#IlluminateYemen: Rolling Hunger Strike for Yemen

  
The humanitarian crisis (genocide) in Yemen is worsening, despite some weak, toothless bill proposed in the US Senate. 

We, the people who can think outside of our own borders and immediate circles of concern need to step up our efforts!

 

So, this is my final day of my hunger strike for Yemen---after I got really ill during the toxic air bombardment of Northern California, it became more of a very low calorie fast, then a liquid fast, and one I will continue indefinitely. 

There are still many wonderful humans fasting and India Weeks pledged to take over from me on December 1st and she is still going to. She and others have asked me for tips on what to do while on the hunger strike.

 

TIPS FOR HUNGER STRIKE

I have sent $50/week (grocery savings) to aid the Yemeni and (Women's) March on the Pentagon is collecting money throughout the month of December to send for Yemeni aid at the end of the year.

 

(Women's) March on the Pentagon has very informative page on our website about the situation in Yemen that you can use to share with friends, family, contacts, enemies, etc.

 

(Women's) March on the Pentagon has a petition to sign (even though we think petitions are the least of what we can do, we feel this issue is very important) that can be shared.

 

Most people have gone on juice only/clear broth hunger strikes. Also, add a pinch of sea salt to your water for essential minerals.

 

Be gentle with yourself and take some food if you feel your health is being compromised. In any case, we honor your commitment to the people of Yemen, and your compassion for those being harmed by the actions of the US Empire and its lackeys. 

 

We are not medical providers, so we take no responsibility for health issues--if you are concerned, check with your health practitioner.

 

(Women's) March on the Pentagon will be sponsoring a rolling fast for Yemen in December and we are encouraging people to each take one day and during that day, share articles, information, and the link for people to donate to aid for Yemen.

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We REFUSE to Pay to ProtestStatement from (Women's) March on the Pentagon (edited December 5 with ACPD response)

We REFUSE to Pay to Protest

UPDATE: RESPONSE FROM ARLINGTON COUNTY PD: WE DO NOT HAVE TO PAY!!

 





Statement from (Women's) March on the Pentagon

 
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Cindy Sheehan:
CindySheehan@MarchonPentagon.com

What: The day before Thanksgiving, Cindy Sheehan, co-coordinator of the recent Women’s March on the Pentagon* (WMOP) was presented with a $540 bill for “police escort” by the Arlington County (Virginia) Police Department (ACPD).

Background: Beginning in July, leadership of WMOP began taking steps to secure permits from the two jurisdictions that the WMOP would take on October 21st (51st anniversary of the March on the Pentagon during the Vietnam War): Arlington County (brief march) and the Pentagon. Although WMOP eventually obtained a permit from the Pentagon, WMOP was never able to obtain a permit from Arlington County and many phone messages left by DC area Co-ordinator Malachy Kilbride were never returned by the ACPD.
 
On the day of the March, about 1500 people gathered at the Pentagon City Metro station (for a 12pm March start) in front of the mall and at about 10:30am, to the surprise of March organizers, ACPD showed up and did stop traffic for the brief March through Arlington County.
 
The organizers of the WMOP are outraged and appalled by this obvious violation of our First Amendment rights to gather “peaceably” and demonstrate one of the sacrosanct rights to our Freedom of Speech.
 
The DC area co-ordinator for the WMOP Malachy Kilbride had this to day upon receipt of the bill:  “As a former resident of Arlington County of over 20 years I am disturbed that the county is following in the footsteps of the Trump Administration which wants to charge people for First Amendment activity. Shame on Arlington County! The First Amendment is priceless and shouldn't be monetized.” 

The Partnership for Civil Justice Fund (PCJF)* the D.C. based non-profit legal organization that works to protect and advance the constitutional rights of protestors has issued the following letter to the ACPD on behalf of the Women's March on the Pentagon:

Chief Jay Farr

Lt. John Feden


Arlington County Police Department


 1425 North Courthouse Rd
. Arlington, VA 22201

Dear Chief Farr and Lt. Feden:

We are writing on behalf of Cindy Sheehan in response to Lt. John Feden’s e-mail correspondence dated November 21, 2018. 

The Arlington County Police Department (ACPD) has issued an invoice to Ms. Sheehan seeking to charge her for engaging in constitutionally protected First Amendment activities. Specifically, the invoice is stated to be “for the police services we provided October 21st during the March On the Pentagon,” and demands $540.00 for what is described as “police escort for The Women’s March on the Pentagon.” 

This attempt to tax free speech is without lawful basis and violates Ms. Sheehan’s constitutional rights. We request that this invoice be immediately withdrawn.

Ms. Sheehan did not request police “services,” nor was she given prior notice that the ACPD intended to send police to the demonstration and charge her for their time.  At no time did Ms. Sheehan agree to pay for any such charges. 

Indeed, the ACPD actually refused to respond to Ms. Sheehan’s efforts to coordinate the First Amendment activities with them. An application for a permit was submitted for the March and thereafter, Arlington Country was nonresponsive to follow up efforts. After failing and refusing to return phone calls regarding the March, the ACDP appeared at the Pentagon City mall in front of the metro stop entrance at the starting point for the march, well before the march was scheduled to step off. At that time Ms. Sheehan expressed her surprise at their presence given their refusal to communicate with the March organizers. 

The ACPD may not charge demonstrators for First Amendment activities at its own discretion. We are requesting that the ACPD provide all policy documents, guidelines, and criteria that the department relies upon in assessing charges on demonstration activities as well as any notice it believes was given to Ms. Sheehan of such policies and procedures. 

We further request that the ACPD issue instructions to personnel consistent with constitutional obligations to ensure that organizers of demonstration activity are not improperly charged in the future.

Sincerely,



                                

Mara Verheyden-Hilliard (PCJF)      

 The Women's March on the Pentagon adamantly refuses to pay for this appalling violation of our constitutional rights.

 

                    

*The Partnership for Civil Justice Fund is a free speech and civil rights organization that has defended First Amendment rights for over 20 years in Washington, D.C. and around the country. It is currently challenging the Trump Administration's proposed anti-protest rules that would levy potentially bankrupting fees and costs on demonstrators who engage in constitutionally protected free speech on public parkland in the nation’s capital. More information at www.JusticeOnline.org

*(Women's) March on the Pentagon is a women-led coalition of activists, professionals, military veterans, and everyday citizens of the world with one thing in common: we are anti-imperialist. More info can be found at: www.marchonpentagon.com

Cuba Por Vida by Cindy Sheehan

An Exclusive Report on her recent inspiring trip to Cuba
 

Cuba Por Vida by CINDY SHEEHAN

First appeared in ROL, USA Newsletter #111

At Gates of Gitmo Torture Camp: 2007

2007 was the first time I went to Cuba—the timing was around the anniversary of the U.S. (under the Bush regime) opening the prison/torture camp at Guantanamo Bay. My traveling companions included an Arab woman whose son was currently detained at Guantanamo; a man who had been detained there; and a mother whose son was killed in the World Trade Center on 11 September 2001. We were quite the group of people whose lives had been fundamentally changed by the actions of the demented U.S. Empire. Despite promises to the contrary by the Obama regime, Guantanamo Prison Camp is still open for torture business all these years later.

For my first trip, I recall having to “sneak” into Cuba via Cancun on a very rickety plane of Cubana Airlines. During our visit there, we stayed at hostels and guest houses and we ate very simply of beans and rice and vegetables most of the time. We traveled to Guantanamo from Santiago de Cuba in a very old school bus with springs that had seen better days during the Nixon regime. It was a heavenly trip and I fell in love with the people, culture, and revolution!

After that trip, I have been to Cuba several times more—always “illegally,” but always with varying degrees of what we would call “Western comfort.” Toilet seats, door handles, food choices, and building supplies are at a premium because of the U.S. blockade, but what’s always in abundant supply in Cuba is the friendliness of the people and the revolutionary spirit.

Recently in June of this year, I had another opportunity to travel to Cuba and, for the first time, I took a regularly scheduled U.S. flight from Ft. Lauderdale, FL to Havana! Incredibly, I flew Southwest Airlines and even earned miles for future trips! It was very easy to obtain a visa at a special counter and, even though it was much more simple to get to Cuba, part of the delicious feeling of disobeying the U.S. regime was missing. Although there are still restrictions for U.S. citizens going to Cuba, we are now allowed to bring back Cuban cigars and Cuban rum and souvenirs (up to a certain dollar amount). With this new situation, I would encourage everyone to travel to Cuba and see for themselves about how we have been lied to and lied to our entire lives about the “oppressive” society.

I was watching a mainstream show recently and the host was in Cuba to find “buried treasure,” and he said that despite living under “authoritarian rule,” the people of Cuba were always singing and dancing and have huge smiles on their faces! Perhaps, this is because there is not an over abundance of oppression, but a not-so-buried treasure of human kindness in Cuba? How could a people feel oppressed when their basic needs are recognized and fulfilled by the Cuban government? The people of Cuba and the non-authoritarian authorities that I have been in contact with along the path of my journey, recognize that their enemy is U.S. imperialism and the rotten, decades long U.S. blockade of Cuba, not their own government or leaders.

Even though the inhuman blockade has done its job of blocking, or severely limiting essential goods, food, medicine, and other products, the people of Cuba have made do for all these years because of their will. We asked a woman who was the president of a farming co-op in Villa Clara province how the blockade affected her and her community and her answer was simply, “the U.S. does what the U.S. does, but our job is feeding our community and we will do that despite the U.S.”

Our tour group encountered that kind of spirit all over Cuba.

Again, in Villa Clara we met with some English students at a gathering at La Universidad Marta Abreu. I spoke at an exchange with the students. They were appalled and a little skeptical of what I shared with them about higher education in the U.S.: basically, as we all know, it’s prohibitively expensive and USAian youth either go into life-long debt, join the military, or are born into families that profit off of war, so they don’t have to worry about the cost.

In Cuba, education is compulsory to the 9th grade. After that, students can choose to go three ways: into university prep, an apprenticeship, or to vocational school depending on their test scores and desires. The university students we met at Marta Abreu (from Santa Clara, a heroic figure in Cuban history; a supporter of Cuban independence from Spain and “benefactor” to the early efforts) told us that once they are accepted to university, the requirements are strict, but there is no cost for school, supplies, lodging, or food. We all know about the famous medical school Cuba maintains for free for students all over the world, and I have been there. However, to be in the provinces to see how “oppressed” (read healthy and happy) university students really are increased my resolve to expose the lies of the U.S. empire about Cuba. I wish my son Casey didn’t feel he had to join the military to get a university education, or even that my daughter Carly didn’t owe around 50k for her degrees. Poor (monetarily) Cuba, unlike the wealthy U.S., recognizes that education is a human right, not a privilege for the few.

Another aspect of Cuban society that is so contrary from what we experience in the U.S. is the way that labor relations are handled.

Our tour group visited a factory in Cuba that made plastic bags. While most of us were not in favor of the product, that was not the point of the visit. What we were to get out of this exchange was that there is no tension between worker and management. There are no “sides” in the traditionally adversarial relationship because even managers are workers in Cuba and everyone in the factory is working towards the same thing: the most efficient and safe way to mass produce their product. I have observed that here in the U.S., (with notable and rare exceptions) even some union executives seem to work against the workers for the bosses and mostly the Democrat party.

One thing about Cuba that is so impressive to me is that while it is a very poor country, most of the resources go to the people and not to funding a huge military and cancerous empire all over the world. Fidel is almost universally loved in Cuba because the people there know that he devoted his life to them and despite hundreds of assassination attempts by the CIA, he stood firm in his revolutionary ideals and never wavered in his service to not only the people of Cuba, but by sending doctors and teachers all over the world (where they would be welcomed), he shared the true wealth of Cuba.

Finally, our week of traveling to have our faith in the people of Cuba (after the death of Fidel and retirement of Raul) confirmed, was “crowned” by a ceremony that was hosted by the living mothers of the Cuban Five.

In 2013, I traveled to Holguin Cuba to participate in a colloquia around the international efforts to Free the Cuban Five … I think readers of this newsletter are familiar with the case, but the Cuban 5 were five anti-terrorist agents who came to the USA and infiltrated counter-revolutionary organization against Cuba to prevent further acts of terrorism against their country. In an effort to be transparent with the U.S., Cuba passed some sensitive information to the U.S. government, and the five were promptly arrested and after trumped up charges and a truly kangaroo court, the five were convicted of spurious charges and sent to various U.S. prisons for various lengths of term.

That year in Holguin, as a pledge to do everything I could to help secure the Freedom of the Five, I presented the mothers: Mirta Rodríguez (mother of Antonio ), Magali Llort (mother of Fernando) and Irma Sehwerert (mother of René) my most precious treasure, a necklace that Casey gave me when he was in the Army and obviously before he was killed in Iraq. I also promised to return to Cuba to retrieve my necklace when their sons were home.

Cindy with Mothers in Holguin

Well, lo and behold, on December 17, 2014, we awakened on the West Coast to the news that in a “prisoner exchange” the remaining members of the Cuban Five were back in Cuba!

To make a long story short, I was able to finally receive my necklace back in a very emotional ceremony that was attended by four of the five Cuban campaigners and their three living mothers! In true Cuban style though, there was much dancing, singing, eating, and laughter along with the free-flowing tears!

Cuba is a paradise, but it is not a perfect paradise. In my humble opinion, the return of limited “free enterprise” there is not a positive development. This is the first visit where I witnessed many examples of a growing income inequality (mostly in Havana). However, I cannot imagine that the people of Cuba would be very interested in returning to the days before their beloved Che and Fidel helped to liberate them from U.S. imperialism, the cancer of capitalism, and the Batista dictatorship.

Cindy receives her necklace back from Cuban 5 and their mothers

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As a child of the Cold War, my experience with Cuba and its lovely people, has done more than almost anything, except Casey’s murder, to highlight the treachery and viciousness of the U.S. Empire that killed Casey and has oppressed, or killed millions more over the years.

Always question, never surrender!

Viva, Cuba, y hasta la victoria, siempre!

CINDY SHEEHAN'S SOAPBOX 

Speaking Truth to Empire with guest, Cindy Sheehan (NOVEMBER EDITION, 2018)

November, 2018

https://soundcloud.com/speaking-truth-to-empire/181121-speaking-tutht-to-empire-cindy-sheehan

Speaking Truth to Empire on KFCF 88.1 independently owned and locally operated since 1975 in Fresno, Dan Yaseen interviews Cindy Sheehan, America’s leading antiwar and anti-Empire activist. They discuss Women’s March on the Pentagon held October 20 & 21, midterm election and Cindy’s hunger strike in solidarity with the the people suffering a horrible humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

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CINDY SHEEHAN'S SOAPBOX 

ROL, USA NEWSLETTER #111 (NOV/DEC 2018) SYNOPSIS

Revolutionary Organization of Labor, USA

#111

November/December 2018

_________________________________________________________________

MAIN ARTICLES

CLICK HERE FOR ENTIRE NEWSLETTER 

The Longer Monopoly Capitalism Survives,
the more Humanity’s Survival is in Jeopardy!

A Commentary on the New Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
by RAY LIGHT
First appeared in ROL, USA Newsletter #111
 

The scientists tasked with assessing global climate change are hearing urgent warnings for all humanity from Mother Nature!

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Cuba Por Vida

Cindy Sheehan

An Exclusive Report on her recent inspiring trip to Cuba
  First appeared in ROL, USA Newsletter #111

At Gates of Gitmo Torture Camp: 2007

2007 was the first time I went to Cuba—the timing was around the anniversary of the U.S. (under the Bush regime) opening the prison/torture camp at Guantanamo Bay. My traveling companions included an Arab woman whose son was currently detained at Guantanamo; a man who had been detained there; and a mother whose son was killed in the World Trade Center on 11 September 2001. We were quite the group of people whose lives had been fundamentally changed by the actions of the demented U.S. Empire. Despite promises to the contrary by the Obama regime, Guantanamo Prison Camp is still open for torture business all these years later. 

 

 

 

*****

Trump's USA: No Country for Women

Ray Light
 The Significance of Kavanaugh’s Elevation to the Supreme Court

 First appeared in ROL, USA Newsletter #111

On Saturday, October 6, 2018, Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh was confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court by one of the slimmest margins in U.S. history. Somber-looking Senators voted 50 to 48 to “elevate” Kavanaugh. A chorus of women in the Senate’s public galleries quite appropriately and repeatedly interrupted the proceedings with cries of  “Shame!” A few days later, in a private ceremony, Kavanaugh was quickly sworn in as the one hundred and fourteenth justice of the Supreme Court.

 

 

 

Fight the Power (Company) (Soapbox Podcast 11/18/18)

November 18, 2018

Guest: Erin Brockovich

Erin Brockovich

TOPIC: Toxic air and water and PG&E

Camp Fire from Outer Space

Today, because of the horrendous situation Northern California finds itself in (devastating fires, toxic smoke), I decided to replay an interview I did a few years ago with the legendary 

Erin Brockovich who took on the murderous utility giant PG&E and beat them.

It's been proven, or suspected, that PG&E and it's faulty equipment has caused many of the tragic fires in California (never mind polluting the water and blowing up neighborhoods), but the Democrat controlled government of California refuses to hold them accountable, and is in fact, protecting them from liability and Jerry Brown has vetoed legislation that would force PG&E to bury its power lines.

The California Utility Commission is also giving PG&E permission to raise its rates so we the people who are killed, displaced and poisoned by its crimes against humanity are forced to pay for the devastation it causes.

An independent California, or a revolutionary government that cared more about the people than profits could/should/would seize PG&E and put it under the democratic control of the people, as utilities are the public commons and should not be run for profit.

I think communities are more concerned about public safety than corporate bottom lines.

Fight the Power Company! 

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CINDY SHEEHAN'S SOAPBOX 

 

#NoTHANKSgiving by Cindy Sheehan

#NoTHANKSgiving

 by

Cindy Sheehan

A child dies from starvation and other 100% preventable causes in Yemen every 10 minutes. Over one million children are going to die because their hunger is too far gone to go into remission with nutrients.

Over 18 million people in Yemen are on the brink of starvation and could die by the end of 2018---in merely six weeks.

The genocide in Yemen has been supported by the US government since 2015--when that shining light of love and peace (sarcasm), Obama was president. The US is supporting the government of Saudi Arabia in these atrocities and has been selling dealing over 100 billion dollars of death machines to the repressive and brutal Saudi regime!

What can we do about it? 

Electing democrats obviously won't help because the democrats began this criminal venture with Saudi Arabia, and I can't remember a war that the democrats didn't support and pay for.

Writing letters to Congress, or calling them is also a fruitless endeavor because Saudi Arabia and its vast oil wealth and influence has the US Congress and the UN under its thumbs.

I embarked upon a hunger strike on 11.04.18 to highlight these issues and to bring awareness to the genocide in Yemen because most USAians probably never even heard of a country called "Yemen." I took the hunger strike baton from my friend Pam Bennett who had just completed a 26 day hunger strike for the same reasons.

If global imperialism is killing people, then we have to do everything we can to save them.

As I write this, my stomach is growling and my eyes won't stop leaking from sorrow and frustration, but how can one look at a picture like this and even think of doing the normal thing in the USA and pig out?  

March on the Pentagon (formerly Women's March on the Pentagon)  is calling people to join us in solidarity over the #NoTHANKSgiving weekend and participate in a hunger strike for Yemen.

For us, the holiday is a bogus attempt to whitewash genocide and is an orgy of gluttony in eating and rapaciousness in consuming, but even though I have not celebrated Thanks-taking since my son was killed in Iraq in 2004, this will be the first time I am completely abstaining from food.

Join us for all, or part of the weekend, and let us know by clicking here that you plan on joining us!

There are many ways to "fast" and you don't have to commit to the entire weekend and you don't have to commit to completely abstaining from food.

Tell your friends and family and community about the genocide in Yemen and what we are all trying to do to stop it.

Cindy Sheehan's Hunger Strike (In Solidarity and to Raise Awareness for the Starving People of Yemen) Videos

On November 4, 2018 Cindy Sheehan took the baton from her

dear friend Pamela Bennett who had been fasting in solidarity with and to raise awareness for the starving people in Yemen: people who are being starved and killed by the US supported Saudi genocide in Yemen.

Listen to Cindy's podcast with Pamela the day before she broke her fast:

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 Below are Cindy's intermittent videos during her hunger strike.

(Updated often)

11.11.18

DAY EIGHT

11.7.18

DAY FOUR 

11.5.18

DAY TWO

11.3.18

CINDY ANNOUNCES HER HUNGER STRIKE 

Recap and Regroup: Women's March on the Pentagon Community Conference Call Recording (11/11/18)

 

Community Conference Call

Recap and Regroup

Women's March on the Pentagon

Click our muse BadassBillie above to listen to a recording

of this very informative call.

Where have we been?

Where are we going?

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New Facebook Group

March on the Pentagon

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WMOP: COMMUNITY CONFERENCE CALL: RECAP AND REGROUP!

Women's March on the Pentagon

Recap and Regroup!

On Sunday, November 11th

WMOP is sponsoring a 

Community Conference Call

to Recap the 2018 events and to

Announce future actions.

PROPOSED AGENDA:

CINDY: WELCOME

EMMA: RECAP ON WORKSHOPS

 (COMMENTS/QUESTIONS FROM PARTICIPANTS)

BONNIE: RECAP ON MARCH/RALLY

(COMMENTS/QUESTIONS) 

CINDY: PLANNED ACTIONS FOR THE FUTURE AND 

GOING FORWARD WITH AN ANTI-IMPERIALIST MOVEMENT LED BY WOMEN 

(COMMENTS/QUESTIONS)

 PLEASE SEND CINDY SHEEHAN AN

EMAIL TO REGISTER FOR THE CALL:

CINDYSHEEHAN@MARCHONPENTAGON.COM

 Time

4pm Pacific

5pm Mountain

6pm Central

7pm Eastern

(We will have a monthly Community Conference Call on the 2nd Sunday of every month)

***

CLICK #BADASSBILLIE

TO

CHECK OUT OUR PAGE WITH VIDEO/PHOTOS/ARTICLES ABOUT 

WMOP

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Cindy Announces Hunger Strike in Solidarity with the People in Yemen

CLICK TO SUPPORT AID FOR YEMEN

Cluster Fudge 2018: Soapbox Election Special w/Nick Brana

November 4, 2018

Soapbox Election Special

GUEST: NICK BRANA
Movement for a People's Party

TOPIC: ELECTION 2018 AND THE WAY FORWARD WITHOUT D'S OR R'S

Today, Cindy chats with Nick Brana the founder of Movement for a People's Party about the absolute necessity to break from the Democrat party and work within movements to empower people for real change in the US and world.

CLICK IMAGE FOR WEBSITE

 NICK BRANA AND MPP AT WOMEN'S MARCH ON THE PENTAGON (NICK SECOND FROM LEFT)

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CINDY SHEEHAN'S SOAPBOX 

Genocide in Yemen (Soapbox Podcast 11/04/18)

November 4, 2018

GUEST: Pam Bennett

TOPIC:  Crisis in Yemen

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This week, Cindy interviews her dear friend Pam Bennett who just completed a 26 day hunger strike in solidarity with the people of Yemen who are being starved to death by the US/Saudi Arabian death cabal and to bring this to the forefront of discourse in the USA.

There is a profound humanitarian crisis in Yemen and SOMETHING must be done about it!

Cindy has now received the baton from Pam and will continue the hunger strike--hopefully for another 26 days when Cindy will pass the hunger strike baton to someone else!

Watch Cindy's video as she explains the reasons for her hunger strike.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO YEMEN AID
100% OF THE MONEY DONATED GOES TO HELP THE PEOPLE OF YEMEN WITH FOOD, MEDICINE AND OTHER AID.

CINDY IS PLEDGING $50/WEEK WHILE SHE IS FASTING TO YEMEN AID.

PLEASE JOIN HER IN THIS ACT OF CIVIL ASSISTANCE!
THE WORLD NEEDS TO SAVE YEMEN BEFORE THE
US/SAUDI'S DESTROYS IT ENTIRELY!

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13,000,000 (yes, that's MILLION) people are on the brink of starvation--over two Holocausts! 

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Civilian Death Toll Keeps Mounting as Saudi Coalition Targets Cars Travelling Yemen’s Roads 

 

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Read Updates and See Info about the recent

Women's March on the Pentagon

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CINDY SHEEHAN'S SOAPBOX