War is Slavery

Age

2012-01-01T07:26:00.001-05:00

As I get further down the path of life I think about things and question things I've never thought about deeply before. One is aging. For me, age has a number of components, some of which we can control. The one component most discussed is chronological age. Most don't want to get "old" - but unless the numbers keep growing, we're dead. So the question for me is, what is "old"? Is it the number (which we want to keep growing) or is it the rest of the stuff?

What stuff? The other components of "age" are, in my opinion, psychological, physical, mental, emotional. I think these (other than being effected by disease or accident) are controllable. Thus a person of 90 ("old") can be very "young" (active/vibrant) in these areas. And a person of 30 ("young") can be very "old" (inactive/dull).

So, for me, yahoo - I'm 65! I've concluded that life is change, choices and relationships.

Veterans Day - 11/11/2011

2011-11-14T08:29:00.001-05:00

I'm a veteran. I was in the Army, infantry, Viet Nam. I think Veterans Day has been subverted from it's original intent and is now just one more tool that is used to build the myth that the solution to conflict is military action.

I feel that the glorification of the military is so pervasive it has become part of our culture. "The few the proud . . .", "An army of one", highways dedicated to military units and organizations, fighter jet fly overs, POW-MIA flags, basketball games on war ships - the list goes on and on. What is seldom said is that military action is death and destruction. Therefore, all of these subtly add to the myth and glorify the act of killing.

The eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918 was when the killing stopped in WWI. In November of 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day. He said this day should be used by America "to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations". On June 4, 1926 Congress passed a resolution that said we should observe the day "with appropriate ceremonies of friendly relations with all other peoples."

I recommend that you use the eleventh hour of the eleventh day to research the most decorated Marine in history - two time Medal of Honor recipient General Smedley Butler. After his career he wrote a booklet titled, "War is a Racket". Reflect on General Butler, the trillions of dollars spent on war, the millions of lives lost and ruined, and the original intent of Veterans Day. Then, do something to promote peace and justice.

9/11 WAS/IS A CRIME

2011-09-19T06:00:00.001-04:00

9/11/2001 was a crime, not an act of war. Four women from New Jersey, whose spouses had been killed in the Twin Towers, forced an investigation. Those in power fought the concept, and then stacked the Commission so that the toughest questions would not be asked.

The nation of Afghanistan was invaded and occupied. We were told to go shopping. The nation of Iraq was invaded and occupied. We were told that weapons of mass destruction were everywhere. Millions of people have been killed, maimed, displaced, and negatively effected by a decision to use violence vs. the rule of law.

On this tenth anniversary of the squandering of an opportunity to set a world example for non-violent conflict resolution, I recommend that you research 9/11 and then have dialogue on the options that could have been chosen.

GOVERNMENT IS NOT A BUSINESS

2011-07-17T05:22:00.004-04:00

Many people have been overwhelmed by the "business mind set" - if it works for business, it works for government. I believe this mindset is un-democratic and short sighted.

I'm a retired businessperson. I've worked for small companies, Fortune 100 corporations, and finished my career as a business owner. As I watch politicians try to cut their way to "strong" states and a "strong" nation, I find that there is much confusion between the purpose of business and the purpose of government.

The purpose of a democratic government is to provide the programs and structure that allow the people to be the best that they can be. The purpose of business is to provide products/services that generate a profit. Both share the need for efficiency. Both must generate revenue. Both must control their expenditures. However, their purpose, their reason for being, is very different.

A business can achieve its purpose by charging a price for its products/services, expanding its market and controlling its costs. A business can start up or close down at will. It can have products/services that are aimed at selective segments of its selective market.

A democratic government can achieve its purpose by listening to the people. It must decide what the people want/need. It must then raise the revenue to accomplish these wants/needs. It can't close down or start up at will. It must serve the majority of the people. It must look at the long term and assess its actions on future generations.

People in a democratic society - WE THE PEOPLE - expect to pay taxes and fees. We expect services. We expect efficiency. We expect fairness. We don't expect special treatment for the richest. We don't expect bribery in the form of "campaign contributions". We don't expect to be treated less fairly than the people who hold political office. We expect a government of, by and for the people - not just the richest people, not just the business people - all of the people. We are a state and a nation, not a business.

Memorial Day - 2011

2011-07-15T10:12:00.003-04:00

Memorial Day - for some it's the start of the summer season and a holiday. For others it's a day to wave a flag and go to a parade. I’d like to see Memorial Day be a day for dialogue on issues that really matter for the future of our children and for this country as a whole.

There are many things that can be discussed. Here are some suggestions. Why do we have war? Why do we so proudly send our children to kill other children? Why are weapons our number one export product? Why do we have over 700 military bases in over 140 countries? Why do almost half of our tax dollars go to the war industry? Why do we cheer when the government chooses to assassinate someone instead of using the rule of law? Why do we ignore the Geneva Convention and the voices of experienced interrogators and use torture? Why do we allow those in power to demonize entire nations or cultures, or religions? Why do we think we are better than the rest of the people of the world? Why do we let the corporate owned media tell us what to think and do? Why are we so afraid of everything? Why do we read so little and watch TV so much? Why don’t we know our history?

So, while you’re grilling your hot dogs or standing at the parade, bring up an issue, get other viewpoints, engage in dialogue. The children and this country are depending on it.

Elite "Rights"

2011-04-08T15:37:00.001-04:00

I’m a father, retired business owner and a military veteran (Army, infantry, Viet Nam). I marvel at how well the elites have convinced us that they, the upper 5%, have the absolute right to rule our country. It reminds me of the feudalism that controlled Europe for 600 years.

The elites, via their media, and well-paid serfs, tell us that what is good for them is good for us. They branded the estate tax as a “death tax”. So, a tax that only effected the top 2% was eliminated. Billions were removed from our revenue stream. Income taxes are bad they say. So taxes on the richest are branded “repressive” and massively cut. Billions were removed from our revenue stream. Medical bills are the leading cause of bankruptcy in this country but universal health care is bad they say. So it’s branded “death panels” and never considered because the elites want to protect the billions they make from insurance and drugs. We have wars and our kids suffer and die, but the war contractor elite brand it “fighting for freedom” and make billions in profits from our tax dollars, and pay virtually no taxes.

No amount of program “cuts” will improve this nation. We need to expand programs to help the people, and thus we need more revenue. During the Eisenhower years the elites were taxed at 90%. They survived and the nation prospered.

We have, I believe, feudalism wrapped in red, white and blue and branded “democracy”.

Israel

2011-04-08T15:22:00.002-04:00

Many, including myself, have a difficult time defining Israel. The word is wrapped up with nation, bible, Jews, apartheid, history, genocide, holocaust, Palestine, violence, loyalty oaths, destruction, international law, nuclear weapons, settlements, brutality, walls, guilt, suicide bombs, Germany, Holy Land, aggression, defense, God, hatred, media, Zionism, money, Muslims, anti-Semitism, pity, children, peace, middle east, oppression, one state/two state, murder, driven into the sea.

In November of 2007 I attended a lecture at Michigan State University given by Anna Baltzer. Her talk was titled “Life in Occupied Palestine” and included many photos from her visits. It was the first time I was shown what was happening. The visuals were powerful. I was in the infantry in Viet Nam, but this was much more than violence and war. This was systematic hatred.

I bought her book, “Witness in Palestine” and her DVD, “Life in Occupied Palestine”. Both are excellent. The book has five appendices that cover: what you can do, resource guide, brief history, myths and frequently asked questions, quotations from prominent figures. There is also a glossary.

Since 2007 I have attended many lectures, read a number of books, spoken with many people who have been to Palestine, and attended a seminar by the Hillel student organization where I was in a breakout session by the Israeli Defense Force – IDF. I continue to explore.

When defining any country, region, people, or belief system I have come to realize that generalizations are destructive to discussion. Thus I need to look at policies and actions. When it comes to governments, the people need to be separated from the government. People are pretty much the same the world over. They want to live a life without strife and concentrate on their well-being. The history of those in power - rulers/governments - is mainly about keeping their power, despite those they govern.

I have concluded that the government of Israel is immoral and extremists. To stay in power and to get support for their tactics, they have made the Jewish religion synonymous with Israel. This, I believe, is a travesty.

Let's Talk

2011-03-31T10:00:00.005-04:00

Sounds simple. You speak, others listen, and visa versa. But talk/listen is mainly noise. To achieve communications - the understanding of others - requires an understanding of the process. Communications starts with thoughts. These thoughts are developed based on our experiences. The thoughts must then be converted into words. The words must then be spoken. The person spoken to must then hear the words, and based on their experiences, convert them into thoughts.

There is much room for error in the process. Errors can be reduced by the following: identify your assumptions about the speaker and suspend judgement, listen and focus on learning, respect differences, ask open-ended questions, express disagreement in terms of ideas, not personality or motives. If you or the speaker are tense, pause and identify the reason for the tension.

Let’s talk – with those we know, and with those we don’t. Let’s work to achieve understanding. We may not agree. If we disagree there is always a way to resolve a conflict peacefully. It may take time. It may take negotiations. It will take skill. It will take intelligence. But there is ALWAYS a way.

National Debt

2011-03-05T06:29:00.000-05:00

It should be no surprise that our nation has a serious financial crisis. Never before has this country gone to war without raising taxes to pay for it. The cost, in monetary terms alone, is currently over $3 trillion. It is being funded by debt. Yet, Congress only sees "cuts" as the way to pay for the war debt. As everyone knows, you can't cut your way to financial solvency. You also have to increase revenue. The top 25 hedge fund managers each made over $1 billion last year. Yet they paid little, if any, income tax. During the Eisenhower years these people would have paid 90%. Even at that rate, they'd still have $100 million left. Most of us could make it on that.

It's a myth that the richest create jobs. The richest typically send their money overseas for investments, or to hide it. Yet, the richest apparently control our government because they've convinced the politicians that they can't survive on $100 million.

If our politicians were truly for WE THE PEOPLE, they would listen to the 98% of us who aren't the richest. They'd not only roll back the Bush tax cuts for the richest, they'd roll back the Reagan tax cuts as well. They'd close tax loop holes, stop subsidizing corporations and stop giving tax incentives for moving jobs off shore. They'd look at the nation's income statement before going to war.

A country run on debt will soon be bankrupt, and like war, the people at the bottom will suffer the most.

National Debt

2011-01-26T13:19:00.000-05:00

If our politicians were truly for WE THE PEOPLE, they would listen to the 98% of us who aren't the richest. They'd not only roll back the Bush tax cuts for the richest, they'd roll back the Reagan tax cuts as well. They'd close tax loop holes, and stop giving tax incentives for moving jobs off shore. They'd look at the nation's income statement before going to war.

A country run on debt will soon be bankrupt, and like war, the people at the bottom will suffer the most.

An ex-soldier's holiday prayer

2010-12-17T16:07:00.000-05:00

In December, forty one years ago, I was completing my infantry training at Ft. Polk, LA. I had orders for Viet Nam. I was raised Catholic, attended Catholic schools, and I was having difficulty with the words of Jesus to love my neighbor, vs. my training to kill my neighbor. I asked to see a chaplain. A Catholic priest/officer arrived. I explained my dilemma. He put his hand on my shoulder and said, "Son, you must do what your government tells you to do". I spent the next year in the infantry in Viet Nam.

At this time every year the priest/officer's words reverberate in my mind. I was too young, too immature, too weak to question authority and to understand the long term effects of violence and war on humanity.

Violence and war are the barbarian solution to conflict. To those with loved ones in the military, pray that political leaders will have the courage to seek options to war and violence. Pray that you and those you love will have the courage to challenge authority. Pray that everyone will have the courage to love their neighbor, including those in this country and the world, who don't look like them, speak like them, or believe like them. Pray for an end to barbarianism.

2010-01-19T17:42:00.000-05:00

The Box

With their backs rigid,
and their hand to their forehead,
the draped box passes by.

With their uniforms crisp,
and their eyes steely fixed,
the draped box passes by.

Gone are the "ho-yahs",
and the high fives.

Gone are the beers,
and the bitching.

Was it about freedom,
and democracy,
and making us safe?
Or were we pawns,
in a zero sum game?

Now what?
More violence?
More death?

Is there a higher lesson to learn?
Should we seek understanding,
or just blow the bastards away?

The draped box passes by.

Service?

2009-09-02T13:43:00.000-04:00

It’s interesting how we’ve allowed death and destruction to be accepted as “service”. We say “they served our country”, “they served in Iraq”, “they were in the service”. All of these mean they were in the military.

The military is the largest violence educational institution in the world. The foundation of the military is death and destruction. By using the words "service" and "served" in relation to the military we are reinforcing the concept that violence solves problems. As we look at history we see massive violence. If violence solves problems, then, after all these years of violence, we should not have problems.

The military is bolstered by the weapons industry, our major industry and our number one export product. The weapons industry, the financial industry and others make billions from wars, conflicts, occupations, covert operations and the booty protected or obtained by these actions.

The challenge is to sell wars, conflicts, and occupations to the people. You need a subtle approach. You need a culture that accepts violence as “the solution”. To accomplish this you need a trifecta of propaganda: generate fear, tell the people the solution will strengthen freedom and democracy at home and around the world, and glorify the solution that carries out the death and destruction.

Calling the military “service” is acceptance of the solution.

International Peace Day & Autumn Equinox

2008-10-09T07:28:00.000-04:00

This talk was given at the Community Unitarian Universalists church in Brighton, MI on September 21, 2008.

“The Earth is the Center”
By: Arnold Stieber

My talk this morning is titled – “The earth is the center.” At this point in my life I believe my role is to plant seeds and create dialogue. My hope is to do that this morning.

Thank you for allowing me to be here on this International Peace Day and the autumn equinox. They are related.

The autumn equinox is when day and night are EQUAL. EQUALITY. “We hold these truths to be self-evident that” we are ALL created EQUAL.

The International Day of Peace is also about equality. For with equality comes peace. The “others” are not “illegal”, not “terrorists”, not “evil”. They are equal. They “are endowed by their creator with certain UNALIENABLE rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

But there are those who say this is not true. The “others” are not equal. They are illegal. They are terrorists. They are evil. That makes as much sense to me as those who once said the earth is the center of the universe.

At one time the earth was the center. There was no doubt. The leaders said so. The religious said so. The teachers said so. It was fact. There is a concept called the Learning Curve. It says that to retain a thought, you must hear it, and/or see it, at least six times. Thus if EVERYONE says the earth is the center, and you hear it over and over, then the earth is the center.

Some, those dissidents, those unfaithful, spoke out and said the earth can’t be the center. Look at how the stars move in the sky. Look at the length of the days. They are long in the summer and short in the winter. Look at this time of year. It is a transition time. Light and dark are equal.

How dare you question!!! The earth is the center. The earth is the center. The earth is the center. The earth is the center. The earth is the center. The earth is the center. There. End of dissent.

Galileo – what say you? (I call on a person in the audience who I’ve coached to be Galileo and they say – the sun is the center). Seize that person. They speak lies. Off with their head.

If we hear it enough, we believe it. If we see it enough, we believe it. Violence is the solution. It is sold to us everyday, in many ways.

Go into any park in any town and you will most likely see a military statue, or a canon. Veterans' memorials are everywhere. Veterans and the military lead parades. The military carries the flag into sporting events. POW-MIA flags fly from Post Offices and other buildings. Highways are named after wars, war veterans, and generals. Battleships are named after Presidents. We have civil war re-enactments. We call the military “service”.

We let violence into our language - "I could just kill my kids", "bullet points", and sports announcers inject "kill", "beat", "destroyed" into their descriptions. The more overt influences are easy - video games, TV shows, weapon toys, paint ball parks. We cheer when the politicians “get tough” and say they want to “take out” someone, or a group of people, or a country.

Violence is the solution and the earth is the center, and there is no other way. And some people wondered.

Several years ago I toured the Underground Railroad Museum in Cincinnati. I had read about slavery and I thought I knew what it was. But as I toured, I began to REALLY feel what slavery was/is. It felt vaguely familiar. The oppression, the hatred, the total domination, the violence, the tearing apart of families brought back many memories from my time in the military in Viet Nam. But I also began to realize “the other side” of slavery. On the other side is the money and the righteous - the people who were not only comfortable with slavery, but promoted it. The preachers, the politicians, the teachers, the business people, the pillars of society said slavery was not only necessary, it was the only way the country could survive. The slaves weren't people. They weren't human. It was OK to torture them and shoot them and hang them. It was OK to use dogs on them and beat them. They didn’t have a brain. The Golden Rule didn't apply to them.

Some, those dissidents, those unfaithful, spoke out and said slavery can’t be right. Look at these people, they are just like us. They have eyes, noses and ears. They come in all sizes. They laugh and cry like we do. They are our brothers and sisters. They are equal.

Slavery is the solution and the earth is the center, and there is no other way – those in power said. And some people wondered – isn’t slavery much like war?

Hermann Goering (Gestapo/Nazi leader). Testimony to Nuremberg war crimes trial, 1946. said: “Why of course the people don’t want war . . . but after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine policy, and it’s always a simple matter to drag the people along. Whether it is a democracy or a fascist dictatorship . . . . Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.”

Folks – at one time it was very difficult to get the facts. We had to rely on the leaders to tell us “the earth is the center”. With the internet, and satellite communications we can get information from many sources around the world. We can reach outside the US corporate controlled media and look at the world and see that it is round, it is not the center of the universe, and the US is just a small part of it. We can gather multiple inputs and use our maturity to wonder and ask “why?”, “what are the options?”, “Is there another way?”.

The last six words of the Pledge of Allegiance are – “with liberty and justice for ALL”.

This is the International Day of Peace. Tomorrow is the autumn equinox. They are about relationships with ourselves, our neighbors, this community, this country, this world, this universe. They are about persistence. They are about asking “why?” They are about the connectedness of life. They are about equality.

Galileo – what say you? (I call on a person in the audience who I’ve coached to be Galileo and they say – the sun is the center).

Military Experience

2008-06-19T13:27:00.000-04:00

Veterans are much like the general population, their views cover a broad range.

During a dialogue session, after the movie "The Ground Truth", it was mentioned that some Gulf II (Iraq/Afghanistan) vets said their experience wasn't too bad. I've heard that before, from vets of this and previous wars. I've also heard "the military was the best experience of my life", "I'm proud that I served my country", and regarding Viet Nam "we should go back and finish the job", and "if it wasn't for those protesters, we would have won".

My thoughts:

1. A military experience is what the individual experienced. It is composed of what the individual saw, felt, remembered. It is composed of their preconditioning (life experiences), post information, and the general environment that surrounds the veteran.

2. Most veterans have not experienced combat. This includes veterans who were in a "war zone" during their time in the military. In Viet Nam, for example, about 15% of the military were in combat. Of those, the combat ranged from very light to daily. Of the veterans who were in combat, the trend is - more combat equals less visibility. That is, vets who saw/did more violence tend to disappear from public view. Alaska has the heaviest concentration of VN vet than any state. Many live outside of public view. More combat tends to generate more self-destruction (suicide, alcohol, drugs, domestic violence, homelessness, poor/no employment, no/poor self-esteem).

3. The military experience (combat or not) changes everyone. Some vets cope by burying it, some by glorifying it, and most are in between.

4. Our society is built on the premise that the military is "good". Veteran memorials, veteran highways, the military carries in the flag at sporting events, veterans lead parades, POW-MIA flags, cannons in parks, civil war reenactments, we buy military clothes and weapon "toys" for our children, and the list goes on. To raise the issue that the military is "bad", is "un-American".

For me, the bottom line is violence. I met a VN vet who is now a Buddhist Monk. He was in heavy combat. He wrote a book about his experiences. One thing that he said really struck me - "Peace is not the absence of conflict, it's the absence of violence within conflict". Several years ago I wrote "There is always a way to resolve a conflict peacefully. It may take time. It may take negotiations. It will take skill. It will take intelligence. But there is ALWAYS a way.

"When I discovered that weapons are the USA's #1 export product, I was reminded of Marine Major General Smedley Butler's booklet - "War is a Racket". There is much more I could say . . . . .

War is Slavery - An Awakening

2008-06-13T13:29:00.000-04:00

It was January of 2003, late at night, and I was home alone. I turned on the TV. The movie Platoon was on. I had never watched any violent shows nor read anything about war or Viet Nam since I left there in March of 1971. Now, all these years later, I figured it was time and I could handle it. The scene was a US patrol entering a village. I saw the kids with their big dark eyes, skinny bodies and ragged clothes - and it all came back. The sights, the sounds, the smells. I turned off the TV and sat in a darkened room. It was like a lightning bolt followed by thunder. It hit me . . . and then proceeded to roll through my mind. Now what?, I asked myself.

The next day was a frenzy of activity. Answers. Answers. I needed answers. The internet (thank goodness for this powerful tool) became my life. Unstructured for the first few months, I consumed a new world of information. At 57 years of age with an MBA, it seemed like I should have known these things. But I was almost totally ignorant. Information on war, peace, politics, world affairs, religion, organizations, books, magazines, videos, DVDs, in depth radio and TV shows - and the list grew with each passing day. I needed structure. After several months I formulated two questions: Why war? and Why do we so proudly send our children to kill other children?

These two questions burned my brain. Howard Zinn helped with his book on US history. Marine Major General Smedley Butler helped with his booklet "War is a Racket". Many other authors and people and programs moved me along the path.

My research revealed that the main causes of war are money and markets. There is always plenty of flag waving and bluster about the "evil ones", but every war I've studied, once you begin peeling back the layers, has money and markets as a common core.

Why do we send our kids to kill? Because that's how we raise them. Sometimes subtle, sometimes overt, but there is an ever present message that violence is the solution to conflict. Go into any park in any town and you'll probably see a military statue, or a cannon. Veterans' memorials are everywhere. Veterans and the military lead parades. The military carries the flag into sporting events. POW-MIA flags fly from Post Offices and other buildings. Highways are named after wars, war veterans, and generals. Battleships are named after Presidents. We have civil war reenactments. We call the military "service". We let violence into our language - "I could just kill my kids", "bullet points", and sports announcers inject "kill", "beat", "destroyed" into their descriptions. The more overt influences are easy - video games, TV shows, weapon toys, paint ball parks. It’s there. Everyday. All of these lower the barriers to hurting others.

I've tried to summarize my findings into short, snappy slogans, to get people to think. I use to say that "war is failure". This worked for me for a while. But war is only failure for one side. For the other side, war is magnificent. It is the best business in the world. High profits, little competition, products rapidly used. Weapons are the number one export product of the USA. Hundreds of thousands of people are employed in the death and destruction industry. Thousands also spend their lives teaching at war colleges and military schools. Other thousands plan wars and "covert actions". Mercenary companies are on the rise. I’m told that there are over 120,000 mercenary troops in Iraq. Contractors are used for everything from "security" to spies.

Thus I needed a new slogan, a new summary of my research. I found it in an unusual location. As I walked through the Underground Railroad Museum in Cincinnati I began to feel what slavery was/is. It felt vaguely familiar. The oppression, the hatred, the total dominance, the violence, the tearing apart of families are part of slavery, but there is also “the other side”. On the other side is the money and the righteous - the people who were not only comfortable with slavery, but promoted it. The preachers, the politicians, the teachers, the business people, the pillars of society said slavery was not only necessary, it was the only way the country could survive. The slaves weren't people. They weren't human. It was OK to torture them and shoot them and hang them. It was OK to use dogs on them and beat them. They didn't have a brain. The Golden Rule - the summary statement of all religions - didn't apply to them.

Slavery will never be forgotten - on the one side. The scars are deep, bone deep, generations deep. Like war. On the other side the masters and the foreman and the slave traders and the bankers and the pillars of society and all those who supported and profited from slavery didn't have bad memories. They didn't have loses. They knew that what they did was "right for the country'". There was nothing to forget.

As I thought about slavery over the next months I began to realize that slavery and war are very similar. The one side (the slaves, or in war - the civilians and the lower ranks of the military) suffers. The other side says war is a great and noble thing and the only way the country can survive. War is slavery.