Red Roses Remind Us

Red Roses Remind Us

Roses are Red
To honor the dead
Reminding us all
of the lies we've been fed

Children lose parents
Parents lose kids
For the sake of our country
Our Government forbids

The images of caskets
draped, 13 stripes of Red
We can't see bombs either
or a dismembered leg

Yet sisters and brothers
Uncles and Aunts
Grandparents and cousins
grieving all chant

enough of the dying!
enough of the dead!
Stop the madness that's
painting our world in Red.

You started with lies
and create your own news
An endless war screamed
at by pinks in vivid hues

Fascists are winning
with each right, taken away
nine of ten benchmarks!
Our democracy's in decay

But people are waking up now
The Red rose reminds us of your lies
The Internet gives us truth and
soon the people shall arise

No more rose colored glasses
to hide the world's bloodshed
We now know the truth as to
why Roses are Red.
~ Deidra Lynch

The photos from the Iraq Moratorium, September San Diego and their pledge inspired this poem:

Nationally, this 3rd Friday in September and every 3rd Friday WE have pledged to do SOMETHING, personally and/or communally, to act to end this war. Call, write, post a protest sign, wear a button, attend a Resistance Rally, Sit in, Direct Action, Civil Disobedience - SOMETHING. In San Diego all of these things are being done.

Photo from Unk4jazz http://www.flickr.com/photos/boplication

http://www.flickr.com/photos/boplication/sets/72157602101813610/

ring, ring, ring, ring, ring

The 'End the occupation of Iraq Pledge' campaign continues and the pink and blue dots across America continue to grow as we all CALL CONGRESS and light up the Capitol switchboard. They do count the calls, why you are calling and what zip code you are in.

I began calling Congress daily (well, almost daily, I'm not perfect) early this summer during our 'Focus on Nelson' call in, a Florida statewide campaign to get our senior Senator Nelson to stop funding the war. I added the other Senator and Congressional rep to my daily calls and have timed it enough to know that it takes me less than five minutes or 35 minutes a week,and whopping 2.5 hours a month to let Congress know how I feel. Much like a good morning stretch, it's worth it.

I decided to start sharing this empowering daily habit at meetings I would attend, whether peace related or not. Every time I have an opportunity to speak, like I did at the Orlando Progressive Alliance (OPA) meeting in front of 20 different organizations last month, I begin by asking everyone to take out their cell phones and dial Congress with me. I give them the Capitol switchboard number 202 224-3121 and tell them to ask for their representative. I explain that they are open 24/7 and it's okay to leave a voice mail as long as they remember to leave their zip code! Then I remind them to save the name with the number and go on with my report.

This month, I returned to the same OPA meeting and was pleasantly surprised by a report back from another group. They had done a chalking for peace at our downtown Lake Eola city park and when folks came up to see the art, they asked them if they would like to call Congress. They filmed some of the calls and had such a great response and so much fun that they are going to make it a monthly "cool thing" to do with their group.

So, ring, ring, ring, ring, ring, our Congress and help spread the word! The CODEPINK
'End the occupation of Iraq Pledge' is also a great way to engage those busy people, who "so support our movement" but just don't have time to help. It only takes five minutes a week to be counted and make a difference. ring, ring, ring, ring, ring

Peace LINKS:

Links you may want to check out:

Daily US Death Count http://icasualties.org/oif/
Female Death Count http://icasualties.org/oif/Female.aspx



Florida Nelson campaign: http://www.codepinkalert.org/focusonnelson



Senator Bill Nelson (D)
News clip from meeting with Senator Nelson: http://codepinkflorida.blogspot.com/2007/08/ch2-wesh-news-report.html

email form: http://billnelson.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm


COST OF WAR: http://www.nationalpriorities.org/Cost-of-War/Cost-of-War-3.html

Putting the cost of war in perspective: http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2007/01/17/business/20070117_LEONHARDT_GRAPHIC.html

My PINK Journey to Peace

My trip to DC for Mother's Day: http://codepinkdc.blogspot.com/2007/06/florida-campaign-born-during-mothers.html

Roll Call Article about CODEPINK the day before we returned: http://www.codepink4peace.org/article.php?id=3079


Washington Post article about the CODEPINK House:
http://www.codepink4peace.org/article.php?id=3147


Photos from Washington Post Style Section: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/photo/gallery/070608/GAL-07Jun08-77402/index.html


CODEPINK DC Blog! To find out the latest actions that have happened at the house:
http://codepinkdc.blogspot.com/


Here are some other ways to get involved with CODEPINK :


Phone-A-Thon: http://codepink4peace.org/article.php?list=type&type=310

Action Guides & Checklists / CODEPINK Flyers: http://www.codepinkalert.org/article.php?list=type&type=80

Direct Action and Street Theater: http://www.codepinkalert.org/article.php?id=330

Banner Drop Instructions: http://www.codepinkalert.org/downloads/L.A.BannerDropping.pdf


READ THIS Excellent anthology: "Stop the Next War Now!"


With an anthology of incredible stories, articles, and poetry, "Stop the Next War Now" provides a lens to study the current state of the world and practical strategies to resist. Request professors or instructors in your college or high school campus to incorporate CODEPINK 's "Stop the Next War Now" book into their curriculum. Click here for a sample letter you can send to your professors and instructors about the "Stop the Next War Now" book. Also include our CODEPINK Student Handbook.

Become a CODEPINK intern! Our interns are essential to the success and powerful pinkness of CODEPINK! If you would like to be a CODEPINK intern please download the intern application (and please specify the city you are interested working in- Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York or Washington, D.C.) and send to intern@codepinkalert.org.