<div dir="ltr"><font face="georgia, serif">Greetings! Two Events, one TODAY and one 5/22!</font><div><font face="georgia, serif"><br>
</font><p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia, serif">Join us as we embark on making single-payer one
of the top issues of the current Massachusetts gubernatorial campaign season!</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0.1pt 0in"><i><font face="georgia, serif">Â </font></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0.1pt 0in"><font face="georgia, serif"><i>"How?" you
might ask</i>Â -- We plan to attend campaign events between now and the primary
election in September and the general election in November to ask each
candidate - Republican and Democrats - to commit to implementing a single payer
system in Massachusetts if they are elected. We call this <b><i>birddogging</i></b>. <a href="http://www.masslive.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/01/democratic_gubernatorial_candi_9.html">Several </a><a href="http://www.masslive.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/01/democratic_gubernatorial_candi_9.html">candidates already support
single-payer</a>. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0.1pt 0in"><font face="georgia, serif">Â </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0.1pt 0in"><font face="georgia, serif"><i>Why this strategy?</i>Â Showing
up at these events lets the candidates know that people in MA support
single-payer. Plus, while they are seeking votes and trying to get elected,
they are more likely to make policy commitments than when they are comfortably
settled into their State House office. Students used this strategy during the
2008 presidential campaign to secure $50 billion in federal funding for global
health and AIDS funding. It's as simple as showing up, asking your question,
and taking a picture with the candidate-- as long as we repeat until our goal
is reached! </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0.1pt 0in"><font face="georgia, serif"><i>Is there more to it?</i>Â There is a little more to it -- so we
are inviting you to get trained and to meet other students and single-payer
advocates on Thursday, May 22nd, at Harvard Medical School. We will also
provide an introduction to what a single-payer system could do for MA, as well
as background on the gubernatorial candidates. If you cannot attend the
training, but are interested in future birddogging opportunities, please fill
out the form below and we will keep you updated about the campaign. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin:0.1pt 0in;text-align:center"><font face="georgia, serif"><b><i>What: Birddogging
training and more on single-payer and the current candidates for Governor</i></b></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin:0.1pt 0in;text-align:center"><font face="georgia, serif"><b><i>Where: Harvard Medical
School, TMEC 109, 260 Longwood Ave</i></b></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin:0.1pt 0in;text-align:center"><font face="georgia, serif"><b><i>When: 6:30pm on Thursday,
May 22nd</i></b></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin:0.1pt 0in;text-align:center"><font face="georgia, serif"><b><i>RSVP: Use the form below
please!</i></b></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin:0.1pt 0in;text-align:center"><b><i><font face="georgia, serif">Questions? Email Katrina
(<a href="mailto:kciraldo@bu.edu">kciraldo@bu.edu</a>) or Danielle (<a href="mailto:danielle_back@hms.harvard.edu">danielle_back@hms.harvard.edu</a>)</font></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin:0.1pt 0in;text-align:center"><b><i><font face="georgia, serif">Â </font></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-repeat:initial initial"><span style="color:rgb(20,24,35)"><font face="georgia, serif"><br></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-repeat:initial initial"><span style="color:rgb(20,24,35)"><font face="georgia, serif"><b>2. Zombie
March: Today</b></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-repeat:initial initial"><span style="color:rgb(20,24,35)"><font face="georgia, serif">4:00
PM, South Station</font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-repeat:initial initial"><span style="color:rgb(20,24,35)"><font face="georgia, serif">Volunteers
Meet: 3:30pm</font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-repeat:initial initial"><span style="color:rgb(20,24,35)"><font face="georgia, serif">Â </font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-repeat:initial initial"><font face="georgia, serif"><span style="color:rgb(20,24,35)">The
Rules:<br>
<br>
1. you may come as a zombie, a survivor, or a protestor, or anything else that
ties in with the theme.<br>
<br>
2. no physical contact with regular people, if they tell you to go away do it,
try not to scare children as well.<br>
<br>
</span><span style="color:rgb(20,24,35)">3. weapon
rules, nerf guns or water guns or cap guns only, melee weapons are allowed long
as they are either foam or other kind of material which can not injure or you
are not swinging it. if people ask you not to shoot them don't, also DO NOT
shoot anyone wearing makeup on places where they have applied said makeup, you
can inadvertently undo hours of their hard work in seconds. I don't care if
your airsoft gun isn't loaded do NOT bring it.</span><span style="color:rgb(20,24,35)"><br>
<br>
</span><span style="color:rgb(20,24,35)">4. always stay
on the sidewalk unless crossing, and break character when crossing, we don't
want the group to be split due to people shambling across the street.</span><span style="color:rgb(20,24,35)"><br>
<br>
</span><span style="color:rgb(20,24,35)">5. Don't get
blood on storefronts/windows, or on the ground of South Station, they let us do
this and all they ask is to not make a mess.</span><span style="color:rgb(20,24,35)"><br>
<br>
</span><span style="color:rgb(20,24,35)">6. come
introduce yourself and say thank you to myself and the volunteers, it takes
about 6 months of solid work to make this happen every year and varying
financial cost not to mention my sanity. it is a free event so all we ask is
your appreciation, come say hi and give some feedback.</span><span style="color:rgb(20,24,35)"></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-repeat:initial initial"><br></p>
<div><font face="georgia, serif"><br></font></div><font face="georgia, serif">-- <br></font><div><font face="georgia, serif">"Our goal is a society that prioritizes the needs of all before the profits of the few." passed by Occupy Boston General Assembly 11/29/11</font></div>
</div></div>