Toasters For Congress: A Video Contest

Did you know that about 10 years ago, Ira Shorr of the Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) sent a toaster to every member of congress to warm them about the danger of having nuclear weapons on hair-trigger alerts- "In the time that it takes to make toast, we could all be toast". Mr Shorr has been PSR's National Field Director for the last 25 years but is retiring this year. To celebrate his decades of activism for peace, our good friend David Hart (also the director of Grow the Hope) is holding a video contest for people to take their own stand on essential issues of our time, such as nuclear weapons and climate change. You can get all the info about the contest by going to www.PSR.org/video

We helped Ira and David by making some introductory videos for the contest, some of which are embedded below. The first videos is the story behind why he sent a toaster to every member of congress and the second discusses some of Ira's other work. Besides for the Toasters effort, Ira has embarked on several campaigns for global peace and justice, such as the SMART Security campaign, which was designed as an alternative to a military-first foreign policy agenda. You can learn all about these efforts in the second video.

I hope that you go to PSR.org/video, watch the rest of the videos up there, and submit your own video for the contest. It's a great chance to creatively express your views and hopefully change the world. I look forward to seeing what you have to offer.






To find out more information about the contest and to submit your video, go to www.PSR.org/video.

Below is the official invitation for the contest from PSR:

Dear Friends,

Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) is launching a video contest. I urge you to participate and to spread the word by sending this message to everyone in your networks.

All over people are asking the question:

Why would anyone send a toaster to every member of Congress?

Watch the video introduction to the contest at:

http://www.psr.org/video

Let’s connect with each other through the amazing tools of online social networking.

Will you help by:

1) Telling your best stories of a creative organizing idea that attracted new people to our movement.



Or

2) Suggesting new fun, engaging, effective ideas that will advance our vital agenda.


We are especially interested in those ideas that would help our current campaigns on nuclear weapons – the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), Strategic Arms Reduction Talks (START), Nonproliferation Treaty review conference and related initiatives. You can find out more about all this on our website: psr.org

And, because we are an organization with a big bold vision for what the world needs, we welcome your ideas on global warming, toxic threats to the environment, and safe energy.

We hope the best videos will be viewed widely and will spark a new sense of fun and possibility for our vital movement.

The winners of our contest will receive prizes including a grand prize of an iPod Nano which shoots video. What’s more, the winners will be able to celebrate the reality that their ideas are helping to shape a new wave of effective activism.

Please submit your videos ASAP so others can be inspired by your ideas. To be considered for the contest, we will need to get your submission no later than, March 1, 2010.

How to submit videos and official rules can be found at:

http://www.psr.org/video

Why would anyone send a toaster to every member of Congress?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Please help us spread the word about this project, submit your own video, and invite others to participate.