A Postcard for Zach Campaign by wappy - Free Zach Sunday, Jul 3 2005, 11:40pm national / activism & resistance / action alert - campaign
A message of hope this 4th of July for one young man without his freedom.
The Free Zach group on myspace has begun a postcard campaign to send a message of hope, love, and support to the Memphis teen held against his will in a reparative therapy camp. It has been almost a month since Zach last posted in his blog, asking for help to stop the unjust treatment of gay teens by Love In Action's Refuge camp.
Promotional photo provided by Rodger Aiken, free for distribution
On June 5th, 2005, 16 year old Zach snuck onto a computer to publish his cry for help. The teen via his profile seems like any other normal teenager, but on this night he posted a message of thinking only of suicide. The story reached EJ Friedman, a friend of his, who began to spread the story, and the Queer Action Coalition began its protests.
The next group after the QAC to form was the Free Zach myspace group, and as of the 4th of July, boasts 4,000 members dedicated to fighting these organizations unjust treatment of gay youth.
The story then spread from the blogosphere to alternative and gay media to mainstream media. At the wake of the Tennesee Department of Children's Services investigation for child abuse, the story reached the Associated Press, and at the investigations quick ending, ABC news covered the story. Now, a new investigation, this time by the Tenn. Department of Health, has begun to examine if the facility has the proper lisencing.
But the fight is not over. It has been almost a month since Zach last posted in his blog, asking for help to stop the unjust treatment of gay teens by Love In Action's Refuge camp.
Zach is still inside Refuge.
These camps still exist.
In the meantime, two solid writing campaigns have sprung up.
The Queer Action Coalition urges everyone to write in protest and query to the Christian and Messianic Jewish organizations across the United States that support Love In Action. A list of addresses is available at their website: http://www.qaconline.org
The Free Zach ( http://groups.myspace.com/freezach ) group now urges people everywhere to spare a few cents to send Zach a postcard as a symbolic protest. While it is not possible for many supporters to travel to Memphis, a footprint can be made by the sending of a simple postcard.
Blogger and cartoonist Bruce Garrett equates the postcard campaign to a patriotic act this 4th of July. Zach is unable to celebrate his freedom, and many of his rights have been stripped away by this group, a clear violation of the basic right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
While Zach may not see these cards himself--his access to communication is denied--sending a card is a footprint, and a visable message, that on this the day of our Independence, we will not allow our rights to be obstructed, and everyone has the right to freedom no matter their religious beliefs, creed, politics, or sexuality. Freedom is guaranteed to all--even this 16 year old gay youth who was brave enough to come out to his parents.
(Free for redistribution provided credit is given)
