One Week Later

Dear readers,

It's been one week since we sent out a letter to a few friends and family members asking them to respond to Sarah Palin's candidacy for Vice President. We had never done anything like this before. What motivated us? It's pretty simple: we were tired of feeling angry and helpless. We were thrilled to receive the first 100 letters in reply. Their eloquence and passion were inspiring, their rage and frustration palpable. Our disbelief began to mount as those 100 letters turned into 1,000 letters, which then turned into 10,000 letters. And as we sit here writing you now, we have reached nearly 100,000 letters.

What does all this mean? While this country is capable of shocking acts of slander, deception, and shameless cruelty—see the political ads running across your television screens, the ignoble headlines leafing out across the newspapers—we are also capable of generosity, of intelligence, and of kindness toward those who are unlike ourselves but for whom we would like to stand up anyway. To that end, many men have been writing in, expressing worry about the women and girls in their lives, and we thank them. Their words and yours, which have been flooding our in-box, are eloquent, thoughtful, and earnest. And furious. And right. 

Your letters often begin by saying that the possibility of a McCain/Palin presidency does not so much make you worry for yourself as for the lives and opportunities of your daughters and granddaughters, your sons and grandsons. It is this selflessness that is so moving to read again and again. As Betty W., 82, from MS, said, "Thank you for your efforts to consolidate our voices into a single chorus."

We want to thank all of you who have contributed your voice. We are working hard to post your letters, and we hope that you'll be patient. This website is for all of you. We hope you'll take solace in the words of your neighbors near and far, and that you'll become inspired to take further action so as to ensure that McCain/Palin are not elected. If a letter sent to 40 people can turn into 100,000 responses in one week, what can you do within your own community?

VIVA!

Lyra & Quinn