On Independence Day, Americans will express their patriotism with parades, barbecues and fireworks. But this July 4, Code Pink will fast in memory of the dead and wounded in Iraq, and will call for independence from war, and for our nation to be the democracy it was created to be, not an empire.
Hunger strikes have been used to change policy and social wrongs for hundreds of years. Fasters publicly denied themselves food on the doorstep of the person who committed an injustice because it was considered shameful for someone to come to harm in your home, especially for a crime you committed. That's why the Troops Home Fast will take place at Bush's White House doorstep.
What: Pre-fast ceremony with Diane Wilson, Dick Gregory, Cindy Sheehan, the Rev. Yearwood, Ann Wright and other notables, followed by a march to the White House
When: Monday, July 3, at 2 p.m.
Where: Gandhi's statue (Massachusetts Avenue and Q Street NW)
What: Last meal before the Troops Home Fast press briefing
When: Monday, July 3, at 5 p.m.
Where: In front of the White House
What: Fasting and promoting, learning, and sharing important information and skills about activism and the issues we all care about
When: Tuesday, July 4, from noon to 2 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m.
Where: In front of the White House
More Info: Visit TroopsHomeFast.org to read more about hunger strikes and fasts as tools for positive social change. Code Pink follows in the footsteps of Mahatma Gandhi, suffragettes Alice Paul and Lucy Burns, Cesar Chavez, and many others. Contact Code Pink at 202/265-1671, ext. 3, or dc@codepinkalert.org.
