united we stand - for progressive values!

the first event (that i'm attending) to kick off the progessive democrats summit happened this evening at a progressive church in d.c. i was staffing the codepink table so again, i didn't get to hear everything folks were saying but what i did hear was so inspirational. a young man, returning from iraq & now a conscientious objector spoke with such feeling about the tragedy of war, the abuse he witnessed, the horrid impact of war on him & his fellow soldiers as well as the iraqi people. he also listed what the $40 million being spent on this coronation could provide for veterans and for soldiers, how it would quadruple the budget for health provisions, etc. for soldiers - how 'support our troops' is another busheetism.
medea was inspirational as usual, speaking of the 40 million dollar party that we crashed! and warning us of the severe upcoming attacks on social services, the poor, communities of color, wimmin that are in the works. it is time for us really express our determination, to work even harder, to do 10 times what we've done yesterday. she said we will never be safe by bombs & bullets, only by peace & love. she spoke of the phenomenal $600,000 in aid delivered to fulluja - not just the miracle of raising that much aid, but that most of the families that went were victims of this war, people who had lost their own child in iraq - these were the people reaching out to give iraqi's help. medea told us bush might not even make it four years, as our peace & justice movement is growing stronger & stronger moment by moment & many folks are disgusted with the carnage of war - so good bye bush!
i cannot do justice to the many speakers & voices that were expressed so amazingly tonite - i don't know if it was recorded but it should have been.
the program didn't end until midnite & we had a communication break=down - no way home! two attendees volunteered to lug our stuff & the 8 of us home in 6 degree weather! thanks so much!!! later, sam