Hello Barb and Ivan et al:
I've been reading with interest all about silver ribbons, lavender
ribbons, flames of hope and so on as symbols to represent Parkinson's
and Parkinsonians. It seems to me there is already an international
symbol -- the James Parkinson tulip, developed in Holland to honor an
English doctor, and used throughout Canada, from Newfoundland to
Vancouver Island.
It's not only a beautiful tulip (see a picture on the National
Parkinson Foundation website), but it can be used in many, many ways --
as a lapel pin, on canvas bags, on drinking mugs, on stationery, on pins
and posters with or without the word Parkinson's. As a flower of spring,
the tulip already represents new life, a new beginning, which is the
whole idea of Awakenings!
I don't think the Canadian foundation would object if the tulip became
as popular in the United States as it already is in Canada and some
other countries as an icon for the awakening of the Parkinson's
population to a new era of co-operation and progress. Just imagine all
the ways you can use a tulip -- especially the James Parkinson tulip --
to raise awareness around the world.
Yours truly, Alan Richards, London, Canada
Barbara Mallut wrote:
> >Ya know, Ivan, reading about all the different colored and different styles of
> >pins that assorted national PD support groups have used to represent the
> >disease and to call public attention to it and the suffering of all who live
> >with Parkinson's, I think the sheer variety reflects the confusion and lack of
> >inspiring leadership amongst the national level Parkinson's associations.
> >
> >Can you imagine how powerful we'd become if we'd just get it all together?!?
> >Why LOOK at what was accomplished by just a few hundred (if that many!) worked
> >together with one common goal to get the Udall Bill passed!! THAT was an
> >astounding example of the power of the PD Community.
> >
> >I don't think that it was a lavender pin ALONE that has brought gay men
> >cohesion as a group, but as a STARTING POINT to indicate they ARE working
> >together to gain equality in citizenship and recognition as fellow humans with
> >the same needs and rights as any other human, it works! That lavender pin
> >indicates a UNIFIED group.... just as our VARIETY of PD-support pins indicates
> >a LACK of unification.
> >
> >Barb Mallut
> >[log in to unmask]
> >
> >----------
> >From: Parkinson's Information Exchange on behalf of Ivan M Suzman
> >Sent: Saturday, February 28, 1998 9:53 PM
> >To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN
> >Subject: Re: Parkinson Ribbon?
> >
> >^^^^^^WARM GREETINGS FROM^^^^^^^^^^
> >Ivan Suzman 48/10 [log in to unmask]
> >Portland, Maine land of lighthouses deg. F
> >***********************************************************
> >
> >On Sat, 28 Feb 1998 15:36:48 -0800 [log in to unmask] writes:
> >>Recently at a local meeting I received a pin. It is a lavendar colored
> >>ribbon. Does this represent Parkinson's Disease?
> >>
> >
> >Dear dk,
> >
> > People with Parkinson's have not yet unified behind a color or a symbol
> >that represents our struggle. Personally, I have been leaning towards
> >the hand lighting the Olympic torch (Muhammad Ali's). The Canadians
> >traditionally use , I think, a red tulip. I heard that Atlanta madea
> >beautiful pin with a rising sun.
> >
> > The lavendar ribbon represents gay men, bisexuals and lesbians, and
> >their loved ones,to fight prejudices against all of them. Gay men in
> >particular have suffered ENORMOUS discrimination because they are
> >"blamed" for the AIDS epidemic. The RED ribbon is worn to remember the
> >suffering of those who have died from AIDS, and to unite to fight for the
> >cure. The Lavendar ribbon evolved from this red ribbon!
> >
> >Hopefully we PWP's and CG's will find a color and a symbol at some point.
> >
> >.
> >Ivan Suzman
> >48/10
> >
