Join Medea Benjamin as she stops of in Mass.

[paineinthearse]

The Odyssey Bookshop in Western Mass is pleased to welcome author and peace activist MEDEA BENJAMIN

Stop the Next War Now: Effective Responses to Violence and Terrorism.

PLEASE JOIN MEDEA BENJAMIN

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 - 7 pm

The Odyssey Bookshop, South Hadley, MA

The Odyssey Bookshop is pleased to welcome author and peace activist

MEDEA BENJAMIN, co-editor with Jodie Evans of the book,

Stop the Next War Now: Effective Responses to Violence and Terrorism.


A Special Message from Medea Benjamin
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Friends,

I write to ask each of you, as advocates for peace and justice, and as friends of CODE PINK, to help support Progressive Democrats of America (PDA), one of CODE PINK's most trusted allies, in PDA's unique efforts to end the war in Iraq, cut back military spending, and ultimately take over and transform the Democratic Party. I was a featured speaker at PDA's founding convention in Boston last summer. I have spoken at both of PDA's national organizing conferences in Washington, D.C., and Phoenix, AZ. I know from first hand experience how genuinely progressive the PDA team is in its values, in its vision, and in its efforts to end the unjust, immoral, and costly war in Iraq. Working both inside and outside the Democratic Party, PDA has been particularly energetic and effective in pressuring members of Congress to vote to bring our troops home and to not approve Bush's supplemental Iraq War budget request. To support PDA's work, click here.

Since PDA began last summer, it has been organizing a substantial grassroots base to express collective disapproval over the war in Iraq , and over funding of the war, through e-mails, personal visits to Washington, D.C., and with thousands of phone calls and letters to members of Congress. As part of this peace effort, PDA has worked closely with CODE PINK, United for Peace and Justice, and Peace Majority. PDA has also developed some impressive educational tools, including their new "Stop the Funding of the Iraq War" DVD featuring Tom Hayden.

PDA is not the Democratic Party. They are a group dedicated to transforming the Democratic Party. PDA represents the truest concerns of the largest number of Democrats. It is the voice of the progressive wing and the conscience of the Democratic Party. PDA has demonstrated great willingness and commitment to work with Greens, Pinks, and other peace and justice activists as it shares in the building of the broad progressive movement that will ultimately take over the Congress of the United States and reduce the Pentagon budget to a fraction of its current size.

Please support PDA. Every person who makes an annual, quarterly, or monthly contribution to PDA at this time will be recorded as a Founding Sustainer. Make an investment in the future of our democracy. I have pledged $1,000.00. You too can join PDA as a Founding Sustainer for as little as ten dollars a month at pdamerica.org. You can also sign up for PDA membership alerts pdamerica.org.

There are many ways we can help promote peace and justice. Supporting those who support us is one of them.

In peace,

Medea Benjamin

P.S. Please join CODE Pink activists and the Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) TODAY in taking action to stop the war by signing the Iraq Withdrawal Petition (http://pdamerica.org/petition/iraq-exit-petition.php) to tell Dean and the Democrats that we are calling for an end to the U.S. occupation of Iraq.

[paineinthearse]

1. Do we have zero western mass members?

Did anyone make the trip to Hadley to see Medena?