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

Tuesday, May 09, 2006

This morning I met with 4 white church women from late 20’s to mid 70’s maybe. I only have an hour to speak with everyone. They open the meeting w/a ‘brief’ prayer. I’m rolling my inner spiritual child, bracing myself for what comes next. I hope they don’t tell me god bless you cause I’ll be forced to say lesbians bless you – and then my purpose for being here will be thwarted even more.

They are friends of a friend of a codepinker who want to know about CodePINK. I want to tell them about Mother’s Day MONTH. I’m still reeling from Kansas City – which has better prepared me for this meeting, I hope.

I hold onto my goal: to inspire these women to come to D.C., if only for the weekend, but hopefully for the month.

When I finally get to the MONTH, they have the same reaction that no longer shocks & dismays me – they laugh! Then they say it’s impossible for them to come; and then, as I tilt my head in what I hope is a non-judgmental huh? at them, they list their reasons.

I nod in what I hope is sympathy as I ask them if they think 100,000 women surrounding Congress for a month would have a great impact on ending the war. They all agree that even 10,000 women surrounding Congress for a week would have a great impact on ending the war.

Then I say, so we all know what we need to do to end the war. So are you willing to join us?

An older woman in the group smiles shyly & says she couldn’t possibly risk her recently finished turn-of-the-century restored house that she’s been working on for decades. I don’t ask her if her house would really be risked if she left for 4 weeks. Instead I ask her to pretend I am god & that I can do anything I want to.

I ask her would she be willing to give up her recently restored home, that she loves & has worked so hard on, a dream she’s been able to make come true – would she be willing to trade this house for the end of war in Iraq?

At first she says no, as if I’ve lost my mind. I cover my mouth, nod silently, wait & just look at her. She shifts uncomfortably. “You can’t expect me to give up my home, I’ve worked so hard for so long for this.”

I say I’m asking the question, what would you be willing to give up to end war? I talk about how we need to stop our lives; we need to sacrifice; how our sacrifice is nothing compared to Iraq women. I talk more about the Iraqi women – no one asked them if they were willing to give up their home.

I ask again, if war would end, would you be willing to give up your home?

I wait. She says nothing but digs deeper into her seat. Her friends, who initially agreed I couldn't expect her to give up this home, appear uncomfortable too.

Then I say to her, pretend I’m the devil. Pretend I am willing to let you keep your newly restored home as long as you’re willing to allow me to keep bombing Iraq.

Do you think this is the tradeoff we're making? I feel I've sunk into the muck of christian philosophy. I ask them to think about it. I think I have pissed off another group of privileged white women.

We speak a few more minutes about Iraq women & what they have been forced to sacrifice. These women are not interested in sacrificing anything to stop this war; I leave not knowing why they really wanted to speak with me.

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