Actions in 2003/2004

(The following is taken from the old web site of OK CodePINK, under different organizers -- who moved out of state)

• SHAWNEE MALL MADNESS!


• Code Pink announce economic stimulus plan for Shawnee


• Shawnee Group in Pink for Peace on Mothers' Day


• OK Code Pink at the Paseo Arts Festival

SHAWNEE MALL MADNESS

- Code Pink Causes Code Red! -

- Shawnee Mall Security on Code Red Alert for Four Women in Pink!


Shawnee, Oklahoma April 19, 2003

CPNN (Code Pink Network News) - There was "big-doings" at the Shawnee Mall today! Oklahoma Code Pink - Women for Peace in Shawnee held our first community action. We had intended to hand out flyers with information about Code Pink and our upcoming Mother's Day Celebration, 2-5pm on May 10th, at Woodland Park. Code Pink is a women's organization dedicated to promoting peace. Our goal is to help local women become involved in effecting the direction of our community's future through learning and teaching peaceful conflict resolution and mediation techniques to our children. We hope and work for a future when violence is never used to solve problems.

It is that message we'll share at the Mother's Day Celebration in May and that is the message we were attempting to bring to the citizens of Shawnee today. We sent out word by electronic mail to other like-minded groups and individuals announcing today's flyer handout. On Friday we received an email from a very un-like-minded person: an attorney representing the Mall who told us that we were prohibited from handing-out flyers at their mall and that if we tried we would be asked to leave. This message puzzled us in a couple of ways: one, how did a Shawnee Mall lawyer get our message? and, two, what about the first amendment?

After some research we learned that there is no first amendment at the mall! Like and American citizen entering a foreign country the Constitution ends at the border of The Mall's property. Remember that guy and his son in New York who got arrested for refusing to take off his "peace" t-shirt as requested by his local mall security? Did you think that was a bit excessive? Well, don't try that at the Shawnee Mall, you'll probably end up in the hoosegow too!

You see, along time ago, people used to "go to town" for their provisions. "To town" means Main Street. Main Street used to be not only the center for commerce but, because that is where the people congregated and town-hall stood, the center for protest as well. Then came the mall. The mall effectively sucked the commerce from Main Street and not only forced many long term family businesses out of business but, took the people with them. So, the protesters who would normally address their grievances in front of the Main street crowds, have no crowds to be in front of!

So, just go to the mall, you say? Well, there's the rub. You see, unlike Main Street, the Mall is private property and like any private property, the owners set the rules! Well that's just fair, you say? Maybe that's because your opinion happens to be the majority opinion. What about the minority? Don't they count? The Constitution says they do. That's one big reason we have a First Amendment in the first place. People have to be able to air their opinions and they must be free to express them to their community. Especially people with unpopular opinions.

So anyway, the mall lawyer warned us that we would be ejected from the mall if we handed out the flyers. We met at 3pm at a local restaurant and decided we would do it anyway. One of the FOUR women that showed up pulled out her celphone and called her lawyer and left a message that his services might be needed. She said " Four women in pink are going to exercise their First Amendment rights and we might need your help later". The ladies decided that since they would be expecting us all to enter through the East doors we would, instead, each enter through different doors and meet at the food court. Feeling very weird about being an American and being afraid to speak our minds freely in public, we drove, in separate cars, to The Mall. As we got close enough to see we noticed what seemed like an excessive amount of people in front of the main entrance. Then we saw they weren't ordinary people - it was the security! Our assigned door was on the southwest and as we approached we saw TWO security there. We parked and walked to the doors and, since we just looked like a normal couple walking into the mall, we walked right in. As we walked into The Mall a mall security truck pulled up fast at the curb. Then at the end of the inner mall hall there was another security person! We made the turn to the food court and saw yet another security person and we started to realize that there was almost more security than shoppers!

Almost immediately we ran into one of our pink-ladies. She had come through the west door also unmolested but with tales of maximum security as well. The other two of our outlaw gang showed soon after and we got down to some serious problem solving. The couple who came through the southeast doors knew one of the police outside and were allowed to come in even though they had the "notorious" flyers in plain sight! They only received a slight reprimand and were freed. Whew! We knew we couldn't make bail for them.

We bought some coffee and the ladies talked about Code Pink and issues of peace. One of our friends showed and we had a nice time hanging out in the food court. I decided I would walk outside to inspect the front lines. I was amazed not only at the amount of security but at the type! There were uniformed Shawnee Police, uniformed private Mall security, plain clothes security, older men, younger men, younger women, men in army shirts and camouflaged shirts, Some of them looked just like normal people until they'd reach for the ever-present walkie-talkie or, even more telling, when they would seriously try to be "undercover" and their hidden walkie talkie would start blaring some incomprehensible static and there they'd be, flailing for the off switch in a panic. The front door was held for me by a very nice looking young plain clothed person. I smiled.

Outside the front doors there was two flanking police cruisers, a security pickup, two or three uniformed cops and two or three plain clothed cops. I couldn't resist a slight giggle at the thought that all this hubbub was caused by four middle aged women in pink! I walked past the cruisers, turned and took a picture of the scene. A stern looking plain clothed person came up to me and said "we don't allow pictures taken of our building." This was a fantastic bit of news to me and so I said, "Really?!" Well, he said yes and I said wow and put my camera away. By this time he was joined by a slightly more tense plain-clothed person who got about a finger length away from me and said something like, "what's the problem." I said, "Hi! There's no problem." and he said, "Can I help you?" I thought this was real nice but couldn't think of anything he could do for me so I said, "no thanks" and walked back towards The Mall door. He stayed REAL close to me most of the way but finally peeled off and returned to the rest of the flock. It was then I saw the young lady who had held the door for me when I came out - she was talking into a walkie-talkie.

I went back in and we spent some more time discussing what I had seen on the front lines then we finished our coffee and it was time to go. We contemplated retracing our courses back to the doors we entered, handing out the "subversive" flyers but decided, instead, to go out as a group through the doors we had planned to enter that were so heavily defended. One of us went around, placing flyers on vacant tables, followed by a security person picking each one up. We walked out of the front doors and into the bright light and clean, sweet air of almost-freedom (we were still on Mall property). We stood there, under the scrutiny of the posse, and talked for a bit. I turned to my friend and he said, "They make me feel so special!" One of us went back in to do some shopping and we left, pondering how the Germans of the 1930's or the Soviets before the fall of the wall or the Iraqis might have felt. - Jerry (okcodepink)

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Oklahoma Code Pink - Women for Peace in Shawnee
April 19, 2003

Oklahoma Code Pink Debut has created the largest economic stimulus package in the last 6 months! People were asked to work overtime and many received "call" pay due to the elaborate, last minute organizing of our surprise party graciously hosted by the Shawnee Mall. Imagine how four ladies dressed in pink, sipping coffee in the mall, could stimulate the economy on such a grand scale!

Security officers scrambled to be our hosts! Poised to roll out the red carpet for US, at the heralding of the trumpet. The party grounds were rife with their visible presence. In the grand ballroom itself, our hosts attire proved to be more creative. Out side we readily recognized our hosts by their uniform dress, but inside..... Like little "jacks-in-the-box" they would pop up in the oddest places for our surprise and delight! They encircled the food court as we drank our coffee. They sat at the nearest empty table. Intensely interested in our conversation about world peace, they strained to hear and secretly recorded trying not to be too rude. We wished they weren't so shy. If they had pen and paper we would have invited them to take notes, recruited their wives, and taught their children peace! Alas for them! Alas! - Janice (okcodepink)

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Shawnee Group in Pink for Peace
by April Wilkerson
SNS Staff Writer
Shawnee News-Star
Wednesday May 7, 2003

Planting seeds for a more peaceable future, and honoring the many ways of accomplishing that, are at the heart of a new Shawnee effort.

Oklahoma Code Pink -- Women for Peace in Shawnee is a group of local women, and a few men, who seek to build a future where peaceful living is the way of life.

The group is not anti-war, anti-military or anti-anything, its volunteers say, but it is all about promoting a peaceful lifestyle over a violent one.

"You can ask people about peace and they always agree that it's wonderful, yet it's immediately followed with 'But...' said Janice Tamburino, a Code Pink volunteer with her husband, Jerry. "We want to start talking about ideas and raise the consciousness of peace. We are hoping for an open forum in Shawnee where we can talk about teaching our children peaceable alternatives to living."

The organization is getting under way Saturday with a Mother's Day celebration at Woodland Park in downtown Shawnee. The public is invited to gather in the park from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. to hear speakers, poets and musicians and celebrate the love and strength of mothers.

"We want to start a dialogue about creating peace and what that really means, and there's probably no more spiritual day to do that than Mother's Day," Jerry Tamburino said. "We have the symbols of Mother Nature and Mother Earth, but our mothers are our first counselors and nurses and teachers. Our communities and societies need them and the values they stand for."Oklahoma Code Pink was born from the national Code Pink women's movement, which has manifested itself more in anti-war activities, the Tamburinos said. But the Shawnee group -- the only Oklahoma chapter -- wants to focus on creating peaceable living for future generations, watering the seeds they plant with continued support.

"Living in peace is not being wimpy. It takes ultimate strength of character to be able to live like the great peacemakers of our world," Jerry said. "We believe what Jesus said, what Ghandi said, and we know it's possible. People are making it happen in other communities, and we want to tap into the people here."

Among the ways to accomplish that is having tutors or school curriculums that teach the thoughts of peacemakers, he said. People can usually name the great warriors of history, but few can name the great peacemakers, he said.

"We want to pull those books from the back shelves and put them in the hands of our children, so when they grow up they won't make the same mistakes," he said.

Some communities offer activities that teach youth critical thinking and the ability to ask why, Jerry said. For example, a classroom is sectioned into four areas labeled "better for the community," "worse for the community," "more peaceful" and "less peaceful." Students are presented scenarios involving ethics, discuss where they stand, then literally move to the areas they believe.

Janice said they hope to see spiritual and business leaders get involved in Code Pink. Faith denominations may vary widely, but all have in common a version of the Golden Rule, she said. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" is at the heart of most religions. Children get that message in church, but they learn about life in many other places. Infusing the rest of their lives with that value will reinforce its importance, she said.

Business owners who run good companies in ways that do not harm others or the environment also have much to offer, Jerry said. Businesses can be both profitable and honorable, a truth that people should hear, he said.

Oklahoma Code Pink also wants to recognize local individuals, organizations and agencies that are doing good things each day, often quietly, the Tamburinos said. Hearing about good deeds will cultivate more good, the best possible contagion, they said.

When the Vietnam war ended, so did all the energy and thought of the peace movement, Janice said. Instead, it should have marked the beginning.

For more information about Saturday's event, call Janice or Jerry Tamburino at 214-9107. Anyone interested in performing or providing food or drinks is encouraged to call as well.









OK CODE PINK AT THE PASEO ARTS FESTIVAL

On May 24, 25 and 26 2003 Oklahoma Code Pink joined other peace, justice and freedom activist groups at the Oklahoma City Paseo Arts Festival. A Peace Tent was erected at the corner of 29th and Lee on the lawn in front of Tom Lee's Studio. As well as Oklahoma Code Pink there were representatives from The Mennonite Church raising funds for the rebuilding of Iraq, Amnesty International with many petitions to sign, The Peace House of Oklahoma City who's current project is aimed at bringing the Oklahoma City Jail out of it's barbaric condition and getting some humane treatment for it's overcrowded inmates. The ACLU was also there to promote and protect our First Amendment Rights as were folks from the Oklahoma Peacemakers who organised the weekly Spiritual Walks for Peace in Okahoma City. They have moved on from the walks to the formation of "Peace Teams" focused on four important Peace arenas: Peace Circles, Department of Peace Campaign, a"Program of Possibilities" Team and a Peace Education team. Oklahoma Peacemekers has a website (www.okpeacemekers.org) where people can get more information on their good works.