CodePink Report: How Obama Welcomes Peace Activists : Miami IMC

From: CODEPINK
Sent: Friday, January 23, 2009
To: Linda Belgrave (Miami for Peace)

Dear Linda,

Four years ago, CODEPINK founders spent inauguration night in a miserable jail call, charged with disorderly conduct for unfurling a "Stop the War" banner during the ceremony. This year, instead of handcuffs, we got front row seats--and hugs and kisses from the crowd as we unfurled peace banners, danced the can-can while singing "Yes we can-can end war" and handed out thousands of pink ribbons calling on President Obama to keep his peace promises.

As The Washington Times noted, "You know things have changed in Washington when CODEPINK gets seats up front at the inauguration. " You know things have changed when Army Chief of Staff General Casey enthusiastically let us tie a Promises for Peace ribbon on his wrist and pledged to join us in working for peace. You really know things have changed when Obama, on day one, started addressing some key promises--#2 (Shut down Guantanamo), #3 (Reject the Military Commissions Act) and #4 (Stop Torture). Thanks to everyone who participted in a hunger strike until Inauguration day to make this a reality.

It's a new era indeed, and your activism helped make it so. And thanks to you, CODEPINK just received a thrilling honor from The Nation Magazine--being named the Most Valuable Progressive Organization of the entire Bush-Cheney era!http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=huwc%2BCgH3a0P00xWz6rO1QP%2B9VBbVSIP

CODEPINK was never merely a protest group. It was a community of hope, and the election of Barack Obama serves as least to some extent as a realization of that hope. But CODEPINK activists have always leavened their hope with realism. They know that Obama will need prodding. So the Most Valuable Progressives of the Bush era are already putting their mark on what will be the Obama era.

Thank you for being one of the Most Valuable Progressives of the Bush years. Here's to a brighter four years!

Keeping our promises for peace every day,
Audrey, Dana, Deidra, Desiree, Farida, Gael, Gayle, Janet, Jean, Jodie, Liz, Lori, Lydia, Medea, Nancy, Paris, and Rae

p.s.

* Check out the inspiring photos
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=MlflPCVN1%2BCnre1H6jXk6AP%2B9VBbVSIP of the hundreds of CODEPINK women who streamed into DC to join us for this historic inauguration!