David Swanson's Blog, page 231
February 25, 2011
Your 1040 Tax Form Lies to You
Pick up a copy of a 1040EZ US income tax form with all the instructions, particularly pages 36-37. Here are those two pages in a PDF. You'll discover that the U.S. government only spends 22% of its money on "National defense, veterans, and foreign affairs." The form admits that you could leave out the "foreign affairs" part and still be at 21%.
However, take a look now at the pie chart created by the War Resisters League, which shows 54% of the budget going to the military.
21% and 54% aren't even close to each other. This is not "good enough for government work." This is our money. What gives?
From the Capitol in Madison to the Shores of Tripoli
A People's Hymn
By David Swanson
From the Capitol in Madison
To the shores of Tripoli
We will fight the people's battles
And we'll fight them peacefully;
First we learn nonviolent tactics,
And we train before we start.
For our fight will be relentless,
We commit with all our heart.
Our flags unfurl to every breeze
From dawn to setting sun;
We will fight in every clime and place
And we'll never touch a gun.
In the snow of far-off Northern lands
And in sunny tropic seas
You will find us always on the job
Building new democracies.
Here's health to everyone on earth
Whom we are proud to serve;
In many a strife we'll risk our life
And never lose our nerve.
If the tyrants and their funders
Wish history to please
They will step out of their palaces
And join our democracies.
February 24, 2011
Charlottesville--Right Now: David Swanson joins Coy Barefoot to Talk Wisconsin
From CvillePodcast
2.24.11 Best-selling author and political analyst David Swanson joins Coy for an extended conversation about the events in Wisconsin. Swanson breaks down the comments made by Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker during the recent prank call by an imposter claiming to be well known philanthropist and political advocate David Koch. He also addresses the idea of a "class war" which we may or may not be witnessing in the Packer state. Finally, the two discuss the movement right here in Charlottesville to give UVA employees a "living wage." Be sure to check out his most recent book War is a Lie.
Standard Podcast [18:31m]: Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download (6)Two Events This Saturday 2/26 in Boca Raton, FLA
1. Authors David Swanson and Sandy Davies with Nuremberg War Crimes Prosecutor Ben Ferencz
2. Protest at Bank of America, which takes billions from govt. while you work for a living and pay taxes
1. War Is A Lie and There Is Blood on Our Hands
David Swanson and Nicolas "Sandy" Davies in South Florida on Feb. 26, 2011
Ben Ferencz, the last surviving prosecutor from the World War II Nuremberg War Crimes Trials and founding father of the International Criminal Court, will make an important statement on U.S. foreign policy at an event with David Swanson and Sandy Davies in Boca Raton on Feb. 26, 2011.
David Swanson will discuss and sign copies of "War Is A Lie".
Sandy Davies will discuss and sign copies of "Blood on Our Hands".
3-5 p.m. Saturday, February 26, 2011
Afghans for Wisconsinites
From Afghanistan: We Support the People of Wisconsin and the World
We Afghans Are All Bouazizi
By Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers
Afghan youth are quietly encouraged by the Egyptian uprising because the people of Afghanistan want what the people of Egypt want.
We are all Bouazizi.
We want dignified livelihoods.
Dare any scientist prove to us that 30 years of wars and more to come will successfully bring us decent livelihoods? Dare any human being prove to us that mutual killings somehow bring men and women some measure of murderous dignity?
Aren't any of you curious about whether there are any 'stirrings of Middle East change' in Afghanistan?"
February 23, 2011
Humanitarian War vs. Humanity
The idea that wars are waged out of humanitarian concern may not at first appear even worthy of response. Wars kill humans. What can be humanitarian about that? But look at the sort of rhetoric that successfully sells new wars:
"This conflict started Aug. 2, when the dictator of Iraq invaded a small and helpless neighbor. Kuwait, a member of the Arab League and a member of the United Nations, was crushed, its people brutalized. Five months ago, Saddam Hussein started this cruel war against Kuwait; tonight, the battle has been joined."
February 22, 2011
Did Roosevelt's Racism Cause WWII?
That was the argument made in a U.S. bestseller in 2009 written by a WWII historian whose father had raised the US flag on Iwo Jima. And the Roosevelt he had in mind was Teddy, not Franklin.
Needless to say, although countless people will say it quite angrily in my Email inbox in response to this article, you cannot simply blame an event on actions that occurred years before. A war is started by the people who start that war, in that instant, and there is no way for them to wiggle out of that responsibility. But, as everyone is eager to recognize when the context is more comfortable, all actions have consequences, and those consequences have further consequences. (As a warning that may further temper the vitriol, I would like to point out that Teddy was not a Democrat.)
Charlottesville--Right Now: David Swanson joins Coy Barefoot
2.21.11 Best-selling author David Swanson joins Coy to discuss the labor unrest in Wisconsin. Be sure to check out his most recent book War is a Lie.
Standard Podcast [14:56m]: Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download (21)
