Dear CODEPINKer,

When we first decided to launch a fast to bring the troops home, we thought perhaps a handful of people would join. To our amazement, over 3,000 people have joined in the fast, coming from all states and 20 countries! If you haven't joined us yet, please sign on for at least one day of a solidarity fast. Or better yet, come join us in Washington DC anytime between now and August 15, when we will move the fast to Camp Casey outside Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas. Wow has it been a full week!

We kicked off the fast in Washington DC with a week full of somber and exhilarating events. On July 3 we had our last meal together -- a delicious dinner for 200 cooked with love by Food Not Bombs and served on a huge pink tablecloth in front of the White House. We prayed together, sang together, broke bread together, and expressed our commitment to fast as a way to deepen our own resolve and wake up the nation to the need to Bring the Troops Home.

But the next day, July 4th, when we tried to march in the Independence Day Parade, we were denied entry and two of our fasters, 25-year-old Iraq veteran Geoff Millard and 71-year-old CODEPINKer Chloe Jon-Paul, were arrested. Several hours later they emerged from the police station, tired and hungry but proud that they had stood up for free speech on Independence Day.

Elsewhere around the country, 35 groups began local fasts. At the train station near Hillary Clinton's home in Chappaqua, 100 fasters showed up to ask the Senator to stop supporting the occupation. Over 100 people joined in action in Chicago and in San Francisco, CODEPINK and supporters camped outside of Senator Diane Feinstein's house and will be fasting in front of her office for a week. We received messages from fasts in Rome, Germany, Pakistan and Egypt. (View our National CODEPINK photo gallery and Local Spotlight.)

The fasters in Washington have been busy-feeding ice cream to the homeless, greeting Canadian Prime Minister as he arrived to meet with George Bush, having a private meeting with Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Dick Lugar, hosting a Troops Home Fast birthday party for George Bush's 60th birthday, and attending a concert by Bonnie Raitt -- who did a shout out thanking CODEPINK and Cindy Sheehan for their dedication for peace and adding her name to growing list of fasters.

We've seen coverage of the fast in The Washington Post, FOX News, CNN, Reuters, The Village Voice, AP, and People Magazine online. Several fasters were on TV -- Cindy Sheehan was on Hard Ball and Colonel Ann Wright was on Hannity and Colmes; Diane Wilson and Medea Benjamin had op-eds in major newspapers and two of the long-term fasters were interviewed on Democracy Now. Read more...

The reasons each person is fasting vary, from family members grieving the loss of a loved one in Iraq, to soldiers losing their health and sanity to a war they don't believe in, to outraged citizens determined to stop our country from continuing this bloody, illegal and immoral occupation.

As the long-term fasters continue to hold vigil outside the White House from 10am -- 7pm each day, we ask you to join us, to step in a little deeper, to give a little more. You can fast at home, join us in Washington DC as a faster or supporter, send us messages of encouragement or sign the Voters Peace Pledge and get 100 other people to sign on so we can form a strong peace bloc of voters before the November elections. Whatever you do, we are fed by your support.

Hungry but energized,
Allison, Dana, Erin, Farida, Gael, Jodie, Katie, Medea, Meredith, Nancy, Rae, Samantha and Tiffany

P.S.

• Remember, you can join in many travel opportunities this summer, from a New Orleans work camp to Camp Casey in Crawford to a retreat/spa in Austin. Click here for info.
• Don't forget to forward this message to friends!

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