GET INVOLVED and WRITE TO CONGRESS!
Please follow these links below to locate how to reach your US Senators and Representatives. Please urge them to attend the September 14th screening of FORMOSA BETRAYED just outside of Capitol Hill in Washington DC! This event is being hosted by the Formosa Foundation and they have already sent out invitations to every U.S. Senator and Congressperson, so please remind them!
For U.S. Senators, click here.
Choose your State and click the "Web Form" link to submit a message to your Senator!
For U.S. Congresspersons, click here and do the same.
We have provided a sample letter that you can use in any way you'd like. Feel free to use it as a template, and remember to insert your representative's and your own names. We have also included some examples of topics you could include to make your letter more personal. The more personal you make it (e.g. this film is important to me because...), the more effective it can be.
Some examples of topics that could give your letter more impact:
• Formosa Betrayed illustrates critical turning point in Taiwan's democratization/ history/relationship to the US
• Politics are just as tumultuous in present-day Taiwan, with growing pains of a young democracy carrying baggage from the authoritarian days of martial law.
• Many of us are worried that human rights and democracy are under siege again.
• Taiwan is among the Top 10 holders of US treasury debt.
• Taiwan is a strong democratic ally of the US in East Asia, on par with Japan and South Korea.
• US-Taiwan friendship is strong and receives bipartisan support in Washington DC.
• Taiwanese-Americans are politically active, support democratization in Taiwan, now participate in US elections, and contribute to US political parties.
• Formosa Betrayed was funded through grassroots efforts by Taiwanese Americans who are politically active in both countries
• Hope Congresspersons can share this important piece of US-Taiwan history and support Taiwanese American's belief in principles of democracy through attendance.
And again, don't forget to put your Congressperson's name at the top and yours at the bottom!
Dear _____________________
As a concerned constituent, I strongly urge you to attend an important Congressional screening organized by the Formosa Foundation, a non-profit based in California, of the film Formosa Betrayed, starring James Van Der Beek, in coordination with Taiwanese Americans from across the country. The event will take place on Monday, September 14, 2009, starting at 6:30 p.m. at The Newseum.
Formosa Betrayed is inspired by actual events that occurred over the past several decades, which Congress was intimately involved. The film follows Jake Kelly, a daring and heroic FBI agent, through a cultural and political maze during the Taiwan martial law era. It is a complex story about murder, political black lists, “student spies” on American campuses, and the Taiwanese fight for democracy. Formosa Betrayed is scheduled for nationwide release in early 2010.
The movie sheds light on the United State’s past and current relationship with Taiwan and provides a critical view of U.S. foreign policy. The screening will highlight the historic struggle of Taiwanese and their Americans friends to build a democratic society. A better understanding of this important piece of history will foster increased mutual understanding and greater dialogue, as well as highlight the importance of building democracy in Taiwan and around the globe.
I hope you will accept their invitation and put this important event on your calendar. Please do not hesitate to contact the Formosa Foundation’s Executive Director Terri Giles at (213) 625-1991 with any questions. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,