by Lynn Sableman

Her name is Shea and she lives in Chicago. She works for Code Pink. Yes, the righteous and petit  Medea Benjamin’s  organization. Shea has just been working on Chicago City Pension Divestment from the War Machine. Visiting each member imploring them to see the light. My heart sang. I like this, I told her about the WILPF disarm /end wars committee Warheads to Windmills project initiated by Elenor Holmes Norton. It asked Biden to sign the Ban the Bomb treaty now as well as converting Pentagon nuclear spending to Renewable energy. I have  been calling legislators to co-sponsor the Elenor Holmes Norton bill. Shea said she can send along contacts also interested in this project. I have joined local Friends Committee, 350.org and Sierra Club, looking to connect with our other allies as well. If you are connected with our current or potential “allies in peace” and could write short update blog posts for us, let WILPFstlouis.org know. In conjunction with Code Pink zoom attendees are receiving a kit with instructions for direct action. In the event someone organizes one we will be there in support. They aim to educate the public and shame and stigmatize banks, insurers, and other financial institutions that invest in fossil fuels, war industries, nuclear weapons ala  ICAN’s Don’t Bank on the Bomb program.  

  On this matter of reducing the Pentagon budget. Legislative work is being promoted by Senators Sanders and Edward Markey. Clearly stopping the Saudi war funding to be used against Yemen where $650 million would clearly add to the mounting genocide is imperative.  This is not who America is. Time throw aside these menacing “ profit for profit’s sake” neoliberal  notions. 

  Another StLouisian on the Code Pink zoom ‘Mirage’ spoke of jobs in every state strategically support thousands of jobs with high paying weapons manufacturing. Build Back Better would provide good paying green jobs for a clean energy future. It’s been held up by a coal Barron. Time for Biden to declare war on climate change, Force the end of fossil fuel subsidies. This is the only path to a survivable future. But industry owns congress the Koch money Barron’s control legislation continuing the fossil fuel addiction. We need to start funding renewable clean energy, battery technology is far better today. Congresswoman Barbara Lee has a bill requiring military report fossil fuel consumption. The Pentagon’s own dire risk assessment about the existential threat of climate change on the one hand and military s failure to report carbon emissions doesn’t add up. They need to have funds frozen until they do. Our war based economy is surely the death of the planet. We don’t have to continue with this racquet. Our two year olds today will inherit a tragic mess if congress continues to eat the fossil fuel and pentagon lobbyists lunch. 

  Please heed the call for direct action when we call.