Long-term Witness for Peace volunteer Marilyn Felian has come up with a grassroots lobbying effort to defeat the horrendous bipartisan agreement between the Democratic leadership and the Bush administration to continue aid to the contras (who are, of course, continuing their murderous raids into Nicaragua from their safe bases in Honduras). Now, before the infamous deal is written into law and voted on, giving the contras another $4.5 million per month until February, 1990, she urges that we send the following note to Democratic senators and legislators with a couple of calcium tablets enclosed:

“I am sending these calcium tablets to you to strengthen your backbone in time to vote “no” in the upcoming contra-aid vote. I am sending them because political analysts are saying that the recent fray over the John Tower nominations did considerable damage to the Democratic backbones, thus explaining the quick and easy capitulation to this administration’s call for more contra aid. What a shame.”

The Democratic members of the Illinois delegation could use a little shot of calcium in order to vote “no” to any contra aid, except whatever’s needed to get them resettled and disarmed.

Cecile Meyer