25th Anniversary Kit >> Actions [doc][pdf] >> Other Action Ideas [doc][pdf]
OTHER ACTION IDEAS
There will be around 100 actions happening on or around December 3, 2009. Whatever action you chose to take or organize to participate in will be an important addition to the global movement. Although we’re hoping that many people here in North America will organize die-ins so there will be a coordinator effort, there are many actions to choose from.
Here, we’ve listed Direct Actions, Educational Actions, and Individual actions that you might consider.
Direct Actions
- Rally – The purpose of a rally is to show your level of support to your target, to invigorate your supporters and to attract media attention to bring new people into the campaign. Rallies can include chanting, signs, banners, music, marching, street theater, impassioned speeches, humor, presenting petitions and anything else you like.
- Plan your rally with the action-planning checklist.
- Targeting Dow Board Members – If you live in Michigan, Illinois, New York, D.C., North Carolina, or California, you may have a Dow Board member as you neighbor. You can help remind the Dow Board about their responsibilities and liabilities in Bhopal. Dow’s Board members are among the wealthiest and most powerful Americans, they are able to shield themselves in their country clubs and offices from any news about Bhopal that might remind them of the people dying there. They should be held personally accountable for their actions – they should not be allowed to hide behind the company name. Check out these ideas for how to target the Board, and use the action-planning checklist to plan your action.
- Know Thy Neighbor: Organize a group of supporters to canvass the Board member’s neighborhood. Talk with residents about Bhopal, and answer their questions about Dow’s responsibility for ongoing chemical terror. Ask them to sign a postcard to their neighbor regarding the problem (print out postcards or ask us to mail you some).
- Make a Delivery: Present Board members with signed postcards, a “sample” of Bhopal water, or the photo of a Bhopal victim. Hold a candlelight vigil or a protest outside their house if they refuse to meet with you, and invite the media.
- Present Dow with an “Award”: Give Dow Board members an “award” for their infamous legacy in Bhopal. The award can be as fancy as a plaque or as easy as a certificate made from construction paper.
- Chalkings: Get a couple buckets of sidewalk chalk and find the neighborhood of the Dow Board member near you. Chalking is cheap, fun, creative, and effective. It’s pretty harmless and if you do it late at night, you’ll avoid scrutiny. One possibility: sketch body outlines and write the names of Bhopal victims inside, or Bhopal slogans.
Location of Board Members
Educational Actions
Using the Anniversary to educate people about the Bhopal Disaster and ongoing issues is a crucial part of this anniversary. You could do this by putting up a photo exhibit or hosting a film screening. If you’re interested in hosting a photo exhibit or having a film mailed to you, please contact shana@panna.org
Anniversary Vigil – On Dec. 3rd, organize a vigil on campus, in your community, or near the home of a Dow Board member or a Dow facility. Vigils can draw a large crowd and include people who might not want to otherwise participate in an action or protest. Invite participants to remember the dead and vow to fight for those who still suffer today. Consider including speakers, music, survivor testimonials, poetry readings, and candle-lighting. Look through the other fun action ideas to see if there are other elements you can add to the vigil.
- You can use the action planning check list to plan your vigil
- Resources:
- Survivor testimonials
- Bhopal poetry
- Partial list of dead & injured
- Handouts and fact sheets about Bhopal (see materials section!)
- Draft Media Advisory/Press Release (see media section!)
- Bhopal Posters
- Bhopal Quartersheets (see the materials section!)
- Don’t forget the candles, a way to light them, and cups to stop the wind!
Individual Actions
If you don’t have a group of friends or an organization to organize with, you can still take action as an individual. Individual actions are important to the story of the Anniversary, so make sure to let us know what action you’ll be taking! Here are some ideas:
- Dump Your Dow – this is a campaign that we’ve launched for the anniversary. The idea is designed affect Dow where they can’t ignore – their pockets. We want people to Dump their Dow meaning:
- Stop using/buying things that have Dow products (see list in the Dump Your Dow section)
- Sell any Dow stock that you hold, and the profit from the sale could go to the campaign and/or clinic
- Tell us your Dump Your Dow story! The more stories we have about people dumping Dow, the better we’ll be able to show Dow how their legacy in Bhopal is affecting their business – email your story to shana@panna.org
- Call Dow on December 3 (check out the call-in fliers for the number and an idea what to say). Send an email to 10 friends also asking them to call Dow.
- Fast for 24 hours on the Anniversary. Make sure to put a sign on your desk or your t-shirt that says “I am fasting for Justice in Bhopal” so that you can talk to people about the issue.
- Wear a Bhopal t-shirt or arm-band to spread the word!
Make sure to let us know what you’re planning! Whatever action you take, please take and send us pictures so that we can show Dow, the media, and our partners!
Thanks for helping us make this Day of Action a huge success!
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