When Condoleeza Rice entered the Congressional hearing room on October 24th, I approached her, with no advance planning and almost without thinking, extending my red-painted palms. I told her that the blood of the Iraqi people was on her hands. I felt compelled to confront her, woman-to-woman, face-to-face, for the untold death and destruction her policies have unleashed. I had no idea that the image of this gesture would be in newspapers around the world. A very personal expression by me, a schoolteacher from Texas and current CODEPINK housemother in D.C., had global impact.
Judging from the hundreds of thank-you notes I've received, this action has struck a chord with people all over the country. I have been buoyed by the gratitude, but I'm concerned, as well. One result of my action last week was the banning of all the CODEPINK women who were at the hearing from Capitol Hill. Now that many of us at the CODEPINK house have a "stay-away order" from Congress, who will take our places? Our loud and vibrant anti-war presence in the halls of Congress these past six months have made "business as usual" impossible. CODEPINK needs to be there reminding our representatives of the human costs of this war.
http://www.codepinkalert.org/