Diane Wilson Letter, Unreasonable Women and Men

CODEPINK Women for Peace>>August 2, 2006
Dear CODEPINK Activist,

I never thought when I embarked on my water-only hunger strike to “bring the troops home fast” that on day 30 I’d be leaving on a journey to the Middle East (http://www.troopshomefast.org/article.php?id=1148) to meet with Iraqi members of Parliament. As a shrimper from a small fishing town in Texas, I don’t have ways to get in touch with these folks from Iraq. I don’t speak their language. I certainly don’t have their emails or phone numbers! But today, I’ll be traveling with a group of 14 other Americans (http://www.troopshomefast.org/article.php?id=1147), to meet with these Iraqis and learn about their ideas to end the fighting and the occupation of their country. That’s why I’ve always said that when you embark on a hunger strike, you have to believe and open up the space for n Letter ew and amazing things to happen. And sure enough, that’s what’s happening.

As hunger strikes go, this one hasn’t been easy. We sit outside the president’s house for 9 hours every day and watch the snipers walk the roof. Then, too, for the past month, (because we’re BUSY fasters) we’ve >paraded down the halls of Congress trying to convince those people to pull >our troops out of Iraq and visited an embassy or two. The President certainly doesn’t talk to us. Congress wasn’t budging an inch and when we >talk with the aides there’s a lot of eyes rolling. Then when the Iraqi
Prime Minister came to Washington, he pretended he was gonna meet with us >and then he never came to the meeting
>(http://www.codepinkalert.org//article.php?id=1127).
>
>But suddenly we heard from this group of Iraqi members of Parliament.
They
>were moved by our sacrifice when our own government couldn’t care
less.
>They were anxious to meet with us when our own leaders refused to
meet. And
>while our own government just talks about war and more war, these
Iraqis
>have been talking about peace, about a peace plan to stop the violence
and
>end the occupation.
>
>We’re thrilled to have to honor to meet with these Iraqis working on a
>Reconciliation Plan, and to bring their ideas back home. We’re excited
that
>we’ll be able to break our 30-day fast with them. And some of us will
be
>going on to Lebanon to try to promote a ceasefire and help the folks
who
>are suffering there, because we can’t sit around feeling sorry about
all
>the killing. We’ve got to do something to stop it.
>
>I said when I started this fast that we who want the killing to stop
have
>to be as committed to peace as those who are committed to war. Many of
>ya’ll joined in this hunger strike to show your commitment. So we ask
that
>ya’ll continue to participate in the fast -- perhaps one day a week,
or a
>rolling fast in your community, until we formally end the fast on
September
>21, International Peace Day
>(http://www.codepinkalert.org//article.php?id=1023).
>
>When we launch the Declaration of Peace
>(http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizationsORG/codepink/signUp.jsp?key=1379)
>on September 21, we’ll be asking ya’ll to show your commitment again.
We’re
>hoping to organize sit-ins in ALL the offices of Senators who refuse
to
>call for an end to the occupation. If you’re willing to join us by
“sitting
>in for peace”, contact .
>
>I don't know what the final outcome of this trip to meet with the
Iraqis or
>our journey to Lebanon will bring. But we’re certainly not about to
leave
>our future in the hands of George Bush! When our “leaders” won’t build
the
>future we want to see, we’ve got to do it ourselves. So thank you all
for
>your support of our fast, our journey, and “unreasonable women” -- and
men
>-- who won’t take war for an answer.
>
>Love and adios,
>Diane Wilson
>