In the beginning, my sister Julie and I (Tina) wanted to find a single symbol that would tie all the anti-war/peace groups and individuals together so that we would be a visible symbol of unity in our opposition to the war in Iraq - one that could not be ignored viagra. We asked some wise and creative friends for ideas on what to do viagra. We envisaged wearing just one colour - but this looked a difficult proposition and after much debate, Eileen (one of our first responders, thank you) suggested this...

"...love your idea of picking a universal protest color - but to be conscious of cost - I thought an armband as a possible way to go for many to signify their protest. My sister Juanita (living somewhere now in a parallel world) was a protester during the sixties, and the custom then was to wear a black armband as a sign of protest. About two inches high, worn around and above the elbow on the bicep viagra. I wouldn't have known of this if she had not died with a black armband on the red coat she was wearing at the time of her passing (I was 13 at the time).Ghandi was into white generic cialis. What about a white armband cheap cialis? If one chose to wear it, this could be made out of anything - old cloth from a pillowcase, towel, or sheet; guaze, duct tape: heck, you name it purchase cialis."

...and so, ARMS AGAINST WAR was born to be represented by a simple white armband of any fabric that would be worn as a symbol of protest until the war in Iraq ends cialis. Since the start of ARMS AGAINST WAR (January 14th 2006), more wars have begun, more lives lost and more suffering.....and in the current climate, I believe we need a unified front more than ever.
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The following lovely words are from people all over the world who have been supportive and/or adopted this symbol as individuals or groups.. purchase cialis. viagra deals. cialis price.
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I'm so impressed with your movements. "I want an end to the war in Iraq". Yeah, We think so strongly. I want to introduce and use the armbands in my friends. Our peace movement holds exhibitions of Iraqi & Japanese children's drawings at many cities in Japan. We talk to children in Japan about Iraqi children's bad situations & ask them to send peace massages by art, music, dancing... I'm also a photographer & my recent work is 'Peace Hands'. Now 198 children in Japan joined this work.
Mutsumi Kinoshita - Peacemonuments Exhibitions

Hello dear, thanks very much for having such a human sense and feel the pain .....we do appreciate your concern and time . We ourselves trying very hard to end that un-fair war and we are hoping that we will get support around world,  so we need you too. Together we will change the world. Thanks again.
Kajal - Iraq

I like your idea of a white armband and will put this idea forward at a public forum I am talking on in Adelaide on March 19th (2007) at the Adelaide University "Iraq - Peace is Possible". I was one of the human shields in Iraq who stayed on during the bombing and am now an Australian Democrat's candidate for the Senate for the coming federal election and will be making Iraq one of my main focus areas. Best wishes and thanks for promoting your idea further.
I am also involved with WILPF - Women's International League for Peace & Freedom and will ask our SA branch and Australian Section to consider your idea as well.
Ruth Russell - Australian Democrat Candidate/Human Shield

Just to let you know your idea has reached South Africa, I in turn have sent it on to other friends around our continent, and to others in Australia, the UK and the USA - in this way peace and social justice comes ... slowly ... but it comes
Charlene Smith - Johannesburg, South Africa

(from Axis of Logic site)...Please take time to watch the excellent video created by Arms Against the War. Even more important, consider joining this movement that has been building momentum around the world with people everywhere wearing a white armband to affirm their opposition to the war. We will be joining this movement in Boston by wearing the armband ourselves and encouraging others to do the same.
Les Blough - Editor, Axis of Logic, Boston, USA

I like the simplicity of the idea – consider me a part of this movement. Thanks.
Andy Sallal - Busboys & Poets, Washington

Dear Tina, Just so you know, I'm sending the armsagainstwar link to my email list and will wear a white arm band at my public speeches from now on.  It's a great idea.  Thanks for letting me know about it. 
Ann Jones-Author (Kabul in Winter) & frequent contributor to the New York Times

Thanks very much for your note and for pointing me to the website.  Yes, each act draws us into a widening weave.  The idea of wearing the white arm band is a good one.  Locally, we've been affixing strips to our jackets, (pink duct tape type) giving the numbers of dead in Iraq and amongst the Coalition troops.  We're also reading and sometimes reverently singing the names of people who've died, inside congressional offices.  Your last line is so important as well.  To slow down, think about where we are heading with our actions...some of your young friends in a nearby community are going to fast from electricity for a month or so, - their third time experimenting with this.  While home together, by candlelight, they learned to knit!
Kathy Kelly - Co-ordinator Voices in the Wilderness & Author - Other Lands Have Dreams

Thank you for beginning this process. Yes, I will be part of the protest.
"Wearing one's heart on one's sleeve" will take on new meaning, eh?
Jon – Unknown

I LOVE what you are doing and would like to get it launched here in the States and everywhere else! I constantly have tried to find a way to empower others and believe you have just provided it. Thank you...thank you!
Dr. Robin Falkov - USA

Thank you for your lovely comment. I checked out your sites as well.
Nice work, and I'll be sporting a white armband.
Suzanne – Honest Human

Thanks for what you do best Tina.
Medea Benjamin – Code Pink, USA/World

This is a great idea, what about a knitted version?
Robyn – Librarian from Lexington, Kentucky, USA

Dear Tina, I admire people like you very much because you have come to the point of taking responsibility for ending the horrors of this war when perhaps they have not taken one of your loved ones - whereas I was only so motivated when I lost my son. I believe as you do that we need to display our feelings about the war, thanks again for spurring us all on.
Michael Berg – Father of Nick Berg, US contractor beheaded on video in Iraq May 2004

Thank you Tina, for your kind email.  I commend your work and appreciate your commitment.  Please keep in touch and let me know how your campaign is going.  I will keep you posted about the arm bands.
Kiran Choudhry - Project Co-ordinator John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights

Many thanks for your recent e-mail to us here. We are grateful for the information and the sentiments with which this government is broadly aligned. We wish your movement the greatest success.
Chief of Bureau - Bureau of Internal Affairs, Principality of Sealand, SEALAND

A brilliant idea! I will be hosting a tribute concert, IMAGINE PEACE, celebrating the music of John Lennon in Hamilton Ontario. It will feature some well known local talents and I am going to bring the idea of ARMSAGAINSTWAR to the musicians and invite them to wear a white armband. I will keep you posted as well as send photos of the event...Keep doing what you are doing - the word is getting out!
Christopher - Ontario

Please don't ever think that what you do is ineffective - just holding your views and expressing them is important. We have made massive progress in our campaigns for Peace. Progress always takes time
Tony Benn - UK politician much loved by the peace and sanity movement

People will ask what it's about and that way the plan will spread. I will start tomorrow. I plan to use elastic and make extras to hand out to curious folks.
Desiree – Santa Cruz, California, USA

I stand in solidarity with you for sure. I understand the empowerment you speak of and I am hopeful your message will continue to spread. In Peace
Dennis – Military Veteran from San Jose, California, USA

Great idea!! I have demo today and I'll start doing it now and try to spread the word here! Thanks for all your efforts!
Carol Brouillet – Palo Alto, California, USA

Thank you, Tina!  We will definitely be wearing our white bands during the March this Sunday in San Franciscon. (March 2007)
Sue – Transport Co-ordinator Peace March, USA

Keep hacking at the empire!
Richard – USA

What a great idea! As a lower-income student, woker, and activist, it's often hard to be able to join in on protests because of cost, travel and time needed for many things. This is a simple, effective, and cost-friendly way for anyone and everyone to show their support for peace, and to get the word out. Now more than ever is it needed, with the US government pushing for an increase of 20,000 troops and more funding, and our elected Democrat leaders not showing the spine they promised they would when they took majority. I'll start today! And also link you from my site, Artists For Action Against Global Warming (which is still being worked on, and will cover the the part that the war and the Administrations drive for more oil play in destroying our global ecosystem). Keep up the good work, and we'll help spread the wordlike the simplicity of the idea – consider me a part of this movement. Thanks.
S. Phillips -USA

I have just read your posting - about wearing white arm bands as a symbol against the Iraq war – on educate-yourself.org. I think it is a great idea and I will be spreading the word here in Australia. Keep up the good work.
Jill Grant - unknown

This sounds like a good symbolic thing to do. Thanks for sharing it. Peace.
Moji - Unknown

This is a splendid idea -- we need something to unify us, no matter what our differences. This is a good time to introduce you to a little "home-grown" activism begun with a Divine Idea by our friend in UK, Tina Louise. She floated an idea recently for an activism opportunity and it found encouragement under the Planet Waves umbrella. As with most terrific idea's, it's simple ... it unifies ... it cost's nothing. And it's not for wimps!
Jude – The Pea Patch, USA

Hi, Good idea! Will have to work on it a bit since we are jazz musicians and our closet is pretty much black!!
Raj and Diana Rathor - Las Vegas, USA

Great idea. I placed a link to www.armsagainstwar.info on my website.
Tomorrow I don the arm band. This fits so well with self sovereignty. I''ll be wearing my arm band at the Chicago demonstrations tomorrow and
Sunday. Thanks. *letter some months later:
Hi Tina: Hope all is well with you. Just want to let you know I've been getting some acknowledgment from motorists as I commute to work on my motorcycle. I've been wearing a white arm band when I ride my motorcycle. Been getting some horn honking on my commute to work (about 26 miles). At first I thought it was angry motorists, but soon realized they were acknowledging the arm band. Didn't think many people knew about the white arm band. The two jackets I use most are red (matches the motorcycle - what can I say), so the white arm band really is visible. Anyway it's nice to get some confirmation once in awhile.
Keep up the great work you are doing Tina and thanks.
Bruce - USA

I'm thinking for example of something Gandhi said: "We must be the change we wish to see in the world."...
My armband is a wide piece of elastic fabric which I have velcroed to fit and on which I have written armsagainstwar.info in permanent marker. One day, I just walked into my workplace wearing it and went about my business as usual. I am privileged in that my workplace is an area designated for peace and serenity, comfort and caring. I work where everyone is mindful of everyone else and where awareness of spirituality is always enhanced. I am a Palliative Care nurse. I like to think of myself as connected to everyone else on the planet by that which is good in all of us. Tina's exceptionally enlightened stance on what is universally good has been my reason for adopting the armband immediately. I wear it and say nothing. People casually ask me what it's for, what it's about and I quietly tell them that it means I oppose the war in Iraq and they'll usually say "oh", and then, never do they walk away or look at me as if I'm nuts, or get upset at me. They maintain eye contact long enough for me to continue. And when I continue, I say that my friend Tina in England started this, and I tell them about the website, the pledge link, and wish them "peace" with a smile. Nobody's ever hauled off and hit me for it. When patients ask, I tell them I oppose the war in Iraq. Just that. Usually, I get "That's good, I oppose it too." Each time this happens, I feel a solidarity of peace with one more human being. It is Eternity-affirming, and gives me pure joy. It is also energizing and very much a gesture of love. I also try to find time to meditate on armsagainstwar, so as to access a higher level of universal peace.
Lucie - Canada

I will be more than happy to comply with your request. Thank you for this action. It is a good one. A wonderful way to display our intent, all day, everyday, every where. Love it.
Jennifer Cecere - Bremerton, USA

You are a genius. It is time for the land of the white armband.And for Solidarity in the UK. Let's build a new movement.I'll spread the word on your campaign but what we need urgently is a decentred movement - not one campaign but a million, linked together like beads in a rosary. We all need to swim in the same direction though - and that means agreeing on a basic set of demands. The troops out of Iraq is a noble cause. White armband is on the street today.Peace, love, light.
Matthew - UK

Arms Against War is an excellent beginning. Wearing of the armbands is sure to begin conversations, and the practice is sure to spread. I expect that people all over the world will know what a white armband stands for, within 6 months. One idea: If you have any old white T-shirts that are too worn out or stained, may I suggest cutting off the sleeves? Rolled up, these will fit over coat sleeves, and might even stay put. The rest of the shirt can be cut into strips...
Phil – Unified Settlement, World

Hi Tina...thanks for the inspirational letter to Vietnam Veterans Against the War, and for the suggestion. Keep on doing all you do, we ARE on the verge of overthrowing the White House via the law(what little is left of it). Peace.
Ward Reilly, S.E. National Contact, VVAW - USA

I'm glad the site is taking off so well. It's a good idea. If progressive "leaders" won't take matters into their hands at this point, us "regular people" must. Too much blood (and oil) under the bridge for any kind of wishy-washy "liberal" compromise.
Adam Engel - writer, USA

Great idea...wearing homemade white strips. I have copied your idea and sent
to all my email contacts. I also just got done making about 30 white strips
to handout along with a card that has the message on it. I would love to see
this idea G-R-O-W. If each one of us could pass it on to 20-50 people maybe
ot will have a H-U-G-E impact.
Brooke Zepp - Fort Lauderdale, USA

Tell your friends, send them emails let the people know we unite together in our objection to this WAR in Iraq. Say NO more WAR. We are not political or religious, we have no hidden agenda…We just want to say end this WAR. DON’T SAY IT ………………………….. WEAR IT! Arms Against War, visibly united for peace.
Julie – Blackpool, England