Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 (Denver Mods 4/2/84) 6/24/83; site drutx.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!harvard!wjh12!genrad!decvax!tektronix!uw-beaver!cornell!vax135!houxz!houxm!ihnp4!drutx!gap From: gap@drutx.UUCP (PetersEA) Newsgroups: net.politics Subject: Re: Letters for Peace Message-ID: <729@drutx.UUCP> Date: Tue, 24-Jul-84 15:13:11 EDT Article-I.D.: drutx.729 Posted: Tue Jul 24 15:13:11 1984 Date-Received: Sat, 28-Jul-84 01:12:32 EDT Organization: AT&T Information Systems Laboratories, Denver Lines: 216 x I was intrigued by the initial message regarding the Letters for Peace program, so I wrote for more information. I received a quick, personal reply. Following are the main parts of the information they provided. - - - - - - - - - - YOU CAN HELP STOP THE NUCLEAR ARMS RACE by sending a LETTER FOR PEACE to an Ordinary Citizen of the Soviet Union. Think about it. We Americans and the Russian people have no reason to hate each other. Especially in this new age of nuclear weapons, we cannot afford the attitudes that lead to war. Certainly no one wants the nuclear holocaust that in a matter of minutes could wipe out the future, turning our beautiful world into a bleak, dead planet. Despite these realities, the governments of the U.S.A. and the U.S.S.R. are on a fast-moving collision course of mutual destruction, and therefore self-destruction. Each side possesses enough targeted missiles to destroy the world many times over. And many nuclear weapons are being added to each government's arsenal daily. You, as an individual American, can take an important step -- right now -- to stop this madness. You can send a message of peace and brotherhood to an individual Soviet citizen. If enough of these letters are sent -- and there are thousands of them already being sent to cities of the Soviet Union from communities throughout America -- the governments of both countries will unquestionably be influenced favorably. Please read the accompanying English text of our LETTER FOR PEACE. An instruction sheet and everything you need to send a letter is attached, including an envelope addressed to a Soviet citizen. It's as easy as that. All we ask is that you contribute $1.00 or more to cover our cost of preparing this material. One of our LETTERS FOR PEACE volunteers will be glad to answer any questions you may have. LETTERS FOR PEACE, Inc. 59 Bluff Avenue Rowayton, CT 06853 (203) 853-8038 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - NEWS RELEASE - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - LETTERS FOR PEACE PUTS AMERICANS IN TOUCH WITH SOVIET CITIZENS A grass roots program called Letters for Peace offers Americans a way to take personal, immediate, purposeful action against the growing dangers of nuclear holocaust. The program provides a way for individual Americans to send letters of concern and friendship to individual Soviet citizens. Started in the village of Rowayton, Connecticut, as a local effort in the fall of 1982, Letters for Peace has now spread to some 30 states, and even internationally. In addition to individuals, many churches, schools, peace organizations, and other groups have gotten behind the program. Volunteer branch offices of Letters for Peace have been established in the Midwest and West Coast, with others in the offing. According to Richard Conarroe, founder of Letters for Peace, thousands of copies of a standard letter have been signed and sent by Americans to individuals in the Soviet Union. Conarroe, a business consultant and writer, says that to avoid the possibility of incriminating Soviet recipients, the letters point out that names and addresses have been picked at random from Soviet telephone directories. "So far," says Conarroe, "we have indirect evidence that at least some of our letters are getting through. Our Soviet experts tell us that each letter that gets through probably influences an average of 25 pass-along readers." He says he recognizes that some of the letters may be intercepted by the KGB, but feels that even these may have a positive impact by making an impression on the functionaries or government officials who see them. The standard two-page letter is handwritten in Russian, and in the Russian idiom. Many senders add a personal message in English at the end. Some, in an added attempt to encourage a response, enclose a photo of themselves or their families. The letter says in part: "I am writing because I am aware of the frightening danger of deadly combat between our countries. We Americans do not want to cause you any harm and we believe that you, too, do not want this. But the thousands of nuclear warheads aimed at each other can cause the suffering of people and the devastation not only of the USSR and the USA but of all our earth, which is so beautiful. "For the sake of our children and the future of humankind we and you must try to find a way to prevent a fatal mistake by either side. "The rulers of our governments are searching for ways to lessen the danger of nuclear war, and we hope that we can help those efforts by extending our hands to one another as a sign of our struggle for nuclear disarmament. "We Americans love life no less than you Russians. Please accept this letter as an expression of our hope for the establishment of heartfelt and fraternal relations between our peoples." Those wishing to send a Letter for Peace receive a packet consisting of a description of the program's purpose, an instruction sheet, a literal English translation of the letter, a copy of the Russian letter to be sent, an envelope pre-addressed in handwriting to a Soviet individual, and a card to return to the Letters for Peace office as notification that the letter was sent. "It's all very simple," says Conarroe. "All the sender has to do is sign the letter, put it in the envelope, add postage, and drop it in the mail." Some senders, he says, use registered mail to protect against the possibility of non-delivery. He says that as far as he knows, no letters have been returned as non-deliverable. Conarroe and his volunteers will send Letters for Peace packets to anyone asking for them. A contribution of $1 per packet is requested to help cover costs of materials, printing, addressing, postage, and so on. A minimum of ten packets per request can be handled. Some organizations request several hundred packets at a time. Conarroe says he is presently working out details of a plan to have individually signed letters hand delivered in Moscow and other major cities by Americans traveling to the USSR. The letters will be turned over to peace activists in the Soviet Union who will in turn hand deliver them to individuals and families. Conarroe says he thinks this method will help overcome reluctance of the Soviets to write letters of response to their American correspondents. For further details and to order letter packets, write to Letters for Peace, 59 Bluff Avenue, Rowayton, CT 06853. Telephone: 203-853-8038. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - EXCERPTS FROM RESPONSES TO "LETTERS FOR PEACE" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - From Moscow to Murdock, Kansas: "I think that although we are not 'The Powers that be,' still we can contribute to the Cause of Peace. And the way for us to do this is, I think, to set friendly ties between Russian and American people.... My friends went kneeling to ask me to ask you if you or your friends would like to correspond with them." From Moscow to Austin, Texas: "I regard war between our countries as something that should never happen. We, the Russian people who lost in the Second World War 20 million lives, including my father, are fully aware of that. I remain your faithful friend from the USSR." From Leningrad to Wichita, Kansas: "I have received today yours letters. Thank you very much. I very interested friendly correspondence in beautiful country America. Welcome to Leningrad!!!" From Kiev to Wilton, Connecticut: "Thank you for your letter. It was an unexpected surprise for us. Our family has always been for peace and friendship among people. In both languages it means the same: 'We are for peace and friendship.' " From Moscow to Murdock, Kansas: "First of all, I want to say that I am very glad to have a pen-pal in USA, that I am awfully willing to correspond with you and that I deeply believe our correspondence to be a contribution (though humble rather) to the Cause of Universal Peace." From Latvia to Ann Arbor, Michigan: "I am sure that each man in our country and also in yours must be against the war. If it will happen now, it will not be a winner. The whole earth will be destroyed and I don't believe that somewhere will remain happy peoples. Our both countries are the strongest and nobody must forget it. We must not fight one against the other. We must live in peace." From Leningrad to Ann Arbor, Michigan: "We are Soviet people, our people in WWII lost over 20 million. I a Stalingrader and personally saw all the horrors of war and my family suffered losses in that terrible war. We Soviet people, people of good will of the entire world, are struggling for peace, for peaceful coexistence and good relations." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - My first two letters are going out in today's mail. Gene Peters ..!ihnp4!drutx!gap