United States and Iran relationships: Advocacy NOW!

The possibility that the United States (or first Israel, and then the United States) will attack Iran continues. Please continue, frequently, contacting your representative and senators asking that diplomatic relations be established. Don't get bored--you may phone, fax or email to vary your medium! But keep the message strong.

Contact information here often includes a form so you can directly email your senators and representative at http://www3.capwiz.com/c-span/dbq/officials

An even easier way to email your representative about bipartisan House resolution, H. Con. Res. 321, calling for diplomatic engagement with Iran is on this website: http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/involved/diplomacy.html

Urge your senators to cosponsor legislation S. 2130 that would organize a diplomatic offensive in the region to talk with Iraq's neighbors and help bring an end to the war in Iraq.

Remember, email or fax communications with legislators in Washington, D.C. since postal letters are delayed for anthrax scanning.

Possible letter:

Dear (Senator/Representative),

Mennonites have lived and worked in Iran since the 1991 earthquake. Thousands of Mennonites in the United States are praying and acting for peaceful relations between the United States and Iran.

We urge you to support a path of diplomacy with no preconditions between our countries. The only way that differences between our two nations can be truly resolved is through negotiation. Military strikes bring only anger, fear and retaliation, never reconciliation or understanding. In fact, 2003 Nobel Peace Prize winner, Shirin Ebadi, on a recent visit to the United States, pointed out that, while the world focuses on uranium enrichment, the human rights situation in Iran continues to deteriorate. Ebadi suggests, rather that the United States abandon the threat of war, which strengthens the hand of the government, if it wants to win over Iran's people and bring change.

I want you to know that I pray for the people of Iran, for the leaders of our two countries and that I provide monetary support to groups working for peace in the region.

I respectfully ask that you do all you can to ensure that conflicts between our countries are resolved peacefully, without using any type of military action.

Sincerely,

*** (Include mailing addresses so legislators know signatories are from their districts)

Please let know that you've written.

Many thanks!