Sending Congratulations and Many Thanks to the 50,000 peacemakers who signed RootsAction.org petition calling for an end to NBC’s Reality Show “Stars Earn Stripes” -a show that distorted the reality of war. NBC has ended “Stars Earn Stripes” with no intention of renewing!
We are eternally grateful that Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Jody Williams, banded together with 9 other Nobel Peace Laureates to send a letter to NBC demanding they cancel this show. Desmond Tutu’s signature on this letter brought worldwide attention to our cause. Here’s a quote from the letter (click on link for full text) http://nobelwomensinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Laureates-Letter_War-Isnt-Entertainment-08-13-12v2.pdf ):
“Real war is down in the dirt deadly. People – military and civilians – die in ways that are anything but entertaining. Communities and societies are ripped apart in armed conflict and the aftermath can be as deadly as the war itself as simmering animosities are unleashed in horrific spirals of violence. War, whether relatively short-lived or going on for decades as in too many parts of the world, leaves deep scars that can take generations to overcome – if ever.”
War is not a game, war is not entertainment. It is not “reality” when no one is shooting back at you. It is not reality if you are not trying to avoid IEDs with every step you take. This show was a sanitized version of war – hoping to inspire young people to join the military. The “reality of war” is much different and was never shown.
We are proud of the many peace groups who quickly came together to protest in front of the NBC Studios in NYC each Monday the show aired. Their protests were peaceful, engaging the public in conversation – bringing awareness and education about war – reminding Americans that we are still at war and why we are deeply offended by this show.
This successful protest reminds us what we can do when we all work together. When we pursue our common ground and work together, we can really make a difference.
Let this inspire us to continually encourage others to get involved in their communities – to be silent no longer. We, the people, can make the difference needed in this world – we just have to believe and act. As Gandhi so beautifully makes clear “we must become the change we want to see in the world”.
From all the organizations that participated in this great victory;
THANK YOU
