CODEPINK Glitterbombs GOP Candidate, "Billionaires" Taunt AHIP Conventioneers

Gatekeeping CodePink manufactures illusions for its own agenda.

I have come to the sad conclusion that CodePink is a cult-like organization whose prime agenda is to keep mostly frustrated women from seeking solutions outside of the Democratic Party orbit.

It was not so long ago that I complained when activists pied Medea Benjamin.

Not only are such actions potentially violent, but such antics are almost always counterproductive and distract people from looking hard at real issues.

A 60s flower-child spontaneously placing a daisy in a rifle barrel was another thing altogether. It was jarringly honest and dispelled illusions.

CodePink picks up on such past imagery, and manipulates it in calculated, self-serving, and often irresponsible ways-- not unlike how some mercenary corporations do in their advertising campaigns.

A little harmless bedlam, smiles, pink, flowers, bellbottoms, and glitter never hurt anyone, right? Wrong.

Recently, I read a very cogent comment at InformationClearingHouse.info in response to an article by Medea Benjamin and Charles Davis which purports to be opposed to directions their Hope and Change president is taking. The commenter wrote in response to the article, "Needed: An Antiwar Movement That Puts Peace Over Politicians" (http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article28339.htm):


"What is really needed is an anti-war movement, at the leadership level, that won't suspend operations during the election season, to protect pro war democrats. It happened with Kerry in 2004, Obama in 2008. And Medea was one of the main players.

Medea Benjamin was a big supporter of Cindy Sheehan when she camped in Texas criticizing George Bush; when Cindy directed the same criticism at Obama and the democratic party, Medea deserted.

The current anti-war movement is just a subsidiary of the democratic party. Their spokespersons and leaders like Medea Benjamin are stealth democratic party operatives. They're dependent on democratic party donors like Soros to fund their operations. and when its time to vote they will ALWAYS lead you right back into the democratic party."

I would add to that ICH comment only that Cindy Sheehan appears to be confused of late-- joining CodePink on a Pied Piper march to Sacramento to protest the Powers That Be after government offices closed for the weekend.

I think it is shameful how CodePink and Democratic Party operatives muddy the left: making it mute and ridiculous to the mainstream and hampering real grassroots organizing efforts against war and economic plunder by financial elites. I am embarrassed that I was sucked in by it too at times-- who cannot deny the sincerity and sacrifice of the many of followers who do so much grunt work for the organization?

People may wonder at my vitriol-- but is based on my observing the chameleon-like shifts and mostly half-truths which I have heard emanating from CodePink over the years.

When any genuine grassroots effort builds-- it seems CodePink and the Grannies glom on to it-- and end up helping to nip it, or redirect it back to the Democratic Party. (I would add that I suspect some flamboyant but ineffectual anarchist groups and Ron Paul-libertarians perform a similar function for the naive oriented in a different direction.)

Here we are-- 5+ wars-- massive unemployment and poverty growing-- overflowing prisons-- and a Rorschach president who out-Bushes Bush. (Btw, does Google put Indybay in its search anymore?)

No time to waste-- put on your dancing shoes!

Does the commenter have a problem with CODEPINK, or with women in general? One wonders.

Reply to Hmmm:

Perhaps my having written "frustrated women" steered you the wrong way.

My chief problem is with those who bait and switch-- cheating and frustrating idealists by telling them they are fighting against a host of often very real evils-- when actually they are thwarting real change and shoring up the status quo.

I would like to be wrong-- but look at the results of years of that sort of activism.

One must rationalize very hard to say such has made a positive difference.

Perhaps there is some magic tipping point which will reverse the results of these many past years of a planet in agony.

The whole political spectrum in the U.S. is skewed so far to the right that it is hard for anyone to the left of Ronald Reagan to find a political home, so the "left" is a very varied group. I think groups like Code Pink and the Raging Grannies aim to use visuals and humor to break into the media with their issues without hopelessly alienating anyone who has good will. They are generally successful at doing that and doing it with very limited financial means. How far to go in criticizing the current Democratic bunch in power without becoming irrelevant is a tough issue. We may be furious and or disgusted but I for one do not want to risk bringing a Republican psychopath into power by seriously undermining the Dems.

Why place the blame on these women's groups? There are scores of other groups including World Can't Wait, A.N.S.W.E.R., Single Payer Now, I could go on and on...and their actions have not resulted in the change you seem to think would just happen if the "right" actions were taken. Maybe it's time for YOU to be a leader if you think you know the "right" way. Meanwhile, some people like the Arts and Action way...indybay even has a whole page dedicated to Arts and Action. yeah, not cool to say "frustrated women" when everyone on the left is pretty frustrated. You sound pretty misogynistic.