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Rolla Peace News September 8, 2020 |
Dear Friends:Editor's note: Please send in your work. I think readers would love to see more variety in this newsletter.In this newsletter is: 1. NOON VIGIL FOR PEACE: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 2. GLOBAL STRIKE FOR THE CLIMATE: SEPTEMBER 25 3. THE MISFIT MATHEMATICIAN (Tom's column, http://tomsager.org) a) 59 Million Refugees and Counting b) Donald Trump's Lovers' Quarrel With the Military c) Climate Change Continues d) If You Can't Find Much to Laugh About... 1. NOON VIGIL FOR PEACE: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 We vigil for peace in front of the Rolla Post Office, THIS THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, FROM NOON TO 1:00 PM (and most subsequent Thursdays until Peace is established). Please join us again this Thursday in saying NO WAR AGAINST IRAN or any other country. The temperature is predicted to be in the 70s. If you do not feel comfortable standing with us in front of the Post Office, please consider driving by and showing your support for our message by honking your horn and flashing a peace sign. Note: Since there are so few of us, generally 2 or 3, no need to cancel; but let's maintain social distancing. 2. GLOBAL STRIKE FOR THE CLIMATE: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 Friday, September 25 will be the date of the Global Strike for the Climate. If no one organizes a more ambitious project for Rolla, we intend to move the Thursday vigil to Friday on that week to coincide with the Global Climate Strike. Last year we had a great turnout. Photos are posted here (scroll down). 3. THE MISFIT MATHEMATICIAN (Tom's column, http://tomsager.org) a) 59 Million Refugees and Counting b) Donald Trump's Lovers' Quarrel With the Military c) Climate Change Continues d) If You Can't Find Much to Laugh About... Up to 59 Million Refugees and Counting The Costs of War Project estimates the US War on Terror has displaced up to 59 million people in the Middle East. That's equivalent to 18% of the population of the United States.“We’re sold the idea of—we’re going to liberate people, we’re fighting terrorism. Then we realize we’re the ones terrorizing people. That torments you psychologically. I’ve lost a few friends to suicide.” Meanwhile here in the United States large numbers of people have been driven from their homes due to Hurricane Laura, fires in the western United States, and eviction in the wake of joblessness caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Do you see a connection? I do. Maybe if we had spent all those trillions of dollars over the past two decades fighting climate change and rebuilding our infrastructure instead of terrorizing people... maybe things would have been different. Well, it's not to late to reconsider our priorities. Donald Trump's Lovers' Quarrel With the Military After leaking secrets about how Trump, who dodged military service during our Vietnam War, has shown contempt for soldiers as “losers,” and “suckers,” Trump fired back: Well, we all know that Trump holds the whole world in contempt, except himself and a handful of sycophants. [It's a great word, Donald. Look it up, if you can find a dictionary.] And we all know that War is a Racket, meant to enrich the few at the expense of everyone else. Major General Smedley Butler said it 85 years ago. President Dwight Eiserhower said it 60 years ago. Things have only gotten worse.“The top people in the Pentagon probably aren’t [in love with me] because they want to do nothing but fight wars so all of those wonderful companies that make the bombs and make the planes and make everything else stay happy.” Don't expect anything to come of this lovers' quarrel. Likely, they'll kiss and make up. Hey, Donald: What about that swamp you were going to drain? What about those Forever Wars you were going to end? Climate Change Continues In August, carbon dioxide in the atmosphere continued to increased at a rate of approximately 2.5 parts per million per year. August 2020 was among the five warmest Augusts on record in spite of a gathering La Niña episode which tends to cool off surface temperatures (“official” numbers not published yet). And we're in the midst of one of the most active Atlantic hurricane seasons and California fire seasons ever, both at the same time. Still think it's a Chinese hoax? If You Can't Find Much to Laugh About... Try this one: In a Trump boat parade on Lake Travis in Texas, at least five boats were swamped due to reckless and offensive boat handling by Trump supporters. The event has been nicknamed Proud Buoys, Klannish Armada and Dumbkirk. Rolla Peace News is distributed by email once a week on Tuesday evenings (except on rare occasions) and is posted on the web at http://tomsager.org (click on Grassroots Rolla: at the top of rightmost column). If you don't wish to get notices of peace events in the Rolla area, let me know and I'll take you off this list. If you want to be added to this list, let me know. Wage peace, Tom yushasager (at) yahoo.com |