The Hundredth Letter!
Posted Monday, Mar 31st, 2014 at 8:56pmWell it is finally done! My ambitious hundredth "letter" is here!
Here are the plans:
The idea was to cover the car in 17,085 dots to symbolize the 17,085 nuclear weapons that exist in the world. The dots are color coded by country. I spent many an hour counting the dots in this plan and found that there were 10,000 too many dots! Thank you to Shawn for re-checking my math! Because there were too many, I ended up taking the ones off the roof in the plan. It saved me money!
Thank you to Heidi for the design help! Thanks Christina and Denise, Chris and Janet, Lily, Adawn, and Sue for all the help!
An early feminist speaks out! "From the bosom of the devastated Earth a voice goes up with our own. It says: "Disarm! Disarm!”
President Lincoln speaks out! "But Madam, do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?"
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speaks out! "We must either live together as brothers, or perish together as fools."
Happy me:
Here's how many dots/nuclear weapons there are for each country:
TOO MANY!
A book of all the letters will be available soon!
Aaron Roland Wrote on Monday, Mar 31st, 2014 at 10:10pm
So moving! Thanks for this letter and for the inspiration all have offered.
Christina Malango Wrote on Monday, Mar 31st, 2014 at 10:57pm
It's beautiful and terrible all at the same time. I love the colors of the dots. I love the quotes. I love the watercolors you painted and I really love the dots of rain on them in the photos.
Marcia Hoffman Wrote on Tuesday, Apr 01st, 2014 at 1:26am
Sara, thanks so much for doing this! Now- roadtrip?
Lisa Goren Wrote on Tuesday, Apr 01st, 2014 at 4:55am
This is so great! I'd love to hear the actual mechanics of how you got the dots onto the car - did you design it and then have it made? How did that go?
I can't wait to see you driving it around. I hope to be on the West Coast (further north in Seattle) in late June, maybe I can take a road trip!
D'Arcy Fallon Wrote on Tuesday, Apr 01st, 2014 at 5:32am
This is amazing, Sara! I am blown away by you chutzpah and tenacity. What a car! And what a way to get this important conversation going. Thank god for you!
Adrianne Wortzsel Wrote on Tuesday, Apr 01st, 2014 at 7:03am
Sara: It's spectacular. Please please some video of you driving it around when you can.. what a statement!!! it's a metaphor on wheels!!!!
Barbara Engel Wrote on Tuesday, Apr 01st, 2014 at 7:03am
a necessary and wonderful idea!
Jan Hutchison Wrote on Tuesday, Apr 01st, 2014 at 7:31am
Thank you Sara For Peace and myself for your persistence,creative boldness and plea's NO MORE NUKES!!!
Jo ray Wrote on Tuesday, Apr 01st, 2014 at 8:31am
I have been privileged to see this project from start to finish! Congratulations Sara, I Think it will make a difference in our world.
Jo
Kicki Wrote on Tuesday, Apr 01st, 2014 at 8:34am
Well, you have gone it again girl! Making us all think and be horrified of what is plain as the day is long. I love the quote from President Lincol and the effort you put into this. You do have the heart in the right place. And I love the yellow book- can't wait until it becomes available to us, we the poor regular people. Ever heard " if I had a rocket launcher " by Canadian singer/song writer Bruce Cockburn?
Amy Nowatzki Wrote on Tuesday, Apr 01st, 2014 at 9:44am
Thank you for caring Thank you for being so courageous! Thank you for putting the automobile to good use! Thank you for making us all think....
Susan Cushman Wrote on Tuesday, Apr 01st, 2014 at 4:42pm
Sara - congratulations on completing this epic task. You look truly happy, happier than I think I've ever seen you. Let's hope everyone who sees your car and reads the back is moved too.
Sophronia Bozeman Wrote on Tuesday, Apr 01st, 2014 at 5:27pm
Surely this project is a labor of love and concern for the survival of the human race. I really hope you go on the road trip to Washington DC.
Beth Enson Wrote on Tuesday, Apr 01st, 2014 at 6:37pm
So daunting to see them illustrated in this way. Beautiful job Sarie!!
Plum Kennard Wrote on Friday, Apr 04th, 2014 at 8:11am
Wise, brilliant, adamant, unswerving. Bless you!
Louise Steinman Wrote on Saturday, Apr 05th, 2014 at 1:15pm
Bravo, Sara! An ambitious and marvelous project! From Anita Hill's book, Reimagining Equality: "As the story goes, President Barack Obama spends the last few minutes of each day in the Oval Office reading ten letters from the public. On occasion, he responds to one or two."
May Barack Obama spend ten days reading ten of your letters each day! love, Louise
Andrea Burke Wrote on Friday, Jul 17th, 2015 at 8:57am
Sara,
I have been thinking about you. I wanted you to know I signed some Move-on petition today related to Obama's diplomacy with Iran. I included with comment which I will also send the White House. Do you know exactly when you are traveling there?
Dear President Obama, Thank you for your ongoing diplomacy with Iran and reducing the risk of nuclear weapons creation and use. I urge you to meet with Sara Kirschenbaum who has written 100 Letters for Peace to you. She is driving to Washington D.C. from Portland Oregon in October 2015 to deliver her last letter to you. It is her car with dots on it that represent all the nuclear weapons in the world today, all 17,085 weapons still available at anytime. Our work is huge to protect the future of humanity from violent destruction. We need your continued leadership. Please meet with Sara and assure the mothers of the world that you agree with our desire and requirement that all nuclear weapons be eliminated. I would also like to visit Iran in my lifetime and pray for your continued peace diplomacy with their government.
Thank you,
Andrea Burke Portland, Oregon
Holly Wrote on Monday, Jul 23rd, 2018 at 8:58pm
I just saw your car in Portland! I just wanted to let you know you were seen and your message has been heard during these times! Will you be adding more when further knowledge on quantities is found in the coming year or two?