Posted by CODEPINK Staff
Every month, the Bay Area's organizer extraordinaire Janet Weil and I put together a Roseroots Report, a roundup of all of CODEPINK local groups activities nationwide. Here's a peek of this month's report!
CODEPINK turned up the heat in June, with actions, meetings and gatherings focused on lifting the siege of Gaza, objecting Congressional war funding bills, countering deceptive military recruitment, speaking out against the occupation of Afghanistan and the attacks on Pakistan, standing in solidarity with Iranian demonstrators, and holding former Bush administration cronies accountable for their crimes.
War funding supplemental struggle: Before yet another "emergency" supplemental appropriation for $106 billion was voted on by the House and Senate, CODEPINKers brought public attention to the issue and generated "no more money for war" calls to Congress for both the supplemental and the defense budget of a whopping $603 billion.
Counter-recruitment: Corla of our small but active Redlands, CA group did two effective actions this month - participating in high school students' viewing of the documentary "Arlington West" with lively discussion afterward (read the excellent report back here), and convincing a movie theater manager not to feature Army recruiting videogames in the arcade part of the theater. CODEPINK NYC held a press conference and rally calling for the end of the JROTC in their city. Barbara from NYC and Yvette from Ft. Worth will be representing CODEPINK at the National Counter Recruitment and Demilitarization conference in Chicago mid-July. And, Lisa Savage has just posted this morning the first of her weekly blog posts on counter-recruitment to Pink Tank!
Gaza: CODEPINK coordinated two delegations to the region this past month to bring attention to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with its still locked-down borders: Our Egypt delegation of over 65 activists entered Gaza, built three pink playgrounds, and received a letter from Hamas for Obama, asking our president to visit Gaza and witness what his weapons funding is doing. Our Israel delegation was barred from entering Gaza but created three days of playful, powerful actions at the border, donated a playground to a Bedouin village, and, in coalition with Israeli and Palestinian organizations, staged creative actions in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and the West Bank. CODEPINK was outside of both Obama's speech in Cairo and Netanyahu's response speech in Ramat Gan, calling for an end to the illegal settlements and the siege. Read all delegate blogs and see photos here. Delegates from all over the US and Canada are coordinating speaking events in their communities and in the news. To connect with a delegate from your area for a report-back presentation, email [email protected].
CODEPINK began a boycott of AHAVA dead sea beauty products, which are manufactured in Occupied Palestine, by organizing two direct actions - in Tel Aviv bikini-clad muddy protesters shut down the store inside the Hilton for the day, and in NYC bikini-clad gals staged a vibrant protest inside the Israeli Ministry of Tourism's Tel Aviv Beach event in Central Park (see Cristina's blog here). In honor of Father's Day CODEPINK sent out an email letter from activist Tighe Barry who designed and built the playgrounds in Gaza, asking for funds to support a US tour of Israeli young women who refuse to fight in the Israeli army. We raised the seed money to start organizing for a fall tour with two young women shministit! Yesterday, CODEPINKers joined rallies and spoke out to the media in support of the passengers and crew of the Free Gaza boat who were abducted by Israeli police. And around the country, from SF to NYC, local groups continued to demonstrate for an end to the siege of Gaza.
Afghanistan and Pakistan: We continue to be outraged about the air strikes by both airplanes and increasingly, drones, on Afghanistan and Pakistan, resulting in a heavy loss of life and a terrible refugee crisis in Pakistan. In Berkeley, author and military mother Susan Galleymore gave a very informative talk on her recent research on drones, supplemented by other presentations by Hayward, CA local group coordinator Stephania Widger and Janet Weil. SF CODEPINK's monthly march across the Golden Gate Bridge included big banners with Peace with Afghanistan messaging. CODEPINK released a series of interviews and articles on Afghanistan, including a great piece by Jodie Evans.
Pinkers from California and Arizona are planning to meet in Nevada in mid-July to protest and vigil at Creech Air Force Base, where many of the drones are controlled from.
Our PINK Pages Book Club featured Rory Stewart's The Places in Between, and local book clubs continue to bud. You can join the national reading action at www.codepinkalert.org/bookclub
And in Phoenix, CODEPINK hosted a screening of Rethink Afghanistan.
Iran: Our hearts were captivated by the brave struggle of our sisters and brothers demonstrating in Iran amidst violence and public unrest. We released a statement and email alert with our response. Responding to the killing of a young woman demonstrator, Neda, CODEPINK LA joined with local activist groups to coordinate a concert for freedom and human rights in Iran, scheduled for August 8.
Iraq Troop Pull-Out from Cities on June 30: We released a press statement, and two articles were cross posted around the web.
Torture Accountability: Arizona pinkers, accompanied by Cindy Sheehan, brought a message of "don't confirm General McChrystal" to Senator McCain's office. June came to a dramatic end with CODEPINK's participation in the National Torture Accountability Day of Action, June 25, calling for the impeachment of federal Judge "Torture Memo" Bybee in SF, protesting outside the home of "Torture Professor" Yoo in Berkeley, coordinating speaking events with former CIA analyst Ray McGovern (who showed his true colors by donning a CODEPINK tee), a vibrant protest outside the 9th Circuit Court in Pasadena, and a rally in DC. Read the report back and don't miss seeing this excellent video from the SF action!
CODEPINK created a new webpage with great resources for arresting war criminals. Grab your cuffs and get ready to serve up justice the next time a criminal is speaking at a high paying gig in your city!
Make Out not War!: Houston CODEPINK created an AMAZING Make Out not War Truck for the annual Art Car parade and for Pride. Don't miss these fantastic photos. CODEPINK joined thousands in pink at the San Francisco Dyke March last weekend and handed out Make Out not War stickers - see hot pink pics here. And there is now a youtube with the moving story of the Make Out not War fundraiser NYC CODEPINK hosted in February - with the funds raised, through Collateral Repair Project, an Iraqi refugee in Jordan was able to start her own wedding videography business.
Make Out not War!: Houston CODEPINK created an AMAZING Make Out not War Truck for the annual Art Car parade and for Pride. Don't miss these fantastic photos. CODEPINK joined thousands in pink at the San Francisco Dyke March last weekend and handed out Make Out not War stickers - see hot pink pics here. And there is now a youtube with the moving story of the Make Out not War fundraiser NYC CODEPINK hosted in February - with the funds raised, through Collateral Repair Project, an Iraqi refugee in Jordan was able to start her own wedding videography business.
Pink House in Transition: Desiree announced her retirement as Pink House Mama as of August, and to make the Pink House more financially sustainable, we have decided to rent out four of the five bedrooms. Your stay at the Pink House in DC will help us keep the fifth bedroom open to CODEPINK. Join us for our Women's Leadership Intensive at the end of July, plan an activist trip or vacation to DC, and sign up to stay here. Plus, send a note of thanks to Des here.
Gearing up for the Summer Pacific Peace Convergence: CA's San Luis Obispo plans to host 75 west coast CODEPINKers for a weekend gathering August 28-30. Registration is almost full so hurry and get your application in for this rejuvenating and inspiring weekend!
Hot off the press: Long-time CODEPINKer and organizer of a weekly campus vigil at St. Mary's College in Moraga, CA, Brenda Hillman has just come out with her 8th volume of poetry, Practical Water. The collection includes a section of poems about being in congressional hearings from 2005 -2008, with Brenda's and others' photos. Her essay, "Reportorial Poetry, Trance & Activism" includes the line: "…the good can occur when people gather in small groups to work for justice in each community using imagination without force."