Organizing Notes

Bruce Gagnon is coordinator of the Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space. He offers his own reflections on organizing and the state of America's declining empire....

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Location: Brunswick, ME, United States

The collapsing US military & economic empire is making Washington & NATO even more dangerous. US could not beat the Taliban but thinks it can take on China-Russia-Iran...a sign of psychopathology for sure. @BruceKGagnon

Saturday, October 30, 2021

Take a ride on the BAM

 


We have all heard of the Trans-Siberian, Russia's mega train journey that crosses Siberia as it skirts the Chinese border. But few have heard of the even more impressive B.A.M ( Baikal Amur Mainline ) which passes through virgin forest in the middle of Siberia. 

Built in the 1970s by young communists, the BAM is the greatest construction project of the 20th Century. And yet it is unknown in the West.

I [Benjamin] decided to go and ride this unknown journey across northern Siberia and speak to the people who came to build it. 

Join me as we ride 'The Bam'! 

The journey route: Tayshet-Severobaykalsk-Novi Uoyan-Tinda

Help the GN: New Hoodies, Long sleeves and Tees - many colors


 

New colors - Long sleeves, Hoodies and T-shirts now available. 

Help the Global Network raise funds and share our message for peace in space!

Check them all out at Bonfire - just click here

Friday, October 29, 2021

F-you!


The Australien [mis-spelling intentional by authors] Government has made an ad for the COP26 UN Climate Summit, and it’s surprisingly honest and informative. 

Thursday, October 28, 2021

The Push for Nukes in Space

 

Journalism Professor Karl Grossman (New York) has long written about the dangers of nuclear power in space in order to bring that issue to public attention.

Karl and I have worked together since at least early 1989 when NASA was launching the Galileo space probe powered by on-board plutonium-238 generators. At that time I was coordinating the Florida Coalition for Peace & Justice and we led a campaign to oppose that launch.

We organized national/international campaigns against similar nuclear space missions prior to the launches of Ulysses (1990) and Cassini (1997). And a couple efforts to halt launches of nuclear powered Mars Rovers.

In 1998 I left the Florida Coalition (which was instrumental in creating the Global Network in 1992) so that I could work full-time on the space issue. For some years I coordinated both groups - but it was clear that the Space Command and nuclear industry were rapidly accelerating their devious programs as the US declared it was going to be the Master of Space.

Karl just had another article published at CounterPunch entitled The Push for Nukes in Space.  It is far too long to put here so I've placed below my words that Karl ran in the piece. Just click on the link in the title to see the rest of Karl's ground-breaking story.

See info about past space nuclear accidents here.

 


There were no witnesses invited to the hearing who are critical of the use of nuclear power in space. Gagnon has been coordinator of the Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space since its formation in 1992. Based in Maine, it is the leading international organization opposing the use of nuclear power in space through protests, an annual “Space for Peace Week” and lawsuits through the years.

Said Gagnon: “The recent testimonies by aerospace industry operatives before the House Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics were quite telling. But even more so were the opening statements by committee co-chairs, both Democrats, who hail from the heavily space-oriented states of Virginia and Texas. Both committee chairs Don Beyer (VA) and Bernice Johnson (TX) enthusiastically endorsed the proposal to continue spending hundreds of millions of dollars annually toward preparation of nuclear reactor flight tests in space.”

“The logic behind this dangerous ‘field test’ is to prepare to send nuclear-powered rockets to Mars,” said Gagnon. “Ostensibly these plans are to protect the ‘safety of our astronauts’ by reducing their exposure to in-space radiation with ‘shorter trips’ to the red planet because nuclear rockets would cut in half the travel time. This is very telling as concern over the safety of a couple of astronauts ‘trumps’ the safety of the Department of Energy workers who will be fabricating these space nuclear devices.”

“We know that over the years the U.S. Department of Energy has a terrible track record of worker and community contamination during these space nukes fabrication processes. One example is the 244 cases of worker contamination at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico while building the plutonium generators for the 1997 Cassini space probe,” said Gagnon.

“In addition, this concern over astronaut safety also ‘trumps’ the safety of all life on Earth as plans call for the testing of these nuclear rocket engines just over our heads in space,” he said.

“During the testimony of several aerospace industry executives at the hearing they admitted that current regulations that oversee ground testing of these reactors are ‘too restrictive’ because they require the capture and processing of ‘radiologic sources’ in order to ‘reduce contamination.’ Thus, with no regulation of testing in space the powerful alliance of aerospace and nuclear industry is asking Congress to give them a free pass,” Gagnon said.

“We’ve known for years that virtually every space mission that NASA flies is ‘dual use’—meaning that it serves two masters—civilian and military. During the committee hearing it was acknowledged that DARPA [the U.S. military’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency] has its own nuclear propulsion project for ‘national security interests’. This indicates that this proposed space nuke testing program will benefit the Pentagon’s goal to create space nuclear reactors for military operations in space.”

“The ultimate lesson here,” said Gagnon, “is that the nuclear industry views space as a new market for nuclear rockets, nuclear-powered rovers on Mars, and nuclear-powered mining colonies on the planetary bodies. Concern from Congress about impacts for life on planet Earth? Not one word in that regard was expressed in the hearing”

“If NASA wants to travel into space, then use solar power. There are ample examples of current successful solar missions into deep space,” he said.

“Let’s slow this run-away freight train down and let the public know about, and comment on, these dangerous plans to nuclearize space,” said Gagnon.

 

No NATO training base!

 


In Montenegro, NATO is trying to install a military training base on top of the traditional lands (and UNESCO Biosphere Reserve) of over 250 active pastoral families of Sinjajevina that have no way to defend themselves from such a giant, if it is not through the broadest international help and support possible. 

Italy is one of the six countries who participated in the inauguration of the military ground in September 2020 and therefore directly responsible in supporting such a barbarity. 

This is part of the US-NATO pivot toward Russia. 

The local people have put their bodies in the way and prevented military exercises on their land -- an amazing victory! The movement was awarded the War Abolisher of 2021 Award. But they need our help to make their success permanent and end all efforts to build a NATO military base or training area in Montenegro. Please sign the petition!

Message to EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement; and the Ministry of the Defense of Montenegro

Stand with the local communities of Sinjajevina and the ecosystems they preserve and:
• Ensure the removal of the military training ground in Sinjajevina in a legally binding manner.
• Create a protected area in Sinjajevina co-designed and co-governed by local communities

SAVE SINJAJEVINA’S NATURE AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES! 

SIGN THE PETITION!  https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/save-sinjajevinas-nature-and-local-ccommunities/

Putin on Ukraine, NATO & Pentagon missile deployments near Russia

 


Russian President Vladimir Putin: Formal NATO membership may never happen for Ukraine, but military expansion on the territory is already underway, and this really poses a threat to Russia. 

Putin reviews US deployment of 'Aegis Ashore' missile launch systems in Romania and Poland.  They can fire either 'interceptor missiles' or first-strike attack nuclear-capable Tomahawk cruise missiles that fly below radar.

How is Russia to respond?

How would Washington respond if Putin was basing similar systems in Canada or Mexico?



Wednesday, October 27, 2021

Jabbing away....

 


Jabbing away,
now the kids
lining up 
to take a shot,
young ones
who are more immune
from the ravages of covid 

Why?

We hear
more and more
that those who
willingly took the jab
are getting the virus
and now need 
a booster,
and probably another one
six months later....

For how long
will that go on?

I admit
I am suspicious
of the intentions
of big pharma

I must also admit
I never forgot that
former prez
George H. W. Bush,
after the White House,
joined the board of
Eli Lilly and Company,
big pharma corp

My point?
 
I believe
these corporations
have a political
agenda,
an agenda that just 
might benefit
by having
a former prez
(especially one 
who ran the CIA)
on the board
 
That is just one case
among many other 
such examples
 
I am certain
 
Bruce

Evidence of war crimes against people of Donbass in Eastern Ukraine

 


GRAPHIC CONTENT

Evidence of war crimes against people of Donbass in Eastern Ukraine by the US installed government in Kiev, Ukraine in 2014.

Filmed 10/08/2021   

By Russell Bentley

I recently witnessed the exhumation of human remains from a mass grave that contains more than 200 bodies. It was a profoundly disturbing experience. 

Each body in this grave represents an unnecessary and unjust death, a murder, and each of these more than 200 murders can never be forgotten or forgiven. There is a message that cries out from these bones that must be heard and understood, and acted upon by all good people in the world. 

Otherwise, history will repeat itself, and again, the killers and the killing will continue, and more mass graves will be filled. 

Click twice: Be sure to click a second time to see this important video on YouTube.

Tuesday, October 26, 2021

Where is the justice for Julian Assange?

 


Just after the bombshell revelations about the CIA plot to kidnap and assassinate WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange while he sought political asylum in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, the Progressive International comes to London with the first physical Belmarsh Tribunal. 

The intervention comes ahead of Assange’s extradition proceedings, which are set to continue in London’s High Court from 27 to 28 October 2021. 

Featuring:
 
0:00 Srecko Horvat (moderator)  
8:03 Tariq Ali  
14:17 Selay Ghaffar  
18:17 Jeremy Corbyn  
26:59 Eyal Weizman 
32:36 Apsana Begum  
38:50 Özlem Demirel MEP  
43:36 John McDonnell MP  
49:07 Yanis Varoufakis Greek MP 
 54:08 Heike Hänsel German MP  
59:04 Richard Burgon UK MP  
1:04:47 Video in evidence  
1:08:10 Ewen McCaskill  
1:14:14 Scott Ludlam  
1:17:20 Deepa Govindarajan Driver  
1:24:30 Renata Ávila  
1:30:26 Stefania Maurizi  
1:38:39 Rafael Correa  
1:44:03 Annie Machon  
1:50:15 Daniel Ellsberg  
1:55:35 Stella Moris 
 2:03:18 Ben Wizner 
 2:08:54 Edward Snowden 
 2:18:09 Coming Events  
2:20:29  Eyal Weizman  
2:21:20  CLOSING – Tariq Ali. 

History lesson: What do you know about Palau?

 


The Making of a Nuclear Free Palau produced by The Ecological Options Network.

In 1984 during my first trip to Japan for the August 6-9 Hiroshima & Nagasaki commemoration events I saw this film one evening during a film showing that was part of the peace conference I attended.

The story is basically about the US government forcing the residents of the small Pacific island of Palau to allow US nukes there even though Palau had declared itself a 'Nuclear Free Zone'.

One scene that has stayed with me over the years is then President Ronald Reagan beaming into the humble island homes of residents on Palau. How is that for imperial reach?

I'll let you watch the film to see the context in which Reagan was trying to persuade the citizens of Palau.

Needless to say I am thrilled to see this film again and share it with others.

It's an important history lesson and informs us as the US-NATO attempt to militarily encircle China and Russia in the Pacific region.

Bruce

Monday, October 25, 2021

For Biden's eyes......

 

 

Prez. Biden was in Baltimore for a town hall last Friday. His entourage drove by this banner within 10 feet so he probably saw it.

Dick Ochs
Baltimore, Maryland

Gun battles, civil war in America?

 


Russell Brand speaks with #TimPool on my Under the Skin podcast - in it Tim describes how the US have already entered into a psychological civil war! 

Divide and conquer is well underway in the land of the free.

You can listen to the rest of my podcast with Tim Pool on Apple Podcasts here: http://apple.co/russell

Sunday, October 24, 2021

Sunday song

 


 

License To Kill

Man thinks 'cause he rules the earth he can do with it as he please
And if things don't change soon, he will
Oh, man has invented his doom
First step was touching the moon.

Now there's a woman on my block
She just sit there as the night grows still
She say who gonna take away his license to kill ?

Now, they take him and they teach him and they groom him for life
And they set him on a path where he's bound to get ill
Then they bury him with stars
Sell his body like they do used cars.

Now, there's a woman on my block
She just sit there facing the hill
She say who gonna take away his license to kill ?

Now, he's hell-bent for destruction, he's afraid and confused
And his brain has been mismanaged with great skill
All he believe are his eyes
And his eyes, they just tell him lies.

But there's a woman on my block
Sitting there in a cold chill
She say who gonna take away his license to kill ?

Ya may be a noisemaker, spirit maker
Heartbreaker, backbreaker
Leave no stone unturned
May be an actor in a plot
That might be all that you got
'Til your error you clearly learn.

Now he worships at an altar of a stagnant pool
And when he sees his reflection, he's fulfilled
Oh, man is opposed to fair play
He wants it all and he wants it his way.

Now, there's a woman on my block
She just sit there as the night grows still
She say who gonna take away his license to kill ?