Our Message: “For the Children: Ceasefire Now!”
Pelosi’s Response: “What About the Hostages?”
Toby Blomé / CODEPINK: SF Bay Area

“The children are always ours, every single one of them, all over the globe; and I am beginning to suspect that whoever is incapable of recognizing this may be incapable of morality.” — James Baldwin

SAN FRANCISCO (October 25, 2023) — Last Friday, October 20, local activist-artist David Solnit organized an amazing community street mural painting in support of GAZA in front of the SF Federal Building. It was a powerful image left for all to see.

As we were leaving the area, I observed the above James Baldwin quote chalked onto the sidewalk. I couldn’t stop thinking of that quote over the next 24 hours, and how deeply it applied to the current humanitarian crisis and horrendous war crimes committed by Israel on the Palestinian people in GAZA. How could our top US officials continue to support these atrocities? We, as US citizens, have a responsibility to hold our leaders accountable.

In the dark of the early morning on Sunday, a letter to Congresswoman Pelosi was composed (attached), a banner and other visuals were packed into the car and my husband Fred Bialy and I headed to Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s SF home. From experience, we knew that Pelosi is often home on weekends. When we arrived, 2 large black SUV’s with dark windows were parked in front. BINGO! She’s home!

Across the street, a SF police officer sat in his parked car.

Fred and I vigiled for about 3 hours in the intermittent drizzling rain, with banner, flowered peace sign, pink peace flag, and copies of the letter to Pelosi. Over time, two more black SUVs and two more SF police cars eventually arrived as well. Many of the drivers in civilian cars that passed our banner flashed peace signs and waves, and several pedestrians accepted copies of the letter, as did one DC Capitol police officer. Valuable conversations were had with Capitol and SF police and pedestrians.

Graciously CODEPINK friend Susan Witka arrived to replace my husband in the late morning. Within a couple of hours “suspicious movement” of the SUVs and the DC police occurred. Suddenly a black SUV backed into the driveway. Susan stood on one side of the vehicle and I on the other, hoping to express our grievances to Pelosi. She has refused to hold town hall meetings or have talks with the peace community for over 16 years!

Minutes later the garage door opened. Pelosi rushed to Susan’s side of the vehicle. As she hurriedly and annoyingly entered the vehicle with her suitcases (on her way back to DC presumedly), Susan said to her: “I’m a constituent and most US Jews want a ceasefire now. Thousands of children are dying, we need a ceasefire now.” Pelosi could only offer this snarled reply, “What about the hostages?” She showed no interest in talking further.

By that time, I joined Susan and was able to see Pelosi through the dark-glassed window. I politely and urgently asked the Congresswoman to please accept our letter. We were ignored and Pelosi’s vehicle drove off.

Susan and I both agreed afterwards that the continued bombing of GAZA puts both civilians and Israeli hostages in grave danger, and that if Pelosi really was concerned about the hostages she should take the time to ask family members of the hostages what they want. Before leaving we chalked this last message at the entrance path to her home:

PELOSI,
DROPPING BOMBS
PUTS HOSTAGES AND CIVILIANS
IN DANGER. CEASEFIRE NOW.

During the morning we had noted that a new giant blue SF heart sculpture had been installed on Pelosi’s front porch. Hmmm, if only President Biden, Nancy Pelosi and the vast majority of our US congress could open up their own hearts and recognize that all the children of the globe are our children, then indeed we would have a more peaceful country, and would stop giving unwavering support to Israel’s state sponsored terror.

ACTION: Tell Pelosi, Biden and Austin That the Bombings Endanger:

• The people of GAZA who have been held hostagefor years under Israeli Apartheid,
• The Israeli hostages currently being held by Hamas, AND,
• All of us, because it increases the risk for an expanded Middle East conflict, WWIII, and the potential for all-out nuclear war.
• Please ask Pelosi to find her morality: CEASEFIRE NOW!

SF Office: (415) 556-4862
DC Office: (202) 225-4965
If you’re a constituent, you can EMAIL Pelosi.

Huge thanks to all who have been out on the streets these past three weeks. NEVER GIVE UP!

Important Resources on the GAZA Conflict:

• Israeli forces shot their own civilians, kibbutz survivor says
• Israel’s long war on Gaza w/Norman Finkelstein | The Chris Hedges Report
  (Excellent overview of recent history of Israeli Apartheid on GAZA)
  •  Israel did not respond to the attack for many hours. How is this possible?  (Important interview with veteran who served in Israel Intelligence Forces)

The CODEPINK Letter that
Congresswoman Pelosi Refused to Accept

Dear Representative Pelosi,

(October 22, 2023)

I am writing to express my deepest sorrow that you and the vast majority of the Democratic Party members of Congress, under your leadership, are continuing to give unwavering support to Israel in the midst of its brutal, atrocious and indiscriminate military bombardment and siege of GAZA.

The intentional killing of civilians during wartime is always a violation of international humanitarian law and Israel has committed unequivocal war crimes on the people of GAZA daily Palestinians, nearly half of them children.

The extensive violence and killing of Israeli civilians by Hamas on October 7 are inexcusable, and ended with 1,500 Hamas militants dead that day. But Israel’s current aggressive carpet-bombing and blockade of food, water, electricity and urgently needed medical aid to civilians in GAZA are acts of collective punishment and genocide.

Your silence and complicity Rep. Pelosi at this time are intolerable. Thousands of women and children have been killed; hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are in dire need.

The great American writer, James Baldwin wrote:
“The children are always ours, every single one of them, all over the globe; and I am beginning to suspect that whoever is incapable of recognizing this may be incapable of morality.”

For the children of GAZA, I ask you to assess your own morality at this time. Are the children of GAZA any less important than the children of Israel or your own children and grandchildren?

Praying for an IMMEDIATE CEASE FIRE in GAZA,
Toby Blomé, SF Bay Area CODEPINK