Today was the usual Hiroshima Day demonstration at Lockheed Martin, the world’s largest war profiteer and nuclear weapons’ manufacturer. Did my usual Civil Disobedience, although a bit different this time. FIRST, instead of (more…)
August 6, 2014
April 5, 2014
Ethics of War conference at Villanova (and Paul speaks out)
The United States Military Academy at West Point and Villanova University jointly sponsored this two-day Ethics of War conference. The largest group in attendance were West Point cadets.
There were a number of presentations, followed by Q&As. After one presentation in which a cadet said that she had freely given up her autonomous rights when she promised to serve the military in an instrumental capacity, I questioned whether a promise to serve means that you can never change your mind, even if you gain new insights. I noted that military personnel can apply for conscientious objector status, even though (more…)
February 21, 2014
Conscientious Objectors and soldiers both can die in wartime.
Both Conscientious Objectors and soldiers die in wartime. I believe that COs’ sacrifice is the more meaningful. I respect the memory of the many COs I have known, (more…)
January 21, 2014
My biggest accomplishment on Martin Luther King Day? I helped a 94-year-old woman get arrested
Our home in Media is near Annie Geers’ retirement community, so I was able to drive her and be her accompaniment at the Brandywine Peace Community civil disobedience. She fell (from a sitting position), and the police did not want to arrest her (more…)
November 30, 2013
Big Brother on wheels — watching you but ultimately protecting whom/what?
Coming Soon (?) — Big Brother may have watchmen on patrol on your street and my street, as well as your workplace and other destinations, his ever-watching eyes keeping you (or maybe just Big Brother) safe. (more…)
November 17, 2013
Some folks take most of the resources and produce most of the toxins…for how long?
“It (our inaction) is structural, based on the huge obligations we face from aging populations and other pressing needs for infrastructure, education, health care and the like.’ said the U.S. representative at a recent international climate conference. Hmmm, I thought it was the fact that we have by far the largest and most expensive military war-making machine (more…)
November 14, 2013
I confess! I did it! I studied polygraphs and taught others about it in General Psychology.
1) Use of polygraphs was outlawed by our government a few decades ago because of the high error rate, particularly false positives that identified innocent people as likely liars. Significantly, after declaring this, government made an exception for government itself. (more…)
November 11, 2013
Big Brother is watching you
“If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear.” I don’t hide and will speak outright. When the rich and powerful (more…)
October 19, 2013
Princeton Graduate School Alumni Conference — and Paul makes some waves
I wore my “Peace” vest today and it garnered some attention not just for the buttons I wore on the front but particularly for the large OccupyPhilly flag sewn on the back. A few well-honed activists (more…)
September 13, 2013
Reform (gradualism) or Revolution (peaceful, is my goal)
My post in response to Krugman’s NYTimes article:
You suggest “smaller steps” for now.
Well, perhaps anything is better than nothing. Or perhaps not, if just “anything” is offered as the way to a solution. I have reached the conclusion that I would support a peaceful uprising to replace (more…)