troops home fast

From : vicki leidner <vleidner [at] rcn.com>
Reply-To : District6inSF [at] yahoogroups.com
Sent : Wednesday, July 5, 2006 9:58 AM
To : District6inSF [at] yahoogroups.com
Subject : [D6inSF] troops home fast tonight




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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT:
July 5, 2006 Rae Ablieah: 415-994-1723

Erin Van Anglen: 484-941-2413

*Welcome Home, Dianne Feinstein—Now Bring Home the Troops FAST! *

* *

*“Fast Supper” and PRESS CONFERENCE: *7 pm, July 5, 2006 – Lyon and
Vallejo Streets, San Francisco, with San Francisco City Supervisors
Chris Daly and Ross Mirkarimi, Iraq veteran Eli Painted Crow, Iraqi
activist Sureya Sayadi, Musician Francisco Herrera, Comedians Beth and
Doug Ferrari, American Muslim Voice founder Samina Faheem Sundas

*Rolling Fast:* 8 am to 8 pm Thursday, July 6- Wednesday July 12 outside
Sen. Feinstein’s office at One Post and Market

As part of a national hunger strike launched this week in Washington,
D.C. with Cindy Sheehan, Dick Gregory and thousands more, the CODEPINK:
Women for Peace Bay Area group will gather at 5:15 pm today, July 5th,
outside Senator Feinstein’s new home in Pacific Heights, San Francisco.
They will eat their final meal and hold a press conference at 7 pm
before an overnight vigil and the launch of the “Troops Home FAST” the
following morning. From July 6th to July 12th, they will fast from 8 am
to 8 pm daily outside Senator Feinstein’s San Francisco office at One
Post Street.

Dozens of local officials, professionals, veterans, mothers and
concerned citizens will spend the night at “Camp DiFi” on July 5th, and
gather outside her SF office the following week while fasting, to
encourage Feinstein to co-sponsor the Harkin Bill (S. CON. RES 93). The
Harkin Bill calls for the lack of a permanent military presence in Iraq,
no American control of Iraqi oil, and redeployment of Armed Forces from
Iraq as soon as practicable after the completion of Iraq’s
constitution-making process or by December 31, 2006.

This June, Senator Dianne Feinstein voted against John Kerry’s
amendment, SA 2507 which called for a timeline for troop pullout from
Iraq, despite the fact that a majority of Californians, like the
majority of Americans, believe the war to be a mistake. Barbara Boxer,
the other California Senator, was a cosponsor of the bill. Senator
Feinstein also recently caused controversy when she purchased a new home
in Pacific Heights and uprooted a public garden. CODEPINK organizer Rae
Abileah remarked that “Diane Feinstein seems more concerned about
rebuilding this leveled garden than rebuilding the country we leveled—Iraq!”

The San Francisco fast is one of hundreds around the country that
started on the 4th of July. The “Troops Home FAST” Washington, D.C.
kickoff is already attracting international attention, and claims the
participation of musicians Willie Nelson and Michael Franti, actors
Danny Glover, Sean Penn and Susan Sarandon, Gold Star parents Cindy
Sheehan and Fernando Suarez, legendary faster and comedian Dick Gregory,
columnist and talk show host Will Durst, San Francisco Public Defender
Jeff Adachi, immigrant rights lawyer and organizer Renee Saucedo, Iraq
war veteran Geoffrey Millard and Gulf War vet Michael McPherson, labor
leader Dolores Huerta, and more than 2200 people around the country.
Additional local fast endorsers include Veterans for Peace Chapter 69,
Friends of South Asia, and Queers for Peace and Justice.

“We’ve marched, held vigils, lobbied Congress, camped out at Bush’s
ranch. We’ve even gone to jail. Now it’s time to do more,” says peace
mom Cindy Sheehan, who will fast until the beginning of September.
“While others are celebrating July 4th with barbeques, we’ll be showing
our patriotism by putting our bodies on the line to bring our troops home.”

For more information, including a full list of fasters and press info,
please see http://www.troopshomefast.org <http://www.troopshomefast.org/> .

###


Event announcement to send to lists:

Think it’s long overdue for our troops to come home from Iraq? Ever
wanted to live in Pacific Heights for a night and bring activism off the
beaten path? Then join us for the...*

Troops Home Fast
*


*Welcome Home Dianne... Now Bring the Troops Home Fast
Wednesday July 5, 2006 5:15pm
Lyon & Vallejo Streets
San Francisco, CA
*Join* CODEPINK* in a house warming party for Senator Dianne
Feinstein. Meet outside of Lyon & Vallejo Streets in Pacific Heights
as we encourage her to bring the troops home fast.

Senator Dianne Feinstein recently voted against John Kerry’s
amendment calling for the troops to come home. Let’s make sure she
doesn’t disappoint her constituents again. Gather with us, as we
encourage her to co-sponsor the Harkin bill (S. CON. RES 93) - no
permanent military presence or military bases in Iraq; no attempt to
control the flow of Iraqi oil; and Armed Forces should be redeployed
from Iraq as soon as practicable after the completion of Iraq's
constitution-making process or December 31, 2006.
*Schedule of Events
*
_Wednesday July 5, 2006
_Lyon and Vallejo Streets
San Francisco, CA

5:15pm Vigil
6:30pm Last Hurrah! Party’s Over!
7:00pm Press Conference & Rally
Camp DiFi - Overnight hunger strike
(Bring your sleeping bags & tents)

_July 6th - 12th, 2006
_Senator Diane Feinstein?s Office
One Post Street (@ Market St.)
San Francisco, CA 94104
8am-8pm
Rolling Fast

_July 12, 2006
_Culmination Ceremony
Time TBA


Endorsed & Supported by:
Immigrant rights lawyer and organizer, Renee Saucedo; Performer &
Musician, Francisco Herrera; Father Louie Vitale; Will Durst,
Political comic, columnist and talk show host; Colonel Ann Wright;
Iraq veteran Geoffrey Millard; former CIA analyst Ray McGovern; Lt.
Ehren Watada, Iraq war refuser; San Francisco Public Defender Jeff
Adachi; San Francisco City Supervisors Chris Daly and Ross
Mirkarimi; Veterans for Peace Chapter 69 and more!

To RSVP and sign-up for the rolling fast, or for rideshare info to
get to DiFi’s house, contact: _codepinkbayarea [at] riseup.net_ or call
415.575-5555.