NJADP Field Manager (CUADP Director on Sabbatical) Abe Bonowitz reported thusly to the executive board of New Jerseyans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty:

One thing I always enjoy is tabling at concerts and other public events. Yesterday, in conjunction with Amnesty International USA's volunteer-run "Rhythm & Rights" project, I was joined by Ed DiFiglia and Jeff Fitzgerald at the Warped Tour music festival at the Englishtown racetrack. Tens of thousands of mostly young people came from all over to see some 81 bands perform on at least 5 stages from 11am to past 8pm.

We set up our tent and posted signs saying "Sign the petition" and "Execution is NOT the Solution," which worked very well to make sure that most of the people who approached us were already on our side and ready to take action. I think throughout the day we had less than 10 people tell us they disagree, and while we turned a few around, we'd just as soon not waste time doing anything other than signing up people who are already with us. Some of those who approached were curious, wanting to know what its all about, but most who came started with "where do I sign?"

Our first question back was always, "Where do you live?" If the person lives in New Jersey, we had them fill out our new yellow postcard action, which is actually four postcards on one page - one to the Governor and one to each assembly member and senator for that persons district. If the person was not from New Jersey, we had them sign the general "moratorium" petition, which we will be sharing with the groups from all relevant states. And in all cases, we asked people to sign two Amnesty petitions focused on Myanmar (formerly Burma), one seeking the release of an imprisoned student organizer, and the other asking that government to stop using children as soldiers.

As New Jersey residents finished filling out the postcards, we told them that we'll be adding their info to our database, and they will soon get an e-mail and/or a phone call inviting them to join us at the Study Commission hearings, at legislative hearings later in the Fall, and also at NJADP educational events in their area. We told them to expect a phone call or e-mail asking them to write to their legislators once the bills are in the works, and to remember that we'll be asking for "Just 5 minutes" at that time and they should plan now to really make a difference when that message comes.

Finally, we offered abolitionwear (none sold) and gave away many buttons. We collected very few donations.

Attached are a few photos.Click on images to enlarge

Petition counts are as follows:

NJADP YellowCard Actions: 129 NJADP Sign-ups (used after we ran out of YellowCards): 61 (Total added to NJADP database = 190) Moratorium Petition for out-of-staters: 94 Myanmar Prisoner of Conscience: 118 Myanmar Child Soldiers: 123

All in all, we had a GREAT day at the Warped show yesterday. We even had time to check out some of the very talented (and not-so-talented) musicians.... ;-)

Yours in the Struggle,

--abe

Abraham J. Bonowitz
Field Manager
New Jerseyans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (NJADP)
Reach NJADP at 609-278-6719 or via www.NJADP.org
Reach Abe Bonowitz at 800-973-6548 or abe@njadp.org