So, I have this crazy idea. And I need your advice.

[Dammit Ann]

I live next to, literally (I could throw a rock...), a Veterans Memorial Park in Tennessee. A SMALL town but it gets a ton of traffic going home from town. I live in the burbs. I'm moving soon so I need to make a statement there, of some sort... soon. I live in redneck repug heaven and they need to SEE.

Sorry, I'm beyond coherence at this point but I will try...

I had this idea about a ton of glowsticks, 3500, or whatever the number will be when I can pull this off. It would all have to be done either through the city council (ha!) or covertly in the middle of the night in a huge field across from the park. I figure I could start the day of just laying them out, they burn for six to twelve hours. During bright sun, if they were small enough, you probably wouldn't start to see them until dusk and hopefully they would glow long into the night before they started destroying it. (and arresting me)

My biggest problem is, besides the threat of vandalism charges, how biodegradable are these things? I'd hate to cause an enviromental castastrophe just to make a statement. And the cheapest I have found them is twenty cents apiece, which would cut into grocery money. (BIGTIME) Like, for the next year. What I'd like to ask is: Does anyone know where I can find them cheaper? Should i try to go thru legal steps to pull this off? How do I do that? Is there anyone in the Ooltewah,Collegedale,Tn area that would like to help me? Chattanooga is near, as is Cleveland.

Any advice would be truly appreciated. I want to make this happen in a most unlikely place. Thank you all, dammitann.

[LiberalHeart]

1. I tried to get Camp Casey to do something like this when Cindy first went to Crawford.

I thought it would make a powerful statement to "plant" flashlights in a field (I forget what the number was then, but figured they could have easily gotten people to donate flashlights). What I envisioned was those flashlight glowing upward throughout the night and -- during the many nights that the protesters were there -- burning out one by one. When the field went black, it would represent all those promising lives snuffed out.

[Dammit Ann]

3. EXACTLY!

I'm so inspired. I've been kicking around the idea of trying to mount a protest in this silly little town with such a great CONTEXT for it. (It is really a nice park) Never gonna happen. So I decided to try to get the biggest spectacle for my effort through visibilty and I might could pull this off virtually alone. Then I realized the utter scale of it and had to reach out for help. Thanks for the response, any advice?

[LiberalHeart]

8. Is there a way to power over 3,000 Christmas lights via battery?

[Dammit Ann]

10. maybe...

I wouldn't know but my head is spinning now. 9 volt? Lots of them? How do you plug them in? Anyone??

[CrazyOrangeCat]

2. I don't know the answer to the biodegradable question . . .

. . . but as a long-time trouble-maker, I like your plan.

Keep us updated.

[Dammit Ann]

5. I definitely will!

It's a tad daunting but I might get us noticed. I have to try...

[jobycom]

4. No advice on where to get them, but I would say do it legally

If your act comes across as vandalism, you might feel good about yourself, but you'll probably make most of the people who you want to "SEE" angry, and make them see less. They will see you as a petty vandal, and shut their minds not only to you, but also to anyone with your message. Think of all those crosses anti-abortionists put out, and think of how they just anger people. On top of that, you could face fines or charges, and that would hinder your ability to fight the good fight with the rest of us.

If you approach this as a community endeavor, find out the legality of it, find like-minded people to help you, and pull off a respectful demonstration, you will get more attention, and maybe convince a few people of whatever you are trying to convince them of. You might get the media to cover your message, and give you a chance to make your point. Thirty-five hundred glowsticks would be a great visual, and would attract media coverage.

Those are my thoughts. They don't have to be yours. :)

[Dammit Ann]

6. I totally agree.

BUT that is part of my dilemma and why I reached out. I want to do it legally and sanctioned and most especially SEEN, although, I don't quite live in "protest" country OR even "acknowledge it's happening country". It's a non-issue out here, as far as I can discern... I put up this post in slim hope that maybe I'm not alone and there is someone within fifty miles who may feel the same. Literally. Sad but true.

Either way, I plan to at least TRY contact my local officials and do it right. If not, well... we shall see.

[Casper Alabaster]

7. jobycom offers excellent advise for how to view

the statement, but so far it seems cart before the horse. How would you lay out the sticks; along a road in a line, or in a pattern or graphic? It's definitely wise to consider environmental aspects, make sure you're legit. You could probably cut all the red tape if there was someone willing to let you use their private property.
Sounds like a cool idea. Lots of research for you!:thumbsup:

[Dammit Ann]

9. Luckily, thru some research I found...

they sell little stands to hold them up straight, only the 4" variety, I think. Of course, they are a fortune. I thought about the flat graphic, cheaper, maybe, a big peace sign but I keep going back to the idea of having them stand up- maybe after the rain when the ground is soft... I don't know... LOVE your idea about private property! MAYBE the field I'm thinking of IS?!! That would be tooo lucky. GREAT advice! MUCH appreciated. I love DUers! To think this was just a thought in my head 24 hours ago...

What I would truly love to see is another city take this idea up in earnest and really make a visual statement. Central Park anyone? Near Strawberry Fields?

[Casper Alabaster]

11. I'll bet you could improvise

on those expensive stand-up dealies; get some wooden dowels about 6-8" long, and pre-fasten yer glowstix w/ twist-ties. You might want to have a kegger to get free labor! :beer:
After that, once you have an idea of the pattern, and you know you have reasonably soft soil you'd have permission to use, plant 'em. Then you'll just need a way to post it on YouTube.

[Dammit Ann]

12. I like how you think, darlin'

bingo, this may be my true spring project, moving will be interesting. I think it is public land... will know for sure tomorrow.

[Casper Alabaster]

13. This and moving?

I forgot about the moving thing you mentioned in the OP, and this too huh?
If you had access to a high spot to place a camera, you could get some kick-ass vid. A lot of people would see it on YouTube, far more than just in TN.
It's definitely doable logistically, but for the funding. That's gotta be easier to get than moving!
Cool idea, good luck!:thumbsup:

[livvy]

14. How about these?

They're about a buck apiece, but they are 22" long. Could you shape your message using them?

?

TRI-COLOR LITE-ROPE® NECKLACES

Item Number: IN-24/1168

$49.95 per Unit

50 items per Unit

http://www.orientaltrading.com/application?namespace=browse&origin=searchMain.jsp&event=link.itemDetails&demandPrefix=12&sku=24/1168&mode=Searching&erec=0&No=64&D=glow&Ntt=glow&Ntk=all&Dx=mode%252bmatchallpartial&Ntx=mode%252bmatchallpartial&y=10&N=0&x=23&sd=TRI-COLOR+LITE-ROPE?+NECKLACES


I was thinking about trying it for this event:

On April 28, Spell It Out: IMPEACH!

It's well past time to impeach Bush and Cheney. But since Congress still doesn't seem to get it, on April 28 we're going to spell it out for them. Literally.

We're calling on everybody ready to take a stand to come out on April 28 and spell out the word IMPEACH! in their own creative ways.

Ideas that people have started planning for include: human murals like Brad Newsham's famous Beach Impeach, writing IMPEACH! on the streets with chalk, planting flower beds in the shape of the word, spelling it out with Nathan's hot dogs on the Coney Island boardwalk, parading through the streets carrying giant letters, spelling it out with peaches, hanging banners on freeway overpasses, and more. We want the word IMPEACH! to be everywhere on April 28.

Once we've all spelled it out on April 28, we can share photos and videos of our actions on the A28 website, where everybody will have a chance to vote on the ones they like best. Your favorites will be featured in a commercial that we'll make for TV.

http://www.a28.org/

[Casper Alabaster]

15. Didn't the OP say he/she could get them for $.2?

Those sticks are cool, but expensive. Maybe strictly for event-staff.

[livvy]

16. Yes, but I was trying to offer an alternative to the straight....

non-bendable 6" sticks.

Here's another link with the bendable kind. Much cheaper, also.

http://glowrus.com/22__bulk_necklaces.html

[Casper Alabaster]

17. just brainstorming,

OP has a cool idea. Sorry if I came across harsh to you, not intended. Thanks for add'l links provided.

[livvy]

20. No problem. I didn't take your post that way at all.

It is a cool idea!
Welcome to DU, by the way. :hi:

[jarnocan]

18. sounds nice another possibility

would be to do on just any available spot- the word impeach in glow sticks

[maine_raptor]

19. Great Idea!!!!!!!

A couple of suggestions:

First, it's best to use your own land. No hassles with permission. I'll bet you a dime that setting something like this up on public land WILL land you in a heap of trouble. If you use someone else's land, get permission in writing to do this.

As for what shape, etc; If you can get the glow-sticks in colors, get red, white, blue, and set them up as a flag, but with lights missing from the middle that, by the lack of light, spell "IMPEACH". That way the message becomes clearer as nighttime comes.

The idea of using wooden dowels is good, but I'd think you could buy a bunch of Popsicle sticks cheaper. Use hot glue to attach them.

You're gonna need a bunch of help to do this, seems to me their might be a fewer DU's in the area, try posting something about this in the state forum.

Good luck and I hope ya post a pic of it. Makes a damn fine statement.