PRESS RELEASE from CODEPINK
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 2, 2012
CONTACT:
Medea Benjamin
Alli McCracken
CODEPINK Women to DNC: Bust up Big Banks,
$ Out of Politics, End Wars; From RNC to DNC, CODEPINK brings creative
protests
WHAT: Coalition March on Wall Street South
WHEN: 11:00 am, Sunday, September 2
WHERE: Frazier Park, 1201 West 4th Street Ext.
VISUALS: Women throwing pink bras with “Bust Up Bank of America” signs,
giant banners
WHAT: Street Theater outside the Delegate Welcome Event at NASCAR Hall
of Fame
WHEN: 4:30-5:30pm
WHERE: NASCAR Hall of Fame, 400 East Martin Luther King Blvd
VISUALS: “Congresspeople” wearing corporate sponsors on their suits
like NASCAR drivers
WHAT: Progressive Central – The People’s Convention
Summit hosted by Progressive Democrats of America and cosponsored by
CODEPINK, features CODEPINK cofounder Medea Benjamin
WHEN: 8:00 am - 5;00 pm, Tuesday, September 4
WHERE: Community Outreach Christian Ministries, 1800 Brewton Drive,
Charlotte NC
Charlotte, NC—As Democrats converge in Charlotte for the DNC, CODEPINK
activists will join a broad coalition of students, labor, and everyday
Americans calling for significant economic reform, an end to US wars,
and money out of politics.
Charlotte, dubbed “Wall Street South,” hosts the world headquarters of
Bank of America and the East Coast headquarters of Wells Fargo, making
it the second largest concentration of finance capital in the US after
NYC. Through song, chants, theater, props and costume, activists will
highlight how the Democrats listen more to banks and corporations than
the American people.
CODEPINK created a splash at the RNC with its bold actions both inside
and outside the Convention Center, and will do the same at the DNC.
"Both the Republicans and Democrats are war-addicted parties,
continuing to pour money into the bloated Pentagon budget instead of
addressing people's real needs," said co-director Medea Benjamin.
"We'll be on the streets, loudly and boldly protesting the
ongoing war in Afghanistan, killer drone strikes and a potential war on
Iran.
In the wake of the Citizens United case, with corporate and super PAC
money in politics polluting democracy and drowning out the will of
voters, CODEPINK will also be calling for money out of politics. “We
want people-powered elections that prioritize human needs over war and
greed,” said CODEPINK co-director Jodie Evans. “The United States
isn’t even attempting democracy anymore, but we have these charades
called conventions to divert attention from the oligarchy that governs
us."
CODEPINK cofounders Medea Benjamin and Jodie Evans, and activists from
around the country, are available for interview. Please contact
Alli McCracken at 860-575-5692 or alli@codepink.org to set up an
interview.
CODEPINK, founded in 2002, is a
women-initiated grassroots peace and social justice movement working to
end the war in Iraq, stop new wars, and redirect our resources into
health care, education and other life-affirming activities.
www.codepink.org
Tuesday,
September
4, 2012
WHAT:
Progressive
Central – The People’s Convention
Summit
hosted
by Progressive Democrats of America and cosponsored by CODEPINK,
features CODEPINK cofounder Medea Benjamin
WHEN:
9:00
am - 6:00 pm; Medea Benjamin speaking at 9:15 am
WHERE:
Community
Outreach Christian Ministries, 1800 Brewton Drive, Charlotte
NC
WHAT:
Path
to Power Luncheon with Bank of America, National Journal, The
Atlantic
WHEN:
12:15
pm
WHERE:
McColl
Center
for Visual Art
- 721 N Tryon St, Charlotte NC
VISUALS:
Big
buck corporate sponsors!
WHAT:
Planned
Parenthood Rally (“Yes We Plan!”)
WHEN:
1:00-2:00
WHERE:
NASCAR
Hall of Fame, 400 E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd
VISUALS:
The
famous CODEPINK vagina costumes!
Wednesday,
September
5, 2012
WHAT:
Demonstration
at the AIPAC Lunch; Call for No War on Iran and Justice
for Palestinians
WHEN:
12:15
WHERE:
Levine
Museum of the New South, 200 East 7th Street, Charlotte, NC
VISUALS:
Giant
banners, mock checkpoint
WHAT:
$$
out of Politics Coalition March
WHERE:
Beginning
at Marshall Park
WHEN:
3:00
pm
VISUALS:
Corporate
millionaires street theater, giant 30 ft banner, Obama puppet
WHAT:
Bust
Up Bank of America action
WHERE:
Outside
Bank of America Headquarters
WHEN:
6:00
VISUALS:
Women
throw dozens of bras in the air in front of giant “Bust Up Bank
of America” banner
WHAT:
No
Two Party Coalition March
WHERE:
Beginning
at Marshall Park
WHEN:
7:00
pm
FOR
IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
September
5,
2012
CONTACT:
Rae
Abileah
Alli
McCracken
CODEPINK Activist Speaks Out During
Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer Speech At Democratic Convention: End the
War in Afghanistan, Stop the Killer Drones
Charlotte,
NC—
Representative Steny Hoyer from Maryland’s 5th district was
interrupted by CODEPINK co-director Rae Abileah calling for an end to
current US wars and drone strikes. Abileah, 29, from San Francisco,
stood up, unfurled a pink banner which read “Bring Our War $$ Home!”
and said, “Bring our war dollars home! End the war in Afghanistan! Stop
the killer drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia! Money
for healthcare and education, not war!”
When
asked
why she spoke out, Abileah said, “Too many young people my age
can’t afford healthcare, college, or even
make
rent. Meanwhile, both political parties are squandering our
taxpayer dollars on big military contracts.” She added, “Instead of
bombing homes and killing innocents abroad, we need to pursue real
security through diplomacy and negotiations.”
CODEPINK
has
campaigned for the past
ten
years to end US wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, stop funding weapons
to Israel, and redirect our federal budget away from the bloated
Pentagon spending and into programs that address human needs and the
environment. Last week CODEPINK was at the Republican Convention where
they were inside the convention every night protesting the Republican
policies around war, money in politics, and women’s rights.
CODEPINK will continue to protest both parties ongoing funding for war.
CODEPINK,
founded
in 2002, is a women-initiated grassroots peace and social
justice movement working to end the war in Iraq, stop new wars, and
redirect our resources into health care, education and other
life-affirming activities.
www.codepink.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 6, 2012
Contact:
Rae Abileah
CODEPINK Activist
Arrested After “YES WE CAN END WAR” 40 Foot Pink Slip Banner Drop Near
Democratic Convention
Charlotte, NC—At 4:15pm today, Thursday, September 6,
hours before President Obama's acceptance speech at the Democratic
Convention, five CODEPINK activists dropped a 40 foot giant pink slip
banner that read “YES WE CAN END WAR” off of a parking garage at S.
College and 3rd Street near the Democratic Convention. CODEPINK
national organizer Alli McCracken, 23, from Washington, DC, was
arrested and charged with a misdemeanor for “attaching a banner to
private property without permission.”
"When the war in Afghanistan started I was only 12 years old, and for
my entire adult life the US has continued to squander precious tax
dollars on war, while young people like me can hardly afford college or
healthcare, and many can’t find jobs,” said McCracken. “Both the
Republicans and Democrats continue to pour money into the bloated
Pentagon budget instead of addressing people's real needs. I’m
sick and tired of the huge amount of corporate and super-PAC money
going into elections that keeps our politicians funding war, killer
drone strikes, and weapons to Israel. Let’s put people before
profits!”
"There were 34 police officers involved in arresting this one peace
activist, clearly a huge waste of taxpayer money," said Medea Benjamin,
cofounder of CODEPINK. "At a convention that is supposed to be
the most open convention in history, it's tragic that a young activist
would be arrested for peacefully expressing her desire to end war, a
position that the overwhelming majority of Democratic delegates
support."
CODEPINK has demonstrated at both the RNC and DNC, including speaking
out every night at the RNC and Wednesday night, September 5, when
CODEPINK co-director Rae Abileah unfurled a
pink banner inside the convention that read “Bring Our War $$
Home” during Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer’s speech.
In the wake of the Citizens United case, with corporate and super PAC
money in politics polluting democracy and drowning out the will of
voters, CODEPINK will also be calling for money out of politics. “We
want people-powered elections that prioritize human needs over war and
greed,” said CODEPINK co-director Jodie Evans. “And we'd like the
police to go after the real war criminals instead of nonviolent
protesters."
CODEPINK, founded in 2002, is a women-initiated grassroots peace and
social justice movement working to end the war in Iraq, stop new wars,
and redirect our resources into health care, education and other
life-affirming activities.
www.codepink.org
WASHINGTON, June
5,
2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Former Presidential
Candidate Gary Bauer congratulated Governor Scott
Walker for his win in Wisconsin's
recall
election,
calling
it
"another
sign
that
taxpayers
will
award
office
holders
ready
to
do
the
hard
work
of
reigning
in
out-of-control
government
spending."
Bauer, the chairman of the Campaign for Working Families, made
the following statement:
"I congratulate Governor Scott Walker
for his hard-fought victory tonight, and most especially for having the
courage of his convictions to fight the good fight. But the victory in Wisconsin is not Scott
Walker's alone. It is a victory for the hard-working
taxpayers of Wisconsin,
who foot the bill year after year. It is a victory for common
sense
over powerful special interests. It is a victory that taxpayers
in
every state can celebrate. It is a victory, yes, even for some
union
members.
"Since
Gov. Walker's reforms were enacted, tens of thousands of state
employees have opted to keep more of the money they earn rather than
let the public employees union siphon off their hard-earned
dollars.
In other words, once given the choice, more than half of the public
employees union's members decided that they didn't need the
union.
These reforms will pay real dividends for the taxpayers of
Wisconsin.
They are the real winners tonight.
"The recall election is a sign of good things to come. The
power of the Big Labor bosses has finally been checked, not just in Wisconsin,
but also in scores of other states across the country. More
governors,
legislators and taxpayers will be inspired to stand up against the
liberal labor unions and do what is truly in the best interests of
their communities. Wisconsin's
10
Electoral College votes are now in play, and the anti-tax, small
government movement that swept the country in 2010 is about to sweep Barack Obama out of office in 154 days!"
Source: PR Newswire (http://s.tt/1drYR)