Hopefully this won't get missed in all the FISA/Obama fallout.
Today, members of Long Island Alliance for Peaceful Alternatives, Pax Christi, Veterans for Peace and of course... CodePink descended en masse upon Rep. Ackerman's office in Bayside, Queens. Pictured are myself, Judi Gardner, our wonderful "peace crone" Charlotte Koons, and Sue Donnelly.
While Judi met with Rep. Ackerman's Long Island staffers, Medea Benjamin and the DC group confronted Ackerman himself in Washington DC - ironically enough, IN HIS OWN HOUSEBOAT!
More below the fold...
The group in their classic semi-facetious style organized a "peace blockade" of Ackerman's own houseboat!!! The Congressman was so amused by this that he came out to talk with the protesters.
UPDATE: Coverage in Newsday here.
WASHINGTON, D.C.-- With whistles, banners, and megaphones, in kayaks and canoes, CODEPINK Women for Peace activists formed a symbolic peace blockade around Rep. Gary's Ackerman's houseboat at 7 a.m. today inside the Capital Yacht Club marina. They demanded an end to Ackerman's recently introduced resolution that would create more sanctions on the Iranian people and a potential blockade of Iranian ports.
Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-Queens/L.I), who was sleeping inside the boat, emerged around 8 a.m. to the dock. With a glance down at the activists in their boats on the water, called the action "the most creative protest I've ever seen" and engaged the group in a lively discussion for 30 minutes.
Ackerman promised he would do whatever he could to prevent war with Iran and advocated direct talks Iranian officials, without preconditions.
"Let the talks begin," Ackerman said, on his way to a 10 a.m. Congressional hearing on Iran. He refused, however, to withdraw his H.Con. Resolution 362.
The unusual, vibrant action seemed particularly crucial this morning, when the Iranian government announced it had tested several missiles. "Iran's missile tests give all the more reason to start direct talks right away," said Medea Benjamin, CODEPINK co-founder. "We are now on a dangerous path towards war. We must stop the next war now."
The activists called on Congressman Ackerman to drop his resolution, which calls for stricter sanctions and aggressive inspections of all ships. They worry the sanctions, as in the case of Iraq, will harm civilians rather than officials.
They also worry the resolution, in blocking the travel of Iranian officials, will cut off much-needed dialogue.
Code Pink called on Cong. Ackerman to commit to diplomacy. Americans agree: a May 19 Gallup Poll found 6 in 10 Americans (59%) consider it "a good idea" for the United States president to meet with the president of Iran for peace talks.
"Our peace blockade showed the Congressman how it feels to be blockaded in your own home," said Gael Murphy of Code Pink. "When we shouted 'talks, not sanctions or war" from our boats, he was definitely given a wake-up call."
For interviews, photos, video and more information, contact Jean Stevens, National Media Coordinator at (508) 769-2138 or Jean@codepinkalert.org.
CodePink has been heavily involved with the effort to prevent war with Iran for quite some time now. Pinksters Jes Richardson and Leslie Angeline have made this one of their top priorities.
Leslie is well known throughout the anti-war community as the woman who fasted for 22 days to protest the fact that Senator Lieberman would not meet with her to discuss his aggressive public statements about Iran. Eventually Lieberman agreed to meet with her last June for an entire 15 minutes, but not before she passed out in his office - twice! Guess it's a lot easier to make chickenhawk threats behind your desk in a granite building against lots of people you never met than it is to meet with one tiny hunger striking peace activist from your own country!
CodePink is still on the job, Kossacks. Don't give up the fight.
We WILL take our country back!