June 3, 1985

Ronald Wilson Reagan
White House
Washington, D.C.

Dear Mr. Reagan:

We want to alert you, Mr. Reagan, that we need your neighborly assistance with a project you've stated is dear to your heart: a demonstration for peace, justice, freedom, and the continued life of God's children. We believe we must all be willing to follow up our words with action, and have given up homes, jobs, and families to become front-line peace workers, communicating with visitors through a continuous four-year-old vigil our belief that there is no choice facing humanity today more pressing than whether to eliminate the threat nuclear weapons pose to peace, freedom, justice, and life.

Now, in order to do this effectively as impoverished citizens of the world, we must do it publicly. There is no place more public than the White House sidewalk. And since we believe you are the one person most likely to bge able to expedite nuclear disarmament with other world leaders, it is only logical to petition you for your contribution to the continuation of life on earth.

The trouble is that the U.S. Park Police, Interior Department Solicitors, Justice Department officials, and National Park Service are likely to try to put a stop to this action by putting us in jail. We ask, Mr. Reagan, that you instruct these people to let us demonstrate in peace, and guarantee our individual freedom to choose what we will do with our own lives.

If you don't like our location, rather than allowing the police to remove us, in violation of our civil rights, you can insure our departure by following up your inspiring words with inspiring action: meet with Mr. Gorbachev, and the two of you use your power as true leaders should to improve the lot of all humanity. If you and Mr. Gorbachev will take active stops to eliminate all nuclear weapons, setting an example to other world leaders, we will leave, an get about the business of correcting the other problems facing an unnecessarily fearful world.

Your friend,

Thomas