Huge story of this century, ignored
Debra Sweet | May, 26, 2023
This week, we had planned to share a look at the U.S. drone war — it's aftermath and ongoing and growing carnage as the use of weaponized drones spreads. Look for that next week.
Warning: there's an assignment here, should you choose to accept it.
On May 15, a study was released that should have made huge headlines, but didn't. Thanks to Lyle Rubin, classroom presenter with WeAreNotYourSoldiers.org, who first called our attention to the recent Brown University study by Stephanie Savell of its Watson Institute — How Death Outlives War: The Reverberating Impact of Post-9/11 Wars on Human Health.
And thanks to RevCom.us which presents, this week, an important introduction to the U.S. global war on terror — New Study Reveals Massive Hidden Toll of “Indirect” Casualties of War: America’s Post-9/11 Wars: The “Gift” That Keeps on Killing. The piece brings the study to life with a pictorial of the key findings, country by country, saying the study has "opened a window on a level of American crime which has been largely hidden until now." From the summary: A “spiraling pattern of war-induced poverty, food insecurity, communicable diseases, and death…”
Those who proclaim human rights yet exhibit no humanity
Debra Sweet | May 16, 2023,
This week's news comes from friends and supporters of World Can't Wait and the movement to stop the crimes of our government, in the name of humanity and the planet. Thank you for taking courageous action!
From Carol Dudek:
We share this note from Carol who produces the blog, Sudan's Struggle: "My look at Sudan was interrupted for several months - I was devastated by my husband Jim’s death in November. I’m privileged now to continue presenting global reports on the situation of our friends in Sudan." This is a project Carol began during the courageous mass uprising in 2019 of Sudan's people against their longtime ruler in hopes of overcoming military dictatorship. Her interest was sparked when she got to know and help free a Sudanese prisoner unjustly held in U.S. federal prison, who now resides in Sudan.
From Toby Blomé:
Last month nearly four dozen activists participated in some or all of the first ever week-long anti-drone peace convergence at Holloman Air Force Base in southern New Mexico, where over 700 drone pilots and operators graduate every year. Nick Mottern, now organizing the November 2023 Merchants of Death War Crimes Tribunal to hold accountable "defense" contractors for possible crimes against humanity, reported that the reception from locals was often favorable, as participants attempted to challenge those being trained to operate weaponized drones.
Green Card Soldier
Debra Sweet | May 10, 2023
Special Opportunity to Attend ZoGrom Panel Discussion with We Are Not Your Soldiers presenter Lyle Rubin this Thursday May 11 at 7:00 pm ET - Be sure to register here.
We Are Not Your Soldiers' Travels in April!
Debra Sweet | May 10, 2023
April took We Are Not Your Soldiers to speaking locations both within and outside the borders of the United States – remotely, although we would have loved to have done all these visits in person!
We started with a very new experience – speaking for two hours with graduate diplomacy/security students in France. The entire discussion was in English, a language in which they’re fluent. Presentations were made by Will Griffin and Joe Urgo.
Their questions were thoughtful and deep. Here are a few examples:
Your thoughts on what our movement can do
When "The Movement and the Madman" premiered last month, I asked for comments:
“We’re interested in hearing from anyone who watched the new documentary, 'The Movement and the Madman,' streaming now on PBS.org. It premiered last week and pulled together the largely unknown and shocking story that Nixon and Kissinger activated the military in fall 1969 to use nuclear weapons on what was then North Vietnam. The film shows evidence that the anti-war Mobilization to stop the war, with huge protests on October 15 and November 15, curbed their plans.”
It was good to hear from you and others who are working on stopping the U.S. imperialists from making war on the world.
Coordinated Global Protests to Close Guantánamo
Debra Sweet | April 19, 2023
On May 3, June 7, July 5 and August 2, (all first Wednesdays) there will be coordinated vigils and protests around the world to demand the release of the remaining 17 prisoners currently being held at Guantanamo -- despite being cleared for release.
.Seventeen of the 31 men still imprisoned have been approved for release, and yet there is no way of knowing when, if ever, they will be because they did not have their release ordered by a court but recommended by administrative review processes and, as a result, they cannot appeal to a judge to order their release if, as is the case, the government shows no sense of urgency when it comes to freeing them. More at CloseGuantanamo.org.
So far, here in the U.S., a vigil is set for
May 3 New York City 5:00-6:00 pm ET
Steps of the New York Public Library, 5th Avenue & 42nd Street.
Visit the Facebook Event Page.
A Week of Education & Action to Honor Peacemaking and Whistle-blowing
Debra Sweet | April 19, 2023
Daniel Ellsberg Week:
A Week of Education & Action to Honor Peacemaking and Whistle-blowing - April 24-30
Daniel Ellsberg — the Pentagon Papers whistleblower who has been an inspiring activist for peace since the early 1970s — recently wrote a public letter disclosing that he has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, with a prognosis that he has only three to six months to live. Dan was a major source for the film The Movement & the Madman, above.
New Vietnam War film goes one step too far
Paul Ryder | April 17, 2023
A new documentary film on PBS, “The Movement and the Madman,” spotlights the 1969 Moratorium demonstrations for peace in Vietnam. These events marked the passage of the peace movement from the groundbreaking stage (1965-1969) to the stage of great expansion, flooding into the American heartland (1970-1975).
While I recommend the new film, it goes one step too far by asserting the demonstrations actually prevented a U.S. nuclear attack on Vietnam. It would be fair to say the Moratorium demonstrations helped delay other forms of military escalation, such as the mining of Haiphong harbor. But the nuclear attack was just a weak bluff.
The film’s title refers to Nixon’s notion that if he could make Hanoi leaders think he was capable of any barbarity, even a nuclear attack, they would capitulate at the negotiating table. As Nixon put it, “Ho Chi Minh himself will be in Paris in two days begging for peace.” [1]
Report on April 5th Guantanamo Vigils
We received this report on the global Guantanamo vigils held on April 5 from Andy Worthington and want to share with all of you. See and read about what took place in Washington DC, NYC, Mexico City, London and other locations around the world calling for the closure of the Guantanamo prison.
Yes! to We Are Not Your Soldiers
Debra Sweet | April 11, 2023
We Are Not Your Soldiers is featured in an April article, "Veterans Push Back Against Military Recruitment in Schools," in Yes! Magazine.
We Are Not Your Soldiers is a project of New York City-based nonprofit World Can’t Wait. The organization sends military veterans into schools to share honest stories of the harm they have caused and suffered. In doing so, they hope to prevent young people from signing up...
Sarah Gil, a school teacher at the City-As-School, a transfer high school in New York City, has brought veterans from We Are Not Your Soldiers to her classroom to speak to students in classes focused on just war, race and racism, economics, and moral responsibility. “They share their vulnerability, and it’s more than I could ever do with any of my lessons,” Gil says of the veterans’ visits.
What our movement could stop
We're interested in hearing from anyone who watched the new documentary The Movement & the Madman, streaming now on PBS.org. It premiered last week and pulled together the largely unknown and shocking story that Nixon and Kissinger activated the military in fall 1969 to use nuclear weapons on what was then North Vietnam. The film shows evidence that the anti-war Mobilization to stop the war, with huge protests on October 15 and November 15, curbed their plans.
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