When it comes to staging a hippie protest nobody does it quite like CodePink. With their bright pink attire, catchy slogans, and total dedication, you will not find a finer or more irritating group of protesters anywhere in the world.
The CodePink Mission Statement:
CODEPINK is a women-initiated grassroots peace and social justice movement working to end the war in Iraq, stop new wars, and redirect our resources into healthcare, education and other life-affirming activities. We reject the Bush administration’s fear-based politics that justify violence, and instead calls for policies based on compassion, kindness and a commitment to international law. With an emphasis on joy and humor, CODEPINK women and men seek to activate, amplify and inspire a community of peacemakers through creative campaigns and a commitment to non-violence.
Some months back CodePink decided to literally camp out on Nancy Pelosi’s front lawn and stay there until she cut-off funding for the Iraq war. They called this gathering Camp Pelosi and it lasted for 13 days. Some still live there, but mainly it’s used as a place to hold candlelight vigils, stage rallies, and whatever else hippies do.
Nancy Pelosi was the first of several victims of what CodePink calls the “Occupation Project.” They hope to show members of Congress what it’s like to be “occupied.”
The group now has a guide posted on their website called the DIY: Do It Yourself Activist Guide to Camping Out at Your Congressperson’s Home.
Here is a piece of that guide:
15 Steps to a Successful Encampment
- Know Your Rights— Contact the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in your community, find out city regulations for demonstrating and camping, and contact a civil rights lawyer.
- Camp site—Locate your Congressperson’s home address.
Tip: Check with the Department of Election in your local City Hall or visit www.opensecrets.org. - Be flexible and check out the “campsite”– Adapt to your new surroundings, the weather, and the situation and legal limitations. Plan to sleep in a camper van or car, inside a tent, or outdoors on a blow-up mattress or a sleeping bag.
- Petition— Have a sheet for neighbors and visitors to sign saying that they support your camp and efforts. Use the contact info to keep people in your community informed of your actions and add new sign-ups to your local listserve as well as to the national CODEPINK alert list. Click here to check out our sample petition.
- Press—Alert local newspapers and news stations about your encampment action. Click here for tips on how to contact the press. If you need help with press contacts, email dana[at]codepinkalert.org. Click here to download our sample press release.
We posted a story the other day about Speaker Pelosi’s personal reaction to all this and let’s just say she isn’t pleased. Her neighbors are apparently appalled by clothes hanging in trees and couches on the lawn.
I know all the rhetoric about “Freedom of Speech” and I’m not trying to silence the CodePink broads. I merely want to exercise my free speech rights.
I think there tactics are repugnant and pointless. When they interrupt Senate hearings with their ridiculous outfits on and begin chanting foolish slogans it infringes on my freedoms.
-Chris Jones
