In Love and Honor of Daniel Ellsberg

Honor Dan’s legacy by organizing against war and militarism.

Today we lost a movement giant, a dear friend, and a hero. Daniel Ellsberg, who faced decades in prison for telling the American people the truth about the Vietnam War, passed away from cancer. 

In 1971, Dan Ellsberg photocopied what would become the “Pentagon Papers”, a damning account of what the U.S. was really doing in its war on the people of Vietnam. He did this knowing he could be put in prison for the rest of his life but he weighed the cost of humanity against his personal freedom and chose humanity. Until his final days, he was raising up the dangers of nuclear war and in constant solidarity with whistleblowers such as Daniel Hale. 

Dan exposed the lies about the Vietnam War and paved the way for others who blew the whistle on the drone program, the CIA, and more. He represents a strong resistance against war and military propaganda that will poke at the U.S. military industrial complex for as long as it exists. Thanks to his mentorship, there are plenty of peace activists in the belly of the beast calling attention to the brutality of the war machine.  CODEPINK will continue to organize against war and militarism and expose the war machine in Daniel’s honor. We are grateful to have been allies with him in the antiwar movement and even more grateful to be able to call him a friend. We extend our care and solidarity to everyone who knew and loved Daniel Ellsberg.

- CODEPINK staff and members