A Heart-warming Story about a T-Shirt

Justice4JP Release - October 19, 2006

"I want to help Jonathan, but what can an ordinary citizen like myself do?" is a question that we at J4JP hear all the time.

A man named Barry Koplen in Danville, Virginia wrote to tell us what he is doing. His letter proves that everyone can find something effective to do to help Jonathan if they really want to.

Here is the text of Barry's letter to us (reprinted with his permission). We hope that it will be as inspiring to our readers as it was heart-warming for us!

I purchased a huge T-shirt (five feet tall and almost seven feet wide) and had the words FREE JONATHAN POLLARD embroidered on it. I mounted the giant shirt on wooden posts then planted it, like a most unique sign, on a piece of property that our store owns. The property and the sign face the end of one of the more prominent bridges in our town.
For almost a week, the Pollard sign stood proudly. Then someone stole the sign. I reported the theft to the police and called the newspaper. The paper wrote a front page story about it. Everyone in our town (Danville, VA, less than three hours from Jonathan's prison) read about the shirt and the Pollard story.
Next week, in the same paper, we will advertise a REWARD for the return of the shirt while continuing to explain Jonathan's plight. To that end, I have used the editorial you have posted below. [Release Jonathan Pollard - Jlem Post Editorial]
"If the T-shirt is not returned, we will erect another and will get television coverage while it is being erected.
Just wanted to let you know that, in our own small way, we are doing our part to help secure Jonathan's release.
Thanks, as always, for your good work.
Barry Koplen