Freedom of Speech is one of the most valued of the American values. To value
that is uppermost. It is also pertinent that all opinions be accepted, even
if we may totally disagree with that.
'I may disagree with what you may say, but I will defend to the death your
right to say it' is something that Voltaire came up with, and goes along
with Thomas Jefferson said as well.

----- Original Message -----
From: "bryan kennedy" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, May 20, 2004 11:52 AM
Subject: Re: Adaptation of a tradition?


First of all this is a perfectly pertinent discussion for a museums
list, simply because the question was framed in the interest of
categorizing this type of political activism.  As museums we regulary
document this type of political action.

Secondly you should realize that this strategy is oddly enough being
adopted by both sides of this issue (those opposed to our current
foreign policy and those who support it)

http://www.google.com/search?q=wear+red+fridays&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

A quick search on google will find that there is already a somewhat
recognized group of people wearing red on fridays to SUPPORT our
administration and what the troops are doing in Iraq and elsewhere.

In a museum context this is an interesting example of public activism
and history in action, unless it's totally made up ; )

bk



On May 20, 2004, at 8:13 AM, Nicholas Burlakoff wrote:

> I recently received the message below from a Quaker friend. As a
> folklorist I wonder if this is an adaptation of the older Scandinavian
> tradition, or a new phenomenon. Has anyone else received this message,
> and if so, from what source?
>
> Cheers, -Nicholas
>
>
>
> My name is Nadia Jensen and I have an idea for a quiet revolution.
>
>  > Please take 5 minutes to read my email, then help if you can:
>
>  > Here's some history behind this idea: When Norway was occupied by
> Germany in 1940, Norwegian women began to knit RED caps for children
> as a way of letting everyone know that they did not like what was
> happening in their country, that they didn't like having their freedom
> taken away by the Nazis.
>
>  > My great aunt, Karin Knudson Myrstad, was one of the women who knit
> red caps for her children and others. Similarly, in Denmark, women
> knit red-white-and blue caps (colors of the Allies) for the very same
> reason.
>
>  > The result was that whenever Norwegians and Danes left their homes
> -- to go to the store, to work, etc, they could see that THE MAJORITY
> opposed what was going on in their country. As you know, both
> countries organized effective Resistance efforts and changed history
> -- everything that happened began simply by wearing red! (or the
> colors of the Allies, in Denmark).
>
>  > I believe, as many of us do, that at the very heart of our
> democracy is our right to oppose certain policies of our government.
> Increasingly, our government is redefining "freedom" in ways that make
> too many Americans perceive that it is risky to oppose its policies --
> and in particular, current inroads about individual freedoms and
> policies in the U.S. and abroad.
>
>  > However, many of us DO oppose what our government is doing to
> individual rights -- and I have an idea that will allow all of us to
> recognize each other very easily.
>
>  > SO... I have been thinking that it's time to take action in a way
> that is effective and easy for all of us to do: Just wear red every
> Friday between now and election day.
>
>  > Wear a little or a lot -- just be sure that when you leave your
> house to go about your day -- to work, to school, to the store, to the
> gas station, wherever you go in your daily routine -- that everyone
> who sees you will see that you are wearing red because you believe in
> freedom and you don't agree with our current administration's policies
> at home or abroad. I'm certain that we'll see lots of us wearing red
> for freedom -- because WE ARE THE MAJORITY. We just need a way to show
> each other who we are! Between now and election day, ask everyone you
> know to wear red for "Freedom Fridays".
>
>  > I have already spread the word to friends and have had a very
> enthusiastic response. This email has been forwarded around the
> country by many who receive it - feel free to send it on to your
> friends and co-workers.
>
>  > --Nadia Jensen
>
>
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_______________________________________________
explore science in some new and exciting ways - check out the LTC
websites
www.smm.org/explorescience/websites/

WHO : bryan kennedy
WHAT : multimedia developer / educator
WHERE : Learning Technologies Center at the Science Museum of Minnesota
EMAIL : [log in to unmask]
PHONE : 651.221.2522
AIM : educatedluddite


_______________________________________________
explore science in some new and exciting ways - check out the LTC
websites
www.smm.org/explorescience/websites/

WHO : bryan kennedy
WHAT : multimedia developer / educator
WHERE : Learning Technologies Center at the Science Museum of Minnesota
EMAIL : [log in to unmask]
PHONE : 651.221.2522
AIM : educatedluddite
=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:

The Museum-L FAQ file is located at
http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed
information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message
to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help"
(without the quotes).

If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to
[log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff
Museum-L" (without the quotes).

=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:

The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).

If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).