I've told my congressional rep's staff I don't mind giving Iraqis $162
billion to start reimbursing them for the damage we've done to their
country, but I don't want another penny spent occupying it. This sort
of statement was met with shock, outrage, and disbelief two years ago,
but Shays' staff seems to take it amiably enough now. I'm not sure
what that means, of course, but why don't you say what YOU feel like
telling your congressperson about this $162 billion and see what
impression you get.
Here's Code Pink's take on this juncture:
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: CODEPINK <codepink@mail.democracyinaction.org>
Date: Fri, May 9, 2008 at 10:42 AM
Subject: We caught Pelosi in bed with Bush!
To: richard.duffee@gmail.com
Donate | Calendar | Local Groups | Store
May 9, 2008
Dear Richard,
Outside Speaker Pelosi's DC office on Thursday, we found a
disconcerting site: the Congresswoman in bed with George Bush! It
seems the two of them, behind closed doors, have been colluding to
guarantee $162 billion more of our tax dollars for war!
With Mother's Days approaching, we appealed to the Speaker as a
mother. We asked her to please stop funding war and destruction, and
instead support our family needs here at home and the Iraqi refugees
who are struggling to survive. Click here to tell Speaker Pelosi to
get out of bed with Bush, to stop funding this disastrous war, and to
help the refugees instead!
You, too, can do something for Mother's Day to help the Iraqi women
whose lives have been shattered by the US occupation.
When you donate today, 100% of the proceeds will go toward the
Collateral Repair Project, a grassroots movement working with CODEPINK
to address the catastrophic displacement of the five million Iraqis
who had to leave their homes and communities because of violence and
instability. CRP offers food, education, job training and other vital
services to refugees.
$25 will feed one internally displaced person in Iraq for one month
$100 will feed a family of five living in Iraq for one month
$250-500 will support small women-based microprojects to promote
economic self-sufficiency for women in Jordan
$1,500 will launch the Najaf sewing training project, training 50+
women sewing/embroidery. They will be able to make a small living and
clothe their families.
CODEPINK Co-founder Medea Benjamin recently returned from Jordan and
Syria where she witnessed firsthand the urgent needs of Iraqi women.
Layla Atiya is a 50-year-old woman from Baghdad whom I met outside the
UN food distribution center in Damascus. She was a Shia who married a
Sunni, something very common pre-invasion. They had a large
family-eight children-but Layla's husband worked hard as a mechanic
and managed to provide a decent life for his family.
In March 2005, he was kidnapped by Shia militias trying to rid the
neighborhood of Sunnis. Ten days later, his body was found dumped in a
ditch, riddled with drill holes from torture. A week later, masked men
came and took away her oldest son. Hysterical, she packed up the seven
remaining children-ages 2-16-and fled to Syria.
Layla receives $120 a month from the UN, but it doesn't even cover her
rent. She can't afford to send her children to school. "I can barely
feed my children, much less provide them with a decent future," she
cried. "What will become of us?"
This Mother's Day, please join CODEPINK in helping Iraqi mothers. If
you donate in your mother's name or the name of a mother you love, we
will send her a beautiful E-card to acknowledge your generous gift.
With love for the mothers all over the world,
Alicia, Dana, Desiree, Farida, Gael, Gayle, Jodie, Liz, Medea, Nancy,
Rae, and Tighe
p.s. To learn more about Medea's experiences in Jordan and Syria, read
her blogs here.
Donate in your mother's name to help Iraqi mothers
Sign our letter to Congress asking for money for refugees, not war
Download
this sign-up sheet to collect signatures at your Mother's Day Events!
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