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A Memorial Day Column: The United States of Warmerica

The folks at Progressivememes.org have prepared a pictorial statement that does justice to the dark side of Memorial Day. Instead of honoring generations of dead American soldiers, the statement recognizes the victims of the Pentagon's deadly global adventures. The text reads as follows:

I stand with the millions of people murdered by US wars and proxy wars.

Native Americans. Africans (slaves). Vietnam. Cambodia. Honduras. Guatemala. Indonesia. Nicaragua. Iran. Syria. Afghanistan. Iraq. Libya. Yemen. Ukraine,

According to Brown University's Costs of Wars project, US wars since 9/11 have killed over 900,000 people and cost $8 trillion.

The statement includes this footnote:

Senior US diplomats warned that aggressive NATO expansion was unnecessary and would result in a war. The US went ahead with it to provoke and weaken Russia. The RAND Corp. study, "Overextending and Unbalancing Russia," specifically recommended arming Ukraine and warned of Russia's likely military response.

The Mental Illness of Pro-gun Demagogues 

The mass murder of 19 Texas schoolchildren and two teachers left pro-gun Texas Governor Greg Abbott scrambling to find a rationale for his continued refusal to pass laws to increase "gun safety." Abbott's "straw man" argument was that the problem was not assault rifles but the "mental health" of armed sociopaths who "misused" the entitlement to armed violence that is perceived to be enshrined in the Second Amendment. 

But Abbott is simply identifying a disease without recommending a cure. When it comes to up-armed killers shooting unarmed civilians, Abbott has no "cause and effect." Thus, he did not propose banning people with "mental health" issues from possessing guns. Despite his assertion that "mental illness" is responsible for teenage boys grabbing assault rifles and body armor, Abbott does not believe in requiring background checks for would-be gun-toters. 

This is a guy who, in 2015, sent a tweet from the governor's mansion that read: ""I'm EMBARRASSED: Texas #2 in nation for new gun purchases, behind CALIFORNIA. Let's pick up the pace Texans." 

Here's a "mental health"-related question for Governor Abbott: Who in his right mind would sell, not one, but two, assault rifles to an 18-year-old? 

It could be argued that the propensity to buy multiple deadly weapons is, itself, a sign of "mental health" problems. 

What in the Name of God? 

A recent note from Arnie Passman put it this way:
"Who in Hell can believe in God when children are being murdered in their schools?" 

The uncomfortable answer: "Pro-life" Republicans who promote gun-owners' "pro-death" rights. 

America: The Only Country on Earth that Shoots its Own Children  

Public Citizen's Robert Weissman and Sen. Chuck Schumer both recently announced a shocking fact: "Guns have become the leading cause of death among children in our country. Not disease. Not malnutrition." 

For decades, auto accidents had been the leading cause of death among children but, in 2020, guns became the leading cause of infanticide. 

Weissman went on to note the following: 

• Poll after poll after poll shows that an overwhelming majority of Americans — at least 8 out of 10 — want stronger background checks for gun purchases.
• Even 3 out of 4 NRA members support background checks for *all* gun purchases. Yes, NRA members!
• In 2019, and again in 2021, the House of Representatives passed two bills that would make beyond-commonsense improvements to the background-check system.
• One bill would expand criminal background checks to those seeking to buy guns online or at gun shows.
• The other bill would extend the waiting period for potential buyers flagged by the instant background-check system so that the FBI has more time to investigate.
• But those bills stalled out in the Senate due to rank partisan obstructionism by Republicans. (Of course.)
• Senate Democrats are ready to try again, in the hope — slim though it may be — that this latest massacre will at last move some Republicans to do the right thing. 

Public Citizen is circulating a petition to every Republican senator that reads:  

Are you ever going to stand up to the gun lobby and the tiny minority of Americans who think there should be no restrictions on guns whatsoever? If you actually care about saving lives and doing what the vast majority of your constituents want you to do, you have a moral and political duty to pass commonsense legislation that will improve background checks. 

Here's something we can do: Sign the petition from Sandy Hook Promise (established after the mass-killing at Sandy Hook Elementary in 2012)—one of many demanding the Senate act on House-passed legislation that would expand background checks. The petition's demand is straightforward: "We urge you to expand background checks now—a measure that 97% of American voters support." 

NRA-Loving Hypocrites! 

The National Rifle Association refused to cancel its annual conference in Houston, scheduled only a few days after the mass-execution that claimed 21 lives at Robb Elementary in Uvalde. Keynote speakers—including Texas Governor Greg Abbott, Senator Ted Cruz, and Orange-tinted Tyrant Donald Trump—will all have the pleasure of boasting about the joys of gun ownership and the sanctity of the Second Amendment. 

However, if you want to attend the NRA event, there's one little rule you'll have to observe: No guns are allowed. 

No open carry. No concealed carry. No assault rifles. No ammo cartridges in your coat pockets. 

Yep, the one place in America guaranteed to be free of the danger of a mass-shooting will be inside the NRA's annual meeting. Because, when it comes to their own personal safety, the GOP and the NRA clearly understand the problem with guns clutched in the clenched fists of battle-rattled veterans and un-vetted civilians—they can get you killed. 

A Note from Barbara Lee 

"Do you know what Morgan Freeman and I both have in common? (I know what you’re thinking, but sadly, I’m still awaiting my Oscar award….) 

In all seriousness, here’s the truth: We were both permanently banned from Russia over the weekend." 

It's true. In a fit of geopolitical pique, the Russian government has placed Rep. Lee and 900 other Americans on a "do-not-invite" list. Others on the outs with Moscow: President Biden, Vice President Harris, Senate Majority Leader Schumer, Speaker Pelosi, Mark Zuckerberg, Rob Reiner, and John McCain (one of three deceased Senators who appear on Vladimir Putin's do-not-enter list). 

However, as media reports have confirmed: "Notably absent from the ban is Donald Trump." (Shades of "Russiagate!") 

Candid Candidates 

The Primary Election manual provides quite a diversity when it comes to Candidate Statements. Here are a few outstanding entries: 

Chuck Smith (Republican): 

"I am a Marine Vietnam Veteran, Retired LA Enforcement Professional and Patriot. I am also a Christian and I believe God wants to use me to help Him make America Righteous Again." 

John Thompson Parker (Peace and Freedom): 

"Capitalism enables corporate masters to exacerbate crisis of health, poverty, oppression, climate change and war in allegiance to profit. Ownership of production and finance must be controlled by the people. This sentate campaign is about building that socialist systemic change. Vote the Left Unity Slate." 

Armando "Mando" Perez-Serrato (Democrat) 

"California Proclamation—My beloved Californians, I empathize without beguilement nor prejudice how solemn my words must tender to assuage your unfeigned hardship & bereavement, cloaked in the uncertainty of loss. Our prayers & condolences illuminate many a kindred spirit with honorable presence that your noble sacrifice perpetuates our united comfort of hope. I pray our Heavenly Father will bring light to the plight of the world, ease your daily crucifixion & complete economic resurrection for our American Family—This is the Way. Donate today on Apple Cash, Venmo, GooglePay, CashApp… or mail check/money order to address below payable to: Armando Perez." 

A Salad Bowl of Pentagon Mil-speak 

In order to discuss the mass-murder that is essential in war-making, the Pentagon has developed a special vocabulary of opaque words, phrases, and acronyms to cloak the bloody reality of what's actually being discussed. 

In a recent report on the Pentagon's burgeoning budget (up 8.1 percent over fiscal 2022), Defense.gov slapped some words together to explain how the Pentagon "fights with a joint force that provides amazing combat effectiveness and lethality." This was followed up by Defense.gov quoting Navy Adm. Christopher W. Grady's equally opaque phrases: "With the joint war-fighting concept and a new strategic approach to setting requirements, our joint force has set out to achieve expanded maneuvers in all domains, building new capabilities and leveraging technologies to achieve overmatch against any potential adversary…. The American people can be confident that this year's budget request … ensures the joint force remains the most lethal and capable military on the planet. It will modernize, and it will transform the force needed to win in the 2030s and beyond."  

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III likes to talk about "integrated deterrence" being a key concept of the Pentagon's new strategy. As Defense.gov explains: "Integrated deterrence is essentially bringing to bear all aspects of defense and the larger US government…. The concept needs combat-credible forces and a safe, secure and effective nuclear deterrent." [Emphasis added.] 

"Integrated deterrence" calls for the "recapitalization of the nuclear triad," with a budget request of $34.4 billion to upgrade "weapons systems and the nuclear command, control and communications system." Also on the list for another $7.2 billion in tax dollars: hypersonic weapons, including a hypersonic missile battery by fiscal 2023, with hypersonic missiles installed on Navy ships by fiscal 2025 and hypersonic cruise missiles fully operational by fiscal 2027.  

Another $24.7 billion goes to "missile defeat-and-defense initiatives," including $892 million to defend Guam from Chinese missiles. 

Welfare for the Military  

Meanwhile, members of the "Armed Services" and civilian Pentagon employees are set to receive a 4.6 percent pay raise if Congress approves this budget—the largest pay raise in 20 years. The military budget sounds like a Bernie-Sanders-New-Deal wish-list. It calls for increased Pentagon investing in childcare, including fee assistance, "new construction and sustainment", and a $15 per-hour minimum wage for everyone in the federal workforce. 

The budget would invest $55.8 billion in military health care with $9.2 billion for family support—including commissaries, DOD Education Activity schools, youth programs and morale, welfare and recreation programs. DoD personnel essentially already have Medicare for All (as do all members of Congress). 

The Deadly Calculus of Nuclear War  

Recently, two renowned experts on geopolitics—Noam Chomsky and Daniel Ellsberg—met online to discuss the Russian-Ukrainian war, its history and the escalating threat of nuclear weapons in a videotaped conversation co-hosted by Cynthia Lazaroff and Richard Falk. 

Bay Area peace activist David Hartsough praises this encounter for "speaking the truth about the dangers the US and Russia are pursuing in the war in Ukraine and the need to radically change course. Please share widely." 

But Let's End on a High Note