Got 12 Minutes?

One of my favorite comedians, Brian Regan, once pointed out that on the back of a package of Pop Tarts, are two sets of instructions:  one for the toaster and one for the microwave.  Seriously?  Because one minute in the toaster just takes too long?  As Brian points out, if you only have the three seconds it takes to microwave a Pop Tart before you have to run out the door in the morning, you may want to loosen up your schedule...
But in reality, most of us, though hard at work most of the day, still find time to update our status on social media sites once or twice a day, "re-pin" a webpage, or catch the newest episode of our favorite show.   We all find a way to do the things we really want to do.
Everyday, people tell me, "I'm really worried about the direction our country is headed, but what can I do?"   They say it as if there is absolutely nothing that they can do to affect change.  And nothing could be further from the truth.
Today, I'm going to show you how you can take those random moments of time in your day to make a powerful difference in your community, and in our nation.  In only 12 minutes, you can be a catalyst for change.
This week's e-mail (entitled "Did You Know?") shares how in 12 minutes, you can contact all of your representatives and share your support for them as they move forward to protect our access, use and ownership of our lands.  In the e-mail, I promised you that it will only take 12 minutes of your time.  So I am going to do it for you, and I will time myself.  (Shoot.  The pressure's on...)  My stopwatch is next to me ready to go.  I promise...

Step One

Find 5 minutes to look through the Resource Tab at the American Lands Council website.  Pick a paragraph or two that you feel teaches an important principle worth sharing with your representative.

OK.  That took me exactly 4 min. 47 seconds.  (Cutting it close!)  It would have been faster, but my computer froze for a second.  Technology.  You can't live with it...you can't live without it.

Step Two
Spend 2 minutes finding the addresses of all of your elected officials.  Make sure to include our County Commissioners or Supervisors.  These can usually be easily found by Google-ing your county's website.

OK.  This was pretty easy to do.  Took me about 10 seconds to find each one.

Step Three 

Spend 5 minutes drafting a quick e-mail to all of your elected officials, lending your support and courage for them to do the heavy lifting of restoring our lands back to the people of the states.  A quick copy and paste of the paragraphs you chose in Step one, and you have just let your voice be heard.  You have helped to educate your representatives and let them know that you will stand with them as they make the tough stands and refuse to take "no" for an answer!

OK.  It took me longer than I thought it would as I had chosen a graphic to share and explain, and when I got to their websites, I could only use text.  So I had to start again.  But after spending about 3 minutes typing what I wanted to say, it was quick to send and then just copy into the next person's page.  Here is a copy of the e-mail I sent just now:

Dear Senator Hatch,

I was present this past Spring at the bill-signing for Utah's HB148 "The Transfer of Public Lands Act" where you spoke to the importance of requiring the Federal Government to return to the states the lands that it has held in trust, as is required in our state enabling act.  

In a recent court case, Hawaii vs. Office of Hawaiian Affairs (2009), the Supreme Court dealt with the preeminence between a state's enabling act and subsequent, inconsistent acts of Congress.  "The consequences of submission are instantaneous and it ignores the uniquely sovereign character of that event ...to suggest that subsequent events somehow can diminish what has already been bestowed."

Senator, while running for re-election, you promised several times to address this matter forcefully if re-elected to office.  I am writing to ask, now that the elections are over, what do you plan to do about it?

Respectfully,

Rebecca Ivory

Good luck!  If everyone on our mailing list sent just ONE e-mail a week, the nation would be flooded with information, determination, and inspiration, to stand together and claim our rights as sovereign states.  And if you want to send a copy of your letter to me to share with others, I would love to hear from you.  Send it to:

Becky Ivory (Director of Communications for the ALC)

becky@americanlandscouncil.org

I hope to hear from you soon!...Let's say, in about 15 minutes?