#66 November/December 2003
The Washington Free Press Washington's Independent Journal of News, Ideas & Culture
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Regulars

Reader Mail

Toward a Toxic-Free Future

Media Beat

Issues On Film

Features

Ducky Detritus
Rubber duck flotilla will likely be lamely floating ashore upside-down

The History and Development of Rubber Ducks

Rubber Duck Essay Contest Rules

Abysmal Amtrak Rail Security
by Joel Hanson

Bush-Pushed Tax Cuts
Just more jabs, or the death of democracy?
by Rodger Herbst

I wouldn't mind...
Ironic grammar exercise by Styx Mundstock

Our Media, Ourselves
Another perspective on why mainstream news reporting is so darn rotten
opinion by Doug Collins

Who Killed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr? (part 1)
interview of King family attorney William F. Pepper
by Joe Martin

Enviroment

China 'At War' with Advancing Deserts
by Lester R. Brown

Killing with Kindness
Removing a Lawn Without Herbicides
by Philip Dickey

Economy

It's the Economics Model, Stupid

George W. News Brief
forwarded from Scentposts

WTO ShutDown in Mexico
firsthand account by Peter Rosset

Nature

Free the white tigers
Animals Are Not Actors
from People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)

Population

Albertsons Agrees To Provide Birth-Control Coverage
from Planned Parenthood of Western Washington

Do You Really Want 'Growth' in Your Town?
by Renee Kjartan

Workplace

Time To Act
Overworked Americans
by Paul Rogat Loeb

Law

WA Police Need Warrant for GPS Surveillance
from ACLU of WA

Lesbian/Gay Employment Rights Victory
Illegally fired hospital worker receives settlement
from ACLU of WA

The Crime of Being Poor, part 2
by Paul Wright, editor, Prison Legal News

Health

Fluoride Quiz
from Emily Kalweit

CA Dental Board Strengthens Policy on Mercury Toxicity
from Dr. Paul Rubin

Herd Immunity or Herd Stupidity?
Vaccination Decisions - part 2
by Doug Collins

Sweet Stuff
by Doug Collins

Politics

Tom Delay Ambushes Texas--And America
by Steven Hill and Rob Richie

Slogans for Bush/Cheney Re-election Campaign

Signs
photoessay by Kristianna Baird

Books

Uncle Sam's Marijuana
book notice by Christopher Largen

Signs

photoessay by Kristianna Baird

Listen up! We, the People have something to say and we want to be heard. Concerned citizens are rallying together all over this nation to demand change and insist on full disclosure from our nation's leaders. However, therein lies the problem. With growing numbers of concerned constituents, a lone voice, amidst a group of a hundred or a thousand, can be difficult to hear. While some groups may try to cheer, jeer, and chant in unison during a rally or a march, visibility is the one undeniable technique for being noticed: a sign, a poster, a banner, a symbol, or a flag (be it large or small) that can be held high bears a strong message.

The types of signs carried throughout the city streets, on the corner of a busy intersection, or at a rally on park grounds can vary as much in size and design as the messages they carry. Frustrated citizens pour their hearts and souls onto their medium of choice, and hope to make their point loud and clear.

Summing up even a portion of one's political platform onto a piece of 14x17-inch recycled poster board is quite an art form in itself. News writers could learn a great deal about creating real world, honest and true (but gut wrenching) headlines from the most modest of sign makers. After all, a sign as straightforward as "IMPEACH BUSH" is pretty simple. Picture the front page of the Sunday paper with a headline such as "WORLD DOMINATION DOES NOT WORK."

Arriving early to a rally always reveals some struggling sign writers trying to outline or truncate their opinions with felt markers. The pens squeak under disgruntled pressure as they form large letters across the top. Ever so quickly, the writing space nears the end, while the sign maker's headline has anything but. So the inevitable happens; entrails of words are squeezed in the last half inch of poster board.

Is there a formula for making the perfect sign? Probably not, but a few suggestions might give sign makers a good foundation to build on. Bigger is better. In substantial crowds, extra large signs or banners can be seen from TV news cameras perched from above. White poster-type board can be easily scavenged and taped together to create a larger writing space.

Plan the message, and then shorten it to as few words as possible. Don't be tempted to explain, in a paragraph, why the President's actions are making him a global tyrant. Break it down to a sentence or less. Something readable at a glance by open-jawed passers-by is likely to make much more of an impact.

Contrast! Contrast! Contrast! Big and bold; black with white writing, neon pink with black writing, and so forth. Nothing screams "read me" more than a ten-foot long black banner with enormous white bold lettering. You can also try painting the background orange, neon green, red or some other obnoxiously bright color. Then letter your newly made canvas accordingly.

Get it up! Do you have a few buddies willing to help carry that sign above the masses? Great! If not, most folks would be happy to oblige: just ask.

Originality counts. Some have a tremendous artistic flair, and this comes in handy. Some of the large oil puppets and salmon costumes are a wonderful example of artistic efforts. For others, cutting their sign into an odd shape is really pushing the limits.

Any effort to break the typical sea of rally signs, will help draw more attention to your message. Getting these messages out for the world to see is an important part of the current movement. So get out there, support the community movements, and make some signs with panache!



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