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Work 4 Peace,Hold All Life Sacred,Eliminate Violence! I am on my mobile version of the door-to-door, going town-to-town holding readings/gatherings/discussions of my book "But What Can I Do?" This is my often neglected blog mostly about my travels since 9/11 as I engage in dialogue and actions. It is steaming with my opinions, insights, analyses toward that end of holding all life sacred, dismantling the empire and eliminating violence while creating the society we want ALL to thrive in

Thursday, December 02, 2010

NO DRONES Protest at Beale AFB

CodePINKers protest drones at Beale AFB this week. One soldier writes the following paragraph protesting our presence there:

I just wanted to know why you were protesting. There is nothing on this base that kills anyone. The RQ-4 Drones do not carry weapons, they are strictly reconnaissance, along with the U-2. As a matter of fact, the RQ-4 from Beale found the pilot that crashed in Alaska. I live on base, so what you guys were doing, was practically outside my house. It's not what I want to see when I leave base, and I won't change my views about my career. Yes, we fight for your ability to protest, don't abuse it by attacking us. I just wanted to let you know that I believe it was rude. I'm not standing out in your lawn saying support death. I don't believe that we should use death as power, but we use it to protect us. All you did was make a fool of yourselves. I'm asking, please, use your heads and don't attack us for "drones that kill" when we don't have them here. That is all.

This is my response:

Dear Eric:

We so appreciate you taking the time to write.

I would like to answer your question and to respond to your comments, even though I was not physically at this protest.

Why you were protesting?: We were protesting because 1) we are anti-war activists and we are working to END WAR NOW! And 2) drones are one of the most abhorrent weapons of war and we are committed to ending the use of drones as weapons of war.

You say the RQ-4 does not carry weapons, which we are well aware, therefore we should not be at Beale protesting. First of all, many many pieces uphold war. All the pieces together make war doable. And this drone is one of those pieces, as are you and I.

In addition, “reconnaissance” includes the spying on people, and incredibly 'sophisticated' “target surveillance”. Without “reconnaissance” and “surveillance” other drones that do carry weapons would not have as great an ability to hunt down and kill people.

We understand protesters are not what you want to see when you leave the base. Imagine how people who are living in countries occupied by u.s. troops feel seeing u.s soldiers outside their door – or banging down their door – every day. 

So if you help get our soldiers to leave other peoples' countries, we will certainly stop protesting at your front door.

And please, Eric, do not kid yourself or make yourself feel better about participating in our war machine by somehow convincing yourself that anything you are doing is fighting for our ability to protest. 

There is no way imaginable that you can begin to explain how killing non-white women, children, and men in tiny countries that have even tinier military power and occupying their countries contributes anything to our ability to protest.

The people who have fought for our ability to protest have been CIVILIANS right here on this land: Sojourner Truth, Dolores Huerta, Mother Jones, Martin Luther King, for example. 

The military fights for the rights of our corporations to exploit, conquer, abuse any resource that any other nation, weaker than ours, has and we want. History shows that very, very, very clearly – as history shows the many brave u.s. civilians who stood up and fought for our rights here at home.

And if you did think you were fighting for our right to protest, are you saying that right is limited to protesting everyone but the military? Come on Eric, then you really don’t think you’re fighting for our right to protest but our right to be on the same page as you are.

If polite means not holding the military accountable for the abuse of drones as horrific killing machines, then please let us be counted as VERY VERY VERY VERY RUDE!

You say you don’t think we should use death as power. The military believes power is death, killing, destruction, domination, might, rape, torture, terror, war. 

We believe power is holding all life sacred, eliminating violence, truly caring for people.

How is killing so many innocent and very poor people in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan “protecting” us? Protecting us from what? 

No country’s military has ever attacked us. We are the only country who has sent our military around the world attacking over 28 brown, black, red and yellow nations and peoples since the end of WWII – oh, yes, one sort of white nation, but Muslim, Bosnia.

Again, what the military is protecting – and always has been used to protect – is the power of u.s. corporations to go and do whatever they want to and in other nations. 

We ask you to use your heart and your head and join us on the front lines of ENDING WAR NOW!

Until the next NO DRONES protest, Xan

9 Comments:

  • At 28/12/10 5:03 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    The US military promotes PEACE, yes PEACE, more than it wages war. The Predator and Global Hawk were both used during the southern California wildfires, Katrina, and in Haiti after the earthquake. Specifically, many, many lives in Haiti were saved due to the unique capability of these unmanned aircraft to easily find displaced persons. This allowed food and supplies to get to those that most needed them within 48 hours after the earthquake...no other capability could have brought about this level of success. I'm guessing these "non-white women, children, and men" were not complaining about the drones overhead while drinking their US labeled water and eating a ham sandwich. If you're going to protest, you should fully research that which you protest. If you take away the drones, you eliminate our ability to protect the innocent and serve the less fortunate. And yes, your freedom of speech, flag burning, etc. is protected everyday by the American soldier...don't forget it.

     
  • At 6/1/12 11:06 PM, Blogger Deb said…

    You say "no country's military has ever attacked us". Ever heard of Pearl Harbor? No, probably you haven't, because you're young and idealistic. Go back to school and learn something more than the liberal tripe the government-run schools shove down our kids throats. You are misguided. We will always have war, because we will always have evil in this world. We can do our best to protect the weak, and defend our freedom or stand by wave peace fags and signs. I know which one I'm gonna do. You want to work for peace? Put down your signs and lend a hand to the neediest in your own community.

     
  • At 6/1/12 11:06 PM, Blogger Deb said…

    You say "no country's military has ever attacked us". Ever heard of Pearl Harbor? No, probably you haven't, because you're young and idealistic. Go back to school and learn something more than the liberal tripe the government-run schools shove down our kids throats. You are misguided. We will always have war, because we will always have evil in this world. We can do our best to protect the weak, and defend our freedom or stand by wave peace fags and signs. I know which one I'm gonna do. You want to work for peace? Put down your signs and lend a hand to the neediest in your own community.

     
  • At 7/1/12 9:21 AM, Blogger Xan said…

    Isn't that 'funny' Deb, thinking that "pearl harbor" was an attack on our country?

    I am actually old enough to remember when Hawaii became part of the U.S. - and not old enough to remember when our military base on foreign soil was attacked.

    But this is how we do it, eh? With our mighty military power that will use ANY means necessary to take over and exploit anyone, especially if they are black, brown, or poor, and without 'advanced' weapons & the insane desire to kill kill kill.

    Hawaii was NOT "our country" when we sent troops there to threaten and depose the queen - at the behest of our corporations who demanded access to Hawaii's resources.

    Hawaii was NOT "our country" when Japan attacked a MILITARY BASE, mostly destroying MILITARY SHIPS, and soldiers.

    And Deb, you HAVE to believe "we will always have war" because that is the brilliant propaganda of war mongers disguised as greedy corporate ceo's. They want, no they NEED us to believe there humans have always chosen war to solve our conflicts.

    So you can feel okay and sleep at nite when you throw up your hands and say "well, we will always have war" when in truth, humans have NOT always chosen war.

    And even if we have had war, don't you think and believe it is time to end wars?

    You speak of evil as if murdering 2.5 million Vietnamese, 1.5 million Iraqis, most likely over a million Japanese civilians, millions of Indigenous people in this country, millions of Africans - does this not come close to your definition of "evil"?

    Oh yes but of course, two of these mass murders were in response to the lives of 2400 U.S. soldiers in 1941, and a little more U.S. civilians in 2001 - the latter not by a country but a group of men.

    So are you agreeing, for at least those two "attacks", you label them "evil" but our country's response, murdering millions of civilians, mostly women and children, is not your definition of "evil"?

    Maybe you should do a little research before you accuse someone of being uneducated or misguided.

    The truth is so very hard to see Deb, but if YOU don't wake up and see it, you will be reading more propaganda on "evil" Iran, and how we HAVE to go to war, once again, kill yet even more "evil" women, children, and men - and how will you still be able to see your country as not "evil"?

    This will be the 7th country we have sent our military to attack since 2011, the 36th or so country we have sent our military to attack since the end of WWII.

    This is the world you support? Or rather you work hard to not see the world being destroyed? And you want to call it in the name of "Freedom"? "Protecting the weak"?

    Please wake up Deb, human beings need you, your children and grandchildren need you - to be compassionate, loving, REALLY protecting the earth and all life. I KNOW you know in your heart, war does not protect anything but the rich and their riches.

     
  • At 24/4/12 3:05 AM, Anonymous Proud Airman said…

    "The people who have fought for our ability to protest have been CIVILIANS right here on this land: Sojourner Truth, Dolores Huerta, Mother Jones, Martin Luther King, for example."

    What a joke. If not for the Union army vanquishing the Confederate States of America in the bloodiest war this country has ever fought--in which 600,000 WHITE people were killed, since you left-wing pukes love dragging race into it so much--Martin Luther King would've been a slave on some cotton plantation in the Deep South. Keep kidding yourself sweetheart. Your right to free speech exists because people who were a hell of a lot better than you'll ever be on your best day, were willing to kill and to die for it.

     
  • At 30/10/12 1:40 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I work on base and as long as you protest I'll take satisfaction in my job.

     
  • At 5/11/12 12:50 PM, Blogger Xan said…

    And we take deep satisfaction in knowing that those inside the base hear about our protest, know about our protest, and maybe will use this opportunity to think, to question, to face the facts that many people in this country abhor drones & all our weapons killing people around the world. Maybe, as you hear and know of our presence, one day your conscience will motivate you to join our line. In solidarity and action, Xan Joi

     
  • At 8/3/13 8:14 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Xan, you are very uneducated and misguided in your facts on what happened in Hawai'i. I am from Hawai'i and so are my people. Queen Liliuokalani begged America to restore peace to Hawai'i and stop the blood shed amongst her people. She begged for America's help. The military restored peace to her islands. You mainland people "ha'ole" need to leave us off your lips because "YOU" are very uneducated about our history. And how could you even have the nerve to say Japan destroyed mostly military ships and bases? Yes, they did but they KILLED many civilians that day, some of which were my family. I'm sorry the military people have to be held captive by your ignorant group everyday they drive to their home. They defend and protect us you guys bring hostility and hate. Why don't you go and protest the President you elected Mr. Obama he's responsible for ordering the drone attacks you do not approve of. The military is doing as their told by him!

     
  • At 26/4/13 9:28 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    You people are spineless pussies who enjoy taking advantage of the freedoms provided to you compliments of the US Military, as far as I'm concerned you lowlifes are right there with the westborow baptist church idiots. Please dont reproduce any of you!

     

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