Violence begets violence. War profits only the few, the rich, the powerful—the 1%. As moral beings and tax paying citizens we must vigorously oppose war. Especially those wars of aggression perpetrated by the
If we are to live authentically, we must oppose resource war and war for corporate profit. War industry lobbying (Lockheed Martin) and election buying corrupt our Congress, our Executive Branch and any legitimate defense force. War dehumanizes the “other.” It dehumanizes and disempowers us as well.
War diverts unimaginably vast federal tax funds from their most worthy function: meeting human needs—feeding, housing, schooling, healthcare, infrastructure. And disaster relief—these days so criminally paltry (
War solves no legitimate problem; war spawns problems. War impoverishes, erodes democracy, undermines law. War targets civilians, creates refugees and triggers ethnic cleansing. War encourages rape, maims bodies and minds (veterans’ PTSD), cheapens life. War spurs environmental devastation (
Not only must we oppose war, we must oppose militarism: the incessant search for enemies, the incessant preparation for war, the saturation of our economy and culture with martial values and vested interests in war.
What Must Be Done (personally and policy-wise)
1. replace toxic with renewable energy.
2. avoid dependence on the war economy.
3. expose the Main Stream Media’s unholy alliance with militarism. The corporate media reflexively align with military policy. The MSM generate fear, normalize violence, villainize rival powers, gloss over war crime.
4. “take a knee” against nationalism/exceptionalism—major enablers of war.
5. stamp out racism—also a major enabler of war (end the “new Jim Crow,” de-militarize the police, abolish the prison/industrial complex).
6. resist the Islamophobia that enables invasions and genocide (
7. end
8. abolish nuclear weapons.
9. abolish weaponized drones.
10. stop deploying mercenaries.
11. negotiate in good faith with adversaries.
12. expose the phony “war on terrorism”—that war of terrorism (a.k.a. state terrorism)—cynically keeping the pot boiling.
13. withdraw US and NATO forces from
14. withdraw clandestine
15. dismantle US military bases menacing rival economic systems (
16. dismantle the myriad, redundant domestic military bases not necessary for defending our borders.
17. finance the reconstruction of those nations that US bombs destroyed; compensate the victims (1950s
18. avoid lifestyle pitfalls (addictions, distractions, consumerism, co-optation, debt). These impede our capacity to speak out, to take risks, to ratchet up our resistance.
19. build solidarity with kindred—and sometimes not so kindred—spirits. Get beyond our bubbles, our turfs, our siloes.
20. cultivate and promote critical thinking. Overcome obliviousness and compartmentalization. The compartmentalized mind is a colonized mind. People of good will here often bemoan the lack of federal funding for domestic needs. Yet many refuse to acknowledge—much less oppose—the elephantine impact
21. overhaul corporate campaign spending regulations. Slash the Pentagon budget. Doing so will boost most of the foregoing initiatives. Doing so will impede this nation’s mounting decay and insolvency.
22. become a war tax resister.
Our ultimate mission: “achieving just peace globally by abolishing war and militarism.” Okay, we’re unlikely to achieve that utopian goal. But work on these “can-do” campaigns has a huge payoff: reducing human suffering, plus empowering ourselves and others. We can’t do everything, but we can do something. Each of us needs to do what we can, with what we have, where we are.
What more authentic way to live our lives than that?
We welcome you to join the conversation—contact Carol Baum at carol@peacecouncil.net for a coffee/tea/conversation date with committee members.
