Militarism and the Environment

I had a stimulating conversation yesterday that brought me back to so many of the issues that I care about and feel a real sense of urgency around—the need to reduce global levels of militarism while taking immediate action to stop global warming. Over a beer, a few new and old friends and I discussed the realities of a world—and the US in particular—that is squandering the people’s money on a “war budget” while completely ignoring the climate change crisis.

Now I have long been aware of the unrealized dream of the “peace dividend,” i.e. the money that should have been moved from the military budget into social programs after the cold war ended. The interesting twist on the story was made by my new friend, who postured that the inflated war budget could be directly blamed for the lack of national funding resources available to stop global warming and change the “American course” before it is too late. Furthermore, much of the current US military budget is used for offensive defense; projecting force outside of our territory in wars waged across the world. We need real defense (termed “non-offensive defense” and written about by Randy Forsberg, Alex Carlin, Bjoern Moeller and others), not something that ultimately creates instability and conflict in the world. We expounded on numbers that I no longer recall, illustrating that the funding this country needs to reverse its destructive ecological course could be entirely derived from the US’ current military budget.

Well, this is my first blog entry and I'm quite excited about it. I was a SEACer at Syracuse University (2001-2005), where I first got my activist "feet wet." At that time, SEAC national was a frontrunner in highlighting the negative effects of war and militarism to the environment and other social justice issues.

In fact, due to this focus, Syracuse SEAC tried to break the university's contract with the Department of Defense to hold a National Security Studies program at our school (not open to students but influencing faculty selection and space allocation within the university). Unfortunately, the link between our country's higher education system and the military is very strong and difficult to break.

Because the current political focus in this country is dually fixed on the war in Iraq and combatting the effects of climate change, I'm happy to be a part of a renewed focus within SEAC on this important link.

BOOKS NOT BOMBS
4th Anniversary Action 3-19-07

Wear Your Opposition On Your Sleeve
Get Your Congressperson To Show Their Opposition On Their Sleeve and On The Floor

Monday, March 19, 2007 will be the 4th Anniversary of the United States’ immoral and illegal invasion of Iraq, the National Youth and Student Peace Coalition (NYSPC) is asking for its members and member groups to collectively display youth and student solidarity against the war and the priorities of this country by wearing a “Books Not Bombs” button, t-shirt or armband.

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SEAC is a member organization ot the National Youth and Student Peace Coalition (NYSPC), which aims to organize and mobilize the youth and student response to Bush's open-ended, so-called "war on terror." This broad-based youth and student led coalition was formed shortly after the tragic events of September 11, 2001 and has worked to build strategic, long-term opposition of youth and students to the war, both at home and abroad. We believe that young people have an important role to play in taking back our democracy-on our campuses, out in the streets, and at the ballot box. NYSPC believes that the struggle for social and economic justice is key to the struggle for peace and we are committed to engaging and including youth of color, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered youth, working class and other marginalized youth. For more information, see www.nyspc.org