Code Pink Journals CodePINK Journals

Work 4 Peace,Hold All Life Sacred,Eliminate Violence! I am on my mobile version of the door-to-door, going town-to-town holding readings/gatherings/discussions of my book "But What Can I Do?" This is my often neglected blog mostly about my travels since 9/11 as I engage in dialogue and actions. It is steaming with my opinions, insights, analyses toward that end of holding all life sacred, dismantling the empire and eliminating violence while creating the society we want ALL to thrive in

Monday, October 11, 2004

it always rains in florida

Our first full day in Florida and it’s POURING!!! Warm but very, very wet. We met up w/codepink wimmin in the morning – YEAH!!!!! – some of whom have been here since the rnc unwelcoming!!! They’ve been doing lots of intense fabulous work, organizing codepink in Tampa, Sarasota, Tallahassee, & other parts of florida. It was so great seeing them & meeting with everyone.
Once again, we find generous and supportive everyday extraordinary Americans willing contribute in any way they can to our work. Someone has offered use of their home and many computers, not to mention wireless internet for those of us so connected in that way, during the day while they’re at work. So after our meeting, we set out to explore our new temp office! In the rain…
I’m focusing on tabling so we use the internet to search for shopping areas, universities, events – we make a calendar and a map & off we go! In the torrent…
So much for tabling in Sarasota today, but we’ve got to get a feel for the lay of the land – find the independent espresso shops, internet access, natural foods, and the undecided voters along with the places they hang out at – not necessarily in that order! We discover the University of Southern Florida, only their students are accountants that take classes only; we discover the New College only their students are on fall break – fall break, the nerve!
We head to the meeting of the democratic women of this part of florida which is being held at an amazing coffee house that other folks on our way here have told us we MUST check out – foggertyville coffee house – it is fabulous – vegan & veggie meals as well as espresso. Totally leftist political, warm folks!
The democratic wimmin begin their meeting by calling on us to stand & pledge alligiance to the flag under god – other codepink wimmin have met us here and we are sitting at the very back & side of the house which is full of mostly over 60 mostly but not all white women. We join the others in standing and are the only ones whose hands are still hanging by our sides as we stand, thinking this does not bode well.
The meeting vastly improves – a dynamic brilliant congresswomon gives us encouraging words of hope & stirring words about the hard work path we’re all on, especially the democrats in the florida congress. Apparently, the republican majority has redrawn the districts to insure a republican majority from now until eternity - at least they think so. But the democrats haven't given up.
A diplomat speaks about the group of over 50 diplomats & military persons who have decreed gwb unfit to lead our country – my words. But this is a must know group for all of us – i’ll get details & post later, or if anyone knows….
Andrea gets to talk about codepink & we get lots of Glenda Hood pink slips signed! YEAH for our first day on the west coast - Florida slang, weird for a california womon! peace & justice, sam