A Conversation I had at CSN Concert about Peace

            An interesting conversation occurred as I was working the Veterans For Peace (VFP) table at the Crosby, Stills and Nash concert. The fact that there was a VFP table at the concert of a popular musical group is an important part of the story – CSN has a long history of supporting the peace movement. They have written and regularly perform songs, which are explicitly anti-war, and improvise still more anti-war sentiments into songs – for example during “Wooden Ships” when the lyrics ask about the war “who won?” David would respond “no one!” These leanings are not news to any of us who have followed the band whether you include their political actions off stage or not, which is why the conversation is “noteworthy”.

If anyone doubts the feelings of CSN towards peace, I had a personal piece of feedback. Prior to the concert, my wife and I were in back of the venue waiting to find where we would be with the VFP table. Of course I was decked out in my VFP t-shirt and hat for the occasion. Graham Nash came out of the back door ambling leisurely towards the tour buses. He noticed my attire and actually said “nice shirt” – thereby expressing his approval of the peace message. I had brought markers just in case I would meet a band member, and was so star struck I just stood there – didn’t even say thanks. Not one of my prouder moments – no memento to prominently display for me.

            At a concert where the band has a long history of being pro-peace, and where the fans are therefore primarily pro-peace or at the very least ok with that message, you just know there is going to be a few vocal exceptions. Sure enough, when anti-war sentiments or songs came up, there would be audience members who would shout things like “rock and roll” or “play the music” but they were pretty much drowned out by supporters of the band’s message.

At the breaks, my job at the table was to engage as many people as possible who were walking past and spread the message to those unfamiliar with VFP, and network with those who are supportive but perhaps not active. We offered materials like buttons, bumper stickers, DVDs, etc., which were not “for sale” but we had a donation basket on display and the vast majority get the hint – it’s free, but we gladly accept voluntary donations.

One of the vocal opponents of the peace message was apparently dying to engage in debate, and chose to do so by bragging about his employment with a local prominent defense contractor where “I make devices that save our troops.” Typically I avoid engagement – you cant convert someone who depends on war to make their living, but with so many people around it did not feel right to just not respond. So I told him I worked for an organization that would eliminate the need to “protect our troops” as they would not be at war in the first place.

I found my verbal sparring partner’s response quite interesting “what would you do about our enemies?” This was so interesting I asked for more information – “who exactly are our enemies?” This is where his verbal assault began to fall apart – he kept repeating about “dealing with our enemies” and “we have to face our enemies” but I would simply repeat, “who are our enemies?”

I find this interesting because this is the question in war – who are our enemies and why are our enemies? Those of us know history can see that most often we create our enemies, they are whoever we have so deeply offended that they feel there is no way out but to attack us. So if that is the case – we cannot hope to win by going to war. We simply create more enemies; our future enemies are the family and friends of the enemies we kill today.

Threatening the President, Endemic Violence and the Need for the Peace Movement

            A recent post on “Addicting Info” details yet another instance of right wing sympathizers threatening the life of the President of the United States. The threat took the form of a picture depicting the lynching of President Obama, with the message that this would be “the making of an American holiday. The post was quickly removed, but not before many people following the facebook group had the opportunity to post their approval, with some suggesting that those opposed should also be lynched.

            This is not the first facebook threat made against the President, with “The Christian Militia” claiming “the authority to shoot him”. In fact, threats against the President are despairingly common, as this list from Huffington Post makes clear. In fact, the President is the most threatened man in America, regardless of political party. OK but why am I talking about this on a Veterans For Peace blog?

            The willingness to utilize violence and threats of violence to get or attempt to get what is wanted helps explain American foreign policy. Our culture is saturated in images and accounts of violence both real and imaginary. We love to imagine an answer to whatever our “problem” is that arrives and kicks the ass of anyone standing in the way of what is right. Although we see now this is especially prevalent in the right wing, the left loved the imaginary story of “Billy Jack” and many a liberal student wore t-shirts or had posters of Che Guevara. Even the now beloved Nelson Mandela was willing to use violence to oppose those who were preventing progressive change.

            As veterans, VFP has the ability to act as an example of those who have moved beyond violence. We can demonstrate to the world that change is still possible without relying on violence. History is rich with examples of successful non-violent resistance – Martin Luther King Jr. is a great American example.

            We find ourselves advocating for a cause that is sometimes (perhaps even often) out of favor with many. We ourselves face threats and occasionally active violence. If we hope we can end violence as a national policy, first we must totally repudiate and forswear violence ourselves. It is tempting to fantasize about violent solution, but they do not work. That is why there is such a need for Veterans For Peace.

Mike Davis

Reuters Reports Pentagon Waste Worse Than You think

            A recent report from Reuters details the amount of fraud that we know about in the Pentagon. We have to specify “that we know of” because the story details just how much book doctoring the military does to hide the huge discrepancies. They even have a name for the made up expenses they use to fill in the areas where they cannot account for funds spent – they call them “plugs”. The supervisors were required to approve the fabricated numbers and workers tried to make things add up as best they could.

            The totals for a single year of “plugs” were in excess of $9 Billion. This at the same time that we are seeing cuts to benefits for veterans and pay for military personnel and their families. For a comparison, the cuts to veterans benefits could be restored for a paltry $6 Billion – leaving another $3 Billion for other important causes – such as stimulating the economy, restoring food stamps to feed the hungry and housing homeless persons. Realistically – how many would expect that the Pentagon would be willing to give up the funds that it cannot account for? The story is also rife with accounts of military waste from purchases of weapons and munitions that are either out-of-date or hopelessly redundant, driving home the point that $9 Billion is just the starting poin, we may never know the total cost of military waste.

            This story reminds one of the Veterans For Peace question – “how is the war economy working for you?”

IT Research Firm Predicts Protests in 2014 Bigger Than Occupy Wall Street

The IT research firm Gartner which seems to specialize in research related to “cloud computing trends” and “IT metrics” is also making predictions regarding public protest movements “larger than Occupy Wall Street”. Unsurprisingly, they state that this is directly related to negative reactions to economic disparity and unfairness. These predictions are not able to specify specific tactics but do predict the likelihood of growth in the underground economic sectors with increased bartering.

These predictions from an apparently staid firm not known to be politically oriented are particularly interesting to organizers of resistance to the current power structure. Those invested with the responsibility of being organized and capable of organizing others must be ready to offer their services at such key moments. The goal is not to “coopt” an existing movement but to serve and assist in keeping it on track and providing key services. VFP has served the OWS movement in the past as witnessed by members who were injured by police while inserting themselves between “civilian” and less experienced protesters and militarized police.

As Saul Alinsky said “tactics is doing what you can with what you have”. Often the organizer is faced working with mere wisps of resources preparing for the time when public discontent gives rise to the motivation needed for large numbers to take action. We may be facing an imminent recurrence of public outrage leading to action on the part of large numbers of the discontented. This makes it all the more vital that we continue working to prepare for that moment, educating the public on the evils of war and it’s costs and serving popular movements that can lead to the change that is needed in our current system.

US Military Uniforms Being Made Overseas and in Prisons

The New York Times is reporting that the US Military is currently acquiring the uniforms worn by soldiers, airmen, sailors and even TSA agents, are being made in either Third World sweat shops or US prisons. This is in direct violation of US laws requiring significant proportions o US Military supplies to come from the domestic market. At the same time that President Obama is trying to convince companies to research where their clothing comes from to insure it is not being manufactured under unsafe conditions, the Pentagon is buying from substandard dangerous workplaces. Of the supplies manufactured in the US, prisoners paid as little as a couple dollars a day make a large portion.   

  

This is a stunning commentary on the state of US morals, or rather the lack thereof. At the same time that there is shock and outrage over disasters in textile manufacturing centers resulting in mass death, it turns out the US itself is getting the clothes on the backs of it’s soldiers from the same sources. Would our “patriots” who claim such pride in America’s uniform if they realized that those uniforms were made by children and workers who must labor in unsafe conditions.

Using US prisoners to manufacture our troop’s uniforms speaks to an even deeper level of depravity. We must realize that the tools used by our military to “protect freedom” are being manufactured by persons who are being held against their will, often for drug crimes, and paid a pittance for long dangerous hours. Little concern is given to the well-being or safety of prisoners who are “employed” in prison industry.