HomeSocietyConference Against U.S. Foreign Military Bases

Conference Against U.S. Foreign Military Bases

Published on

This past weekend I attended a historic groundbreaking conference in Baltimore, organized by the Coalition Against U.S. Foreign Military Bases. This conference adds a new element to the anti-war movement in the U.S. We aren’t just opposed to the wars, we are opposed to empire itself: the 800 military bases around the world in 80 countries that perpetuates endless war and the policies that follow.

We had panels speaking about different regions of the world: Africa, Asia, South America, Middle East, Europe, NATO, and Environmental Impacts of Military Bases. Each category focuses on the U.S. military impacts of bases in that region or country. You know one thing I didn’t hear during the entire conference? That the U.S. is protecting those countries and regions. In fact, quite the opposite.

Given that it has been said over and over that this conference was the best they have ever been to, I think the reason is because people gave up some of their power to empower the voices of those impacted. The conference could have been just the same ole veteran anti-war organizers giving the same talks, which is no problem because these people know their stuff. Many of them have been doing this for decades and they have so much to offer the younger generation of organizers. But these anti-war veteran activists gave up much of their spotlight and gave that time to people who have been impacted by U.S. military bases and militarism around the world.

People like Retired Col. Ann Wright and ex-CIA analyst Ray McGovern mentioned my work in their talks. Ann even played a video (made by Hanayo Oya and myself) during her presentation. I saw people like Bruce Gagnon give up his speaking slot to me, someone who has only been in the movement a few years. I gave up some of my time to allow Okinawan-Americans to speak about their campaign, Justice For Hiroji Yamashiro (prominent anti-base leader in Okinawa). I saw Phil Wilayto give up his time for a Ukrainian activist to speak. I saw people who live in the empire empower those who are impacted by the empire. A beautiful sign of solidarity and an expansion of what it truly means to be anti-war.

Source

Latest articles

Elmhurst Hospital resident doctors declare victory in historic three-day strike

Home » Health Care » Elmhurst Hospital resident doctors declare victory in historic three-day strike Elmhurst, Queens, New York Following a historic three-day strike, over 160 unionized resident doctors at Elmhurst Hospital, located in a largely immigrant community in Queens, New York, declared victory May 24. Their fight was for pay parity with their nonunionized…

Overrepresented in prisons: LGBTQ2S+ people

This article was originally published in Workers World on May 28, 2021 At every stage in the criminal injustice system, LGBTQ2S+ people are overrepresented, including within the juvenile justice system. Graphic: Tyrone Boucher According to the Prison Policy Initiative, this is true from arrest to sentencing to incarceration to probation to parole: “In 2019, gay,…

On the picket line

Home » U.S. and Canada » On the picket line UAW strike in Ohio Workers at the Clarios auto battery manufacturing plant in Holland, Ohio, went on strike May 10. An overwhelming 98% of the 500 workers at the plant, members of United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 12, voted for the strike since negotiations with…

The Growing War Cost on Our Shoulders, by Manlio Dinucci

by Manlio Dinucci So far, the Ukrainian war has not turned into World War III. Western countries are content with paying for the conflict, whose massive toll in lives they would not put up with at home. However, the cost of this war continues to climb. Voltaire Network | 23 May 2023 On European tours…

More like this

Elmhurst Hospital resident doctors declare victory in historic three-day strike

Home » Health Care » Elmhurst Hospital resident doctors declare victory in historic three-day strike Elmhurst, Queens, New York Following a historic three-day strike, over 160 unionized resident doctors at Elmhurst Hospital, located in a largely immigrant community in Queens, New York, declared victory May 24. Their fight was for pay parity with their nonunionized…

Overrepresented in prisons: LGBTQ2S+ people

This article was originally published in Workers World on May 28, 2021 At every stage in the criminal injustice system, LGBTQ2S+ people are overrepresented, including within the juvenile justice system. Graphic: Tyrone Boucher According to the Prison Policy Initiative, this is true from arrest to sentencing to incarceration to probation to parole: “In 2019, gay,…

On the picket line

Home » U.S. and Canada » On the picket line UAW strike in Ohio Workers at the Clarios auto battery manufacturing plant in Holland, Ohio, went on strike May 10. An overwhelming 98% of the 500 workers at the plant, members of United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 12, voted for the strike since negotiations with…