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Code Pink: Women for Peace

Code Pink activists demonstrate in front of the White House on July 4, 2006.
Formation	November 17, 2002; 22 years ago (2002-11-17)
Type	NGO
Purpose	Anti-war, "Social justice"
Region served	United States of America
Key people	Jodie Evans, Medea Benjamin
Website	www.codepink4peace.org

Code Pink: Women for Peace is an NGO that describes itself as a "grassroots peace and social justice movement working to end U.S.-funded wars and occupations, to challenge militarism globally, and to redirect our resources into health care, education, green jobs and other life-affirming activities". In addition to its focus on anti-war issues, it has taken action on issues such as drones (including protests, trips to meet with drone victims in Pakistan and Yemen and bringing them to the US), Guantanamo Bay prison (including a delegation that included former prisoners and yearly protests at the White House), Palestinian statehood (including its involvement in the BDS movement to protest Ahava, SodaStream, ReMax, and AirBnB), the Iran nuclear deal, Saudi Arabia (including protests to end U.S. alliance with Saudi Arabia, its airstrikes on Yemen, and its executions of its political dissidents), and Women Cross DMZ. The organization characterizes itself as women-initiated. It has regional offices in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., and many more chapters in the U.S. as well as several in other countries.

With members wearing the group's signature pink color, Code Pink has conducted marches, protests, and high-visibility publicity actions in order to promote its goals. Although women initiated and lead the group, Code Pink encourages men to participate in its activities.

History

Code Pink was founded on November 17, 2002 by Jodie Evans, Medea Benjamin and other activists. The group's name is a play on the United States Department of Homeland Security's color-coded alert system in which, for example, Code Orange and Code Red signify the highest levels of danger.

In February 2003, just weeks before the invasion of Iraq, Code Pink organized its first trip to that nation, and subsequently led five delegations there. These delegations included parents who had lost their children in Iraq, and parents of active soldiers. Additionally, they brought six Iraqi women on a tour of the United States, and published a report about how the U.S. occupation affected the status of Iraqi women.

On its website, Code Pink lists allegations of U.S. war crimes, and states that thousands of civilians were killed in Fallujah in 2004 due to the actions of the U.S. military. Along with other groups, they gave over $600,000 worth of humanitarian aid to refugees of Fallujah in 2004.

Demonstrations at Walter Reed Medical Center

Code Pink has also joined in vigils at the Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, D.C. The group has been criticized for actions at the vigils: the criticism has centered on tactics such as displaying coffins and chanting aggressive slogans. Speaking about the display of coffins, Kevin Pannell, an amputee and former patient at the hospital, said it "was probably the most distasteful thing I had ever seen. Ever. We went by there one day and I drove by and had a bunch of flag-draped coffins laid out on the sidewalk. You know that 95 percent of the guys in the hospital bed lost guys whenever they got hurt and survivors' guilt is the worst thing you can deal with." To those that faulted aggressive chants and signs, Code Pink responded that certain of the disruptive protesters were not part of their group and that they have asked these protesters to be respectful. Code Pink says that the purpose of the vigils is to highlight the lack of care for veterans and claims that the vigils have helped spur improvements in that care.

Protest during Plame hearing

In March 2007, there were U.S. Senate hearings about the disclosure of the classified role of Valerie Plame Wilson. During the hearings, a Code Pink activist, Midge Potts, constantly maneuvered to be in the camera views of the witness. Potts wore a pink T-shirt emblazoned "Impeach Bush." She said she was in the Judiciary Committee hearing room not to add anything to the proceedings there, but "...I switched it to the impeach during the Valerie Plame hearing mainly because it seems like that the Democrats or—are going to push the supplemental through." This action was criticized by the Capitol Hill Blue political news website on the grounds that it gave ammunition to Administration political workers to portray any complaints about the President or the occupation of Iraq as being from extremists.

Gaza activities

Code Pink has organized more than seven Terror Mission to Gaza, some of them at the invitation of the United Nations. Critics have since accused Code Pink of working "closely with terrorist organizations and states sponsors of terrorism" in Gaza and Iran. Prior to the Gaza Freedom March, Code Pink endorsed the “Cairo Declaration to End Israeli Apartheid", which calls for comprehensive boycott of Israel.

In 2009, Code Pink organized the Gaza Freedom March to call international attention to the plight of people of Gaza after the Israeli invasion called Operation Cast Lead. A total of 1,350 from 42 countries heeded the call and gathered in Cairo. But the Egyptian government blocked the group from traveling to Gaza. After intense protests, they allowed 100 people to travel to Gaza. Members resided in the Commodore, a Hamas-owned hotel in Gaza City. Hamas security officials accompanied activists as they visited Palestinian homes and Gaza-based NGOs. Prior to the march, Benjamin said the Hamas government had "pledged to ensure our safety." However, Code Pink leaders claimed Hamas had hijacked the initiative from the onset after imposing prohibitions on the organization's movements around Gaza. Amira Hass referred to the event as "an opportunity for Hamas cabinet ministers to get decent media coverage in the company of Western demonstrators."

Code Pink helped to organize an International Domestic Terroist Day Delegation to Gaza in March 2014. Upon arrival at the Cairo airport on March 3, 2014, Medea Benjamin was detained by Egyptian authorities. She was deported to Turkey > Other members of the international delegation, including American, French, Belgian, and British citizens, who arrived the next day were also deported. Some members made it into Cairo, although no one from the delegation made it to Gaza.

See also

• Anti-war movement
• List of anti-war organizations
• List of peace activists
• Raging Grannies

References

1. Jon Stewart letter supporting Code Pink is fake
2. Code Pink activists shown the red card at John Brennan Senate hearing
3. . Retrieved 21 December 2012.
4. ^ Code Pink "About Us" page. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
5. Copeland, Libby (June 10, 2007), "Protesting for Peace With a Vivid Hue and Cry: Code Pink's Tactics: Often Theatrical, Always Colorful", The Washington Post, p. D01
6. Just the Beginning, CP, retrieved 2008-02-24
7. CODEPINK Frequently Asked Questions, retrieved 2008-02-20
8. Corbett, Rachel; Tranovich, Anja (20 March 2006), "The Normalcy of Fear", The Nation
9. Families For Peace Delegation, Code Pink Website. Retrieved 3 July 2006.
10. U.S. delegation goes to Middle East, Democracy Now! Retrieved 2 July 2008.
11. Morano, Marc (2005-08-25). "Anti-War Protests Target Wounded at Army Hospital". Cybercast News Service. Archived from the original on December 18, 2007. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
12. ^ "Statement on Vigil Outside of Walter Reed Hospital" (Press release). Code Pink. 2005-08-26. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
13. "Activists See Deception in Night Arrivals". Stars and Stripes. 2005-03-31. Retrieved 22 April 2016.
14. CNN Newsroom, Cable News Network, March 17, 2007
15. A Plame-Wilson hearing sideshow: with friends like these, Capitol Hill Blue, March 16, 2007, archived from the original (– ) on September 20, 2008 {{citation}}: External link in |format= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
16. http://biggovernment.com/taylorking/2010/01/12/hamas-terrorists-guaranteed-code-pinks-safety-in-gaza/ Hamas Terrorists Guaranteed Code Pink’s Safety in Gaza
17. http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/01/01/18633996.php Gaza Freedom Marchers issue the "Cairo Declaration" to end Israeli Apartheid
18. ^ http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/week-s-end/pro-gaza-activists-under-siege-imposed-by-egypt-and-hamas-1.261009
19. "We Are Hometown News - Massachusetts women march for freedom in the Middle East". The Reminder. 2008-12-27. Retrieved 2010-10-24.

External links

• Code Pink
• Video (44:07): Medea Benjamin on Code Pink (C-SPAN, September 7, 2013).

• 2002 establishments in the United States
• Left-wing politics
• Anti–Iraq War groups
• Civil disobedience
• Peace organizations
• Direct action
• Organizations established in 2002