Red Envelopes to Washington

4/8/09 Update: The White House confirms that they have received over 2 million red envelopes.. [snarky comment alert].. not sure that the Obama administration was impacted but the post office thanks everyone who participated.. probably generated over a million dollars in revenue for them :)

2/22/09: Got an email from a friend this week urging me to:
Get a red envelope. You can buy them at Kinkos, or at party supply stores. On the front, address it to:

President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington , D.C. 20500

On the back, write the following message.

This envelope represents one child who died because of an abortion. It is empty because the life that was taken is now unable to be a part of our world.

We will mail the envelopes out March 31st, 2009.

Put it in the mail, and send it. Then forward this event to every one of your friends who you think would send one too.
...
Together we can change the heart of The President and save the lives of millions of children.
Does anyone think that this campaign will really work? I guess I don't. I periodically "write my congressman" and always get a form letter response with their position on whatever issue I had wrote them about.. it is generally a huge waste of my time.. albeit a cathartic one.

Don't misunderstand me.. I think that a campaign like this one is a sincere and heartfelt one.. but I don't think that it will change President Obama's views about abortion laws.. but it may help the economy and maybe save a job or two at the post office.

What do you think? Have you found, from personal experience, that our leaders in Washington are responsive to your letters? How would you respond to these red envelopes if you were President Obama?

5 comments:

  1. Cathartic is the operative word here Bob. It may make the one sending the letter feel better but imo these kind of actions have no impact whatsoever not only on the particular politician but on the greater cause of trying to overturn the abortion law or reduce abortions. As you know Bob, there are many angles to this issue and at the present time it seems from where I stand that those who oppose abortion might try to find whatever common ground they can with this new administration, continue to emphasize the importance of educating the general public and work to reduce as many abortions as they can.

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  2. The only reason I voted for GWB in 2004 was because of his stance on abortion. Over the past few years, however, my view have shifted to where i think the path to reduce and eliminate abortions is not by changing laws, but by changing hearts... and that can only be done by inviting Christ into people's lives.

    Instead of sending an empty envelope to the President, maybe we could do more good by writing a real letter to someone we know who longs to hear about Jesus.

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  3. I like Ed's comment. And I'll add that it's not necessary to write a letter - just show them the letter God wrote. :)

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  4. I agree with you Bob, I don't think this is going to have much impact...I mean what does it say that he didn't already know? Was it suppose to be a "visual", do you think they really brought him all 2 million envelopes and dumped them on his desk?

    The change has to start in the women who choose to have an abortion. Now before anyone gets mad at me - I've been on both sides of the coin. I've had an abortion, and I carried out an unwanted pregnancy and raised a child by myself. So I feel compassion for a woman who finds herself not wanting a baby, but I also know that MOST unwanted pregnancies can be avoided.

    End of sermon.

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  5. Amen to that sermon Barbara!

    A friend and I had a discussion last night about abortion.. for the most part the issue is promiscuity not abortion.

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