What is a Redress Dress?

I promise to have pictures of the completed dress soon.  I also plan on having links to all the Twitter comments sewn onto the dress.  It's an amazing work of political textile art.  The dress has dozens of Tweets posted by people all complaining of the same thing, "Hey my public official blocked me on Twitter and I don't understand why?"

These aren't people who decided to Tweet hateful, threatening, or menacing Tweets to their public officials, these are people who pointed out a simple criticism, disagreement, comment, or request.  

Let's  take a look at a few you will see on the dress:

Jazzmine D. McKnight - @Progress4Ohio posted on 5/21/2015:
#Cleveland Police Blocked Me On Both Accounts,So Did
#CityofCleveland And #ClevelandProsecutor I Did Not Curse
Them Out!THEY HATE THE #TRUTH

Stuart Reynolds - @shaldonangler posted on 5/14/2015:

@teignroy @AngelaGreben Twitter is a broadcast medium - imagine if they were allowed to say "You Roy can't watch TV if I'm on it"!

TXsharon - @TXsharon posted on 3/26/2015:

Dear Twits, Rep. Drew Darby blocked me. I guess he didn't like the pictures from your #fracking backyards. #txlege

AnnetteSchrabClark - @PoetQs  posted on 3/25/2015:

@AngelaGreben In fact I'd rung up a Rep's office 1 time of how to best offer public record for his cosponsored Act. I was advised to Tweet!!

c denise - @C__Denise posted on 9/16/2014:

@SenatorBurr @SenatorHagan @kayhagan The Greenville Chief of Police blocked me on Twitter after I asked him for an investigation.

@C__Denise's Tweet is the one Tweet that absolutely makes my blood boil more than any other.  This is a woman who suffered a terrible tragedy and was blocked on Twitter by her Chief of Police for asking to have her daughter's death investigated.  I have exchanged Tweets with @C__Denise and she let me know that she has since been unblocked, the Chief has retired, and an investigation has been opened.  You can hear more about her story in this radio interview with Lance Scurv at:

The Vidant Medical Center: Negligence, Coverup & A Mother's Pain! 

You can get a good idea of what kind of Twitter posts appear on my Redress Dress by visiting my Twitter page and viewing my "Favorites" at:

@AngelaGreben

How to Make a Redress Dress

Thanks for visiting my blog.  You are reading about an issue that is very personal to you and I hope that my Redress Dress succeeds at making you angry that you can be blocked on Twitter and other forms of social media by your very own elected officials.  

Did you know that when a public official or agency creates a Twitter or Facebook account and use it as a way to discuss "the people's business" they are creating a public record and they can't arbitrarily block comments of scrutiny or criticism that they find offensive.   

For example, Twitter fails to make users distinguish between if their account is for public or private use.  At the end of the day that matters.  What happens is that public officials create accounts that they treat as a private account:

Texas Governor Greg Abbott

Tennessee House Rep. Susan Lynn

vs.

Public Information Officer for the Arizona Dept of Public Safety, Officer Carrick Cook

"Pictures/Tweets are public record. They may be used by the media and the public."  Fabulous!  Officer Cook gets it!  Unfortunately, he represents a small minority of public officials who lawfully use their Twitter account.

You can make your own Redress Dress.  I used Vogue pattern v1384, a lightweight denim, and photo fabric.  I printed out dozens of Tweets from people who reported being unlawfully blocked on Twitter.  Their comments are amazing.

I want to thank Sean Breslin who gave me permission to print his article:

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed is blocking constituents and journalists on Twitter

I also happen to be blocked by mayor Reed for simply Tweeting him that blocking constituents is wrong.

You can read more at @AngelaGreben

Below are a few pictures of the whole creation process.  More pictures to come.

Enjoy!