LymeNet Flash: How far off do you plan a MARCH?

This is topic How far off do you plan a MARCH? in forum General Support at LymeNet Flash.

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Posted by Linda LD (Member # 6663) on :

So if we have a MARCH how far off in the future do we plan it?

A year from now? This summer?

Any ideas?

Linda

Posted by Aniek (Member # 5374) on :

That depends.

Where do you want to have the march? Is it something you wants statewide, regional or national? How big do you want the march?

A large national march needs a minimum of a year to plan. If there isn't a strong network in place, you my need longer. I knew about the March for Women's Lives 2 years before it happened.

A statewide march can probably be done within a few months...unless you are in a state like NY or CA.

To plan a march you will need to:
plan logistics like getting permits, having water available, security, etc.
get speakers
get out the word
get sponsors to cover costs

Posted by Linda LD (Member # 6663) on :

So if we wanted a national March we would shot for 2006 at the very least.

Has anyone ever done a march before?

Where do you go to get the permits?

Has anyone thought about contacting DEET to sponsor?

I'm just throwing ideas out.

Linda

Posted by HEATHERKISS (Member # 6789) on :

Washington DC or New York city?

Posted by DR. Wiseass (Member # 6777) on :

In my opinion - and according to my friends with DC experience - we would really need a large advocacy organiztion to be involved - to help organize it. (Assuming it would be a DC March -- or in our case, a "Crawl, Limp, & Roll" Not enough energy to actually MARCH!!)

From what I've been told - a March is quite an overwhelming undertaking.

I'm not saying that to squash the idea. I'm actually all for it. I just think if we're serious about this, we have to go in with eyes open.

I would suggest that anyone who is serious about doing a March - that you should contact one of the major advocacy groups and press the issue - find out what you can.

If that's not successful - contact some of the other types of activist groups who have conducted successful Marches & find out HOW they accomplished it - see if someone can give you the inside scoop!

I'll help out in any way I can - although I'm staying rather busy working now on a new website - AND learning about advocacy stuff - AND adjusting to Mepron. Yipee.

Keep the ideas flowing....brainstorming is good.

------------------
DR. Wiseass - not a real doc - just a real wise ass.
www.twistoflyme.blogspot.com

Posted by robi (Member # 5547) on :

Would we be able to get ILADS involved? Anyone with connections to ILADS?

Perhaps we can start organizing at the Hope to Heal LYme conference in May.

Whose gonna be there? Maybe we could meet for dinner and start to organize?

robi

Posted by brainless (Member # 6771) on :

If you're hoping for thousands to attend, it's not likely. The most I've ever seen is hundreds at the NY Burrascano protest in front of the Plaza Hotel. The Blumenthal hearings in CT were attended by about 250. Every other protest I've been to has a hundred attendees, at best. Everyone is too sick, poor or otherwise occupied. It takes energy, money, time and commitment to attend a protest/march. Lyme patients do not have those things in abundance.

[This message has been edited by brainless (edited 01 May 2005).]

Posted by Linda LD (Member # 6663) on :

Something I was thinking about this weekend is that people tht could come would carry signs with the names of people too sick to come. Or have little signs with their pictures. What if people gathered signatures and the ones taht could walk carried the signatures--or better yet--letters to the capitol steps.

We don't have to have a lot of people--just a fresh idea that will attract media attention.

Linda

Posted by daniella (Member # 6753) on :

Linda I agree. Something to represent each person that couldn't attend because they were too sick. Like a highway cone or something we could put thier picture on. That would still show how many people...

Posted by pippy (Member # 6005) on :

Great idea Linda. There has to be a way to organize and get media coverage.

Doc. Wiseass, those are good ideas and starting points.

Linda, you have some clever ideas...there has to be a way to actually put something together that would be effective yet feasible.

did i spell that right? my spelling is terrible now that i have lyme ;-(
Sh**! The cognitive/neuro stuff is the killer...i just can't seem to remember words anymore...I feel like I've either lost 50 IQ points or I'm drunk or both!

I'm there with you in spirit! :-)

Posted by brainless (Member # 6771) on :

Note: Signs are not allowed to be attached to anything that could be used as a weapon, such as sticks. Signs are usually carried, put on the backs of wheelchairs etc.

Posted by dulcamara (Member # 5691) on :

Brainless is right. I've attended several of the rallies that took place around 2000. It was very hard for me to do so, and even harder for other Lyme patients. 400 people is they most anybody ever got (Burrascano/OPMC rally), and the media barely covered it even though it was in Manhattan, which is the US center of the news world.

I don't think marches for *any* cause, right left or center, get the kind of coverage I'm assuming they did in the sixties. It's as if they are old hat. The media has learned to ignore them.

I'd don't have the answer. So far , no one does. But I'll put out a suggestion. Designate a day in the next couple of weeks -- maybe May 24 -- and everybody write an email that they send a number of the different media outlets, politicians and the CDC and NIH. It could be something short, for those who are too tired to write. Something like "It's Lyme Awareness Month -- what are you doing to cover it? To deal with it?" I could put up a post with contact addresses.