While our CODEPINK delegation was in Lebanon witnessing firsthand the pain and suffering caused by the conflict with Israel, US Ambassador John Bolton was at the United Nations trying to block a ceasefire.
Talking a leaf from Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's 2003 criticism of France and Germany as "old Europe", Bolton called the French ceasefire initiative "old thinking". We at CODEPINK believe Bolton is the one who truly represents "old thinking"—his thinking that might makes right, that we need to go it alone, that compromise is a sign of weakness, are all sadly antiquated notions of power.
This week, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will vote on whether or not John Bolton will continue to represent the United States at the United Nations. Please call your senators TODAY- Wednesday, September 6- and urge them to oppose John Bolton's nomination as U.S. Ambassador to the U.N.
We are grateful that, despite Bolton's protest, the international community forced a ceasefire through the Security Council, and Italy and France took the lead to send peacekeepers to the border.
CODEPINK is delivering flowers to the French and Italian embassies to thank them for working so steadfastly toward peace.Their contributions of peacekeeping troops—2,450 from Italy and 2,000 from France—will help enforce the ceasefire along the Israeli-Lebanese border. Please send your own words of gratitude to let them know how much we appreciate their diplomatic efforts.
French Embassy
Email: info@ambafrance-us.org
Italian Embassy
email: stampa.washington@esteri.it
It is time for true diplomacy in our own country. We need to get John Bolton out of the UN and replace him with an ambassador who will acknowledge that we are part of an interdependent, international community. An ambassador who believes in the power of negotiation and international cooperation to create positive change in our world. That is certainly what we need right now to end the violence in Iraq and get our troops home.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Here is the text of my latest CODEPINK alert. Please do try to call your senators today. We need to give Bolton the pink slip!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
Don't you just hate them? These people in our goventment really make me mad, because I don't like to feel hate and I can't stop hating them. It is such a negative waste of energy. I know anger can be used to point us to a positive direction and action, but hate is just poison. It's a horrible cycle i can't seem to escape.
Have you heard the song Dear Mr. President, by Pink?
I do hate them. And hate is not a word that I use easily or lightly. It fits here, though. Bush especially summons such hateful feelings in me. And I agree that it is poison. And I do worry that it mirrors the administration's own hateful energy. Sometimes I try to transform those feelings and send love to the White House, because it's love and compassion that have the power to turn things around, but then that old hatred comes slinking back.
I haven't heard that song by Pink, but I've heard of it. I'll have to track it down...
xo
gayle
Gayle: The language is perfect and just simply tremendous. Personally, I've moved from hate to just downright pity for Bush, Rice, and the whole administration. From the little that I have studied of the Dharma, it can only be pity that I feel because I truly think that they all operate from positions of absolute ignorance. I really don't think that their lives or their paths in life have enabled them to know better or to be better. Life has shown me, I guess, that people can only do what they *can* do. And I just don't think that Bush et al know, or have had any truly enlightening experience, that will enable them to do or function any better than they do. Their arrogance and ignorance is all that they have right now to give, unfortunately. And what is most unfortunate is that the people -- citizens, media, etc -- have not demanded better, have not questioned their actions, have bought into the rhetoric lock, stock, and barrel.
Two more years .....
Thank you for the work you're doing for peace.
ANGEL
Thank you so much for your kind and thoughtful words, Angel. I love your thoughts on feeling pity for our administration--what an appropriate and compassionate way to look at their shortcomings. I am grateful for your perspective.
I agree that it is so deeply disturbing that our media and the public hasn't questioned our adminstration in a more thorough way (although it appears that more people are waking up now, which gives me hope.)
Thanks again,
xo
gayle
Post a Comment