Was there anything good about 2019?

Impeachment, Trump, sanctions, coups, threats of war. It’s hard to think about 2019 without getting depressed. But yes, there were hopeful things that moved us in a positive direction. I wrote about ten to inspire us as we move into 2020. Here is a sampling:

• In January, the most diverse class of lawmakers in U.S. history was sworn into Congress, including “the squad” who denounced the inhumane treatment of migrants on our southern border; pushed for a Green New Deal and Medicare for All; refused to take the “mandatory” AIPAC trip to Israel; and more.
• The Democratic primaries have forced the country to talk about progressive policies like never before. Compared with 2016, all of the candidates have been more open to directly confronting the military-industrial complex, with vague but critical calls for reducing the overblown Pentagon budget.
• 2019 was a year of awe-inspiring environmental youth activism. Thanks to Greta, Jane Fonda brought the Fire Drill Fridays to Washington D.C., doing civil disobedience at Congress every Friday and bringing more national attention to the climate crisis.
• For Latin America, 2019 was a year of people’s power. There were advances and setbacks, but it’s clear that there is a return of the Pink Tide (the name given to the wave of progressive governments in the late 1990s and 2000s).
• In the Middle East, people also rose up in a massive repudiation of neoliberal policies and corrupt governments that benefit the wealthy and multinational corporations at the expense of working people. In what has been dubbed the Autumn of Discontent, there were uprisings from Iraq to Lebanon, from Iran to Egypt.
• While Trump didn’t fulfill his promise to end our endless wars, and he actually sent 14,000 MORE troops to the Middle East, at least he didn’t start any new wars! Why? The American people have had enough. They want to get out of the wars we are in and don’t want to engage in new ones. When the U.S. accused Iran of a spectacular attack on Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities, the hawks in the Trump administration wanted to respond with a military attack. But polls showed a minuscule 13 percent in favor.

Read my annual 10 Good Things in its entirety here.

We’re on the eve of the new year and our work is about to get even more intense. Four more years of Donald Trump will be devastating for our nation and our world. We need all our energy and we will need all of you to help stem the tide of fascism. Please consider making an end of year tax-deductible donation to support CODEPINK’s work in the coming year. Anything you donate today will be matched dollar for dollar.

For a tiny organization, CODEPINK makes a HUGE impact. We take on the world’s biggest warmongers and the military-industrial complex with fearlessness, humor, and beautiful troublemaking. Watch our "Pink Year in Review" video here. You can also join our peacemaker team to take on tasks that match your skills, or a divestment campaign locally. The perfect way to kick off a new year dedicated to peace!

With your help, we can make 2020 the year that we turn the tides to a more peaceful world. Please support our work — today is the last day to have your gift matched!

Towards peace,
Medea Benjamin and the entire CODEPINK team: Ann, Ariel, Asia, Carley, Caty, Cody, Emily, Enas, Jodie, Leonardo, Michelle, Nancy, Paki, Teri, and Tighe