Write a letter and change a life | LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Published 1:11 pm Friday, December 12, 2014

To the editor:

A handwritten letter is a powerful tool. Especially when combined with thousands of others.

Amnesty International uses this tool to put pressure on governments to shine a light on forgotten prisoners. This year, the Kitsap County Chapter of Amnesty International is again joining this effort through their annual Write for Rights event. The public is invited to join us as we gather to learn about seven cases of injustice from human rights defender Liu Ping in China to a beaten, tortured youth in Nigeria — and then write letters on their behalf.

It’s a life-changing experience and it works. Every year, Amnesty International campaigns help release prisoners, improve their conditions, or further the cause for basic human rights.

Please join us this holiday season on Saturday, Dec. 13, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at the Bainbridge Island Public Library (1270 Madison Ave. N). There is no simpler way to make a difference in the world than to sit down and write letters to officials to either respectfully protest injustice or to write a card of encouragement to a neglected prisoner. And, you’ll meet new friends in the process. Write a letter and change a life, including yours, as we work together to shine a light across the globe.

For more information, contact Michael Camp at 360-265-4401 or michaelwcamp@comcast.net.

JERRY JURGENS, Kitsap Amnesty International Leader

JUDY FRIESEM, Co-organizer and Kitsap County Human Rights Board Member

MICHAEL CAMP, Co-organizer