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 Women from PeaceRoots Alliance joined CodePink on November 17, 2002 as they marched through the streets of Washington, DC and set up a four-month vigil in front of the White House.
Code Pink rejects the administration’s fear-based politics that justify violence. We call for policies based on compassion, kindness, and a commitment to international law and the Bill of Rights. CodePink women and men emphasize joy and humor to activate and inspire all of us through creative campaigns and a commitment to non-violence. The name CODEPINK plays on the Bush administration’s color-coded alerts based on fear, the ODEPINK alert is based on compassion and is a feisty call for women and men to “wage peace.”
PeaceRoots co-founder and board member, Elizabeth Barger, attended the CodePink strategy building retreat in Austin Texas with over 150 women. It was more AMAZING than we could have imagined! “The power, beauty and authentic voice of each participant was heard and acknowledged creating an atmosphere of trust and friendship that everyone felt.” Our future actions and campaigns will be enriched by the participation of women from many organizations in alliance that were present. I would call it a great success for peace!
 Judy Meeker gave me 2 More Than Warmth quilts and a Pink quilt for the attendees to sign. Everyone was very impressed with the art from the children who made the quilts, and many attendees, including Iraq Vets for Peace and Susan Swift’s mother, signed the quilt. Ann Wright, Diane Wilson, and Medea Benjamin also designed special squares for Judy’s activist quilt that will be shown nationally.
Molly Ivans will send a square, too. In a recent column where she discusses “cow whispering” as a better way to herd cows instead of hollering and scaring them, she said about her attendance at the CodePink retreat: “I recently attended a women’s peace movement meeting, sponsored by the Code Pink group, founded by Medea Benjamin, Jodie Evans and Diane Wilson. (Ha, now you think you see where I am going.) The women peacemakers also included Cindy Sheehan, writer Anne Lamott and Col. Ann Wright, who served 29 years in the Army and more than 15 years in the Foreign Service, before resigning in protest over Bush’s drive to war in Iraq.
I must say, they were a lot more emphatic than the cow whisperer. In fact, as I left, they were saddling up to ride down to President Bush at his ranch with a people’s posse peace warrant. Lots of whooping about it.
 Women peace activists, as rule, have totally solved the gnarly old dilemma: What do you do about hating
the haters? If you’re a woman peace activist, this is Step 101—you spill love and calm and reassurance and, well, peace all over them. (Which is why it’s especially funny that George Bush is so afraid of Cindy Sheehan.)
For those of us who have not mastered this advanced technique, a Revolution in Favor of Kindness and Libraries seems like a nice idea. Anne Lamott, one of the funniest people in America, has developed a scenario for a Revolution With Good Manners, in which we are all extremely nice to one another. Good manners never hurt anything.
“Our Revolution decrees that we will fight tooth and nail for these things, politely.”
I am still lamentably stuck in the middle—not that I hold with hating the haters ... we can all see where that leads—but I am always tempted to shout them down. “One, Two Three, Four: We Don’t Want Your F-ing War.” Now does that repel more potential supporters or attract more people who really need to sound off?
What I learned from Code Pink is that this is not an either-or question. The peace movement is a matter of And and And and And. You just keep adding more people, from those like Sheehan, who lost her son Casey in the stupid debacle, to the Iraqi Veterans Against the War, easily the strongest, most moving group of young people in America. They have learned in the hardest way what politics is.
War is about rounding up people with Shock and Awe and really loud noises, and about thinking you can herd them by hurting and killing them. Politics is what you do if you’re not so stupid you walk into an unnecessary and unprovoked war. I’m founding Cow Whisperers Against the War.”
We discussed the importance to put peace on the ballot. We will organize with national campaigns to get elected officials and candidates on board with the majority of Americans who want the troops out of Iraq. The Declaration of Peace and Voters for Peace actions will be the tools we can use to do this.
From September 21-28, just days before Congress adjourns for the fall elections, people around the US will take part in nonviolent action, marches, rallies, demonstrations, interfaith services, candlelight vigils and other creative ways to declare peace at the US Capitol and in cities and towns across the country. PeaceRoots and CodePink are involved in planned Declaration of Peace actions and organizing with local peace coalitions and other groups in cities around the nation.
On the evening of September 21st, activists and organizers all over the country are coming together for the National Grassroots Mobilization Training to learn how we can help lead and be a part of grassroots campaigns this fall. The training will focus specifically on how we can successfully build local, people-powered campaigns through volunteer recruitment and direct voter outreach. Not only will the evening be a chance to learn some of the tools of grassroots mobilizing, but it will also be an exciting opportunity to connect with local activists from other campaigns and get linked to opportunities for direct action.
CODEPINK house party hosts will receive a special Voters for Peace outreach kit with pledge forms and campaign goodies. After you register as a hostess on the Center for Progressive Leadership website, send an email to laura@globalexchange.org with your home address and party details and CodePink will send you a party kit.
PeaceRoots member, Elizabeth Barger, will join CodePink DC at Camp Democracy to help host a special women’s day of activism on September 20th. A breakfast will be held outside the White House on the morning of September 21st to honor the conclusion of our Troops Home Fast campaign as the Declaration of Peace week begins.
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