[Voterescue] CODEPINK Stopped at Canadian Border

[Vickie Karp]

 VoteRescuers, We are proud to have CodePink Austin as the newest members
of our Coalition, "Texans for REAL Elections".As we do with our other
Coalition members, we will occasionally be sending out CodePink
announcements for actions or events.  The petition below we feel is
important because of its implications on the limitations of travel placed
on Code Pink members simply because of their non-violent demonstrations
against the war in Iraq.  This is a very disturbing policy which can
affect all of us.  Please read on if you are interested. Vickie


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  October 11, 2007

  Dear Vickie,

  Canada used to be a haven for peace activists during the Vietnam era,
  a place where Americans could go to escape the madness of war. No
  longer.

  On October 4, 2007, CODEPINK co-founder Medea Benjamin and Retired
  Colonel/ diplomat Ann Wright were denied entry to Canada because they
  have engaged in acts of non-violent civil disobedience against the
  war in Iraq. The Canadian border officials said the women's names
  appeared on the FBI's National Crime Information Center (NCIC)
  database, and anyone convicted of a criminal offense, including a
  minor misdemeanor for peace and social justice, was "inadmissible."
  This, to us, is unacceptable. We can't sit back and watch our civil
  liberties erode, one by one. We can't sit back and let peace
  activists be treated like dangerous criminals.

  We have crafted a petition urging the FBI to stop including minor
  non-violent offenses on a database meant for serious crimes, and the
  Canadian government to reverse its policy and extend a warm welcome
  to U.S. peacemakers and other social activists who use the
  time-honored tradition of engaging in civil disobedience as a way to
  change unjust policies.

  Please join Alice Walker, Howard Zinn, Noam Chomsky and 100 US and
  Canadian leaders by signing our petition here and sending the link to
  your friends and family. We will deliver all of your signatures
  directly to the Canadian Parliament; where Medea and Ann have been
  invited to speak--if they can get into the country!

  To find out more about the situation, as well as the press it has
  received, please click here.

  Thank you for helping us open these gates.

  With dedication to peace without borders,
  Dana, Desiree, Farida, Gael, Gayle, Jodie, Liz, Medea, Nancy,
  Patricia, Rae, Samantha, and Sarah

  This week's action to Stop the Next War Now

  Have you signed our October pledge to Stop the Next War Now? If not,
  please sign up now -- we will send you a simple action to do each
  week to prevent war with Iran. This week, we're asking you to connect
  with your mind and educate yourself about the complex Iranian
  situation by reading "The Big Lie: 'Iran Is a Threat'", by Scott
  Ritter, "The Iran Plans" by Seymour M. Hersh, and Phyllis Bennis'
  excellent talking points on Iran.

  Please pass these links widely so all of us can back up our
  passionate desire to prevent war with specific knowledge and
  intelligence. And pass the pledge widely at the same time-the person
  who signs up the most friends and family will win a one-week trip to
  the CODEPINK house in DC!




  Sign our petition calling on the Canadian government to allow
  peacemakers into the country

  Pledge to Stop the Next War Now in October









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