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Code Pink Delivers Afghan Petition To President
SAN FRANCISCO -- Using a meet-and-greet at a Democratic fundraiser Thursday night, Code Pink co-founder Jodie Evans hand delivered a petition to President Barack Obama allegedly signed by Afghani women who want an end to the war in their country.
Jodie Evans of Code Pink delivers petition from Afghani women to President Obama in San Francisco Thursday night, October 15, 2009. Evans was among those attending a sold-out Democratic Party fundraiser at San Francisco's Westin St. Francis Hotel, with a Code Pink supporter paying $30,400 for a pair of tickets to the dinner. The tickets included a photo opportunity with the President.
She said she had collected signatures of Afghani women during a trip there last week on a petition that asked for a role in the peace process and demanding that the U.S. abandon plans to send in additional troops.
"The women there are really upset that they are not at the negotiating table," said Evans, who was wearing a pink shirt with "End The Afghan Quagmire" stenciled on it. "He said: ‘What do you mean, I have (Secretary of State) Hilliary (Clinton)?'... I said no the Afghan women want to be at the negotiating table. He looked at me and said: ‘Oh.'"
Evans also said she showed Obama the message her t-shirt.
"I showed the President my shirt," she said. "I had a pink ribbon around my finger and I am here to remind you to keep your promises for peace...He said: ‘You know we are not going to end the problem in Afghanistan any time soon.' I said actually you're not going to solve the problem, they are."
There was no word from the White House on Obama's reaction to the impromptu meeting.
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40 Comments so far
Show AllBush [sorry, make that Obama] said, apparently with a straight face, that "we are not going to end the problem in Afghanistan any time soon." Of course the Noble Peace Prize winner [!] is not going to do that as long as he stupidly insists upon keeping American soldiers in Afghanistan and as long as he keeps giving the order for more 500 lb. and 2000 lb. American bombs to be dropped on Afghan children and grandmothers. Obama's desire to keep escalating the occupation in Afghanistan will only breed, justifiably, more resentment and hatred among the Afghan people.
When will Obama receive a prize for being the person responsible for causing the most misery and suffering in third world countries?
$30,400 for two tickets to a Democratic Party fundraiser, photo op with Obama included.
That's what it takes for any citizen to actually be able to say directly to the Emperor, "You are wearing no clothes."
Sharp for her to respond "...actually you're not going to solve the problem, they are."
"... no word from the White House on Obama's reaction..."
It boggles the mind what it costs to get near the guy and that lady had a quick lip and hope she left him speechless and may the Code Pink ladies live long and prosper.Tony
Three more cheers for CODE PINK.
CODE PINK, along with Kathy Kelly and Vandana Shiva, were some I thought of when the Nobel Committee laid down what was hopefully their political gambit.
Why weren't they arrested for this sort of thing? I mean that is what has happened in the past when a protester got thru the security around the president.
Who said that Jodie got around security in order to 'get in'? She is likely a Democrat and probably attended the fundraiser as herself. Besides, the President is familiar with some of the Code Pink leadership; I've seen him exchange smiles and hand waves of recognition with co-founder Medea Benjamin.
Arrested? Are you nuts? That was back in the Bushozoic era.
for $15,000 a seat they agree not to tase or pepper spray you.
I don't care for Code Pink, but they are right on this. Credit where credit is due.
I just saw on another link the Obama is going to agree to send more troops. He must have knowthat when this lady handed him the petition. For 30 grand he could have at least told her the truth.
Obama's price for that is much higher than $30,000. $300,000,000 . . . maybe.
"Oh" rhymes with "So".
What did she mean by, "actually you're not going to solve the problem, they are?" Afghani women are going to do what exactly against the worlds most destructive military ever? Until either the United States Citizens put their feet down collectively or there is enough pressure from the rest of the world, the US will continue it's bloody crusade for oil power.
I have been and remain an ardent supporter and admirer of the courageous women and men of Code Pink. However, I can't help but wonder how many schoolbooks could have been purchased to support the education of Afghan girls with the $30,400 a "Code Pink Supporter" spent for Jodie Evans to show Obama her teeshirt and present him with a petition from Afghan women to end the war -- that it should be more about domestic aid (money for books?) than about militarism or even photo ops with the President, or teeshirts, or even petitions. Sometimes I fear our leaders, even Progressive ones, become distracted by the limelight and lose touch with what is truly important. Now it is clearly none of my business how Jodie Evans spends CP's money, but perhaps next time they would consider another possible use of the funds, such as maybe donating it to MADRE's "Demand Women’s Rights in Afghanistan." https://www.causes.com/fb/donations/new?ts=1255723973&cause_id=369238
I Love Code Pink!
$30,000 to deliver this petition? This is wrong, wrong, wrong! Code Pink has become a parody of itself and the pink frilly stuff. It is a good idea gone very bad with the cartoon like costumes and rantings and yelling. $30,000 would buy a lot of food for the hungry and that $30,000 could have gone to the Free Clinics providing health care around the country. Next time you have a petition, mail it--it will do the same thing.
"ALLEGEDLY" signed by Afghan women?!
Why doesn't Code Pink have a copy of the petition posted somewhere? $30,200 is a lot of money for nothing.
The petition is on their website, brainiac. So is a list of prominent signatories.
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/424/t/8834/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=2125
"President Obama,
We, the women of Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and the United States, implore you to refrain from sending more United States military forces to Afghanistan.
We encourage you to work quickly for a political solution in Afghanistan that will lead to a reconciliation process in which women will fully participate and a withdrawal of foreign military forces.
Sending more military forces will only increase the violence and will do further harm to women in children. Instead, the funds should be redirected to improving the health, education and welfare of the Afghan people."
I questioned Code Pink members yesterday on what the petition said, after delay I was told they did not know and gave me "Code Pinks Statement on Afghanistan" I asked an honest question.
You couldn't look on their website? It took me 15 seconds.
Bring America Back !!!!
****I think most bloggers today are wrong on the $30,000 !
Codepink is so expert now at what they do, they are head and shoulders over we peace protestors.
Just think how many protests, meetings, planners, airline
expenses, travel, hotels etc etc it may take to even hope winning a minute of Obama's attention span !!! Lots and
lots of big bucks for sure !!
So that $30 Grand took Jody directly to the handshake position , Kodak Moment position==and she delivered her
Petition forthrightly, professionally, and direct to The
Man, Himself.
***The only ones to evaluate whether spending the $30 K
was worth the encounter, has to be left to Codepink.
There is absolutely no relationship to whatever else could
be done with the money, ergo, foodbanks etc. !!! So now,
the Demmy political warchest coffers are that much richer.
The only thing it would relate to is requesting an appointment, audience with the Prez, thru normal White HOuse channels & chains, & whether Codepink could've
gotten a face-to-face with Obama free of money charges !!?? You Go Codepink,
and thank you once again !!!!!!!
But there is still no proof given of what the petition said. Did it ask Obama to keep the troops in Afghanistan to protect the women?
Code Pink, thanks for giving the women of Afghanistan a voice. That voice can be heard by an exit from their country.
I think that everyone who is critical of the way Code Pink chose to spend the $30 thousand has that right. However, if they would like to do something of THEIR choice with $30 thousand, then raise it and do with it as you will.
Right on Code Pink! Excellent way to spend $30,000. Get in his face and deliver the message. Her response was priceless.
Perhaps most Afghan men are also not at the negotiating table. After all, MOST Afghans aren't. Only the Afghans working with the U.S. are.
Anyway, this is all pinky cute. Now, get a real taste of the real world with the videos and articles with and by Dahr Jamail linked in my post or one of my posts, my second one, I believe, in the following article page. Once people do this, then they, the "sleepy" ones among us, may finally wake up and understand that this code pinky stuff isn't going to change anything; but it does make publicity for the group or organisation. If anyone's going to be able to stop this war, it's evidently the GI's; the continually growing number of DISSENTING U.S. troops, and they are getting plenty more numerous every year. We read and hear awfully LITTLE about them and Dahr Jamail fills us in very well about this, and a lot more having to do with both GWoT wars; and still more.
My post for videos with and one article by Dahr Jamail in the following page are all from July 6th and since; July 6th and 24th, and and since. So it's all recent analysis, and educational update. Nothing pinky about it.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/10/16-9
I thought I just heard Code Pink was not for immediate withdrawal of the troops because that would hurt the women of Afghanistan? And that we should stay there until women of Afghanistan are safe.
Am I mistaken?
Good question! I'm not quite sure, and I think Code Pink needs to clarify matters. Check out this Scott Horton piece:
Is Medea Benjamin Naive or Just Confused?
Code Pink rethinks Afghan withdrawal
by Scott Horton, October 08, 2009
http://original.antiwar.com/scott/2009/10/07/is-medea-benjamin-confused/
· Yr Obd't Servant
I know the major womens organizations in Afghanistan want at most a skeleton USA presence because they are suffering much more now than under the Taliban.
What about RAWA? I doubt this Afghan women's organisation wants the U.S., etc., to stay in any form, for any purpose.
I doubt Malalai Joya would agree with code pinky. She literally, truly, ... represents Afghan women. Code pinky doesn't.
What I believe to have read, in one article or in one of two articles I read on the subject of your post is that Code Pink's leadership would be calling for U.S. and NATO military forces to withdraw, at least to relocate to U.S. and NATO bases there, or wholly out of the country, but while staying on for "peace process" making stuff, which is moronic to ask for when it's being asked of the U.S. "leadership" and the "hidden hand" people behind the U.S. "leadership". From this, I or we also learn that Code Pink didn't representatively question Afghan women, only having asked some of those within the "green zone".
Anyway, one of those articles is the following one at Uruknet, while the two at antiwar.com were obtained using information in the following piece about an interview between Scott Horton of antiwar.com and Medea Benjamin ... of Code Pink(y).
"CODE PINK: Women FOR the Occupation of Afghanistan",
by Scott Creighton, willyloman.wordpress.com, Oct 8 2009
http://www.uruknet.info/?new=58715
The antiwar.com radio interview with Medea Benjamin is the following page.
"Scott Horton Interviews Medea Benjamin",
Scott Horton, October 07, 2009
http://antiwar.com/radio/2009/10/07/medea-benjamin
The following piece by Scott Horton is an update for, I guess, some clarifications; not particularly satisfactory, imo, for Code Pink, but what are supposed to be clarifications (I think). It does, at the start, provide a link to the above page for the previous day's interview, so I guess this update is for clarifications. I'm still not satisfied, not agreeing with her view. It's NOT up to western or outside women to decide for Afghan women, who do have RAWA to speak for them.
"Is Medea Benjamin Naive or Just Confused?
Code Pink rethinks Afghan withdrawal"
by Scott Horton, October 08, 2009
http://original.antiwar.com/scott/2009/10/07/is-medea-benjamin-confused
LET Afghan women do their own talking. They have a great female representative in or with Malalai Joya, and a real Afghan women's rights organisation, RAWA, which, from what I recall, wants the U.S. and NATO OUT, OUT, ... of their country. There have been several articles from RAWA posted at CD over the past year or two, and we can read what the organisation says at its wesite.
http://www.rawa.org
NO foreign female organisations should allow themselves to pretend that they are authorised to speak on behalf of Afghan women in Afghanistan until we're informed that RAWA has asked for foreigners to do otherwise. They want all foreigners to strongly support and call for U.S. and NATO withdrawal, the end of the war, but I don't know what their exact plan is for this. Do they want a gradual, careful, safe, ... withdrawal, as if there could ever be one, and it's very doubtful that there ever could be? I doubt it. Do they want full withdrawal and then for reparations to be provided? Surely. Do they want reconstruction after full withdrawal to be performed by Americans and Europeans of NATO countries? I don't know, but doubt it.
Anyway, it's for RAWA to let us all know what Afghan women really want.
Also, if I'm recalling correctly, then at least some clips of the documentary, "Rethink Afghanistan", by Robert Greenwald and Brave New Films, tell us that not only Afghan men, but also Afghan women want the U.S. and NATO OUT, OUT, ...!
Check my earlier post in this page, for a post I made in a page for another article at CD on Oct. 16th; for four videos with and one article by Dahr Jamail. These are all important and tell us very much about the real "nature" of the GWoT wars, both of them.
It looks like Code Pink has once again provoked controversy.
Controversy is a proven way to draw attention to an organization AND a cause.
How she got the money,whether she got in by infiltration,is a demo;what the hell difference does it make?A picture is worth a thousand words and that one liner is going to be his epitaph for the mess that he is continuing over there.Tony
It will only fall in deaf ears. Obama does not lisen to peace groups any more than he listens to Single Payer advocates, environmentalists, or activists. The only groups that get his attention are status quo, inside the beltway elites.
I guess Code Pink is for peace in Afghanistan like Obama is for peace in the Middle East.
Obama pays millions to Israel to continue its illegal activities while talking a good game.
Code Pink contributes money the Democratic branch of the War Party - the branch that has been most adamant about putting more cannon fodder in the Afghanistan quagmire - while saying it is against the war.
I never contributed to Code Pink. I used to contribute to Global Exchange, which is related with Medea Benjanmin as a key person in both, but stopped a while back because I was disgusted with her activities.
Bill Samuel, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
the 40,000 should be Peace Corps volunteers building schools and medical facilities, and rebuilding market places which have been blown up. The troops should be withdrawn from 'isolated forward bases' where they mostly serve as guerrilla targets, and stationed around, protectively, the Peace Corps projects. I bet it would cost less to do positive things.
How AWEFUL that Code Pink people spent ONE DIME to go and sit in and listen to this fraud and get a photo-op and think that Obama even CARES about Afghan women much less American women who are risking sexual harassment and abuse by JOINING the military. Code Pink is a joke. Funding the Democratic Party is a joke....it is just an embarrasment to pander to this jerk.
That's cool. What is your current project?
I think his current project, from recognizing his name, is to cruise around progressive web sites and post pro-imperialist comments.
I’m hearing Medea Benjamin talking a lot about Afghan women and their plight. Medea seems to think our Military can help them overcome thousands of years of oppression and abuse. The very idea that armed Christian males would improve their situation is some kind of ethereal dream. The Afghan men rule Afghanistan and will always rule Afghanistan. The Afghan men continually demand that America leave their women alone. Who will pay the price for defying their wishes, armed US Soldiers, or helpless Afghan women?
Medea asks for a “planned exit,” and yet there are no concrete details of what a planned exit consists of. There is no reason to believe the US would do a better job of rebuilding Afghanistan than they have done rebuilding Iraq. Perhaps Code Pink thinks the presence of American Contractors and foreign workers (like the Filipinos in Iraq) would improve conditions in Afghanistan, even though this has done little to help Iraq.
Afghanistan is a tribal nation. Most Afghans have no allegiance to any national leader or policies. Isn’t it arrogant to think the US has the right to interfere in their culture? Time after time the US has been the catalyst that destroyed indigenous people in countries they occupy. Afghanistan is no different.
Why can’t US treat the Afghan people like grown-ups? They are not children who need to be managed by outsiders. Give them aid and provide them with the help they request, and let them run their own country. The US continually insists that every country they invade must model themselves after our culture, democracy and our ideals, even though it has become painfully obvious our culture, government and skewed ideals are deeply flawed.
Code Pink has continually pointed over the last eight years that the mixing of male Christian soldiers and Muslim society is a recipe for disaster. Rape, real or perceived results in death for Muslim women. Young virile American men are also at risk. Young men and women of countries we invade will mix it up. History tells us that. The result is often disastrous, and the women of Afghanistan will pay the price.
I feel very sorry for the women in Afghanistan, but if they want education, freedom to move about, jobs and equality, they will have to do what all women of the world have done to obtain it. They will have to stand up and fight for it. No one can give it to them, and certainly not the US Military. The US Military is a fighting machine, not an army of social workers.
The result of invading countries to “fight terrorism,” is the population and infrastructure are destroyed, not the “terrorists”. They simply move from one country to another and are seldom destroyed or contained. America can’t always fix what they have broken. We need to learn this lesson.