Daniel Cole was looking for a non-binding referendum opposing NSA spying. What he got was even better. The Rochester City Council wrote a letter directly to Congress.
When Dan appeared before the city council, he was well-armed with a great speech, well-researched background information to distribute and copies of a resolution the council could make its own. The council listened attentively but didn’t commit to anything.
Dan didn’t give up. He contacted the mayor’s aide at least once a week, by phone and by email. “I got the ‘talk-around,'” Dan said. Eventually, the aide let Dan know that the council doesn’t do resolutions, particularly if they don’t relate to city business, so it just wasn’t going to happen. Instead, the aide suggested the city draft a letter to New York’s U.S. senators and Rep. Louise Slaughter, a Democrat who represents the city and voted no on the Amash amendment.
Much to Dan’s surprise – and delight – it happened. A few weeks later, when Dan was hoping to see a mere draft, the aide sent Dan a copy of a letter that had been drafted, signed by all the council members and mailed. Signed, sealed, delivered.
The letter was a stern reminder to Slaughter and New York’s Democratic senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles Schumer that the council had warned the delegation of dire consequences when the Patriot Act was reauthorized in 2006. “… where do we draw the line between protecting our citizenry and country and destroying the very values upon which our republic has thrives?” says the letter. Where, indeed?
Dan said he believed his success with the Rochester City Council was two-fold. First, the Rochester Restore the 4th chapter held a sizable and successful rally on July 4. “People couldn’t stop talking about it for weeks and weeks,” he said. So the council members knew how outraged the citizens of Rochester are. And, secondly, and most importantly, was Dan’s physical act of appearing before the council. Dan said his actual appearance seemed to act as a catalyst for council, giving them a concrete reason to act on thoughts the members already privately held.
Dan made it easy for them. He provided a resolution, he provided all the background information and he provided plenty of research. “If you can provide it all for them, it just increases your chances of them (writing a letter or passing a resolution),” he said. And he followed up. Dan sent emails to each city council member, thanking them for signing and sending the letter.
Just as a physical letter sends a stronger message than an e-mail, a letter from a city council sends a much stronger message than a letter from an individual. If we want Congress to take action to end unconstitutional surveillance, we need them to hear our voices. But we also need them to know they aren’t going to stop hearing our voices, that our voices and capable of influencing things like elections. If a City Council decides it needs to take notice of opponents of unconstitutional surveillance, that sends a strong message to your representatives in Congress that they need to as well. Slaughter, Gillibrand, and Schumer didn’t just get a letter from Dan. They got a letter from Rochester.
If you’re interested in emulating Restore the Fourth Rochester’s activism with your own city council, feel free to use these resources for reference or as templates:
Proposed Resolution for Rochester City Council