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

Wednesday, November 23, 2005

woman copper this time - yeah!!!

I really hate not being able to control the date & time when I post – HELP!!! Laura – what happened – whine, whine.

I want this story to be posted on 11/23 – the day we return to the overpass to banner. We were able to hold up two banners this time: one says: “Women say ENOUGH!” the other “Troops Home NOW”. Traffic was light for rush hour, the day before tanksgiving, but still heavy enough for folks to be going less than 30 miles an hour. We were there close to an hour when someone notices a highway patrol officer parking in the lot way at the bottom of the overpass & begin their assent up to where we’re bannering.

We all decide we don’t want to get arrested this time but we’ve gathered consent for naught. The officer who approaches us is a womon and of color. We smile broadly, returning her smile & greet each other with “good morning”. “Did you come to join us?” Donna asks in her lovely, most welcoming voice. “I wish” the officer responds and asks us what our banners say. She is agreeing as we read them to her.

“I’m glad you’re here” she begins. “I just have to ask you to take a break every 15 minutes or so” and then she waves at the traffic, indicating we have something to do with the flow, “and allow traffic to proceed”. Hmmm – is this saving face chp 101? We’re pleased they sent this officer, and not the previous one. And we’re struggling hard to allow her to save face for the department.

We move to the other side for a moment as traffic whizzes under us seeming to be going well over the speed limit. This I think is dangerous – for those who slow down to read the banner & honk or gives us the peace symbol. Plus the wind is whipping thru that side, pushing the banners out & making them hard to hold. We return to the other side as the police officer makes her way back down the ramp and into her waiting vehicle.

Another glorious morning of bannering – we get lots and lots of honks & peace symbols; one “fuck you” screamed as he guns his big 4 door truck by; and another ‘terrorists’ – he must be the repeat customer from the last bannering! Oh well. We plan to come on Friday, the largest shopping day of the year, around 10:00 this time – for the shopping crowd! Peace, Sam