Arise member fasting, protesting with with Code Pink in D.C.

Arise office manager and peace organizer extraordinaire Ellen Graves is Washington, D.C. right now with Code Pink, , participating in a ten day fast and walking the freezing streets so that the voices of peace can be heard.

Here is an email message from Ellen and also a story of a mother and daughter in Bahrain that shows how far a good message can carry.

Dear Friends,

It is now Saturday night, ending the 7th day of the fast. Except for the bitter cold everything is going very well.. .

DC is bitter, bitter with a cold cold wind. We are outside most of the day and no matter how many clothes I have on the cold still manage to come in.. We are staying in a Buddhist Center.. which is kept very chilly ( we don't have to put the juicces in the fridge at night cause the rooms are very cold).

We have had a very busy week and have had some great news and tv coverage, as we are seen in different locations around the city. ... We make a very impressive statement, as we walk single file in our orange jump suits and black hoods around DC...There are around 30 of us in procession...

We have stood many days in front of the White House and in front of The Capital in a line in silence.... Tuesday , we were standing across the street from the trans. office.. knowing that the press van was there as well as 2 black limos... so we know Obama was there.... but the police came just as he was coming out and made us move.. so we went down the street. .. and pretty soon he came driving by..( We made CNN and the Washington Post that day) .

We also went to both days of the Eric Holder Hearings,, It was very interesting.. If you saw any of the news coverage you most likely saw the orange jump suits...and the little signs saying No torture and Torture is a crime... It is going to be interesting to see if he is confirmed and if so if he does all the things he said he thought was correct.

Today we started out with mass in the house of the Catholic Workers at 7am and didn't get back until 7pm tonight, and some of the things today included the usual walks though the streets standing in front of the White House , joining with a group of young children in a big peace parade... Which we took to Union Station and waited for Obama arrival plus meeting and reflexions.. Another Busy Day!!

It is time for me to close.. Peace and Hugs to All.. Ellen



Women Launch Flower Power Drive
By TOM HANRATTY, Gulf Daily News

TWO Bahrain women have launched their own international 'flower power' campaign for a halt to the Israeli onslaught in Gaza. Christine Hasan and her daughter Moona Fairooz are urging women in Bahrain to send white flowers to US Ambassador Adam Ereli, with a message urging a halt to the killing.

They have also e-mailed peace groups around the world, including Iraq, the UK and Australia, urging women there to send flowers to their respective US embassies.

Ms Hasan, a veteran educationalist and peace campaigner, believes that small gestures can make a big difference, if they come from enough people.

"People are saying it will make no difference, but small things can always make a big difference," the Muharraq resident said yesterday. "This is an ongoing campaign and we are asking women to take part at any time they can.

"Even a weekly e-mail to the embassy will be much appreciated."

The move comes in the wake of a decision by US-based Code Pink, the international anti-war organisation, to send white flowers to the office of US President-elect, Barack Obama, in protest against the attack on Gaza.

Code Pink was started in November 2002 by a group of American women campaigning to stop the US invading of Iraq and has since grown into a global peace organisation.

Ms Hasan says the flowers may be real or synthetic and accompanied by the following message:

"60 years of aggression have not worked. We have to try to find another solution. Please do not be silent. The children of Gaza need your help."

Ms Hasan adapted the message being used by Code Pink, saying she felt it necessary to detail how long the aggression against the Palestinian people had been going on.

Messages may be faxed to the US Embassy on 17270547 or e-mailed to Elmawieh@state.gov

Women in Bahrain are also being asked to make a longer lasting statement by wearing a white flowers on their clothing, on their handbags, or in their hair, as a mark of solidarity.

Photos: Holly, Liz, Ron and Ellen at a 'Vote No on Question One" rally, Bahrain women organizing from the Gulf Daily News.