Concerned Families of Westchester Newsletter
January 12, 2020
Hello All – A week ago, President Trump brought the USA to the edge of war with Iran by assassinating their General Suleimani. The murder weapon of choice was a missile fired by an MQ-9 Reaper Drone, flying high in the sky. In just over a decade, weaponized Drones have become the go-to tool in the Imperial Toolbox. Drones come in many shapes and sizes. Some are large and some are small. Some Drones are for surveillance: hovering over a village or tracking or searching for an individual who has been designated as a target. Others, like the Reaper, are outfitted with missiles to strike at the "enemy."
Beginning with the Obama administration, Drones have racked up an impressive record as a killing machine. Drones have been used to kill people in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Syria, Somalia, Yemen, Niger, Libya and the Philippines. The numbers are imprecise, hard to come by, and largely secret, but Drones have killed at least 12,200 people in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen alone. The total number of drone dead is much higher, particularly because of more intense use of killer drones in Afghanistan in the last three years. The government refuses to release figures on the numbers of these attacks.
The government says drone killing is "precise". But the killing is done by Hellfire missiles and 500-pound bombs, which means that usually, many more than those targeted are killed. And there is enduring terror from drone attacks for people who know that their lives can be snuffed out at any minute by an unseen and unheard missile. We must understand that all those killed are being killed without due process, violating international law and U.S. law prohibiting assassination. Politicians are acting as judge, jury and executioner, as happened in the case of General Suleimani. Killer drones enable government vigilante actions that not only violate human rights but national sovereignty and respect for the rights of all governments to protect their citizens. General Suleimani was killed in Iraq, whether the Iraqi government liked it or not.
Killer drones are bringing a new level of lawlessness to the world that is totally unacceptable. The world needs to ban weaponized Drones. If their use and development continue, we will soon be in a world of war by "artificial intelligence," a world too frightening to contemplate. A useful first step would be a negotiated moratorium on Drone killings, something Congress could legislate and presidential candidates could promise. Please call Eliot Engel (202-225-2464); Chuck Schumer (202-224-6542); Nita Lowey (202-225-6506); and Kirsten Gillibrand (202-224-4451). Ask them to support legislation to stop weaponized Drones.
To learn more about the uses and dangers of weaponized Drones, the place to start is the website www.KnowDrones.com. It is run by Nick Mottern, a resident of Hastings and a member of CFOW. His "Drone Organizer's Bulletin" includes analyses of drone warfare and reports from anti-drone organizers across the USA. A useful overview of how Killer Drones serve as a weapon of terrorism, even when they are not firing their missiles, was published last month; read "Merry Christmas, America! Let's Remember the Children Who Live in Fear of Our Killer Drones," by Elise Swain and Jon Schwarz, [Read More] And on the same day that General Suleimani was killed in Iraq, a attempted assassination-by-drone failed to hit the right "bad guy" in Yemen, illustrating a glitch in our precision murder weapon. [Link] For an interesting overview of the role that drones play in the USA's great economic and military campaign in the Middle East, read Michael Hudson's "America Escalates Its "Democratic" Oil War in the Near East," [Link].
News Notes
On Thursday, January 9th, CFOW held a No War on Iran rally in Hastings. More than 100 people attended. (See pictures and video on our Facebook page.) Our event was one of more than 370 events organized by MoveOn across the country (see pictures here.)
In talking about the dangers of US/NATO military exercises on Russia's border, or other close encounters between US and Russian troops (e.g. Syria), we often say that this could lead to an accidental nuclear war. Never! reply some of our critics. Well, here are some semi-famous examples of how close we have com to accidental nuclear war in the past decades – from the Union of Concerned Scientists.
It is usually said as a half-joke, half-truth: "The American people couldn't find [fill in whatever country we were bombing at the moment] on a map. Well, now this question has been studied, and it turns out that 23 percent of Americans were able to locate Iran on a map, though an earlier survey found that 36 percent were able to find North Korea on a map. [Link]. Should the War Powers Act include a map test?
Finally, our Things to Do/Calendar (below) includes two rallies in Albany to relieve some of the horrors of Incarceration Nation. Steve Siebert writes: "As we know, some important first steps toward criminal justice reform – the elimination of cash bail for misdemeanors and some non-violent felonies, and new discovery rules that give the accused the right to hear the evidence against them in a timely fashion – took effect in NY state on January first. But much more needs to be done to address the on-going injustices in the country's mass-incarceration system. There are two opportunities to continue this movement of reform that may be of interest, both involving lobbying days in Albany."
Things to Do/Coming Attractions
Tuesday, January 14th - Extinction Rebellion is an international movement that uses non-violent, direct action to raise awareness about the climate and ecological crisis. Extinction Rebellion Westchester will present a program called "Climate Change: Heading for Extinction (and What to Do About It.)" XR says: "In this public talk, climate speakers from Extinction Rebellion will share the latest climate science on where our planet is heading, discuss some of the current psychology around climate change, and offer solutions through the study of social movements." At the JV Harmon Community Center, 44 Main St. in Hastings, from 7 to 9 pm. Free.
Tuesday, January 14th – In Albany, there will be a rally to support Fair and Timely Parole (S.497A) and Elder Parole (S.2144). Almost 500 people are signed up to attend. For details on the issue and the event, go here.
Thursday, January 16th & Saturday, January 18th – The Legal Aid Society of Westchester will present two "Know Your Rights" forums, both covering the new criminal justice legislation, immigration reform, and voter registration. There will also be Legal Aid attorneys available for one-on-one discussions. The forum on the 16th is at the Yonkers Riverfront Library from 5 to 7 pm; the forum on the 18th is at the Field Library in Peekskill, from 1 to 3 pm.
Tuesday, January 21st – Again in Albany, there will be a rally to limit solitary confinement to 15 days. To learn more about the event and the reasons why the action is important, go here. The organizers are aiming for 1,000 participants; please join them!
CFOW Nuts & Bolts
Please consider getting involved with Concerned Families of Westchester. We meet for a protest/rally each Saturday in Hastings, from 12 to 1 p.m., at the VFW Plaza (Warburton and Spring St.) Our leaflet and posters for our rallies are usually about war or the climate crisis, but issues such as racial justice or Trump's immigration policies are often targeted, depending on current events. Also, we (usually) have a general meeting on the first Saturday afternoon of each month. Our weekly newsletter is archived at https://cfow.blogspot.com/; and news of interest and coming events is posted on our CFOW Facebook page. And if you would like to support our work by making a contribution, please send your check to CFOW, PO Box 364, Hastings-on-Hudson, NY 10706. Thanks!
Best wishes,
Frank Brodhead
For CFOW
SOME INTERESTING/ILLUMINATNG FEATURED ESSAYS
10 Ways Trump's Actions Against Iran Hurt the US, the Region, and the World
By Medea Benjamin and Nicholas Davies, Common Dreams January 10, 2020]
---- The U.S. assassination of General Qassem Soleimani has not yet plunged us into a full-scale war with Iran thanks to the Iranian government's measured response, which demonstrated its capabilities without actually harming U.S. troops or escalating the conflict. But the danger of a full-blown war still exists, and Donald Trump's actions are already wreaking havoc. The tragic crash of the Ukranian passenger jet that left 176 dead may well be the first example of this, if indeed it was shot down by a jittery Iranian anti-aircraft crew who mistook the airliner for a U.S. warplane. "If we fail to haul our deluded leaders back from the brink, an American war on Iran may mark the ignominious end of our country's imperial moment and seal our country's place among the ranks of failed aggressors whom the world remembers primarily as the villains of human history." Trump's actions make the region, and the American people, less safe in at least ten important ways. [Read More]
What if Australia Were Its Own Planet?
By Bill McKibben, The Nation [January 9, 2020]
---- The idea of Australia as a planet of its own only goes so far, of course—even if it stopped exporting coal tomorrow and resolved to power its own economy with abundant wind and sun, Australia's temperature would continue to rise. The country cannot, by itself, solve global warming. But if the shock of these hideous firestorms is what's required to decisively change Australia's politics, technology, and relations with the continent's original inhabitants, that example would demonstrate to the rest of the world that real change is not impossible. Imagine an Australia that stopped building new coal mines and started installing more giant solar farms and batteries; imagine an Australia where people retreated enough to give the natural world the margin it clearly requires. What we're going to see, over the next year or two, is whether modern societies are capable of responding to this kind of horror with the speed and courage that science demands. Planet Australia may be the best experiment we ever get. [Read More]
Also useful/illuminating – Famous climate scientist Michael Mann is interviewed (video) on The Real News (15 minutes). For some good reading: "Australia is built on lies, so why would we be surprised about lies about climate change?" by Luke Pearson for IndigenousX [January 9, 2020] [Link]; and "Australia's Decade of Burning Environmental Apathy," by Edward Cavanough, The Nation [January 10, 2020] [Link]. And in case you are wondering, read "2019 Was Second Hottest Year on Record," by [Link].
Tear-Gas Gelato, Foulmouthed Mooncakes and Other Foods Fit for a Revolution
By Laurie Wen, New York Times [January 9, 2020]
[FB – Laurie Wen, a filmmaker and writer, was recently the staff person for Physicians for a National Health Program in NYC, but is now in Hong Kong, writing a book about the democracy movement.]
---- If the current protests in Hong Kong have lasted seven months despite minimal concessions from the government and the rising costs — economic, social, psychological — of all the disruption and violence, that's partly because sympathetic citizens like Ah Wa have mobilized to organize parallel support systems for the demonstrators. Various shadow networks of caterers, lawyers, health care providers or car-poolers have emerged. There are apps that tell you which restaurants and shops are "yellow" (pro-democracy) and which are "blue" (pro-police and pro-government). … One dessert place invites front liners who are low on cash to "come be food testers." A steamed-rice crepe shop offers a free meal to anyone who hands in a yellow Post-it that says, "I love Hong Kong"; at one burger joint, you're comped a meal if you whisper to a staffer: "Hong Kong, ga yau!" — "add oil," a term of encouragement among protesters. Employees of an e-commerce platform prepay for restaurant meals and groceries, then give out the order numbers to demonstrators so they can claim the food. … Mooncakes, round pastries often filled with a pristine, salted egg yolk, can be eaten at any time, but they're most common around Mid-Autumn Festival, an annual harvest ritual held during a full moon. Legend has it that on the occasion of the holiday in 1368, Han Chinese rebels wanting to overthrow Mongol oppressors slipped into the cakes pieces of paper calling for a revolt. The people got the message, rose up and overthrew the Mongol Yuan dynasty. Today, Kristina Sze, the owner of Wah Yee Tang Bakery, doesn't bother hiding her messages inside the cakes; she stamps them on top. [Read More]
The War on the War on Cancer
By Sharon Lerner, The Interceept [January 12, 2020]
---- Virtually no sector of the EPA's work has escaped reversals that will cause disease and death among the U.S. population. The agency scrapped the Clean Power Plan and a rule to improve fuel efficiency standards for cars, depriving the public of not just the climate benefits but also the improvements to air quality and health both would have brought. The EPA rejected its own science in deciding not to ban chlorpyrifos, a pesticide linked to autism and other neurodevelopmental problems in children. Dozens of other EPA rollbacks — including the gutting of the Clean Water Act, the undermining of guidelines on emissions of methane from landfills, the loosening of restrictions on toxic air pollution from industrial facilities, the disbanding of a panel on air pollution — will have dire health consequences, as will the dramatic reduction in the enforcement of environmental laws. The erosion of these protections may leave Americans at greater risk of all kinds of health effects, including fertility issues, birth defects, and neurodevelopmental problems — all of which have been linked to chemical exposure. But among the most devastating of Trump's legacies will be an increase in cancers. [Read More]
Our History
Project 1619 and Its Detractors
By Louis Proyect, Counterpunch [January 10, 2020]
---- Last August, the New York Times Sunday Magazine devoted an entire issue to Project 1619, an attempt to root today's racism in the institution of slavery dating back to the seventeenth century. In 1619, British colonists in Point Comfort, Virginia bought twenty African slaves from Portuguese traders who had landed there, fresh from a body-snatching expedition. Times reporter Nikole Hannah-Jones wrote the introduction to ten articles in the magazine that focused on different aspects of Black oppression, such as Traymaine Lee's on the wealth gap between black and white Americans. Four months later, five prominent historians of the Civil War signed a letter demanding that the newspaper correct "errors" and "distortions" in Project 1619. … As an example of what irked the five historians, the letter complains about the project asserting that colonists declared independence from Britain "in order to ensure slavery would continue." It was clear that they were singling out Ms. Hannah-Jones who did write: "Conveniently left out of our founding mythology is the fact that one of the primary reasons the colonists decided to declare their independence from Britain was because they wanted to protect the institution of slavery." [Read More]
