Dear John,

After spending two decades and $21 trillion to prop up the deadly, destructive, and immoral U.S. war machine in the made up ‘War on Terror’, we must seize this moment and do what the peacemakers have been calling for:

✂️Cut the Pentagon for People, Peace, and Planet🌎

Since the beginning of CODEPINK, we’ve been in the streets and the halls of Congress using our pink creativity to disrupt war for profit and destruction. President Eisenhower warned us of the Congressional Military Industrial Complex and now, on the 20th anniversary of September 11, as we witness daily revelations of how horrible and violent the war on Afghanistan was, we must have a radically different response to the legacy of September 11.  

That’s why we are building a big tent to mobilize vigils, marches, sit-ins, teach-ins, demonstrations, and other types of daily direct actions in Washington DC and across the country, wherever we can find war profiteers and weapons manufacturers. These actions are aimed at exposing the cost of war to all of us. Instead of losing hope and continuing to fund U.S. imperialism, we will use these grim milestones to expose the lies and drive home the senselessness of obscene war spending with one clear demand: CUT THE PENTAGON for People, Planet, Peace and a Future.

On Saturday September 11 we will start with a virtual teach-in on the 20th anniversary of 9/11. Join noted historian and activist Vijay Prishad, CODEPINK Co-Founders Medea Benjamin and Jodie Evans, former Marine Matthew Hoh, and more for our webinar:  Never Forget: 9/11 and the 20 Year War on Terror. RSVP here! 

On Sunday, September 12 we will launch the daily actions in Washington DC with our coalition partner Food Not Bombs. We’re going back to CODEPINK’s roots with a teach-in outside of the White House where we will CUT the Pentagon (cake, that is!) and serve it with Ben and Jerry’s ice Cream to nourish bodies and joy instead of dropping bombs that kill. If you’re in Washington D.C., RSVP to join Jodie, Medea, Olivia, Leo, Michelle, Ally and coalition partners. 

If you are not in DC we look forward to hearing your ideas for actions or you can keep an eye on the calendar and find a time to join us! 

On September 25th, our coalition partner One Billion Rising is organizing rallies across the country for the women in Afghanistan. In mid-October, our coalition partners to stop the violence of Fossil Fuel extraction are calling for thousands to come to DC. Join us at both of these events or find another time to join us in DC. We need as many people as possible in the streets to raise the heat and remind members of Congress that we WILL hold them accountable!  

Barbara Lee, the only Member of Congress with the wisdom and courage to vote against Congress’s war resolution in 2001, has introduced a bill to cut U.S. military spending by almost half: $350 billion per year. With the miserable failure in Afghanistan, one would think that Rep. Lee’s proposal would be eliciting tremendous support. That hasn’t been the case. Last week alone, 14 Democrats on the powerful House Armed Services Committee voted to increase the Pentagon budget by $37 BILLION. Now that the war on Afghanistan has officially come to an end, we can’t continue down the failed path of funneling money into the enormous, destructive, and wasteful U.S. war machine. Instead, we must model a peace economy that puts people over the Pentagon budget!  

We hope you will join us in DC, at your local Congressional representative’s office, or become part of one of our volunteer teams. 

Together we can build the movement needed to #CutThePentagon for the People, Planet, Peace and A Future.

Towards peace,

 Ariel, Carley, Ann, Ally, Ciara, Danaka, Emily, Farida, Justina, Jodie, Kelly, Leila, Leonardo, Madison, Mary, Marcy, Medea, Michelle, Moses, Nancy, Paki, RJ, Shea, and Teri

P.S.-Dress for peace in your CODEPINK t-shirt or with our peace face masks. Buy your t-shirt here and your mask here!