Step 2: Plan

Collaborative Editing Resources – Step 2: Plan 

Working with your state group, you will develop a plan of action, which includes determining the ideal messages and the ideal messengers for convincing your senator, and getting the necessary equipment together. 

Research Your Senator 

In order to craft the most effective message to your senator, it’s important to anticipate how supportive of the genocide prevention legislation he or she is likely to be. Here are some tips to find your senator and find out which of these categories s/he might fall into:

1. Visit www.darfurscores.org and enter your zip code to find who your senators are and how they’ve voted on Sudan-related legislation in the past. This should give a good indication of how your senator thinks about and prioritizes genocide and mass atrocities.

2. Google your senator’s name and keywords like “Sudan,” “Darfur,” “Burma,” “Congo,” “genocide,” and “Holocaust” to see if he or she has made any speeches or statements about related issues.

3. Call your senator’s office and ask! Tell his or her staff about the campaign, reference your senator’s record on related issues, offer to send more information, and follow up.

Tips on Selecting Messengers

1) Find out where your senator lives. This is one of the best ways to reach out to people he or she interacts with on a regular basis (i.e. prominent religious or community leaders, local school teachers).

2) Find out what else your senator cares about. We all know that our senators have lots of issues to juggle, some of which are much more important than others when it comes to getting re-elected. Reaching out to representatives from key domestic constituencies or groups of people otherwise relevant to your senator's major issues is a good way to move genocide prevention up on the priority list. For example, if your senator is focused on the economy, you might want to get a local business owner on camera saying that genocide prevention will save money in the long run.

3) Find out who your senator is seen with. Check out media releases or news articles about events your senator has attended. If he or she takes the time to show up at an organization's event, that means they matter and could have substantial influence over your senator. Media releases and event news can generally be found on your senator's website.

4) Find out who covers your senator. Media coverage matters a lot to politicians, particularly in their states and districts. Getting local media personalities on your side can be very beneficial. You can start by finding local reporters that cover political news or who have written about your senator specifically.

5) Find your senator's major donors. A great place to start is http://www.opensecrets.org.

6) Find allies in your community. Look for anti-genocide, human rights, social justice, or internationally-focused organizations in your area. Genocide survivors and/or members of diaspora communities from current conflicts also lend a powerful perspective and add credibility to your message.

These downloadable handouts on the Pledge On Camera Project and on the Genocide Prevention Task Force report can be useful when reaching out to potential messengers.

Click here to download our one-pager on Pledge: On Camera

Click here to download our one-pager on GPTF

Messages

We have singled out 4 main messages that we feel are the strongest and most convincing arguments in favor of the proposed legislation. Ideally, your video should use most of these cases in order to make your message as powerful and compelling as possible. However, do take the freedom to adapt your video to your specific audience – if you feel that one argument might have a particularly strong effect on your senator then do put your focus on that!

“Never again” is not good enough":

Although we’ve repeatedly said “never again” when it comes to genocide and mass atrocities, the United States has historically been unable to respond effectively to these situations, as demonstrated by the continuation of conflicts like Darfur, Burma, and Congo today. In addition to bolstering our response to these specific conflicts, the US needs to invest in a comprehensive strategy to prevent this type of conflict in the future, something we’ve never had.

“Genocide prevention will save lives and money":

The United States spends millions of dollars every year trying to manage and mitigate the effects of genocide and mass atrocities by providing humanitarian assistance, working to protect civilian populations and trying to stave off national and regional instability in the interest of security. An effective prevention strategy will save money and lives.

“We can do it":

Genocide prevention is achievable: there are ways to recognize its signs and symptoms and, as the Genocide Prevention Task Force report demonstrates, there are viable options to prevent it if we are prepared.

“Citizens and your constituents want it":

It is the will of the US citizens for their government to take action and prevent genocide. As a representative of the people, it is your duty to make your decisions by taking into account the vox populi.

“Furthermore, depending on who your senator is, you might also want to take into account the following arguments to support your message, to specifically target your senator’s views and to convince him to take action.

“This is a national security issue":

Genocide and mass atrocities threaten universal human values, but also our national security – these types of conflicts fuel instability and create failed states, which often breed terrorism.

“This will impact our global leadership":

The U.S.’s standing in the world and our ability to lead is eroded when we are perceived as bystanders to genocide and mass atrocities.

“Congress must take the lead":

The Obama administration could implement many of the GPTF recommendations unilaterally, but without real structural change mandated by Congress those policies could easily be pushed aside by future administrations. This is about more than one administration; it is about creating/enacting the first comprehensive legislation to prevent genocide and mass atrocities

Equipment: Visit the WITNESS Online Video Advocacy Guide for more information on acquiring video equipment.