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Blogger Profile: Medea Benjamin
Medea Benjamin is cofounder of the women-led peace group CODEPINK and the human rights/fair trade group Global Exchange

Medea Benjamin's Blogs

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Medea Benjamin

Cofounder, CODEPINK

May 1st, 2012

Why I Interrupted Obama Counter-terrorism Adviser John Brennan

Counterterrorism adviser John Brennan spoke at the Woodrow Wilson International Center in Washington DC on April 30 to mark the one-year anniversary of the killing of Osama bin Laden. It was the first time a high level member of the Obama Administration spoke at length about the U.S. drone strikes that the ... continue reading

Medea Benjamin

Cofounder, CODEPINK

February 29th, 2012

Ten reasons why AIPAC is so dangerous

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) is one of the most powerful lobby organizations in the country. AIPAC’s clout helps fuel a never-ending cycle of violence in the Middle East. Here are ten reasons why AIPAC is so dangerous. 1. AIPAC is lobbying Congress to promote a military confrontation ... continue reading

Medea Benjamin

Cofounder, CODEPINK

November 4th, 2011

Jailed for Sailing to Gaza, Challenging the Blockade

Written by Medea Benjamin and Robert NaimanTwo boats full of courageous passengers were on their way to Gaza when they were intercepted on Friday, November 4, by the Israeli military in international waters. We call the passengers courageous because they sailed from Turkey on November 2 with the knowledge that ... continue reading

Medea Benjamin

Cofounder, CODEPINK

September 16th, 2011

Congress Sees Middle East Through AIPAC-Colored Glasses

During August recess this year, 81 members of Congress went on a junket to Israel funded by the Israel lobby group AIPAC (well, funded by the American Israel Education Fund, but they are really one and the same) to “learn first-hand about one of our closest friends and allies.” While ... continue reading

Medea Benjamin

Cofounder, CODEPINK

August 29th, 2011

Ten Reasons to Move Cheney’s Book to the Crime Section

Former Vice President Dick Cheney was given a multi-million contract to write a book about his political career. According to Cheney’s media hype, the book, called In My Time, will have “heads exploding all over Washington.” The Darth Vader of the Bush administration offers no apologies and feels no remorse. ... continue reading

Medea Benjamin

Cofounder, CODEPINK

August 26th, 2011

No Way to Honor Dr. King

The ceremonies for the new Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington DC were kicked off on August 24 at an event billed as Honoring Global Leaders for Peace. But some of those honored are a far cry from King’s beloved community of the poor and oppressed. The tribute to ... continue reading

Medea Benjamin

Cofounder, CODEPINK

August 16th, 2011

Iraq Withdrawal? Don't Take It to the Bank

Written by Medea Benjamin and Charles DavisSince coming to Washington, Barack Obama has won a Nobel Prize for Peace, but he hasn’t been much of a peacemaker. Instead, he has doubled down on his predecessor’s wars while launching blatantly illegal ones of his own. But, as his supporters would be ... continue reading

Medea Benjamin

Cofounder, CODEPINK

August 11th, 2011

Does Your Congressperson Represent You - or Israel?

In this time of economic austerity, when jobs are being slashed and Americans are fearful about their future, the Congressional recess is the time for our elected representatives to be home in their districts, reaching out to their constituents and servicing the people they are paid to represent. Instead, this ... continue reading

Medea Benjamin

Cofounder, CODEPINK

August 6th, 2011

Stop Sacrificing US Soldiers for Afghan Debacle

The 38 deaths in Saturday’s helicopter crash in Afghanistan include 31 Americans, making this the deadliest day for U.S. forces since the war began. The tragic loss of American lives might be worth the sacrifice if it was making America safer, or if our presence was significantly improving the well-being ... continue reading

Medea Benjamin

Cofounder, CODEPINK

August 3rd, 2011

Enormous Cuts in Military Spending? Read the Fine Print

Written by Medea Benjamin and Charles DavisIn this age of austerity, all the politicians are talking about the need for spending cuts. But when it comes to shared burdens and slashed budgets, don't expect the Pentagon to start holding bake sales, despite what you may have heard about reductions to ... continue reading

Medea Benjamin

Cofounder, CODEPINK

July 19th, 2011

Advice Hillary Clinton Should, But Won’t, Give to Economically-Strapped Greece

When U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited Greece, she praised the Greek government’s austerity measures to reduce deficits and cut spending. The U.S. and Greece face a common challenge of dealing with soaring deficits, but they also face something else in common: a refusal to deal with out-of-control military ... continue reading

Medea Benjamin

Cofounder, CODEPINK

July 10th, 2011

By Torpedoing the Gaza Flotilla, Israel Sunk its Own Ship

Instead of high-fiving each other for their success in thwarting the Gaza Freedom Flotilla, Israeli officials should be throwing overboard the propaganda hacks who catapulted the flotilla into headline news for weeks and left Israel smelling like rotten fish.Last year, when the Israeli military killed nine aboard the Turkish ship, ... continue reading

Medea Benjamin

Cofounder, CODEPINK

June 28th, 2011

International solidarity and history in the making

Today we had a great international press conference. There were representatives from Greece, Sweden, France, Norway, Canada, Spain, Turkey and of course, the U.S. The room was packed with press and passengers; there was really a feeling that we are part of something historic. Our US speakers were Ann Wright ... continue reading

Medea Benjamin

Cofounder, CODEPINK

June 28th, 2011

More from Athens: 'It's Unbelievable How Inhumane and Violent They Are'

Today we had a long meeting about whether or not we should do some visible protests against the Greek government for holding up our ship and if so, where we should do the actions. We even had a scouting team go out, which brought back all kinds of ideas. My ... continue reading

Medea Benjamin

Cofounder, CODEPINK

June 26th, 2011

Is Greece Being Blackmailed to Put the Brakes on Gaza Flotilla?

The 50 passengers and crew on the U.S. boat to Gaza have converged in Athens, Greece, ready to head out to sea to join an international fleet of ships that will challenge the Israeli-imposed naval blockade of Gaza. But on Thursday, June 23, when the boat was scheduled to leave ... continue reading

Medea Benjamin

Cofounder, CODEPINK

June 21st, 2011

Setting Sail for Gaza, Armed with Love Letters and a Missive from Dr. King

“I refuse to accept the idea that man is mere flotsam and jetsam in the river of life, unable to influence the unfolding events which surround him,” said Dr. Martin Luther King as he accepted the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. These words will guide me and other passengers aboard ... continue reading

Medea Benjamin

Cofounder, CODEPINK

June 16th, 2011

Will U.S. Mayors Vote Against War?

Senate Armed Services Chair Carl Levin—a Democrat from Michigan--had just put down the gavel, marking the end of the confirmation hearing for Leon Panetta to be the next Secretary of Defense, when Detroit-born CODEPINK activist Tighe Barry jumped up. “Shame on you, Senator Levin, for supporting endless wars while Detroit ... continue reading

Medea Benjamin

Cofounder, CODEPINK

June 14th, 2011

Needed: An Antiwar Movement That Puts Peace Over Politicians

Written by Medea Benjamin and Charles DavisAfter campaigning as the candidate of change, the man awarded a Nobel Prize for peace has given the world nothing but more war. Yet despite Barack Obama's continuation – nay, escalation – of the worst aspects of George W. Bush's foreign policy, including his ... continue reading

Medea Benjamin

Cofounder, CODEPINK

June 3rd, 2011

Come Dance With Me--and Thomas Jefferson

Dancing can be dangerous. In Ceausescu’s Romania I was arrested for dancing without a partner. In newly independent Guinea Bissau, my dancing partner was thrown in jail for boogying before the President and his wife had the first dance. In Cuba I was awoken at 4am to bail out a ... continue reading

Medea Benjamin

Cofounder, CODEPINK

May 20th, 2011

Obama Should Follow His Own Advice on the 'Moral Force' of Non-Violence

Written by Medea Benjamin and Charles Davis Given that President Obama daily authorizes the firing of hellfire missiles and the dropping of cluster bombs in places such as Afghanistan, Pakistan and Yemen, it was awful odd seeing him wax eloquent this week about the “moral force of non-violence” in places ... continue reading

Medea Benjamin

Cofounder, CODEPINK

April 14th, 2011

Endless War and Empire: Your Tax Dollars at Work

By Medea Benjamin and Charles DavisDeath and taxes are the only certainties in life. And as it turns out, they go hand in hand. While our fiscal woes have led Congress to slash food aid this year to the world’s poor -- rest assured, fellow Americans -- the U.S. government ... continue reading

Medea Benjamin

Cofounder, CODEPINK

March 30th, 2011

Obama on Libya: George W. Bush 2.0

by Medea Benjamin and Charles Davis His lines may be better delivered, but Barack Obama is sounding – and acting – more like the heir to George W. Bush than the answer sold to the public in his award-winning ad campaign. Indeed, when not sending billions of dollars to repressive ... continue reading

Medea Benjamin

Cofounder, CODEPINK

March 23rd, 2011

Instead of Bombing Dictators, Stop Selling Them Bombs

Written by Medea Benjamin and Charles DavisWhen all you have is bombs, everything starts to look like a target. And so after years of providing Libya’s dictator with the weapons he's been using against the people, all the international community – France, Britain and the United States – has to ... continue reading

Medea Benjamin

Cofounder, CODEPINK

March 17th, 2011

From 'Liberation' to Occupation: 10 Reasons Iraq Was No Cakewalk

Written by Medea Benjamin and Charles Davis March 19 marks the eighth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, a nation that had no weapons of mass destruction and was not involved in the 9/11 attacks. It was sold to the American public as a war to defend our nation and ... continue reading

Medea Benjamin

Cofounder, CODEPINK

March 15th, 2011

Activists Stand Up for Bradley Manning—and PJ Crowley

When we heard on Sunday that P.J. Crowley had resigned as spokesman for the State Department after criticizing the Pentagon's treatment of suspected whistleblower Army private Bradley Manning, my CODEPINK colleagues and I knew we had to respond. How outrageous that yet another person gets punished for simply telling the ... continue reading

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@TeoMitrovich: @MMFlint where was this walk?” Here. There. Everywhere. And Burbank. #miketakesawalk

May 16th
2:37 AM
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He's handled 1 more opportunity 2 go after WallStreet & not only can he NOT do it, he has to preface it by talking about how great they are.

May 15th
10:54 PM
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President Obama, today on 'The View': JP Morgan Is "One of the Best-Managed Banks" http://t.co/QtSZr5bN

May 15th
10:53 PM
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Stephen Wright: "Everywhere is within walking distance if u have the time." I have the time. U 2? 8pm PT 11pm ET (apologies to east coast)

May 15th
10:34 PM
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This is where I walked, amongst the flora & the fauna, mostly fauna. Can u guess where it is? http://t.co/v1Rl9prm

May 14th
9:58 PM
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"@82ndVet: @MMFlint why don't u walk down the streets of your beloved #Detroit?" Honestly sir, that is probably the safest place 4 me 2 walk

May 14th
9:03 PM
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Tonight's stroll down the Left Coast will begin at 6pm PT. Where's the best place to go for a walk between Seattle and San Diego?

May 14th
7:47 PM
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http://t.co/9IZTVTkG One thing I'm sure of: College students will not take this abuse much longer. The rumblings are everywhere.

May 13th
11:21 PM
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1st walk in California. The 9th week begins. 11 weeks ago tonite a teenager in FL went 4 a walk... http://t.co/LonMToKl

May 13th
10:59 PM
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Hello west coasters - I'm in your time zone now. The sun's still up - let's go for a walk. 7pm PT #miketakesawestcoastwalk

May 13th
9:31 PM
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Happy Mothers Day to all the mothers out there. Here's where the idea came from: http://t.co/o09H95yK

May 13th
11:28 AM
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Only 2 days left of free streaming for my musical contribution to the benefit CD "Occupy This Album" Listen here: http://t.co/AQEU0qmn

May 13th
11:21 AM
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"@Moneysnatcher69: How much weight have u lost?" Sorry, this must've landed in my Twitter feed by mistake. I think its meant 4 someone else.

May 12th
6:01 PM
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"@MichaelBrandl: More of us out here than u may realize! #walkwithMike" Well, if it's just 1% of u(10K), we've walked 2 the moon &back #newt

May 12th
5:55 PM
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I'm not sure how many thousands of us are walking. Even if it's only 1K, that means together we've walked around the Earth-twice! 6pmET 2day

May 12th
5:13 PM
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Today's walk marks the end of our 8th wk of walking. For me, I've walked the equivalent of Flint to Detroit.Should we continue on 2 Toledo?

May 12th
5:05 PM
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Bill Maher, last night: "More Biden gaffes - please!" http://t.co/9Gi8pbYp Hilarious - and spot on.

May 12th
3:10 PM
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Rachel's handle is @maddow. Let's thank her for her tireless work over the years. It played a role in this week's historical moment.

May 11th
11:11 PM
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Ok, time to walk! Beautiful night in NYC.

May 11th
10:59 PM
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"@TracyHover: @MMFlint a Michigan hat? Seriously? :)" I lost a bet. $ went 2 charity. Felt hair disintegrating while hat was on. #spartans

May 11th
10:57 PM
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I'm be speaking with Cornel West in a special benefit for New York City's Brecht Forum this Friday, May 18th at 7:00 PM at Hunter College's...

May 15th
7:13 PM
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'Occupy This Album,' with 99 songs performed by David Crosby & Graham Nash, Steve Earle, Tom Morello, Willie Nelson, Ani DiFranco, Third Eye...

May 15th
10:15 AM
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Deficit Reduction: The Great Distraction ...by Dean Baker www.michaelmoore.com Once again our "leaders" are distracting the public from the...

May 15th
10:13 AM
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In the “Loop” with Morello Standing Against ‘Grotesque Income Inequality’ ...by Donna Smith www.michaelmoore.com I listen to the lyrics of one of Tom’s songs...

May 14th
6:06 PM
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This week's This Modern World on DailyKos: Daily Kos: The Austerions www.dailykos.com Readers should imagine the Austerions speaking in full, booming...

May 14th
2:44 PM
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Plutocrats Deserve Public Scorn ...by Carl Gibson www.michaelmoore.com The only way to get the GOP (Guardians Of Plutocracy) out of office is to vilify them...

May 14th
2:13 PM
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One thing I'm sure of: college students will not take this abuse much longer. The rumblings are everywhere. Student Loans Weighing Down a Generation...

May 14th
5:16 AM
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Mother's Day for Peace www.youtube.com Gloria Steinem, Vanessa Williams, Felicity Huffman, Fatma Saleh and Alfre Woodard read the Mother's Day...

May 13th
5:48 PM
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Militarization of the Mothers: You've Come a Long Way, Baby, from Mother's Day for Peace ...by Colee www.michaelmoore.com The five most powerful...

May 13th
5:13 PM
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Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there. Here's where the idea came from: Mother's Day Proclamation, by Julia Ward Howe, 1870...

May 13th
4:59 PM
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...and here's my segment talking to Rachel about the Silverdome, and how Michigan is capitalism's laboratory: Rachel Maddow Show www.msnbc.msn.com...

May 12th
3:12 PM
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Here's the segment from The Rachel Maddow Show just before I was on, about the Pontiac emergency manager selling the Silverdome for $500,000: Rachel...

May 12th
3:08 PM
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Rachel Maddow will have me on her show tonite at 9:00 PM ET/6:00 PM PT on MSNBC. Among other things, we'll talk about the State of Michigan's...

May 11th
4:19 PM
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What If Kobe Bryant Were an Imprisoned Palestinian Soccer Player? ...by Dave Zirin www.michaelmoore.com Imagine if a member of Team USA Basketball were seized...

May 11th
12:30 PM
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The Energy Wars Heat Up ...by Michael Klare www.michaelmoore.com Here are the six areas of conflict – all tied to energy supplies – that have made news in...

May 10th
7:50 PM
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I will do a special live Facebook Q & A tonight at 11pm ET to discuss the historic announcement by President Obama today that same-sex marriage should be...

May 9th
11:37 PM
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I am deeply moved by the announcement made a short while ago that President Obama has gone back to his original position in 1996 and come out publicly in...

May 9th
7:27 PM
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Turns out the city of Chicago is terrified of Tom Morello and a bunch of unionized nurses: City of Chicago Pulls Permit for Nurses Rally After Event Adds Tom...

May 9th
1:27 PM
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This week's This Modern World from Tom Tomorrow on Daily Kos: Daily Kos: Circular debate www.dailykos.com

May 8th
11:20 AM
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To the Hague: Justice for the May 4th Kent State Massacre? ...by Laurel Krause www.michaelmoore.com The killing of American protesters remains effectively...

May 8th
10:20 AM
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My conversation and Q & A with all of you tonight was a blast! Let's do this again. My spirits are lifted by all the good people out there who care...

May 8th
12:07 AM
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I'm back from the daily walk with me. I'll be here on Facebook from 10pm to 10:30pm ET tonight if anyone would like to ask me any questions or talk...

May 7th
10:00 PM
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Wow. There's been over 60,000 downloads/listens of my version of "The Times They Are a Changin'" in just the first 72 hours! Thank you!...

May 7th
7:03 PM
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On Saturday, President Obama said: "Corporations aren't people. People are people." Right the eff on! Now, how do we make that the law of the...

May 7th
6:25 PM
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Michael Moore Talks Movies in Montclair (Video) montclair.patch.com Documentary filmmaker speaks to sold-out audience on final day of Montclair Film Festival.

May 7th
4:58 PM
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Adam 'MCA' Yauch: Our Ambassador From Atlantis ...by Dave Zirin www.michaelmoore.com Adam Yauch and the Beastie Boys stood for more than just hip...

May 7th
4:13 PM
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Too Hot Not to Notice?: A Planet Connected by Wild Weather ...by Bill McKibben www.michaelmoore.com As long as this remains one abstract problem in the long...

May 7th
12:35 AM
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Hey, just crossed the 600,000 mark for number of Facebook friends/fans! Shouldn't we celebrate or share or poke or something? I'm game for anything....

May 5th
4:45 PM
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My recording of "The Times They Are a-Changin'" is on the CD "Occupy This Album." Release date: May 15th.

Many musicians...

May 4th
12:34 PM
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And now for a surprise: MY FIRST-EVER RECORDING! "The Times They Are a-Changin'" Listen here -- it's part of a fundraiser CD for Occupy...

May 4th
12:24 PM
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