ready.  In the meantime, feel free 
to visit the new web site as a "Work in Progress"   
www.ProgressiveSecretary.Org  Candyce is also instituting new email 
addresses for Jim, Pat, and the two new focus groups:
  Jim at ProgressiveSecretary.Org
  Pat at ProgressiveSecretary.Org
  PrisonFocus at ProgressiveSecretary.Org
  MumiaFocus at ProgressiveSecretary.Org
  (To subscribe to PrisonFocus or MumiaFocus send a letter to the address
 above with the word Subscribe.)



  Avalanche of Letters


  Pat Murphy, our new letters coordinator, has been working energetically 
to  evaluate proposals for new letters, to put them into our letter file 
format, and often to edit them.  With his help, we have begun releasing a 
real avalanche of new letters!  We now have 85 letters in our "active" 
process.  Pat and Jim are exploring new options, too, including a new 
"Letters to the Editor" service to hundreds of local newspapers, faxes to 
recipients who don't use email, and ways to expand both the quantity and 
quality of email letters.



  Prison Focus Groups


  Finding a way to make our electronic voices heard to try to improve 
prison  conditions, appeal for merciful treatment, or plead the case of a 
wrongfully  imprisoned person is incredibly difficult.  To explore better 
ways, PS has formed two  focus group of volunteers who have a special 
interest in prison conditions.  These groups will chat by email with each 
other, trade information about cases, and discuss how to make email 
messages more effective.  To get involved or learn more, contact  
PrisonFocus at ProgressiveSecretary.org.

 A Focus Group on the complex case of Mumia Abu-Jamal is also forming,  
Contact MumiaFocus at ProgressiveSecretary.org.



  The Letters You Send


  PS has found that most of the letters it prepares for participants get 
the SEND response from a relatively small minority.  Yet we discover 
numerous instances in which a participant later expresses a wish to have 
sent a particular letter to which she or he never responded (or perhaps 
never even saw).  We would love to make sure you see as many letters as 
possible, as often as possible, on the broadest range of topics!


  When you have a moment, scan the long list of letters below to see if 
there are some that you might want sent out over your name, then add either 
the word Send or Read after the subject. If you add Read, we'll send you 
the letter for review.  If you add Send, we'll send the letter for you.


  Bombing Does Not Work
  Children's Defense Fund
  Close the School of the Americas
  Code of Conduct for Arms Sales
  Cruise Missile Humanitarians
  Demand Nike pay living wage
  Democratic Rights for workers at Han in Mexico
  Dialog with North Korea
  Do NOT increase the military budget.
  Don't cut HUD
  End Public Radio Staff Lockout
  End Sexual Harassment in Colleges
  End the Cuban Embargo
  Free Puerto Rican Political Prisoners
  Freedom of Choice in Dying
  Guestworker Legislation Hurts Farmworkers
  Hate Crime Legislation
  International Trafficking Bills
  Invest in Child Care and Early Education
  It is time to come clean about Kosovo.
  Keep Cassini Rocket Away from Earth
  Limit Arms Sales
  Make Prescription Drugs Affordable
  Military Aid To Colombia
  Modify California's "Three Strikes" Law.
  More Harm than Good
  Mumia Abu Jamal Needs Medical Attention
  New Legislation to close the School of the Americas
  No To Flag Desecration Amendment
  No to Violent Juvenile Offender Act
  Oppose Bracero Program
  Oppose Death Penalty for Youth
  Oppose Federal Pay Raises
  Oppose Funding the F-22 Fighter
  Oppose Juvenile Justice Bill
  Oppose the Death Penalty, Spare Mumia Abu-Jamal
  Pain Relief Promotion Act is a Pain
  Pardon the 15 Puerto Rican Political Prisoners
  Pass Managed Care Improvement Act HR2723
  Patients Bill of Rights
  Patients' Rights
  Pay the United Nations Dues
  Persecution of Women in Afghanistan
  Please Fund Human Needs
  Postpone Death Warrant for Mumia
  Prison Phone Scam
  Protect Our Children
  Protect Our Water from Monsanto
  Ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty
  Regulatory 'Improvement' Puts People and the Environment at Risk
  Repeal Secret Evidence
  Right to Organize
  Right to Vote
  Save Our Wild Forests!
  Save Pacifica Free Speech Radio
  Save the Arts
  Save the Humanities
  Save the Northwest Salmon
  Selective Service should not be funded with money from FEMA and EPA
  Senate Pass Property Forfeiture Reform
  Showdown on Campaign Finance Reform
  Sign Child Soldiers Convention
  Sign the Land Mine Ban Treaty Now
  Stop Forcing Money on the Military
  Stop Prison Abuse
  Stop the Arms Race in Space
  Stop the Bombing
  Stop the Bombing of Iraq
  Stop the Legal Torture of American Prisoners
  Stop the Violence in East Timor Now
  Support Block Grants for Child Care
  Support Child Care Funding
  Support Hate Crimes Prevention Act
  Support Hope for Africa, not NAFTA
  Support Renewable Wind Energy
  Support the Food Stamp Program
  Support the National Forest Protection and Restoration Act
  Sustain Cuts in SOA Funds
  Trade Bills We Can Support  !
  Two Congressional Resolutions on Serbia
  Universal Health Care
  Unwise Tax Cut
  VETO the tax refund.
  Work With the UN in Serbia


 Hot Tip


    To have us make changes in which letters you receive, to whom they are 
to be sent, or in any of the instructions you gave us when you joined PS,  
place an X next to "Change",  which accompanies every proposal or report we
 send you.  Here is how it looks:


  [ ] Change - Please send a questionnaire so that I can change my personal 
 information about frequency of letters, people the letters should be sent 
to, including my address and topics of interest.

 One change we love is when participants tell us to send letter proposals 
more often.  If you have just a little time to check your email every few 
days, consider asking us to send proposals several times a week.  It really 
won't be onerous for us or for you, and we've found that many more letters 
get sent to their intended recipients that way.


  WE NEED MORE PARTICIPANTS


  For PS to be more effective, we must have more and more participants.  If 
an official receives email on the same topic from 100 people, little notice 
is given the messages.  But if 10,000 email messages come in, all on the 
same subject, from 10,000 people, that official sits up at attention!


  Help us by telling your friends, making announcements at meetings, urging 
people to visit our Web Site, and asking us to send PS information to names 
you send us. It is no trouble for us, and we know every new name is a 
potential new participant.

Sincerely

Jim Harris
http://home.earthlink.net/~progressivesecretary

Please include this letter with your reply.