With the unprovoked bombing of the beach in Sevastopol a week ago today -- resulting in some 140 injuries and 4 or 5 deaths, including a couple children -- the US has essentially declared war on Russia. Nato members are falling in line. If you know the alternative and foreign news sites to follow, you learn every day about troop deployments, movement of nuclear weapons, warships, supplies and artillery. WW III is already under way and the west is being led by the most incompetent, reckless and downright stupid leaders since WW I. Wake up, young folks, they want you in the trenches.
Your painting captures the essence of this tragic moment.
I think the strategy is to prevent de-escalation. It's worked in the sense that it's pretty hard to miss which parties are the war mongers.
I think Russia will retaliate, but it may not be militarily, or in a way that escalates the war. Putin is smart, strategic and a long term thinker, and my sense is that he'll think of something that disincentivizes military escalation.
Exactly! And we heard only a whisper before during and after The Debate. At least we must have people surrounding band on stage with these ultimate most timely discussions.
Good luck looking for a candidate to vote for who supports peace and justice for all. Wouldn't that be nice? And even if such a candidate existed, the existing political clique would make sure to threaten, cajole, ridicule and look for dirt on them to get rid of them. We need another system. Voting and this brand of "democracy" is just not working.
I think Elizabeth May broke a lot of rules backing Annamie Paul while Dimitri was doing so well. She didn't want to see an ecosocialist win.
But Alex Tyrrell wasn't allowed to run for the leadership since he was left leaning and the BC NDP didn't allow the very progressive Anjali Appadurai to run against David Eby.
He was one of 4 nominees for Kootenay Columbia federal Greens. KW, clearly the best informed, was denied by the party, given no reason, as were the other two guys. The party membership had no say in the process.
There's an incredible amount of naivety out there as far as geopolitics, and I believe it's based on tribalism. It's always more difficult to look at one's own society in a critical light, than to just go along with the mythology. This applies to all societies. For instance, in the West, this is especially evident when it comes to strucures of power and how they operate, - like the revolving door amongst the military industrial complex, think tanks, and government officials and the resultant need for endless enemies and endless grift.
You can point out out that the US has 800 military bases around the world, that they spend more on the military than the next 10 countries combined, that they are continually involved in regime-change operations and it still falls on deaf ears with a lot of folks. That's because there's an underlying assumption that the West are the "good guys" (who, admittedly, make a few mistakes now and then). This idea is so baked into the culture that people's brains just basically shut down when it comes to talking about things like NATO.
I keep asking: how much more insanity and murder must we watch before we take to the streets? My grandchildren are at risk for the draft! People roll their eyes and tell me vote blue no matter who. I refuse to hold my nose at the ballot box again, and will vote Green Party. I'm not sure what the specific path to expat is, but it is certainly on my radar. Maybe this time the draft dodgers will exile to Mexico. And thanks to the commenter about the Canadian trucker protesters and their bank accounts being frozen! We have well and truly entered Orwell world. 🥺💔
Thanks for itemizing this for anyone still living under a rock. And for all of us this should be a wake-up call that our politicians are mad with their lust for power and war. You know my candidate who wants us all to snap out of our coma and demand peace for everyone @jillstein2024.
It's really worrying all this warmongering. I notice that the proposed conscription would apply to men between 18 and 26. This sort of instrumentatlision of male bodies also took place in the British Empire at the beginning of the 20th century. Military conscription was preceded by collecting teenagers into Boy Scouts, which were far from the harmless playful organisation that later versions may evoke for some. Boy Scouts were founded by Coloner Robert Baden-Powell, who styled himself "the Wolf that Never Sleeps" after his battles in the Boer Wars. The purpose of Boy Scouts was, according to the founder: "virility, discipline, love of nature, Christianity, patriotism,
imperialism." Toxic masculinity was the guiding principle of these groups, taking boys from their childhood and turning them into warriors with disregard for human life and the rights of Others. Baden-Powell claimed that they must be taught how to become men because boys were prone to "feminine weakness" if left to their own devices. In my work I argued that such anxieties about the male body were partly caused by the growing suffragettes' struggle for the rights of women including their first victories in the right to vote at that time. The parallels with our time (in the causes of women's rights, queer movements and native peoples' rights) are striking. And it's really worrying that this sort of militarisation preceded a major war, WW1.
I agree, from the perspective of equality and fairness it does not make sense. But male elites in power want not only to retain power but increase it at the expense of other groups. Thus they are anxious about losing it and will start blaming and attacking marginalized groups and fashion scapegoats in order to avoid sharing power with them. We are witnessing this in the rise of the right here in Europe (including the UK), especially attacks on migrants and queer people. It seems USA has plenty of examples to offer, as you have shown in your posts. It always strikes me that no President of the USA was ever a woman, though Hilary Clinton won a majority of the total votes (but not electoral ones)
I am exactly in this position. The recent election of the EU parliament was the first time I could vote - and I voted for the party I think will do the least damage in future.
However, I still think voting is important - not because I believe we will achieve any sort of radical change this way but because the level of repression that will be enforced will vary depending on who’s in office - at least sorta in the EU.
I don’t vote because I believe that’s how we create a just world for everyone but to decrease the harm done in the meantime.
Yes, I too was pleased to have voted in that particular election when I learned the results. Not voting, right now, often means making way for harmful developments.
Couldn't agree more Diana. At 20 I had to go in the conscription ballot for service in Vietnam, which by then was clearly a totally unjust and unnecessary war. Luckily my name didn't come up, but a couple of people in my year at uni were not so lucky and suffered greatly for the dubious privilege of serving their country in an unjust war.
Trying to find someone to vote for is a big problem, but the more public pushback the better, and if it can get some momentum it does help.
So, great post. Please keep writing and sharing and encouraging others! 😎👍😎
Wow. Exactly! Takes off at the very ending of a most MUST watch You Tube interview of great Owen an experienced online UK journalist and Saintly Gideon Levy Israeli head of Haaretz//The Latest! Plz some of you take a listen so we might discuss:)!
Macron has already played into the hands of the far right (again!) This time introducing "Universal National Service in 2019, which enables young people to volunteer for a month and serve their country. The government is now considering making this compulsory for all French nationals aged 15-17." The so-called light version is a moral admission on Macron's part that the idea apparently makes sense (which it does, but only as purely volunteer.)
You have no idea how relieved I was when my youngest turned 26. My children are all out of draft age assuming they don’t change the ages. I keep telling my friends with draft age children, and they laugh at me. Maybe it’s too hard to face.
Which European countries are talking about reintroducing conscription? Provide links, please, instead of making such vague statements.
Rishi Sunak has mentioned it, which concerns four nations in which the term "Europe" refers to the EU or the continent. He was widely ridiculed for it. Nobody seemed to think it was serious. English top politicians often say a lot of stuff that has no actual meaning.
There is, however, a general perception of a greater threat from Russia along the EU's eastern border. If you look at a map, you will see why this is so. Russian-fired missiles aimed at Ukraine do appear to have landed in the EU once or twice and particularly Finland has voiced concerns too.
I'm not aware of other countries in the EU talking about conscription, but I may have missed that news. So, please, do tell.
For me, a big concern is the whopping shifts toward the far right that are taking place in this part of the world too now. I so hope that the election in France is not going to make the situation even more precarious.
I really miss the moderating and mediating voice of particularly Angela Merkel.
Hi, sorry, Substack does not function well on my computer. So, no, I initially didn’t see any links.
Also, when I look at them in a browser when I am not logged in, all of my posts and pages show up as set to private. In addition, Substack keeps mixing up publication names/headings and even different publications…
(I seem to remember that when I tried the app on my tablet, that it did not work very well either, but maybe that is what I should do.)
With the unprovoked bombing of the beach in Sevastopol a week ago today -- resulting in some 140 injuries and 4 or 5 deaths, including a couple children -- the US has essentially declared war on Russia. Nato members are falling in line. If you know the alternative and foreign news sites to follow, you learn every day about troop deployments, movement of nuclear weapons, warships, supplies and artillery. WW III is already under way and the west is being led by the most incompetent, reckless and downright stupid leaders since WW I. Wake up, young folks, they want you in the trenches.
Your painting captures the essence of this tragic moment.
The problem is that Russia refuses to escalate, which simply encourages the United States and its NATO catamites.
I think the strategy is to prevent de-escalation. It's worked in the sense that it's pretty hard to miss which parties are the war mongers.
I think Russia will retaliate, but it may not be militarily, or in a way that escalates the war. Putin is smart, strategic and a long term thinker, and my sense is that he'll think of something that disincentivizes military escalation.
It is obvious that Russia does not want to escalate. The West treats this as weakness and escalates more.
POW! You hit that one out of the park!
Exactly! And we heard only a whisper before during and after The Debate. At least we must have people surrounding band on stage with these ultimate most timely discussions.
If not now when???
Good luck looking for a candidate to vote for who supports peace and justice for all. Wouldn't that be nice? And even if such a candidate existed, the existing political clique would make sure to threaten, cajole, ridicule and look for dirt on them to get rid of them. We need another system. Voting and this brand of "democracy" is just not working.
I've seen that happen in Canada, where the more so called progressive parties won't let people run who have actual progressive ideas.
The NDP is making some good noises, but not adequately walking the talk.
Do you think that Dmitri Lascaris was prevented from running to head the Green Party?
I think Elizabeth May broke a lot of rules backing Annamie Paul while Dimitri was doing so well. She didn't want to see an ecosocialist win.
But Alex Tyrrell wasn't allowed to run for the leadership since he was left leaning and the BC NDP didn't allow the very progressive Anjali Appadurai to run against David Eby.
Yes, I think I know who you might be referring to, at least one person. KW
He didn't tell me that story...or am I forgetting something?
He was one of 4 nominees for Kootenay Columbia federal Greens. KW, clearly the best informed, was denied by the party, given no reason, as were the other two guys. The party membership had no say in the process.
.
Right! Thanks for refreshing my memory, Ann. I remembered other details about that incident.
What do you reever?
What I noticed recently and tweeted about is a NATO comedy. Recently some scum claimed NATO is a peaceful alliance. I laughed my @$$ off.
Kool-Aid from yesteryear, perhaps?
I've had progressive people tell me that they thought NATO was a good thing. I'm not sure if it ever was, but it sure isn't now.
It was and is a monster. Ask anyone at the receiving end.
There's an incredible amount of naivety out there as far as geopolitics, and I believe it's based on tribalism. It's always more difficult to look at one's own society in a critical light, than to just go along with the mythology. This applies to all societies. For instance, in the West, this is especially evident when it comes to strucures of power and how they operate, - like the revolving door amongst the military industrial complex, think tanks, and government officials and the resultant need for endless enemies and endless grift.
You can point out out that the US has 800 military bases around the world, that they spend more on the military than the next 10 countries combined, that they are continually involved in regime-change operations and it still falls on deaf ears with a lot of folks. That's because there's an underlying assumption that the West are the "good guys" (who, admittedly, make a few mistakes now and then). This idea is so baked into the culture that people's brains just basically shut down when it comes to talking about things like NATO.
Hollywood and mainstream media constantly reinforce this idea, it's true.
I keep asking: how much more insanity and murder must we watch before we take to the streets? My grandchildren are at risk for the draft! People roll their eyes and tell me vote blue no matter who. I refuse to hold my nose at the ballot box again, and will vote Green Party. I'm not sure what the specific path to expat is, but it is certainly on my radar. Maybe this time the draft dodgers will exile to Mexico. And thanks to the commenter about the Canadian trucker protesters and their bank accounts being frozen! We have well and truly entered Orwell world. 🥺💔
Oh, it's coming. Easier to start the conscription now before the war starts and the body bags start to come home.
I hope Gen Z and the parents and grandparents who love them do all they can to prevent this and stop the wars and genocide.
Yes and it’s not too early to teach the need and possibility of our young being educated in applying early for Consciousness Objection to the draft!
Good luck. Anyway, freeze thr bank accounts of those who don't comply. Try living in the EU without a bank account.
This is basically what caused the Canadian trucker protests to fold. Dissenters will come to heel rather quickly.
Thanks for itemizing this for anyone still living under a rock. And for all of us this should be a wake-up call that our politicians are mad with their lust for power and war. You know my candidate who wants us all to snap out of our coma and demand peace for everyone @jillstein2024.
You're welcome, Yvonne. I'm glad you're voting for Jill Stein.
It's really worrying all this warmongering. I notice that the proposed conscription would apply to men between 18 and 26. This sort of instrumentatlision of male bodies also took place in the British Empire at the beginning of the 20th century. Military conscription was preceded by collecting teenagers into Boy Scouts, which were far from the harmless playful organisation that later versions may evoke for some. Boy Scouts were founded by Coloner Robert Baden-Powell, who styled himself "the Wolf that Never Sleeps" after his battles in the Boer Wars. The purpose of Boy Scouts was, according to the founder: "virility, discipline, love of nature, Christianity, patriotism,
imperialism." Toxic masculinity was the guiding principle of these groups, taking boys from their childhood and turning them into warriors with disregard for human life and the rights of Others. Baden-Powell claimed that they must be taught how to become men because boys were prone to "feminine weakness" if left to their own devices. In my work I argued that such anxieties about the male body were partly caused by the growing suffragettes' struggle for the rights of women including their first victories in the right to vote at that time. The parallels with our time (in the causes of women's rights, queer movements and native peoples' rights) are striking. And it's really worrying that this sort of militarisation preceded a major war, WW1.
I also find this worrying and troubling.
It's never made sense to me, though, that others gaining rights should be threatening to men.
I agree, from the perspective of equality and fairness it does not make sense. But male elites in power want not only to retain power but increase it at the expense of other groups. Thus they are anxious about losing it and will start blaming and attacking marginalized groups and fashion scapegoats in order to avoid sharing power with them. We are witnessing this in the rise of the right here in Europe (including the UK), especially attacks on migrants and queer people. It seems USA has plenty of examples to offer, as you have shown in your posts. It always strikes me that no President of the USA was ever a woman, though Hilary Clinton won a majority of the total votes (but not electoral ones)
I am exactly in this position. The recent election of the EU parliament was the first time I could vote - and I voted for the party I think will do the least damage in future.
However, I still think voting is important - not because I believe we will achieve any sort of radical change this way but because the level of repression that will be enforced will vary depending on who’s in office - at least sorta in the EU.
I don’t vote because I believe that’s how we create a just world for everyone but to decrease the harm done in the meantime.
Yes, I too was pleased to have voted in that particular election when I learned the results. Not voting, right now, often means making way for harmful developments.
It’s a terrible situation. Seeing your artwork at the end of your article is healing. Thank you, Diana.
Couldn't agree more Diana. At 20 I had to go in the conscription ballot for service in Vietnam, which by then was clearly a totally unjust and unnecessary war. Luckily my name didn't come up, but a couple of people in my year at uni were not so lucky and suffered greatly for the dubious privilege of serving their country in an unjust war.
Trying to find someone to vote for is a big problem, but the more public pushback the better, and if it can get some momentum it does help.
So, great post. Please keep writing and sharing and encouraging others! 😎👍😎
Wow. Exactly! Takes off at the very ending of a most MUST watch You Tube interview of great Owen an experienced online UK journalist and Saintly Gideon Levy Israeli head of Haaretz//The Latest! Plz some of you take a listen so we might discuss:)!
Macron has already played into the hands of the far right (again!) This time introducing "Universal National Service in 2019, which enables young people to volunteer for a month and serve their country. The government is now considering making this compulsory for all French nationals aged 15-17." The so-called light version is a moral admission on Macron's part that the idea apparently makes sense (which it does, but only as purely volunteer.)
You have no idea how relieved I was when my youngest turned 26. My children are all out of draft age assuming they don’t change the ages. I keep telling my friends with draft age children, and they laugh at me. Maybe it’s too hard to face.
Which European countries are talking about reintroducing conscription? Provide links, please, instead of making such vague statements.
Rishi Sunak has mentioned it, which concerns four nations in which the term "Europe" refers to the EU or the continent. He was widely ridiculed for it. Nobody seemed to think it was serious. English top politicians often say a lot of stuff that has no actual meaning.
There is, however, a general perception of a greater threat from Russia along the EU's eastern border. If you look at a map, you will see why this is so. Russian-fired missiles aimed at Ukraine do appear to have landed in the EU once or twice and particularly Finland has voiced concerns too.
I'm not aware of other countries in the EU talking about conscription, but I may have missed that news. So, please, do tell.
For me, a big concern is the whopping shifts toward the far right that are taking place in this part of the world too now. I so hope that the election in France is not going to make the situation even more precarious.
I really miss the moderating and mediating voice of particularly Angela Merkel.
The links are in the post. Did you not see them?
Hi, sorry, Substack does not function well on my computer. So, no, I initially didn’t see any links.
Also, when I look at them in a browser when I am not logged in, all of my posts and pages show up as set to private. In addition, Substack keeps mixing up publication names/headings and even different publications…
(I seem to remember that when I tried the app on my tablet, that it did not work very well either, but maybe that is what I should do.)
Good luck with that. I have Substack on my laptop and it works just fine.
Good to know. When I used Substack in the past, it also seemed to be working fine.
My response above was right after reading the essay.