D.C. woman fasts, holds vigil to honor Gazan women

In solidarity with novelist Alice Walker and 58 others currently in Gaza

WHAT: D.C. activist to fast in solidarity with Alice Walker, 58 other delegates currently in Gaza
WHEN: 11 a.m. March 8 to March 14
WHERE: On the Lafayette Park side of the White House

WASHINGTON -- In solidarity with Pulitzer-Prize winning novelist Alice Walker and 58 others currently in war-torn Gaza, a D.C.-based CODEPINK activist will begin a week-long fast and vigil today outside the White House, calling for the Obama administration to urge the Israeli government to immediately end its border blockade on Gaza and halt settlement expansion in Palestinian land.

Leslie Angeline, who will sit with friends near Lafayette Park outside the White House, said her efforts will mark International Women's Day today, honor Gazan women and represent the wishes of the 60-member international delegation currently in Gaza, which returns March 14.

Egyptian authorities allowed the delegation, including Pulitzer-Prize winning novelist Alice Walker, the parents of American Rachel Corrie, who was killed in Gaza in 2003, and 57 others into Gaza March 7. it will meet with UN and rights' groups officials, Gazan civilians, and witness the damage from the 22-day Israeli attacks there earlier this year.

"I voted for President Obama because he promised change and peace," Angeline said. "It's time for him to prove he'll keep his word."

The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) invited the delegation to Gaza to celebrate International Women's Day with the women of Gaza.

For more information, please call Jean Stevens at 508-769-2138 or Leslie Angeline at 360-786-0684.

White House Vigil

Leslie started her vigil for Gazan women and children in front of the White House yesterday morning. After a special PaxLive featuring Desiree, we took the X2 bus to join in for a lovely afternoon of visibility and outreach.

Since my handwriting has been compared to that of a serial killer, I printed out a sign with a quote from Obama's inaugural address: "Your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy."

Des tied a peace ribbon to the White House fence.

After our relatively brief vigil of mere hours, we stopped by to check on Connie, who still had a foam peace hand we'd brought in January when we had a vigil to remember Thomas.

Today we're heading to the White House, then at her suggestion I'm going to the Smithsonian's Ripley Center to check out the exhibition Road to Freedom: Photographs of the Civil Rights Movement, 1956-1968. That should be a good capstone for the action, and my regular 198 Sundays post will in part feature her father, an original Freedom Rider, as our Gaza delegation continues its modern freedom ride.

ntodd

(originally posted at Green Mountain Code Pink)

PaxLive: Inside The Beltway

In which NTodd comes to you live from DC to discuss Iran, Obama's political strategy and systems thinking. Thanks to the callers, including Code Pinker Sarah, for their insights!

BTW, a Very Important Announcement: tune in tomorrow at 1230pm Eastern/930am Pacific to hear our very own Desiree talk about her *2 years* in DC and other cool things! Go to http://paxlive.net or http://www.blogtalkradio.com/PaxLive to listen and chat online, and call in to ask questions or share your thoughts at (718) 766-4126.

ntodd

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Okay, one last time where I just link to the Green Mountain Code Pink blog: we attended Kerry's hearings on Iran policy, which have been excellent.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled pinking...

ntodd

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ntodd

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If Only We Held So Much Sway

NYTimes Sunday Magazine:

[House Minority Whip Eric] Cantor listed some of the more extreme liberal forces — he mentioned Code Pink, the women’s antiwar group, and the “radical environmental movement,” which were about the most provocative examples he could come up with off the top of his head — that seemed, in his view, to hold sway among Democrats in Congress but whom Obama, with his centrist outlook, might need to defy.

Extreme liberal forces? I like the sound of that...

ntodd