SAMPLE LETTER TO SEND WITH YOUR ZUCCHINI

Mail a zucchini and a note urging that MacKay feed, not bomb, the people of Afghanistan (sample letter follows). Can you imagine the War Minister's office deluged with zucchinis? He can't help but charter a plane and start loading them personally!  This campaign and sample letter originated with Homes Not Bombs.  They would like to keep a running tally, so please email tasc@web.ca when you have lovingly wrapped your zucchini in an envelope and sent it postage-free to the address below.  Or let him know by phone (613-992-6022), fax (613-992-2337) or email. (mackay.p@parl.gc.ca) Tell him to bring the troops home now and get food aid to the Afghan people.

Peter MacKay, MP, War Minister
509-S Centre Block
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6

Dear Mr. MacKay,

Please forward the enclosed zucchini to the people of Afghanistan with the next plane headed that way. It would be far better to send this phallic symbol than the phallic symbols -- missiles and mortar rounds -- that you are currently sending.

As you must be aware, there is a starvation crisis, especially in the southern region of Afghanistan, where thousands of Canadian troops are deployed. That crisis is one of extreme poverty and hunger, and cannot be alleviated with guns, aerial bombardment, house raids, arbitrary detention, and mistreatment of detainees. The respected Senlis Council recently notes that 900% more has been spent on the military build-up than on development in Afghanistan. Senlis has also documented what it terms a “Starvation Crisis in Kandahar” in an August 2007 report that is available on their website, http://www.senliscouncil.net/

I urge you to bring Canada's troops home and to seek dialogue and peaceful solutions to the crisis in Afghanistan. The billions you are spending to fight there would be far better spent on peaceful conflict resolution and meeting the pressing social needs of the Afghan people.

You often refer to those you are fighting as your enemy. While "enemy thinking" is an unacceptable world view that inevitably leads to violence, I remind you of the Biblical reference in Romans 12:20, "If thine enemy hunger, feed him."The Afghan people are not our enemy. But they are hungry. It's time for food, not bombs.

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