Bravery

Hi, my names Stacie I'm from Cleveland Ohio. The issues I care about most are stopping the war, preventing any new ones,and impeaching Bush Co. I did a few events with Code Pink at home . But I've always admired the bravery of the woman I've wittnessed.In D.C. We did the Million Doors for Peace Yesterday. I was scared that I couldn't go out and talk to people alone. So I was paired up with Pauly,we have the same sense of humor and had a good time . I soon was able to go out on my own.
This morning I was standing in the hallway of the CodePink house. There was a decision to go to Fox News to to confront Paulson over the 7 billion dollar corperate bail out. So 4 of us flew out the door. It felt like I was caught up in a powerful force or whirlwind. I was trying to keep up With Des which is nearly impossible and taking in the sights of Washington . The weather is perfect, beautiful buildings. trees blooming that I couldn't name. Friendly joggers, dog walkers,and homeless men and woman on each block.
We got to Fox studio and a man from the camera crew said Paulson was gone so we treked over to the Newseum. I am not much for celebrity gawking, but I was impressed to see Cokie Roberts, Sam Donaldson, Sen. Chris Dodd, and George Stephan-(I'm not even going to try to spell his name.) In the Flesh. I liked the process of telling them our take of the issues face to face and getting a response. I send e-mails to Congress everyday. But,with this in your face method I felt much more was accomplished. We had a conversation with Donna Brazil. She talked with us for quite a while.I thought she was beautiful. Another strong woman speaking her mind and challenging the decisions made by this government. She agreed that if the Dems .used their backbone and said NO to this latest farce from the Bush Adm.,that the election would be in the bag. But they won't sad to say.
Questions that I would like an honest answer to include.
Why are these politicians afraid to make waves.?
Who's lining their pockets?
Where are they getting the 7 billion? And at whose expense?
Why are they bailing out the rich, no filthy rich? While we foot the bill.
Ann And Liz called it " Welfare For the rich"
My words don't always come out like my thoughts meant them to. But I was quite comfortable chanting sayings and waving fake money around to make people aware. It was an exciting fulfilling feeling. I had the thought I would like to stay in DC where the action is. Who knows if I keep doing this I might find my own voice.

VIDEO BLOG: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell Inducted into the Hall of Shame by CODEPINK

On monday September 17th, CODEPINK lead a delegation composed of numerous anti-war organizations and individuals into Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's office in order to induct him in the Hall of Shame.



There is also this video of CODEPINK singing "THis Little Light of Mine" in the hallway of the Russel Senate office building on the way to Mitch McConnell's office.

CODEPINK "Speaking of Freedom" - MUSIC VIDEO

This is a music video featuring CODEPINK Women for Peace in footage shot at the 2007 4th of July parade in Washington DC.

VIDEO - Pink Patriots Parade on Constituion Av July 4th

Pink Police arrest Bush and Libby @ White House

George Bush-Soft on Crime - Scooter Libby Should be Doing Time

Laurie Meier
CODEPINK St.Louis - Local Coordinator - in DC

Today CODEPINK responded to an early morning call from retired Col. Anne Wright to mobilize in front of the White House to protest Bush's decision to commute Scooter Libby's sentence to only a measly $250,000 fine AND NO JAIL TIME! A car full of PINKs sported a Bush-devil costume and Libby-jail-jumpsuit costume Liz (AZ) and David (MD). The PINK police circled Bush and Libby with yellow disaster tape Medea (CA), Marie (CA), and Suzanne (AK), while other PINKs had the bull horns Deseree (TX) and Laurie (MO) chanting the following:

George Bush is soft on crime
Scooter Libby should be doing time

and

For he's a jolly good felon
For he's a jolly good felon
For he's a jolly good feloooooooooooooon
-AND he should go to jail

And he should go to jail
And he should go to jail
For he's a jolly good felon
And he should go to jail


Arvind (TX), Midge (MO), Janet (CA, and Tara (VA) helped document the moment. "Filming street theater dramatics helps the people realize the lack of justice from our leaders who are supposed to be serving America" says Midge (MO). There were also loads of media and tourists capturing and some participating in the action. Some media-personnel located inside the gate on the lawn of the White House waiting for Tony Snow to hold a Press Conference said they definitely could hear our bull-horned chants.

After the press died down CODEPINK Marie (CA) and Laurie (MO) went to go get the car and needed to wait on the side of the road as the other PINKs were finishing up. Marie and Laurie, then, noticed a motorcade approaching- fast, and the busy DC street cleared. Laurie put her PINK police cap on and both gals jumped out of the car and made a halting motion with peace fingers in front of the motorcade. One of the black SUVs intimidatingly swerved toward them and sped away.

Todays CODEPINK action was a follow-up to a CODEPINK action outside the federal courthouse in DC where the court handed down their decision on Libby.

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CLICK HERE to read more on this in Janet's blogpost.

Claire Gives Peace a Cold Shoulder

With our congress people still funding war and leaving our soldiers to be killed- despite what we-the-people (aka- their bosses) voted for, I felt compelled to dedicate my summer to helping to end the Iraq war. During the school year I am a teacher in St.Louis and also the local coordinator of CODEPINK St.Louis- Women for Peace. I accepted an arts-coordinator/media outreach position with the CODEPINK House in Washington DC, for a couple of months, to help non-violent activists from around the country to creatively exercise their rights, represent their communities (majority) voice-of-peace, and teach (primarily) women useful outreach-tools before they return home. We at the DC-CODEPINK House are encouraged to make goals for the week- benchmarks, if you will, a sort of a timetable which acts as our road map for the week before we leave to go back home to our own states... to ensure each activist who visits the DC-CODEPINK House has an imperative exit strategy before returning home...

One of my benchmarks for June 21^st, 2007 was to visit Senator Claire McCaskill's office. Claire had just voted for another $100 billion more funding without a timetable for withdrawal which she claims she wants (...even though she is on record saying she doesn't think the troops should come home). Claire recently returned from a visit to Iraq, proclaiming that money is being “wasted”. When I confronted her about her reckless war funding vote $100 billion spending habit, during her morning public meeting today, she brushed me off and made small talk about the Cardinals and weather instead.

I explained to Claire and the small group of constituents that “my cousin, who has a new baby, is serving in Iraq and I want him to come home to see his daughter; so “after funding more war... what steps is she taking to bring the soldiers home?”. Instead of responding to my question, she redirected it; and spoke of her visit to Iraq, of entering the green-zone, and blah blah blahed until she quickly asked others in the room if they had any other questions. A couple of young students in the room from St.Louis asked, again, about the Iraq war and Claire told them “we had just talked about that,” and she blah blah blahed again while I discreetly corrected her careful sound bytes into the reality of what she was actually saying. For example, when she talked about funding an important..blah blah blah that would help give the troops what they needed- I would interject grounded things like “giving the corporations” what they wanted and “funding more troops” to be killed.

Yet another man from this small group of constituents asked about the war and by this time she seemed thoroughly uncomfortable and clearly flustered with my subtle and righteous corrections (which she ignored and didn't challenge. I had to sit at her neglect; I felt sickened and on the verge of crying– which I didn't want to do, because my message of peace could risk being discounted. She had no acknowledgement of my cousin, his family, nor any of her contradictions I was bringing to light. The gut-quaking wails, I couldn't help, came out of pure realization that she really has no intentions of bringing our soldiers home nor hearing or really listening to her constituents.

She then, quickly maneuvered another distraction, to take a happsy whapsey group photo and began to hustle out of the room. Out of pure desperation at her ridiculousness and cowardice I sang her a song through my tears and distressed emotion called “Stop In The Name of Peace”, sung to the tune of “Stop In The Name of Love”. It went as follows:

Senator I'm aware of how you vote
Each time you reach the floor
I'm watching you talk on TV
Knowing that you're gonna lie to me
But this time before you run to war
Without the nation's support
(think it over) Haven't Missourians been good to you?
(think it over) Haven't Missourian voters been sweet to you?

Stop! In the name of peace
U.S. Out of the Middle East
Stop! In the name of peace
U.S. Out of the Middle East
Think it over
Think it over

My CODEPINK sisters later reflected that Claire had turned her back on us immediately after I had introduced myself and friends as members of CODEPINK. This seemed symbolic to me of her turning her back on the majority of Missourians, who helped her get elected to bring peace, the people, I felt, I was there representing. And also I feel as though she hasn't the strength and backbone she claimed to have to stand up to this administration, like she said she would do during her campaign.

Although Claire broke me down for a minute today, she should understand that her constituents are watching what she is doing. She has not destroyed my hope for peace. She just destroyed the hope for a female congress woman brave enough to balance peace with the over-bloated war, and be a real leader worthy of American women's dreams. She's clearly allowing herself to be a pawn buying Bushes war... well, now, officially in my mind, she bought it and needs to own it now too.

Laurie Meier in Washington DC
CODEPINK St.Louis – Local Coordinator
www.geocities.com/codepinkstlouis

What Would Maria Do? Code Pink Knows

As an online activist, I am usually behind a laptop screen, but I also venture into the 'hood to do some educating on the Hill, with Code Pink, Backbone Patrol, and other groups.

Lately I noticed that women are often criticized online for speaking truth to power. Without getting too deeply into Lacanian/Derridan critical theory, let me just say that such a reaction is hardly shocking. However, when I was nominated for the Maria Leavey Award I thought, well, maybe, if I win, I will have an opportunity to address the realities of women speaking out.

Then I saw my competition: young, active, on their way up the progressive ladder. One works in Africa. I do laundry. One helps poor people with legal problems. I make dinner for activists. Another works on health care issues. I write docu-dramas. So I knew my moment at Take Back America was not to be.

I made a video anyway. I interviewed some righteous women and pulled out my photos from the past four years, and wrote myself a story to go with it: Democracy Cell Project

Here's the video:



I want the video to be shared, and not just at the grasstops gathering known as Take Back America. I hope that by listening to the words and seeing the images of women acting up and speaking out and creating and performing, we will see how to work together to end immorality, greed, war, and injustice.

So here's my Mom response to all the one-up-manship, petty bickering, name-calling, and criticism of women making peace: CUT THE CRAP.

We have a planet to save. Pass it on.

Dear Cindy by Deidra Lynch

Dear Cindy,
First and foremost, please let me thank you for all you have sacrificed, your son, your family and your life to help show America that this war is wrong. And it is so wrong. And the American public's apathy is so wrong. And those who have tried to tear you down are so wrong.

I agree with you as to where we are headed. Bush is becoming more Hitlerish each day. Our government's attitude towards the citizens has shifted so far to fascism that it amazes me how few are yet screaming. But folks are beginning to take notice. Three years ago, most people responded to that kind of statement from my mouth as ludicrous or at least over exaggerated. Now the reaction I get is not only that the "war is wrong", but that "our government is wrong"!

I read in your letter that you don't see folks as Republicans or as Democrats but what is in their hearts. I too am a "heart watcher" and your heart on Mother's Day while sitting on the grass with me was so pure and so true. But I felt your sadness, not only the sadness for your son and for your other three children not there with you, but your sadness for the other people that were NOT there that day, your sadness for the millions who just don't get that this war is so wrong.

But I believe there are a number of people that are beginning to wake up and realize that the only answer for our planet is peace. That the only solution to our World's existence is peace. That the only journey worth taking is creating a life of peace. There are old ones and young ones coming forward. A new kind of humanity that you have inspired, as have many others have before you, and along with you. There will always be those who try to create chaos but there are more of us joining daily who are willing to get past those differences and trouble makers. There is a new surge of activists on their way to carry on this work for peace.

You said in your letter that neither party can hear the other and so I will dare to repeat to you, what one of your adversaries said in reaction to your resignation. "Most of us... understand that she is hurt very deeply." and they hope that you "will now be able to heal". You have sacrificed so much Cindy, even the time that you should have had to heal from such a great loss. Please know that there are millions of us that love you, respect you and admire all that you have done. We will miss you and your heart but I believe we will see each other again, as I know you when you are truly needed, you will stand up for peace.

My little girl, Autumnrain was so proud to meet you and be there with you on Mother's Day in DC. She considers you a heroine, as do I. I'm not going to tell Autumnrain that you are resigning, I am going to tell her that you've gone home to rest and to heal. That you have served your time honorably, as did Casey and have fought the toughest of fights. But all tours must come to an end and so it's time for you to return home. Heal Cindy and be at peace.

Deidra Lynch CODEPINK Orlando