Saturday, December 15, 2012

Bill of Rights Day

Luncheons scheduled to read the Bill of Rights aloud
1.

 Ask any local venue if you can bring over a bunch of people for lunch or dinner.
 ---Any tavern or restaurant, especially one with a side room, works fine.
 ---You can even just invite people into your own home.
2.

 Send out the word, the appeal is automatically built into "Bill of Rights Day Celebration."
 ---Use email, photocopied flyers, word-of-mouth, tell local activist groups, be creative.
 ---You can even just invite people you know, that's how we started years ago, it was fine.
3.

Get and read a copy of the Bill of Rights out loud. How much easier could it be.
 ---Ask someone locally who's a somebody to offer some opening remarks.
 ---After you read the Bill of Rights ask, "How healthy is the bill?" and the fun begins.

-- A venue that has a happy hour makes it even easier, since they already put out a spread and the bar tab means their revenue goes up with no effort to them.

-- We have the luck of having a reenactor (Patrick Henry) who's always looking for performance spots, this is a natural, I just let him know and he's there. Similar people and opps are everywhere (try patriotic barbershop-singer quartets nationwide for example, google Barbershop Harmony Society; or google "re-enactors in [your town]" and find lots to choose from).

-- Use your gift of gab to persuade a fancy venue into hosting (send a few emails, make a few phone calls, meet to tie up the details), they're very receptive to offers to bring in a group large or small. Let them charge a modest door fee -- the appeal of your event skyrockets (the venue gets the fee and bar tab, no sweat, they provide the victuals and work the door including credit cards; we've used The Omaha Steakhouse, The Goldwater Institute, The Wrigley Mansion).

I mean, the thing virtually runs on autopilot. Great thanks to Aaron Zelman in Milwaukee (jpfo.org) for first floating the inspired concept. "All of the Bill of Rights for all of the people."

Everyone has a stake in preserving the Bill of Rights, even if we differ over parts. People like yourself can make this the major national event it ought to be. Go for it!