YOU can help bin the death penalty!

I was recently emailed something very interesting from a friend which I thought you may or may not be interested in. Death Watch International is a fantastic organization aiming to make the death penalty history, and they are running a 'Bin it!' campaign designed to put pressure on countries which retain the death penalty to consign it to the trashcan of history.

So every month the Bin it! campaign spotlights a particular country, and this month the focus is on the UAE.

The UAE executed just one person last year (which is still one too many). Many offences are capital (punishable by death) there, including adultery, apostasy and drug trafficking.

The Bin It! campaign encourages ordinary people - not politicians and world leaders, but you and me - to email or write to the country's ambassador. If emailing, they suggest you attach a picture of some trash, like a trashcan full of junk or something, to encourage them to Bin It! along with the death penalty! If you're writing a letter, why not stick a bit of REAL trash in the letter (nothing hazardous or offensive though, that'll not do you or the cause any good!). This is not essential - the piece of trash is at your discretion. What's important is that lots and lots of people write or email the ambassador to let him know how we all feel! So why not you? Why not now?!

So, I thought that the followers of this blog might be interested in helping out! If you want more information, visit their website: www.deathwatchinternational.org/do_something.php

Here is an example of something you could write. If you're out of ideas, just copy and paste this, fill in your details and send it! Simple!

Dear Mr Ambassador,
I am of the opinion that the death penalty is an outdated and barbaric practice which belongs in the past. In retaining it, your country is in an increasingly small minority in the world. Please, make the death penalty history - bin it along with the enclosed/attached piece of trash!
Yours sincerely,
Tiffany

Keep your letter/email simple, short and - most importantly - polite. Whatever you do, DON'T BE OFFENSIVE! You'll just hurt the cause.

Here are the Ambassador's details if you want to help out:

His Excellency Mr Ahmed Al-Jarman
mbassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary
Permanent Mission of the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations
3 Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza, 305 East 47th Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10017
USA


You can email him at: uae@un.int
[NOTE: If you send an email please put the Ambassador's name in the subject line so he gets it!]


So what are you waiting for? This is a really simple, easy way to help the cause and make your mark! Think about it - YOU could help end the death penalty in a country, for nothing more than the cost of a stamp! Please help out Death Watch International by supporting this campaign!

And if you're feeling particularly radical today and that wasn't enough for you, a full list of the contact details for every UN leader is available on the death watch international website. Why stop at one?!

- Tiffany