Liz Hourican, of Phoenix CODEPINK, at the Phoenix rally on Global Unity Day Stand with Iran, July 25

Is the death or life of Michael Jackson – or any celebrity — more important than, say, acidic oceans, collapsing fisheries, energy decline, a 20 percent increase in the military budget, or an urgent global warming crisis? Whatever happened to Iran? Did the crisis there suddenly stop because Michael Jackson died?

Newspapers may believe they accurately report on our ecological and social challenges, but most Canadians remain completely unaware of the severe catastrophes that may befall them, their children, and grandchildren. Coverage of celebrities in the face of these urgent issues is a strange use of the public’s precious time to become informed. It leads one to believe that there are no serious issues to cover. Or, do editors and writers of Canada’s major papers secretly wish that they were working for People Magazine?

Should Canadians one day awaken to find themselves surrounded by an unstoppable global warming collapse, they will feel betrayed by the media. Global warming has been known by the scientific community for more than a century. James Lovelock had the CO2 data in hand in the 1960s. Yet we continue to pretend to “debate all sides” of this issue, deny facts, and cover our grief and fear in trivial news like Michael Jackson’s auctioned gloves. We all remember the Holocaust as something that has passed, but are we capable, as we often profess, of preventing future ones?

Like doctors, is it not the job of journalists to alert the public of danger, help citizens act in their democracy based on clear facts? This job is not being done.

We need perspective and a sense of our social priorities. If we fail to solve the challenges of global warming, energy decline, toxic wastes, and dying oceans, our progeny could witness a global holocaust beyond anything history has yet experienced. If we fail to confront dictatorships and war, we are bailing on the central role the news is supposed to play. If provided with the correct information most Canadians would prefer this to reliving ABC and Thriller, and feeling nostalgia for someone who was exploited by the press since childhood. Step back, and rethink the role you play.

Andrea Peloso is the coordinator of CODEPINK Toronto, yoga teacher and proud aunt.

Crazy talk? Nope. From Reuters:

Israel’s Arrow II missile defense system was tested at a U.S. range off the California coast on Wednesday but problems prevented the launch of the system’s interceptor, the Pentagon said.

Partly underwritten by Washington, Arrow is designed to defend Israel from missile attacks from Syria and Iran, which Western nations suspect of seeking nuclear arms despite its denials.

Seems to be much here that could make one uncomfortable: the fact that such advanced weaponry is developed and tested here in the States; the fact that American tax-dollars are funding U.S. military efforts not to protect Americans but Israel military efforts, or the fact that the U.S. is complicit, in fact, a partner, in a major military attack on Iran in the future — the very same country that President Obama during his campaign promised to talk with, without preconditions, to create peace.  Helping to fire missiles don’t sound like much of a move toward peace talks.

Anyone else feeling like this is insane??

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Agha-Soltan, Ebadi, a 2003 Nobel Peace Prize winner and contributor to CODEPINK’s 2005 book, “Stop The Next War Now,” and Effat Hashemi, the wife of former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani who was among the first to call for public protests, represent the incredible strength of Iranian women and their hunger for justice. Demanding reform, regime change, more social freedoms and a fair election, women have sometimes outnumbered men at the demonstrations, and they’ve also fought back police and militia.

For more information, please contact Jean Stevens, CODEPINK national media coordinator, or Jodie Evans, CODEPINK co-founder, at 310-621-5635.

From Day 1, Iran’s women stood in the vanguard. Their voices from rooftops were loudest, and their defiance in the streets boldest. “Stand, don’t run,” Nazanine told me as the baton-wielding police charged up handsome Vali Asr avenue on the day after the fraudulent election. She stood.

…

A friend told me he no longer recognizes his wife. She’d been of the reluctantly acquiescent school. Now, “She’s a revolutionary.” I followed as she led us up onto the roof. The “death to the dictator” that surged from her into the night was of rare ferocity.

…

Women marched in 1979, too. But when the revolution was won, women were pushed out. Their subjugation became a pillar of the Islamic state. One woman told me that she had been 20 when she fought to oust the shah. “It’s simple,” she said. “We wanted freedom then, and we don’t have it now.”

We have watched in awe of the strength, courage, and bravery of the women in Iran who have taken to the streets, despite the threats of violence, to stand up for freedom, equality, and justice.   If you haven’t already, please sign our letter to Nobel Peace Prize winner, human rights lawyer, and Iranian Shirin Ebadi.  You can also add a message of inspiration and solidarity to our sisters in Iran.

Cockburn must not be, in Twitter-speak, “following” many members of several left organizations, including CODEPINK, UFPJ, AFSC. They’ve sent tweet after tweet calling on Obama to keep his promises, to stop the Afghan war, to end the drone attacks, and more. In fact, last month, these groups coordinated a National Media Day of Action on Afghanistan to spread the word on why we must stop the war in Afghanistan via Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and traditional media letters to the editor, op-eds and more. The goal: to change public opinion against the war.

Unfortunately, their efforts did not catch on with “the Twittering classes” as the conflict in Iran has. The “masses,” for now, are largely uninterested to tweet about ending the Afghan war and in critiquing Obama — at least on the foreign policy front. (This could also explain why, despite valiant efforts by peace groups, the country appears to have no energy for “mobilizations, actions, civil disobedience” as demonstrated by increasing activism around health care, food reform and climate change and dwindling numbers in anti-war street actions. We’ve proof from just yesterday, as few people turned out for the torture accountability actions planned nationwide — though in Pasadena and elsewhere, however, CODEPINKers tried their best). The masses are instead caught up in the fervor of the Iranian protests, fueled by front-page images of beautiful young women, horrifying viral YouTube videos and widespread national outrage and mistrust toward the current Iranian government based on its history of crackdowns on rights, secret torture, etc.

Of course, anti-war groups would LOVE to know — where are the YouTube videos depicting the 80 Pakistani civilians just killed in a U.S. drone attack? Where’s the outrage (and mistrust) toward the U.S. government, based on its torture practices, its killing of innocents, the U.S.’ policies toward Afghanistan? Do we need to see beautiful women victims? Until the “Twittering classes,” or the majority of Americans, feel as comfortable critiquing the often-terrifying practices of their own government, we’ve a long way from “three million…rousing tweets” to “mount any sort of political resistance at home!” Suffice to say, of course, many members of these groups are trying their best to get them there, tweet by tweet.

WASHINGTON — In Congo, Sri Lanka, Iran, Syria and other countries wracked by war and political turmoil, women play a vital role in rebuilding society, stabilizing families, strengthening the work force and pressuring their governments for change.

In a rare and powerful dynamic conversation at 7:30 p.m. here at the new Eatonville restaurant, a handful of women leaders from these countries will discuss their experiences organizing in their communities and explore how women can affect new social and government policy.

Farreh Hassen, Middle East policy expert and fellow at Washington’s Institute for Policy Studies, Simin Royanian, co-founder of Women for Peace and Justice in Iran, Rosha Hebsur with People for Equality and Relief in Lanka (PEARL), Alma AbdulHadi, president and managing director of the woman-owned law firm Kommon Denominator, Inc., and Nita Evele, an activist from the Democratic Republic of Congo, will also discuss conflict and its effects, U.S. foreign policy and the power of taking action in local communities. (Visit here for panelist bios).

“We’re thrilled to have these incredible women leading us in a first-hand conversation on the enormous role women play in holding societies together through war, and how women must be at the table in negotiating foreign policy and peace,” said Blaine Clarke, co-coordinator of the event. “In the spirit of the original call to Mother’s Day, which called on mothers to tell their sons to stop war, we’ll explore how women can work to create peace.”

The event precludes CODEPINK’s 24-hour Mother’s Day vigil to be held from 1 p.m. Saturday, May 9 to 1 p.m Sunday, May 10 in Lafayette Park across the street from the White House, an event that will include creative workshops, face-painting and entertainment, a show from the famous clown Patch Adams, live music, an interfaith service and speeches by Afghan, Iranian and Iraqi women.

For more information, please contact Jean Stevens, CODEPINK media coordinator, at 508-769-2138 or
Blaine Clarke, CODEPINK D.C., at 757-870-0691.

As the six activists were forcibly dragged away from the stage, they shouted similar phrases including “Tikun olam (Heal the world) for Gaza, too!”, all meant to draw attention to widespread opposition to AIPAC’s policies lobbied to Congress that include unconditional support and financing for Israel’s militaristic policies including the recent devastating invasion of Gaza, building of illegal settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, the separation wall, refusal to negotiate with the Palestinians’ democratically elected representatives, and threats to attack Iran.

“The brutal invasion of Gaza was a breaking point for me and many American Jews,” said CODEPINK co-founder Medea Benjamin, who recently led a 60-person delegation to Gaza.  “I was appalled by the devastation and the suffering I saw, particularly among the children. As a mother, I feel compelled to speak out against Israel’s bombing of civilians and the ongoing siege that is so devastating to the lives of Gaza’s 1.5 million people—most of whom are under 18.”

While AIPAC claims to represent the U.S. Jewish community, its wholesale support of the Israel government goes against the majority opinions of the Jewish Americans. According to a recent survey by the Jewish lobby group J Street, 76 percent of American Jews support a two-state solution, 69 percent support negotiating with a Fatah-Hamas unity government, and 59 percent felt the Gaza invasion did not improve Israel’s security.

“Like most American Jews, I grew up with a deep appreciation for the state of Israel,” said Rae Abileah, a young American Jew of Israeli descent. “After witnessing the attack of Gaza on TV and hearing the calls for crippling sanctions on Iran, I can no longer avert my eyes to the other side of the story most rabbis still aren’t talking about. I am joining the dozens of Jewish organizations, and the growing global movement, advocating a change in the Israeli policies of occupation and aggressive violence. It’s high time to drop the victim narrative so that we may all survive, and one day thrive as neighbors.”

CODEPINK activists inside the AIPAC conference (with its theme “Relationships Matter”) were: Medea Benjamin, 56, Rae Abileah, 26, Blaine Clarke, 29, Christianna Reinstein, 21, Desiree Fairooz, 53, and Tighe Barry, 52.

“The most important relationships for Israel to cultivate are not with U.S. Congressional allies but with the Palestinian people,” said Christianna Reinstein, a student of Middle Eastern studies who joined the protest inside the AIPAC conference today. “AIPAC’s lobbying of Congress has not made Israel more secure and has hurt American efforts to improve relations in the Arab world.”

For more information, please call Medea Benjamin, CODEPINK co-founder, at 415-235-6517, Rae Abileah at 415-99401723 or Jean Stevens, media coordinator, at 508-769-2138.  Visit www.codepinkalert.org/gaza.

From 1 p.m. May 9 through 1 p.m. March 10 in D.C.’s Lafayette Park, CODEPINK and others will host a full schedule of events, including a children’s fair, a “Mothers Say No to War” march around the White House, presentations from women of war-torn countries, teach-ins and workshops Saturday afternoon and a concert by independent rocker Melissa Ivey that evening. On Sunday, CODEPINK will host a powerful interfaith service, creative actions and more. Invited speakers include feminist leader Gloria Steinem, Nobel-winning Iranian human rights activist Shirin Ebadi and retired state official Col. Ann Wright.

“We are witness to the expanding violence around the world, women’s voices are missing, yet they pay the biggest prices,” said Jodie Evans, CODEPINK co-founder. “They lose their children, their home, their family, are abused and left to put it all back together. Still they are not in the decision making, they are not at the negotiating table. We must shed light on this and change it, beginning with this incredibly powerful vigil to honor the call of Mother’s Day.”

The vigil, with co-sponsors including The National Organization of Women (NOW), MADRE, and the Feminist Peace Network, will also include a radical act of knitting, or “knittivism.” Women all over the country submitting knitted squares to be stitched into a banner to stretch over the White House fence that will read, “We will not raise our children to kill another mother’s child.” (See more events in the calendar listed below).

“I truly believe women, organized and mobilized, can be a formidable, powerful force in the movement toward a world free of war,” said Cynthia Benjamin of New York, whose son is serving in Iraq. “To speak truth to power, I’ll join CODEPINK for Mother’s Day to work toward a more just and peaceful planet.”

All festival events are inspired by the original purpose of Mother’s Day, born in 1870 out of abolitionist Julia Ward Howe’s Mother’s Day Peace Proclamation. Howe, horrified by the devastation of the Civil War and the death of America’s men, wrote the Proclamation to call on America’s women to gather together to “promote the alliance of the different nationalities, the amicable settlement of international questions, the great and general interests of peace.” Some events will address the affect of war and occupation on women, specifically that of women in Iraq and Afghanistan, due to U.S. war.

The event will be filmed and broadcast live by The Real News network. Many CODEPINK groups nationwide will host solidarity Mother’s Day events to honor women living within occupation worldwide.

24-hour vigil schedule (tentative, more details to come)

Saturday, May 9
1 to 2:30 pm: Event Kick-off and Scavenger Hunt!

2:30  to 5 pm : Quilting Bee/Radical Knitting, Singing and Circling the White House in Pink
We’ll bind knitted squares, knitted by women across the country, to form a quilt with the message “We will not raise our children to kill another mother’s child” to string on the White House fence. Then we’ll circle the White House in a children’s march for peace!

5 to 6:30 p.m. : Learning Circles and Story-telling
Women are invited to participate in teach-ins that will educate and inspire us to create the world we want to live in. Meanwhile, kids can enjoy story-telling sessions.

7:30 pm to 10 pm : “Women’s Voices From War Zones” and Singer-Songwriter Melissa Ivey
Afghan, Iraqi and Pakistani women will share their perspective as women living under occupation and offer ideas for change. Indie singer-songrwriter Melissa Ivey will then take the stage to rev up the crowd.

Sunday, May 10
2  to 4 a.m. – Activist Training Workshops and Hula-Hooping with Co-founder Medea Benjamin
Guests will learn valuable skills for creative protest, media outreach, local group coordinating, strategizing to end war, and more. Renowned clown Patch Adams will lead “What     is your love strategy?” and co-founder Medea Benjamin will host a hula-hooping session.

4 to 7 a.m. : Pink Pajama Party!
All are invited to stay energized (and awake) with a pink scavenger hunt, hula-hooping, yoga, singing, and more!

7 a.m. to 8 a.m. : Walter Reed Peace Delegation flower delivery
A delegation of women will deliver hundreds of roses to mothers at Walter Reed Hospital visiting their children, demonstrating their support.

9  to 10 a.m. : Interfaith Service
To honor all the mothers that have been victimized by the war in Iraq, we will sing, chant, dance and listen to women from Goddess, Buddhist, Jewish, Christian, Muslim and Unitarian traditions.

10  to 11:30 a.m. : Children Peace Wishes
Little Friends for Peace, a non-profit peace education program for children, will lead the children in sharing their wishes for peace.

12:30 to 1 p.m. : Closing Ceremony of Roses to the White House
All participants will deliver roses to the White House.

For more information, please call Jean Stevens, national media coordinator, at 508-769-2138 or email at jean@codepinkalert.org, or Jodie Evans, at 310-621-5635 or Jodie@codepinkalert.org