Editor's Note: Administrative Manual policies 701.03 and 709.02 detail Lab policy with regard to official use of government property and political activities.

Feb. 26, 2003

Those who profess to favor freedom

"Those who profess to favor freedom and yet deprecate agitation are men who want crops without plowing up the ground. They want rain without thunder and lightning." - Frederick Douglass.

This quote from the great abolitionist Frederick Douglass reminds us that change never comes without some action. Keeping quiet with our heads down won't protect employees when a storm overtakes us, such as the move to end the University of California management of the Lab. David Yeamans' letter give us a good outline for planning effective change.

Employees who support the retention of the UC contract and are ready to take action need to be heard by [Department of Energy] Secretary Abraham and the New Mexico congressional delegation. UPTE has created a centralized resource on its Web site where Web addresses and sample letters to these decision makers can be found. The UPTE office will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., this Friday so those without personal computers can come and use theirs. The location of the office is 107 Central Ave., above Los Alamos Stationers.

In accordance with Lab policy, government computers cannot be used for activities such as those advocated here.

--Theresa G. Connaughton