Reply to Rachel and Code Pink:

Questions and Concerns from
an Oct. 27 Endorser about
Speaker Selection Process

Dear Organizers of the October 27 Rally:

I am a Chicago Area CodePINK co-coordinator and a member of Chicago Progressive Alliance. I have a some questions and concerns about the Oct. 27 Rally.

1) What is your endorsement process? I ask this
because Chicago Area CodePINK is listed on your website as an endorser of the Oct. 27 Rally. We were not asked to endorse, indeed you have our name posted incorrectly as: Code Pink - Chicago. We noticed the mystery endorsement a couple of weeks ago, but decided that it was a non-issue because we agree with the stated goals of the rally so would have endorsed if asked.

[Our endorsement process, after our initial meeting, was to send emails and make phone calls to every group in the Midwest, working through state or city coalitions where we could, individually where we couldn't. Here, we also used the ilcpj.org website, posted the calls and made phone calls to everyone we thought would vote for us to get to 55% so we could use the email function of that site. When Code Pink - Chicago came up as voting to participate, I took it as an OK. When members of Code Pink came to meetings, and described themselves as Code Pink, among their affiliations, I didn't think it was a problem. If I'm mistaken, I apologize and I'll take you off immediately. I have no interest in listing anyone who doesn't want to be listed. Any mistakes of this sort only work against us. As for the Chicago Progressive Alliance, I received an email from a member that they had endorsed, and to please list them.]

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However - it has come to our attention that you have invited Mayor Daley, Senator Durbin and Senator Obama to speak. Rather a shock, considering the stated UFPJ objective: Troops Home Now! I do not understand how inviting them to speak promotes this. I think the general perception will be that inviting these politicians is giving them a stamp of approval.

[We agreed, the planning committee, to invite all the elected politicians and campaigns to support the march, under the banner of 'Stop the War Now, Bring ALL the Troops Home.' In the case of the mayor and the State's two senators, we said if they also wanted to make brief remarks for the city and state's antiwar majority, welcoming them here, we would arrange it.

For the presidential campaigns, we only asked them to support and take part in the mobilization if they wanted, but not to speak. We agreed to invite all representatives of all the 'Cities for Peace' city councils in the midwest to take part in a contingent and appear on the stage, if they liked, but only two would speak. We agreed to consider a few elected officials, hopefully an antiwar Republican, from outside the state as well.

I'm not holding my breath for too many acceptances, but even if they did, how do you think it would be received in the White House? That's part of the answer to your question of how it promotes our goals. It should also be noted the much of this was at the suggestions of a number of important trade union and community allies, including a group of South Side church leaders, who are bringing a substantial numbers of busloads to the rallies. So that's another part of the answer to your questions as to how it helps us. Everyone has complained for years about the relative absence of these forces, and we are not going to dismiss their concerns or requests, if at at possible. This gets back to my point about our 'old way' of doing things, where these people either left the room or never showed up to begin with. Well, we've turned that around, so that's also how it helps attain our goal.]

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I went to the website for an explanation: "Acknowledging that two city council resolutions and the antiwar ballot referendum in the last election put both this City and State solidly in the 'Out Now' camp, and they will be asked to speak to and represent the views of the antiwar majority."

The explanation makes no sense to me. Daley opposed the City Council Resolution. Senators Durbin and Obama do not represent the views of the antiwar majority: the antiwar majority wants the troops home NOW. Both senators have funded the occupation and are not initiating policies or strategies to bring the troops home now.
Yes, this spring Senator Obama finally voted against the supplemental - AFTER passage was ensured. So how will they "speak to and represent the views of the antiwar majority"?

[First, Daley didn't vote for or against the City Council Resolutions, whatever his remarks afterwards. If he had wanted to stop them, he could have made it much more difficult, or even defeated them, but he didn't, for a number of reasons. Our invitation should be seen as a further challenge to him, putting the ball in his court. He'll speak to it, or he won't, and if he does, so much the better for us. We're not asking people to vote for him or support and of his programs. He appeared at the immigrant rights rally, and didn't hurt them a bit, and good some wide support for THEIR, while, secondarily, gaining a little for himself. You don't have to agree with this, but it's no big mystery or capitulation behind it. We're hanging firm on our political theme of the day, 'Out Now,' and going to need forces the the right of him, both at the top and the base, to bring this war to and end. The same goes for Obama and Durbin.]

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Another concern for me - as an activist and member of CodePINK I think it's hypocritical for me to support and participate in a rally that gives a platform for Daley, Durbin and Obama. I have spoken to activists in many groups who are also conflicted. Here's why I am:

Mayor Daley: The short list: Chief architect of militarization of of Chicago Public Schools.
Implicated in police torture.Suppressor of peaceful anti-war demonstrations.

Per Daley: Chicago Area CodePINK is actively involved in counter-recruitment, works to further social justice and civil liberties.

Senator Durbin: The short-list: Has always voted
to fund the occupation. Voted for Kyl-Lieberman amendment.

Per Durbin: Chicago Area CodePINK members have lobbied Durbin's office here and in D.C., have occupied his Chicago office, have been arrested for civil disobedience at his Chicago office.

Senator Obama: The short-list: Has voted to fund
the occupation. Not present for vote on Kyl-Lieberman amendment.

Another concern: Inviting Obama may appear to be an endorsement of him as the "anti-war" candidate.

Per Obama: Chicago Area CodePINK members have lobbied Obama's office here and in D.C., and have occupied his Chicago office. CodePINK is nonpartisan and does not endorse political candidates.

[We're not asking you to endorse anyone, nor are we. We're also non-partisan, but also we're not anti-partisan. We invited all parties opposing the war to support the mobilization. All your actions and critique of these people are fine, and you should keep them up. But there's more than one form of struggle with middle, vacillating forces, both carrot and stick, and we can work one several levels at once. Just keep in mind who our main adversary is.]

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2) Why are you inviting Mayor Daley, Senator Durbin and Senator Obama to speak?

[That is answered above]

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3) Who selects the speakers? Were "endorsers" involved in the selection process? (We were not contacted.)

[Our program committee, to be approved by the planning committee. Save for the first meeting, the others have been posted and emails have been sent to endorsers. Some member of Code Pink were contacted, but if it's not the right ones, or you want to pull out, let me know, either way]

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4) Who else has been invited to speak?

[Some of these were posted of the web site, and as they are firmed up, we will post that as well. For now, an Iraqi journalist, a Chicago Imam, a midwest leader of MFSO, IVAW, several trade union leaders, local and national, immigrants rights leaders, Rev Leon Finney, Rev Jesse Jackson, George Martin, who is a national co-chair of UFPJ and a Wisconsin Green, Kathy Kelly, an Arab community leader, a Jewish peace activist. and leader of a women's rights organization, an environmental leader, a health care leader, a student and youth leader, and so on. Naturally, we are trying to get gender balance, and all sorts of other balances, and as we have confirmations, they be posted. The only elected officials who have agreed to speak so far are Aldermen Moore and Munoz.]

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5) What is your deadline for inviting speakers and when will we know who is confirmed?

[We don't have a deadline, except the sooner, the better, since there are only many slots. As they are confirmed, we'll quickly post them, simply because it builds interest and support to do so.]

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6) Are all Senators and Representatives within the Midwest invited? The stated rationale for inviting Senator Obama to speak is that he is our Senator. We're mobilizing the Midwest, right? I see that Senator Feingold of Wisconsin is on the list of potential speakers. Is Ohio in the Midwest? Representative Kucinich is not listed as a potential speaker despite his stellar anti-war position. Presidential politics here?

[They are all invited to participate, but obviously, not all can speak. The campaigns are welcome to bring contingents and set up tables.]

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7) Are you inviting all Presidential candidates? And how can the rally be "non-partisan" but give a platform to one Presidential candidate?

[All the campaigns are invited, but not to speak as such.]

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It is irresponsible and unacceptable not to address the implication of inviting just one Presidential candidate to speak under the cover of "he's our Senator."

[He is our senator, as is Durbin, for better or worse, and that's why they are both being invited. But he's also running a terrible campaign, which is why I strongly doubt that he'll accept or show. Durbin just might, however, and if he does, let him hear from you.]

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I believe that the general public will assume that the invitation is our endorsement of Obama as the "anti-war candidate". Have all Presidential candidates - of all parties - been invited?

[On the outside chance he did show up, that would depend on whether he was warmly welcomed or loudly booed, wouldn't it? The 'general public' can make all sorts of assumptions, and I'd say most likely they won't, to a large degree. It's mainly the radical left that makes such unwarranted assumptions.]

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Please address these concerns as soon as possible. Thank-you.

Rachel Herbener
Chicago Area CodePINK

[Finally, once again, if Code Pink wants to pull out, that's OK. Let me know ASAP. We understand not everyone agrees, but the main thing we are trying to do that's different is to build a real left-center coalition, grounded in mass organizations that have not participated fully before, with the range of political views being represented, including the liberal and the center, not just those of the left-- all around 'Out Now.' All the issues above are implied by that, and if you have a better way to mobilize those who have never been mobilized, we're all ears. But for now, this is working even better than we had expected.]

Carl Davidson