Since the 1990's the US Space Command (soon likely to be transformed into the Space Force) has been saying that America must 'control and dominate space and deny other nations access to space'. The US says that it will be the 'Master of Space'.
Every year since 2001 the Global Network has organized Keep Space for Peace Week in October. Just today I emailed around the first few events that we know have already been scheduled during the protest week. I got a call from one group in Philadelphia and another in California who are also working to set in motion events. My experience over the years of doing this is that individuals and organizations will during the month of September begin making their plans for space week.
This year's events are more crucial than ever as we face the recent Trump proposal to create the 'Space Force'. In our local newspapers, just during the last week, there have been two major articles supporting this proposal which must in the end be approved by Congress.
In the early 1980's when Ronald Reagan came out with his Star Wars proposal it was met with much derision by the mainstream media. But this time around the media has been consolidated into fewer corporate hands. In fact many of the companies inside the military industrial complex have invested their massive war profits since the 1980's into buying up radio, TV and newspapers so currently there is little 'mainstream' critical analysis about the cost and provocative nature of the US desire to dominate space.
The need for public expression against moving the arms race into space - what the Pentagon has said will be the largest industrial project in human history - is needed now more than ever. Much of the public never hears or sees any real opposition to crazy ideas like the Space Force due to this corporate media consolidation thus while citizens might be opposed to the idea they go along with it because they've given up hope of changing any thing - they see or hear of little opposition.
Keep Space for Peace Week (October 6-13) plays an important role in our effort to help enliven the public to speak out against such a historically dangerous proposal to move the arms race into the heavens.
If you organize any event during space week in your community please do let us know so we can add it to the list of actions. At the very least write a letter to the editor of your local corporate owned newspaper and tell them how you feel about the idea.
You can see our space week poster - No Space Force - here
Bruce
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