Troops Home Fast -- Virtual Fast

The following is posted in conjunction with Bibliochef at Cooking With Ideas.

Bibliochef writes:

Troops Home Fast is a hunger strike organized by Code Pink and supported by others (e.g., Progressive Democrats of America) to begin July 4, 2006 in protest against the Iraq War. In addition to well known names, Code Pink is asking those of us who oppose the war to join them in fasting for a day or more in D.C. or elsewhere, to organize a rolling fast, to use our bodies to state our politics. They are undertaking the hunger strike in D.C. until mid-August and then moving to Texas (near our vacationing president).

As a food blogger, this seems directly related to what we are all about -- food. There is a long history of hunger strikes as a form of protest -- Gandhi, suffragettes, Palestinians, the Irish. . . . women, men. Protesting war, colonialism, efforts to create new nations or new rights. Tea parties and salt marches. Not to mention fasting as a significant part of many religious traditions -- centering us, challenging us, focusing us. Food and religion. Maybe. Food and politics. Yes.

We're asking food bloggers (and others who want to participate) to help us support this effort in both literal and more figurative ways. Feel free to share your ideas here -- but our main goal (thanks in part to the inspiration of those who inaugurated the Day without Blogging as an argument for Net Neutrality) is to generate publicity and support by creating a supportive " virtual fast" from food blogging. Posting our intention to do so --and then doing so -- is one way to express our support. Just as those who are organizing the Hunger Strike offer various ways to be involved, there are many ways to support the "virtual fast."

You might do so by:
1) Joining the strike by refraining from blogging for the period that long term hunger strikers do so.
2) "Fasting" on July 4th (the starting date) with those who do so.
3) "Fasting" on a different day or other time period and announcing your intention to do so and why.
4) Organizing a "rolling fast" with bloggers you know-- so that some or all of us refrain from blogging on different dates.
5) Doing what we can to ensure that we publicize the literal -- and our virtual --fast. The Code Pink site has useful information --including directions on how to fast safely.

Of course, for those of us who choose to fast literally, posting on that topic (on a day when you are not figuratively fasting!) would be great as well. Be sure to include a tag in your post -- we suggest "virtual hunger strike." And let us know that you're joining us.

Why foodie bloggers?

Well, in many ways the traditions of the Fourth of July -- and other traditions of nationalism -- are enacted through food. Let's extend the legacy of food in a new way. We'll try to post a list of bloggers who will be "virtually fasting"-- but let's hope that this grows beyond our ability to do so. . . . Do direct folks here to let us know they're joining, though. We'll also post again, when possible, relevant information on hunger strikes, and other uses of food in political change.

And, again, when possible, add a tag to your post announcing your participation -- please use " virtual hunger strike." Feel free to use this graphic, designed by Laura Rebecca from Laura Rebecca's Kitchen [available here].

And let Code Pink know of your support.

Virtual Hunger
StrikeFood
Politics Troops
Home Fast

Tags: Virtual Hunger Strike, Troops Home Fast, Code Pink, blog fast for peace