When we stood up and unfurled the pink banner that had been folded in my backpack, the climate of the room changed: there was both a hush and a crackle of energy. We walked up to the front table, where Solis was shaking hands and having her picture taken. Solis smiled and nodded at us at first, but when we asked her to vote NO on the supplemental, to not buy the war, her expression changed. She clearly wasn't expecting to be the target of our message. She clearly thought she was doing the right thing with the supplemental. We tried to open her eyes.
As Jodie and I walked out of the room, the audience clapped and cheered, some of them standing, when they saw the banner stretched between us. It was exhilarating to know that the people at large agree with our message, that they don't want Congress to fund Bush's war. I hope Rep. Solis was listening loud and clear to that response. We had a chance to talk with her again as she was leaving the event. She kept insisting that she was not buying Bush's war, but we told her that she was making a grave mistake. We asked her to please vote NO, to please help us end this dreadful war.
Jodie was supposed to be in DC over the weekend, marching with CODEPINK, joining CODEPINK in the halls of Congress, but her plane had been grounded. I was grateful to have her with me in Morongo, to help inspire me to stand up and speak to power; I would have tried to do it on my own, but her presence gave me that extra dose of courage, of resolve. She said that she was grateful to be there, as well; she doubted that she would have the chance in DC to meet with a Congressperson face to face, to have the time to really look a Representative in the eye and urge them to do the right thing.
We later walked back into the luncheon with a larger, more graphic, banner with the same message and stood at the back of the room as people filed out. Many people thanked us for being there; others asked us how they could get involved. One woman told us that her son, a 25 year old new father, was about to be deployed to Iraq for the fifth time. She has wanted to speak out, she said, but wasn't sure where to begin. We told her how important her voice is, and gave her the resources to get it out there. It was so moving to hear people's concerns, people's desire to do something to change the course of this war. We asked people to call their Representatives and ask them to vote NO on the supplemental; we reminded them that they each have the opportunity to make a difference.
I am so grateful to CODEPINK for giving people—especially women--a voice, for helping me find my own voice out in the world and not just on the page. I love how we can inspire each other, help each other realize that we are each capable of so much more than we give ourselves credit for. I know that if Nancy Pelosi, or any other leader, comes to town now, I will not hesitate to stand on my chair and yell for justice, for peace. And I will do whatever I can to encourage others to raise their own voices; our voices in chorus are what will end this war.
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