CODE PINK activists disrupt Bolton confirmation hearing

[paineinthearse]

BREAKING..........

Live on CSPAN.

At least three activists dresed in pink (from Code Pink?) held signs such as "BOLTON = NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION" disrupted the John Bolton confirmation hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

More from the newswires when available......

[meegbear]

1. DETAILS! DETAILS!

[underpants]

4. Sign-"Diplomat for hire__ NO BULLY" 4 protestors that I saw

"He does not represent world security" -something like that was yelled out.

[Justitia]

2. damn! missed it! -eom

[Pathwalker]

3. Pink sign that says: Bolton at UN = Nuclear Proliferation".

There was another woman holding another sign, but the camera cut away. They were yelling, so they had to stop the hearing until they were removed.

[carnie_sf]

5. Raise hell

that's the only way we'll get the majority to listen.

[Toots]

6. We need a hundred more groups like Code Pink

They understand the only way to reach the people is with the Media. The Media will not give a Liberal group any airtime unless we/they resort to publicity stunts. We need more bigger and better. Maybe a symbolic Modern day Boston Tea Party. Dress up as Indians and dump symbolic voting machines with big letters DIEBOLD on their sides into the bay. Do this in every major metropoliton area. We must capture some media attention or we will remain silent...

[paineinthearse]

7. http://www.codepink4peace.org/

CODEPINK is a women initiated grassroots peace and social justice movement that seeks positive social change through proactive, creative protest and non-violent direct action.



“ We call on women around the world to rise up and oppose the war in Iraq. We call on mothers, grandmothers, sisters, and daughters, on workers, students, teachers, healers, artists, writers, singers, poets and every ordinary outraged woman willing to be outrageous for peace. Women have been the guardians of life—not because we are better or purer or more innately nurturing than men, but because the men have busied themselves making war. Because of our responsibility to the next generation, because of our own love for our families and communities and this country that we are a part of, we understand the love of a mother in Iraq for her children and the driving desire of that child for life” —Starhawk

With this call CODEPINKcame to the face and space of the national leadership to protest the pre-emptive strike in Iraq. Medea Benjamin, Starhawk, Jodie Evans, Diane Wilson and approximately 100 other women kicked off CODEPINK on November 17, 2002. They marched through the streets of Washington, DC and set up for a four month vigil in front of the White House. The name CODEPINK plays on the Bush Administration’s color-coded homeland security advisory system that signals terrorist threats. While Bush’s color coded alerts are based on fear, the CODEPINK alert is based on compassion and is a feisty call for women and men to “wage peace.”

Through March 8th, International Women’s Day, CODEPINK held a daily, all-day peace vigil in front of the White House. The Women’s Peace Vigil inspired people from all walks of life, and from all over the country to stand for peace. Many organizations sponsored days: Greenpeace, WILPF, WAND, Public Citizen, NOW, Women for Women International, Neighbors for Peace and Justice, among others. On March 8th, CODEPINK celebrated women as global peacemakers with a week of activities, rally and march to encircle the White House in pink. Over 10,000 people participated. Among them, Alice Walker, Maxine Hong Kingston, Jody Williams, Susan Griffen, Starhawk, and Medea Benjamin.

Since then CODEPINK has become a worldwide network of women and men committed to working for peace and social justice. There are over 80 active CODEPINK communities. Some groups have 10 participants, others have over 100. Each groups acts autonomously of CODEPINK-Central. Each group does its own dreaming, and scheming. Some groups take over bridges while others hand out pink flowers with messages of peace attached to them.

CODEPINK-Central serves to connect CODEPINK groups with the international network of global peacemakers. By placing a contact email on the CODEPINK website, local CODEPINK groups make themselves accessible to those in their area who would like to get involved. CODEPINK Central also supplies groups with a range of CODEPINK merchandise to increase visibility: pink scarves, buttons, bumper stickers, and tee-shirts. CODEPINK Central also provides local CODEPINK groups with organizing tips, overarching national campaigns and initiatives. By tapping into the network CODEPINKers coordinate our energies and efforts. More than 30,000 people currently receiving the weekly CODEPINK alert.

Besides grassroots organizing Stateside, CODEPINK women have traveled to Iraq where they helped to establish the Occupation Watch Center. CODEPINK co-creator Gael Murphy has been key to the development of the international coalition of organizations and the management of Center staff. The first all-women CODEPINK peace delegation went to Iraq in February 2003. Another delegation will travel to Iraq in January 2004.

[applegrove]

8. They have a point! n/t

[Roland99]

9. Why do they hate America?

[paineinthearse]

10. Corporate media is slow on the uptake.

I've been searching google news - nada.

How long does it take to write a relase?

sheesh!

[paineinthearse]

11. If you were a member of the capitol police and several woman dressed

...like this, would you be a bit suspicious?

So much for homeland security.



Code Pink :yourock:

[paineinthearse]

12. Photos - Allison Yorra & Lori Emmerick

Protestor Lori Emmerick is escorted out of a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing by a policeman after she interrupted a hearing in which John Bolton appeared as the nominee for the United States' Represenative to the United Nations, in Washington April 11, 2005. Three protestors against Bolton's nomination interrupted the hearing before being removed by police. REUTERS/Jason Reed


Protestor Allison Yorra (foreground) is escorted out of a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing by a policeman after she interrupted a hearing in which John Bolton appeared as the nominee for the United States representative to the United Nations, in Washington April 11, 2005. Three protestors against Bolton's nomination interrupted the hearing before being removed by police. REUTERS/Jason Reed

[paineinthearse]

13. Photos - protesters' signs

A protestor holds up a banner against the nomination of John Bolton(L) as the new United States representative to the United Nations, as Bolton halts his testimony to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in Washington April 11, 2005. Three protestors interrupted the hearing before being removed by police. (Yuri Gripas/Reuters)


A protestor holds up a banner against the nomination of John Bolton (L) as the new United States Representative to the United Nations, as Bolton looks on during his testimony to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on his nomination in Washington April 11, 2005. Three protestors interrupted the hearing before being removed by police. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas

[Stockholm]

14. Great pictures! n/t

[gratuitous]

15. That second pictures rocks!

The sign is clear, easy to read, and Bolton's turned around looking right at it, with his little name plate legible in front of him. Perfect and captures the moment in an instant!

Which means, of course, that you won't be seeing it in your local paper or on the broadcast news, and the media will be absolutely mystified as to why anyone would be upset about such a nice man as John Bolton occupying the ambassador's chair at the UN.

[Judi Lynn]

16. Excellent. They've got real character, unlike the nominee.

Bolton should be no where near the U.N. Shame on _{George W. Bush.} He's not fit morally. He has nothing in common with diplomats.

He's simply not bright enough, I suspect, and forget his "morals!"

[donsu]

17. thanks for the photos - love the Code Pink women

all that bravery and they don't even have balls

[Pachamama]

20. Ovaries are more powerful than balls n/t

[concord]

19. Great Pictures!!!

Thanks for posting. I have a BIG SMILE after seeing these.

WTG Code Pink!!!

:D :bounce:

[Zan_of_Texas]

26. Great photos - thanks, paine!

[ClayZ]

18. Code Pink ROCKS!

:yourock:

[paineinthearse]

21. Faux / AP story - not a word about Code Pink

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,153054,00.html

[paineinthearse]

22. NYT - not a word about Code Pink

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/11/international/middleeast/11cnd-bolt.html?hp&ex=1113278400&en=ee778b9130cbdee5&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[paineinthearse]

24. self-delete

[RandomKoolzip]

23. Medea Benjamin rocks.

[Chovexani]

28. Seriously!

Ever since I saw her on a panel discussion on Worldlink TV, I've been totally impressed by her. What a powerful woman!

[Kevin Spidel]

30. Medea just sent us the Press Release they did...

CODEPINK
www.codepinkalert.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT:
April 11, 2005 Gael Murphy 202-412-6700
Allison Yorra, 202-487-5112

WOMEN PEACE ACTIVISTS INTERRUPT BOLTON NOMINATION HEARING

MEMBERS OF CODEPINK: WOMEN FOR PEACE UNFURL BANNERS AND SPEAK OUT AGAINST BOLTON NOMINATION DURING SENATE CONFIRMATION HEARING

Washington, DC – Three women peace activists interrupted today’s Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on John Bolton’s nomination as US Ambassador to the UN. They held up banners reading “NO Bolton, YES UN,” “Bolton = Nuclear Proliferation,” and “Diplomat, Not Bully, Please!” and urged Senators to reject Bolton as the worst possible choice for the job and for world peace.

“John Bolton is an inappropriate nominee for UN ambassador. His history shows us that the credibility of the US as a peacekeeping nation will be undermined if he is confirmed,” said Gael Murphy, one of the women who interrupted the hearing.

Murphy was kicked out of the hearing, as were two other CODEPINK women peace activists, Laurie Emrich, and Allison Yorra. None of the three were arrested. CODEPINK is a national women’s peace group, which has 90 chapters throughout the United States and the world. CODEPINK is known for its creative and bold approach to anti-war activism, and for its members’ success in interrupting prime time speeches three nights in a row during the Republican National Convention in New York City.

CODEPINK opposes the nomination of John Bolton, who is an advocate of unilateral U.S. military action, an opponent of arms control, and previously an advocate for withdrawal of US funds from the UN.

“The "go it alone" Bush administration is working hard to pull the US out of every international agreement and treaty in its effort to dominate rather than collaborate on global issues--and John Bolton exemplifies this attitude. Someone so disdainful of the UN should NOT be our UN representative. In this time of major armed conflict and nuclear proliferation, we need the UN more than ever. The US should be taking the lead in strengthening international cooperation, NOT killing it,” Murphy said

[paineinthearse]

31. If a tree falls in the forest and nobody is around does it make a sound?

If an news event occurs and it is not reported, it it news?

It will be interesting to see how the corporate media (doesn't) cover this.

[paineinthearse]

25. Additional photos - Yorra & Emmerick

Protestor Lori Emmerick is escorted out of a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing by a policeman after she interrupted a hearing in which John Bolton appeared as the nominee for the United States' Represenative to the United Nations, in Washington April 11, 2005. Three protestors against Bolton's nomination interrupted the hearing before being removed by police. REUTERS/Jason Reed



Allison Yorra, an activist of the women's anti-war movement Code Pink, is surrounded by Capitol Police after being removed from a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to discuss the nomination of John Bolton as the US ambassador to the UN(AFP/Brendan Smialowski)

[maddezmom]

27. a little blurb on MSNBC

Three protesters interrupted the proceedings, standing up in succession with pink T-shirts and banners. One said, “Diplomat for hire. No bully please.” Another said, “Bolton Nuclear Proliferation.” They were escorted from the room and the hearing resumed.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7462527/page/2/

[paineinthearse]

29. Amazing, three hours after the fact

....and this is all they are capable of writing?

Why haven't these activists been interviewed? Maybe the Code Pink site will have something later. Or Raw Story (hope Larissa attended).

[paineinthearse]

32. Finally some Corporate Media Coverage!

Bolton Pledges to Help Strengthen UN
Guardian, UK - 16 minutes ago
... One held a banner that read, ``Ban Bolton, Not Treaties.'' The women, who described themselves as peace activists from a group called Code Pink, were escorted ...

(5:46PM eastern daylight SIX AND ONE HALF HOURS AFTER THE EVENT)

================

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4930028,00.html

Bolton Pledges to Help Strengthen U.N.

Monday April 11, 2005 10:46 PM
By ANNE GEARAN
AP Diplomatic Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - His Senate approval to be U.N. ambassador still in question, John R. Bolton told skeptical Democrats on Monday that the world body had ``gone off track'' at times but that he was committed to its mission.

Democrats at Bolton's Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing recited his past undiplomatic remarks about the United Nations and wondered aloud why he would even want the job. They also challenged him over alleged bullying of government intelligence officials who disagreed with him on issues including Cuba's weapons capabilities.

<SNIP SNIP SNIP SNIP>

Monday's hearing was briefly disrupted by three women who stood up and shouted at senators to vote against Bolton. One held a banner that read, ``Ban Bolton, Not Treaties.'' The women, who described themselves as peace activists from a group called Code Pink, were escorted from the hearing room.

Note: this is the very last paragraph in the story. Almost an afterthought. Watch this story as it is picked up by other outlets, I bet they drop the Code Pink paragraph.

[tubbacheez]

33. Yay! (kick) n/t

[paineinthearse]

34. What do freepers think of Code Pink?

:puke http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1371957/posts