U.S. Military: Greatest Polluter on the Planet!
TRANSCEND MEMBERS, 5 Jul 2021
Jim Albertini | Malu 'Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action – TRANSCEND Media Service
29 Jun 2021 – Climate Catastrophe is staring us in the face. Record temperatures, wild fires, and intense destructive storms can’t be ignored. The U.S. Military is the largest consumer of oil and largest emitter of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the world. In the name of “defense” the U.S. military is carbon bombing the planet. Also in the name of “defense” the U.S. bombs countries all around the world, including munitions sites this week in Syria and Iraq.
On a regular basis the U.S. also bombs the 133,000-acre Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA) in the center of Hawaii Island at 6500 feet elevation. PTA is land contaminated by 75 years of military bombing, including cancer-causing toxins such as Depleted Uranium (DU) radiation, perchlorate from rockets and munitions, PFAS, lead, etc. etc. Continued bombing of Pohakuloa (upwards of 14 million live-rounds annually) spreads military toxins around the island and beyond, polluting air, water, and soil. Whatever we do up mauka, eventually comes makai.
Let us also not forget the existential threat to all life on the planet posed by nuclear war. The Bulletin of Atomic Scientist famous Doomsday Clock is now set at 100 seconds to Midnight. Hawaii is the U.S. Indo-Pacific nuclear war command center for more than half the earth, and one of the most militarized places on the planet. I know of NO elected Hawaii official at the county, State or Federal level with the moral courage to stand up and call for an end to the bombing of Pohakuloa and the enormous military presence in what’s called “The Aloha State.” Silence is betrayal. Silence in a time of global crisis is killing us. We all need to stand up and speak up now before it is too late.
- Mourn all victims of violence
- Reject war as a solution
- Defend civil liberties.
- Ground the Drones! Say No to War!
- Oppose all discrimination, anti-Islamic, anti-Semitic, anti-Hawaiian, etc.
- Seek peace by peaceful means through justice in Hawai’i and around the world.
July 9, 2021 Hilo Peace Vigil leaflet – week 1032– Fridays 3:30-5PM downtown Post Office
___________________________
Jim Albertini is a member of the TRANSCEND Network for Peace, Development and Environment, a former Catholic School teacher, and long-time social justice activist since the US war on Vietnam. He has done research on the use of depleted uranium at Pohakuloa Military Training Area and is the author of “The Dark Side of Paradise: Hawai’i in a Nuclear World.” Jim is the founder and director of Malu ‘Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action, a spiritual community based on peace, justice and sustainable organic farming on Big Island, Hawai’i – P.O. Box 489 Ola’a (Kurtistown), Hawai’i 96760. Phone (+ 808) 966-7622 Email: ja@malu-aina.org – website: malu-aina.org
Go to Original – malu-aina.org
Tags: Anglo America, Arms Industry, Arms Race, Carbon footprint, Climate Change, Conflict, Geopolitics, Global warming, Hegemony, History, Human Rights, Imperialism, International Relations, Invasion, Military, Military Industrial Complex, Military Intervention, Military Supremacy, NATO, Occupation, Politics, Power, US Military, USA, Violence, War, War on Terror, West, World
DISCLAIMER: The statements, views and opinions expressed in pieces republished here are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of TMS. In accordance with title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. TMS has no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of this article nor is TMS endorsed or sponsored by the originator. “GO TO ORIGINAL” links are provided as a convenience to our readers and allow for verification of authenticity. However, as originating pages are often updated by their originating host sites, the versions posted may not match the versions our readers view when clicking the “GO TO ORIGINAL” links. This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.