to mark its 70th birthday. Instead of celebrating NATO's anniversary, a growing
organization is throwing a peace fest to offer alternatives
to the largest military alliance in the world.
While championing peace, NATO has repeatedly violated international law
by bombing Bosnia, Herzegovina, Kosovo, Serbia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Libya.
This is not humanitarianism. Bombs do not champion peace; they kill citizens
(women and children), destroy infrastructure such as bridges, power plants,
and local businesses. World Wars I and II did nothing to stop this from happening
and repeating the same does nothing to break the cycle.
Decades later the Balkan area is still reeling from billions of dollars in damage
and an outbreak of cancer from the 6 tons of uranium bombs dropped in the country
in the 1990's. Princess Diana of Great Britain brought these truths to the forefront
of the world during her visit in the 90's walking around land mines.
The war in this region never obtained the United Nations Authorization.
NATO now accounts for three-quarters of military weapons dealing on the globe.
War is the leading contributor to the growing refugee crisis around the world
as well as a climate crisis. War militarizes the police which is a top cause of the
erosion of civil liberties and a catalyst for racism and bigotry.
April belongs to Martin Luther King and Mother Earth. Instead of saying "happy
birthday" to NATO, celebrate peace to honor Martin Luther King's speech
against war on April 4, 1967 one year before his assassination.
http://www.spiritofmaat.com/messages/oct7/mlk.htm
April is also Earth Day month. Those concerned about Mother Earth and
in favor of a new policy toward the treatment of the earth should also celebrate
by being in Washington and speaking to their representatives about their desires
for better treatment of the earth that sustains us all by doing away with war and
tturning our weapons into "plowshares."
