Agha-Soltan, Ebadi, a 2003 Nobel Peace Prize winner and contributor to CODEPINK’s 2005 book, “Stop The Next War Now,” and Effat Hashemi, the wife of former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani who was among the first to call for public protests, represent the incredible strength of Iranian women and their hunger for justice. Demanding reform, regime change, more social freedoms and a fair election, women have sometimes outnumbered men at the demonstrations, and they’ve also fought back police and militia.

For more information, please contact Jean Stevens, CODEPINK national media coordinator, or Jodie Evans, CODEPINK co-founder, at 310-621-5635.

Because the “free market” has proven a farce and the right is in disarray, there is a huge opening to pass policies that can benefit all Americans. As the economy sinks, only concerted public action can revive it.

They offer some solid suggestions of how any average Joe or Jill can get behind this. Check it out here. Is this possible? Will people do this? It seems entirely doable. What would you do?

The victory came through the hard work of millions within the progressive peace and justice movement within the past six years, bolstered by a values shift among the majority of Americans and their growing demand and faith in change — including an end to war.  It is a victory for the movement and inspiration for further change!

“Americans have stood up to say they know the cost of war in lives, dignity and money,” said Jodie Evans, CODEPINK cofounder. “Being against war is the winning decision. They are ready for change. War is so over.”

This victory will make it much harder for politicians to submit to the greed of Wall Street and the war machine, bending their own morals, by supporting war — as they have for the past six years.

But CODEPINK’s work is not nearly over. CODEPINK members will be in the halls of Congress and in city halls nationwide, using playful, disarming methods to remind politicians of the change their constituents demand and shine a pink light on any absurdities and abuses of power. They will urge them to end the occupation of Iraq and provide reparations for its people, to refuse to send troops to another losing war in Afghanistan, to create a diplomatic solution to the conflict with Iran, to restore our civil liberties and protect our environment, to bail out homeowners in foreclosure because of predatory lenders, and to create a NEW New Deal for America: jobs, housing, universal health care, education, roads and public transportation.

“We can’t stop now,” said Medea Benjamin, CODEPINK cofounder. “An Obama administration will need our help to live up to its promises.”

WHAT: Pro-peace, pro-diplomacy, pro-America rally outside final presidential candidate debate
WHEN: 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Weds. Oct. 15
WHERE: Corner of Hempstead Turnpike and Uniondale Ave, Hempstead, NY
*Interviews available before event

HEMPSTEAD, NY — Forget talking points, scripted questions and winks. At today’s presidential debate at Hofstra University, the best, grittiest action will be outside.
Veterans, teachers, labor workers and other Americans with demands for the candidates — on ending the war and investing in health care and education — will gather there with banners, signs and chants to send the message to both Sen. Barack Obama and John McCain that they want a peace president!  They must stand for diplomacy and avoid war with Afghanistan, Pakistan or Iran — after spending $560 billion and losing 4,000 American lives on an unjust war in Iraq, we cannot afford another, especially in the midst of a catastrophic financial crisis.
To get the rally started, CODEPINK Women for Peace, the prominent peace activist group, Iraq Veterans Against War, United for Peace and Justice and others will meet at 4:30 p.m. at Hempstead Turnpike and Uniondale Ave. and walk west toward the university. They will continue the rally until 6:30 p.m.
The women and other activists will also gather Thursday, Oct. 16, outside the Waldorf-Astoria at 51st. St. and Park Ave. where Obama and McCain will be speaking at the Al Smith Dinner, a fundraiser for the Catholic Charities.
For more information, please call Jean Stevens at 508-769-2138.

CODEPINK, founded in 2002, is a women-initiated grassroots peace and social justice movement working to end the war in Iraq, stop new wars, and redirect our resources into health care, education and other life-affirming activities. We reject the Bush administration’s fear-based politics that justify violence, and instead call for policies based on compassion, kindness and a commitment to international law. With an emphasis on joy and humor, CODEPINK women and men seek to activate, amplify and inspire a community of peacemakers through creative campaigns and a commitment to non-violence. Codepinkalert.org.

So masses of Americans prefer brainless stories of yippy puppies to dirty war on the big screen. Depressing? Yes. Surprising? No. (Other high-caliber war movies of the past few years have flopped, writes pop culture analyst Bob Thompson).

But in “the real world” this month the American public has yanked its head from the sand to pay attention to the massive tolls of war especially as it links to the economy. Or, if one had been paying attention since 2003 but felt she could do nothing about it, in September one could safely come out of the “concerned citizen” closet. In their debates of Obama vs. McCain and a Wall Street bailout vs. a Main Street bailout, Americans felt the war finally became acceptable cocktail conversation.

And it became a grim reality. So why pay $12 to see the same? Talking dogs seem pretty darn appealing right now.