In this archival footage from August 6th, 1945, shortly after dropping the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, and three days before dropping a second bomb on Nagasaki, President Truman delivered a warning to the Japanese of “a rain of ruin from the air the like of which has never been seen on this earth”. Hmm. Now where have I heard language like that recently? If our current Commander in Chief is serious, that’s very troubling. And if he isn’t serious, that’s still troubling, but for different reasons. [Read more…]
Veterans Call on U.S. to Sign Nuclear Ban Treaty
By Brian Trautman, Gerry Condon and Samantha Ferguson
On July 7, 2017, the United Nations (UN), in a historic decision, approved a legally binding instrument to ban nuclear weapons, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Months of negotiations involving more than 130 countries began in March of this year, culminating in a final draft endorsed by 122 countries.
The treaty marks a significant milestone to help free the world of nuclear weapons.
Humanity has been at the brink of a nuclear exchange on multiple occasions since the end of World War II, including times when the decision to launch was seconds from happening. An urgent question, then, is why these close calls, as well as the brutal and unnecessary annihilation of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki that preceded them, failed to convince all governments that nuclear weapons represent an existential threat to humanity, thus nuclear disarmament must be a top priority? [Read more…]
The Perversity of Success and the Case to Be Made for Failure
We are taught that Success is always the preferred outcome.
I dare propose otherwise ….
Contrarily,
It is my considered belief
that a reduction in world suffering
could be directly attributed to a failure of intent. [Read more…]
Go ….. or Stay
Listen up, young man (aka dude) …. yes, You,
If you can stop texting for a few minutes,
and hear me out. I don’t want to shout.
You are nearing your prime,
and you’re thinking maybe it’s your time
to Go.
[Read more…]
The Big ‘P’ (PTSD)
Memorial Day, 2017
Mission Valley, San Diego, California
Cool, overcast morning
A resident of the hotel,
person of means who would sometimes be called
(disparagingly, or admiringly) a “Fat Cat,”
had spent the night on a bed
for which he had, or more accurately,
his Corporation had popped three-fifty.
His room had a view of the hotel golf course.
For the purpose of this narrative,
with your indulgence, I will refer to him as “FC.” [Read more…]
Miramar Air Show, Just Don’t Go!
By Dave Patterson
Summer is around the corner in San Diego and many of us look forward to the annual traditions, like the Miramar Air Show.
This wildly popular event attracts an estimated 500,000 attendees, and brings people from all over the world to see the pilots demonstrate their precision flying and perhaps line up purchases of weapons. Corporate chalets are available where weapons vendors can “Use their company logo and message to reach 500,000 Air Show attendees!” This, of course, is all while real military people risk their lives to entertain the crowd. [Read more…]
Please Don’t Wish Me a “Happy” Memorial Day
We commemorate #MemorialDay.
It’s not a celebration.
It’s a day for remembering those who sacrificed their lives in service to their county, in training and in combat, and a time for expressing solemn recognition and gratitude for the family and friends they left behind.
Visit their graves, offer a prayer, and honor their service. [Read more…]
What We Can Learn from War Memorials
By Kevin Basi / Other Words
In Dryden, New York, a proposed solar farm recently caused a stir.
Thousands of solar panels — enough to power 7,500 homes — are scheduled to be installed near a rural cemetery in the town. Some opponents complain that it’s disrespectful to the veterans buried there.
Energy and environmental considerations aside, what does it mean to respect our deceased service members and veterans? [Read more…]
Memorial Day: Recruiter’s Siren Song to Hero (Under Construction)
Listen up, son.
You are one of today’s pawns
on the chessboard,
and the recruiter sitting across from you
is the chess master. …
This is not his first day …
But it is yours, and a fateful one you need to think hard about.
Harder than ever.
[Read more…]
San Diego Veterans for Peace Memorial Day Observance
By Jack Doxey/ San Diego Veterans for Peace
On Monday, May 29th, 2017 (Memorial Day), the San Diego Veterans For Peace will be setting up its respected “Hometown Arlington West Memorial” on the front lawn of the USS Midway Museum…
Chapter veterans from all five services will be honoring our 300+ fallen brothers and sisters from Southern California who have died in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, with special memorial markers. The public is asked to stop by, read their names, honor the ultimate sacrifice made by these local fallen veterans, and to reflect on the overall costs of these two ongoing wars. [Read more…]
Veterans for Peace On the March: Memorial Day Actions in DC
By Brian Trautman
The United States is the most militarized and jingoistic nation on earth. Its foreign policy is guided by imperialist militarism, neoliberal capitalism and racial xenophobia. For more than sixteen years now, three presidential administrations have carried out a so-called “War on Terror” (GWOT), a perpetual state of war that is waged globally, under the depraved reasoning that “the world is a battlefield,” to quote investigative journalist Jeremy Scahill.
As demonstrated by the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, the GWOT is conducted through conventional warfare. More often, however, it is executed through covert or “dirty” wars, against groups and individuals in many other nations.
The U.S. has the financial and logistical capacity to wage these illegal wars. [Read more…]
Think Tank Recommends Universal Draft Registration and Military Testing
By Rick Jahnkow / Draft NOtices
The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) recently released a report on U.S. military personnel policy that, among other things, recommends registering women for the draft and giving all young people the military’s aptitude test when they register.
The report’s title is “Building a F.A.S.T. Force: A Flexible Personnel System for a Modern Military” (F.A.S.T stands for Fully engaged, Adaptable, Sustainable, and Technically proficient). It was created by a BPC task force that includes former Department of Defense officials, retired military officers and several former U.S. senators. [Read more…]
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