Month: February 2023

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Slash the Military-Industrial Complex. Cutting the Pentagon Budget in Half Would Finally Force the Generals to Think

February 28, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

Here’s an interesting article about this:  https://www.juancole.com/2023/02/military-industrial-generals.html   A new book says Eisenhower was right:  The US military budget is ‘a theft from those who hunger.’  The book also provides information about protesting for peace.  See this:  https://wagingnonviolence.org/cnv/2023/02/eisenhower-was-right-us-military-budget-book-review-trillion-dollar-silencer-joan-roelofs/   A new effort in the U.S. House would reduce wasteful Pentagon spending and redirect funds to critical basic needs. The first few short paragraphs of the article I linked below say this: Today Reps. Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Mark Pocan (D-WI) reintroduced the People Over Pentagon Act, which would cut $100 billion in defense spending and reallocate the funds to human […]

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To solve political-social-economic problems, we must organize PEOPLE-POWER grassroots movements

February 28, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

Several years ago, a guest on one of my TV programs said that only 5% of democracy is about voting, while 95% of democracy is about organizing grassroots movements.  I agree. People who have official power (politicians, big businesses, etc.) want ordinary people to feel powerless and get out of the way, so they themselves can make all of the important decisions. Alice Walker said, “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” If ordinary people actually did recognize our power — and our huge potential to organize strategically from the grassroots […]

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FREE, ONLINE: Watch a powerful 1966 British film about nuclear war

February 28, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

In 1966 the BBC produced a powerful film, “The War Game,” about what would happen if a nuclear war hit Britain.  It was so powerful that the BBC was afraid to show it on TV until several decades later. “The War Game” simulates a documentary about people experiencing a nuclear war and the realities that occurred afterward.  The film was so strong in 1966 that BBC did not air it when it was scheduled.  Later it was shown at film festivals – and ultimately on British TV on July 31, 1985, a week before the 40th anniversary of the Hiroshima […]

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Peace instead of nuclear war! Urge Congress to pass H. Res. 77.

February 28, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

The Olympia Coalition to Abolish Nuclear Weapons has been supporting the “Back from the Brink” campaign (www.preventnuclearwar.org), which urges 5 smart changes in U.S. policy to reduce the likelihood of nuclear war. “Back from the Brink” recently sent an ACTION ALERT urging us to urge Congress to support H.Res.77, which supports the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).  Please sign this message:  https://preventnuclearwar.org/hres77/   HERE IS MOE INFORMATION from “Back from the Brink,” including “talking points” so you can write a letter to your newspaper’s editor – and including more opportunities:   Last Friday marked the one year […]

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Click to tell Congress to ABOLISH Junior ROTC

February 28, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

For many years the military has been PERVERTING PUBLIC SCHOOLS by SUBSTITUTING MILITARY PROPAGANDA instead of honest history courses — and TRAINING STUDENTS TO MARCH AND SHOOT GUNS. The instructors are military people, NOT certified teachers. This happens in many, many schools nationwide (especially in low-income and minority neighborhoods) through the Junior ROTC program. Also, many military instructors in the Junior ROTC program have been caught sexually abusing female students in the JROTC program. The program also VIOLATES the international Convention on the Rights of the Child. I encourage you to click this link and substitute your name and contact […]

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TV + online: “Smart Strategies to Organize for Peace and No Nuclear Weapons”

February 23, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

The March 2023 program on “Glen’s Parallax Perspectives” TV series provides fresh insights and smart strategies to help us achieve peace in the world and abolish nuclear weapons worldwide. In this TV program, I address these main points: Point #1.    The U.S. has been provoking nuclear weapons since the 1940s. Point #2.    Nuclear weapons exist in the overall context of U.S. foreign policy.  To achieve peace, we must debunk the MISTAKEN ASSUMPTIONS that have trapped us in endless wars and the suicide of nuclear weapons. To get out of those traps, we must think clearly and creatively – and de-militarize […]

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The next global climate summit (COP28) will be chaired by the CEO of a national oil company!

February 8, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

The CEO of a national oil company as the president of COP28, the next annual global climate summit.  The United Arab Emirates is a nation whose wealth depends on oil.  That nation will host the next s UN climate negotiations.  The president of COP28 will be the CEO of its national oil company. The fox is watching the henhouse! See these articles: https://www.desmog.com/2023/01/12/uae-adnoc-cop28-presidency-fossil-fuel-ceo/ https://www.ecowatch.com/cop28-oil-executive-climate-crisis.html   A savvy organization — www.priceofoil.org — sent this information out on January 12, 2023: This morning, the United Arab Emirates announced that Sultan Al Jaber, the CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), […]

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Health care reform: See these short, funny videos about Norway’s solution

February 7, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

As my blog’s category for “Health Care Reform” explains, the U.S. spends twice as much per person on health care as other rich nations, but we have far, far worse outcomes in actual health.  Other nations recognize that health care is a human right, so they provide nationwide coverage for everyone and — instead of capitalistic insurance companies, etc., — they have streamlined governmental systems that cost half of what health costs in the U.S.   Recently some friends shared a link to a short video ad that appeared on the 2021 Super Bowl TV coverage.  The comedian Will Ferrell […]

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Good news! Oregon’s governor stopped death penalty before leaving office!

February 7, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

Oregon’s voters elected a new governor in November 2022.  The outgoing governor took a strong, smart action before her term expired. See news here:  https://www.opb.org/article/2022/12/13/oregon-governor-kate-brown-death-penalty-sentence-commutations/? The news was reported at this link too:  https://www.opb.org/article/2022/12/13/oregon-governor-kate-brown-death-penalty-sentence-commutations/?utm_source=The+Marshall+Project+Newsletter&utm_campaign=97d1f68c90-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2022_12_14_12_05&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5e02cdad9d-97d1f68c90-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D   In a few states people are considering whether to use their initiative process to gather signatures and force a statewide election to abolish the death penalty.  That is a long, hard, expensive slog.  A ballot initiative is not necessary. Oregon’s law is still on the books until the legislature repeals it.  But in late 2022 Oregon’s Governor commuted the sentences of all people on that […]

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Urgent: Save innocent Tony Apanovitch from Ohio’s death penalty

February 7, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

I’m on the e-mail list of Ohioans to Stop Executions (OTSE).  They do good work in one of the few northern states that still uses the death penalty.  See their message below urging people to tell Ohio to save the life of an innocent person.  I hope you will contact Ohio’s governor and parole board.  I clicked their links and sent letters.  I reworded their letters as follows:   OTSE sent this message and asked us to help: Hello Glen, The State of Ohio is on track to execute an innocent man. Tony Apanovitch’s innocence is not just a matter […]

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Strategically smart messages toward abolishing the death penalty

February 4, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

Building a movement to abolish the death penalty – both through changing public opinion and then through passing legislation – requires strategically smart messaging. Below I’m attaching something I wrote that uses 3 smart steps to help people recognize that the status quo is broken and to decide we can abolish the death penalty without sacrificing public safety: Fact #1:  The death penalty does not deliver what it promises. Fact #2:  The death penalty makes existing problems worse and it causes more problems. Fact #3:  We can let go of the death penalty and still be safe.   I wrote […]

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House Republicans use the phony-baloney “debt ceiling” to hold the U.S. hostage and cut programs we really need

February 4, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

Mainstream news media keep giving credibility to Republican propaganda about the “debt ceiling.” The “debt ceiling” is NOT in the Constitution.  It is simply a law that could be repealed, but Democrats keep failing to take that necessary action.  Congress has routinely increased it — including in every year of the Trump regime — but when Republican Newt Gingrich had power in the House and when Democrats Obama and Biden have been President, Republicans act like terrorists and hold our nation hostage and threaten to shut down our government because they want to cut spending for programs we really need, […]

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Here is what a REAL “Christian nation” would look like

February 4, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

Right-wing Christians and most Republicans keep saying they want the U.S. to be a “Christian nation.” But they do NOT want it to be the kind of society that Jesus was actually promoting. Jesus NEVER objected to abortion or homosexuality or immigration. What Jesus REALLY kept teaching and practicing are ethical, humane, loving, compassionate actions: Feed the hungry Heal the sick Welcome the stranger (and the foreigner and other ethnic groups) with equal human dignity as ourselves Instead of attacking LGBTQ persons or persons who want abortions, Jesus REPEATEDLY LAMBASTED: Rich people who failed to share with the poor Self-righteous […]

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Nonviolent Ways to Heal Our Society’s Dysfunction — Watch Glen’s TV program online or on cable

February 2, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

The February 2023 program on “Glen’s Parallax Perspectives” TV series provides insights and inspiration to help people solve problems that have been getting worse in our society. After mentioning some serious problems, we pivot toward proposing some smart nonviolent ways to solve the problems.  This TV interview is positive, upbeat, creative and practical. Rivera Sun is the expert guest who helps us explore these topics.  Rivera Sun is an author, activist, and the Programs Coordinator for Pace e Bene / Campaign Nonviolence. People in Thurston County WA who have cable TV can watch it on channel 22 three times a […]