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I'm meeting amazing wimmin along the road but I MISS everyone at home too!!!!

All through my travels, through these parts of the country that seemed to be overwhelmingly the hotbeds of aggressive support for war and fundamentalism - now seem to be stepping up to the plate and determined to end this war.

I am so encouraged - and I know we have the toughest, most challenging battles ahead of us in D.C. And I know we are up for the task!

I have gotten several requests from wimmin who are staying home, asking what can they do? I am hoping, besides holding similtaneous "Peace-In" actions at Pelosi's and all democrats' offices that haven't signed on to Barbara Lee's resolution - I am hoping you might want to work on fundraising and collecting monies for jail and legal support of all the wimmin who are going to be doing civil disobedience to end war - whether here or in D.C.

We have SOOOO much to plan and strategize. We have the BEST opportunity to end war in these next couple of weeks then we've had since the beginning. PLEASE do not let these days go by without focusing as MUCH of your time, energy, resources as you possibly can on ending war NOW.

We cannot let this opportunity go by without pulling out all the stops, focusing, committing - we know what is at risk. We know the casualties that are happening in Iraq. We know the ships are outside of Iran. We know 21,000 additional troops are on the spring board.

And we know we have a majority in the House and Senate that is holding our Mandate for Peace. A majority that only WE can/must hold to this Mandate!

PLEASE seriously consider coming to D.C. - we have the house for a MONTH, until Feb 20th. We KNOW if enough folks come to D.C., stay in D.C. in the streets, in the halls of congress, in the offices - if enough of us are there, relentless, determined, we WILL make herstory and end this horrific war and occupation.

We NEED you! Peace, Power, Protest, Participation, Zanne Sam Joi

To donate on line, please go to www.bayareacodepink.org/donate.htm

Peace-In Charlotte North Carolina

I have agreed under protest to do today's action in front of the Republican Congresswoman Sue Wyrick’s Office. Again, folks seem to be wanting to be protective of the Democrats. We are so battered and disappointed in these folks that represent us that we are so grateful for the smallest things – when this is the time to demand the MOST, not settle for the LEAST.

But every chapter in her own time! We had an AWESOME protest today, on a very busy road in between the Macy’s shopping center and the business park that housed the Congresswoman’s Office.

About 6 CodePINK wimmin and a couple of hubbies showed up in hot pink force to stand on several corners, holding banners, putting out the WITS & Real Face of War displays.

Two TV stations sent camera men, one getting there the same time I drove up and staying thru to the very end; the other coming a little after we set up and staying also till the end. They both came with us into the Congresswoman’s Office.

The Charlotte CodePINKers had purchased a card for Sue, imploring her to read and sponsor the new resolution that Barbara Lee, Maxine Waters, and Lynn Woolsey have put before Congress. Amazing Maggie also printed out the resolution and it’s arguments and presented it with the card.

All the CodePINK wimmin were outspoken, composed, compassionate, and so very inspiring to stand with and be a part of. Many of them are coming to D.C.

The BEST thing was after this action at Myrick's office, the wimmin decided to go to the Democrat Congressman and find out if he will also sponsor Barbara Lee's resolution. Everyone agreed we MUST hold the Democrats - and those Republicans who are now coming out against war - accountable.

No longer will we be satisfied with the right words: the actions must follow!

AND another best thing, one of the fellows said that just last nite the Charlotte peace activists decided to rent a bus and head to D.C.!~!~! He said until last nite, there wasn’t enough support to do it.

He also said that the bus company is giving them a huge break – so many are doing whatever they can to be part of our Hot PINK Peace Surge to D.C.

So SERIOUSLY consider coming to Washington -= we have the house until the 20th of February and we NEED you there.

WE frame the issues: To vote $$$ to continue war in Iraq; or to vote $$$ to Bring our Troops Home NOW!

Asheville not!

I was looking so forward to being in Asheville again this morning but I didn’t make it! I decided after weathering a deluge in Atlanta last nite that I wasn’t going to risk driving in the mountains and encountering ice! I’ve already done my ice share this trip!

And also, I didn’t have time to buy that tire the truck desperately needs –nor did I get the oil changed yet! These will HAVE to be priorities after Tuesday’s actions and before the final haul to D.C. Wednesday. Finding a peace-friendly truck shop in the south – hmmmmm! We’ll see.

So I made a grave mistake and postponed the Asheville action. I should have just told the wimmin that I wasn’t going to be able to make it and encouraged them to do the action without me – which is what happened – but I inadvertently undermined it by announcing it was postponed. I don’t know what I was thinking – except I was exhausted.

And I succumbed slightly to the one very strident Asheville voice that really protested our Peace-In at the newly elected Democrat’s Office, Congressman Shuler. She wanted the Congressman treated with kid gloves, wanted to give him space to get used to his new job, his new constituents, his new duties.

I pointed out to her that we not promoting a new bridge or traffic light. We’re ending war and need this Democrat’s commitment. During the few moments we were emailing each other, several hundreds, if not thousands, human lives were destroyed in Iraq. Period. Gone. Dead. Killed.

I asked her if she was afraid Shuler was going to come down on the side of war? She is worried we will not be “nice and polite”. I assured her we will be whatever the situation calls for.

Even though I never showed up, we did not have to wait long to find out Shuler’s position. An awesome CodePINK womon actually got to talk with the congressman himself and it seems he is toting the conservative party line: he does NOT want to be seen as being against our troops so he will not cut funds while the soldiers are there.

We MUST frame this argument ourselves. We MUST tell our Congresspeople it is a clear choice: they can either vote the money to continue the war and occupation of Iraq; OR they can vote money to bring our soldiers home NOW. Period.

Those are the 2 choices: the choices are NOT either you vote money for our soldiers, or you’re not supporting our soldiers. We cannot allow the Republicans that are supporting the continuation of war & occupation to frame the issue in this way.

And besides, ask these fellows exactly how much of the war budget goes to the soldiers and they don’t know. But we do – very, very, very little goes to the soldiers themselves. Most of it goes to the military industrial complex as the Halliburton’s, the Kellogg Root and Browns, etc.

Public radio in Asheville covered the news and this codepinker got to speak to the media for the first time! I’m sure she did an EXCELLENT job!