TPNW: The treaty that in the U.S. dare not speaks its name

Sunday, September 26, could be an historic day for mankind to step back from the brink of nuclear destruction. The UN celebrates it as The International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. It stems from the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), the worldwide UN treaty that prohibits “the development, testing, production, stockpiling, stationing, transfer, use and threat of use of nuclear weapons, as well as assistance and encouragement to the prohibited activities.” It is the first legally binding international agreement to comprehensively prohibit nuclear weapons with the ultimate goal being their total elimination.

Should a nuclear armed state ratify, it provides for a time-bound framework for negotiations leading to the verified and irreversible elimination of it nuclear weapons program.

The UN ratified TPNW 122-1 on July 7, 2017. It required ratification by 50 countries to become effective. That occurred January 22, 2021, 90 days after 50th ratifier Honduras, inked its approval. Six more countries have ratified since. Thirty-six other signatories are awaiting ratification.

Alas, TPNW is only binding on countries that ratify. The U.S., all other 8 nuclear powers and all the non-nuclear NATO nations boycotted the Treaty negotiations at the UN, and refused to sign onto or ratify it after its UN passage. The U.S. and its nuclear compatriots are now international outliers in the effort to prevent Nuclear Winter. Instead of leading the cause of denuclearization, the U.S. is leading in nuclear proliferation

U.S military, the nuclear weapons makers, the national security establishment, all current and former presidents and most congresspersons oppose U.S. treaty membership. That makes U.S. denuclearization a daunting task. So powerful is the effort to prevent the U.S. from joining in, U.S. media has largely ignored it; hence its sobriquet ‘The Treaty That Dare Not Speak Its Name.’

But a tiny congressional faction of 11, led by DC Representative Eleanor Norton, has proposed a law in 2019, “The Nuclear Weapons Abolition and Economic and Energy Conversion Act of 2019” requiring the U.S. to join.

September 26 is a day that every American should be aware of and demand their congresspersons sign on to Rep. Norton’s bill for America to join TPNW. Instead of the treaty that dare not speaks its name, TPNW should be the law of the land.

750 overseas bases not enough for Uncle Sam

Our dear ol’ Uncle Sam can’t get enough military bases even tho they exceed 750 in 80 countries (not including the ones we don’t know about.

Since the end of WWII when America became the strongest country ever, he’s been collecting military bases faster than William Randolph Hearst collected art treasures for Sam Simeon.

Seventy-six years after defeating Germany and Japan, America still has 119 bases in those now allies. The combined military bases of the UK, France, Russia and Turkey total only 200, less than a third of the U.S.

But while we’ve encircled our 21st century imaginary rival China with numerous bases, China has the staggering worldwide total of just…5.

America squanders $55 billion yearly to maintain those 750 bases. That’s more than the budget of our entire State Department, clearly demonstrating the U.S. prefers military bluster to diplomacy.

U.S. military bases likely do more harm than good in protecting the homeland. They block the spread of democracy in 38 non-democratic nations as we help maintain the status quo there to ensure their safety. They do environmental harm, damage America’s reputation among the masses by their very presence, create crime; even were part of the motivation for the 911 attacks.

But rather than shedding this utter waste of valuable treasure, Uncle Sam is on a buying spree, teaming up with Far East ally Australia to develop 4 new bases in Northern Australia against this decades’ bête noir China. Australian National Home Affairs Secretary Mike Pezzullo warned “The drums of war were beating amid growing tensions on the global stage."

When Citizen Hearst was going bankrupt during the Depression, his creditors forced him to auction off his 15,000 piece art collection. It took up two floors of a New York department store. Alas, there are no U.S. creditors powerful enough, and no department store big enough to force Uncle Sam to begin liquidating his collection of military bases spread out over 80 countries on 6 continents.

The ‘drums of war’ may be beating, but it’s Uncle Sam’s pounding on them like a frenzied Gene Krupa.

• 
  

Benet Academy chancellor Abbot Austin Murphy sure is deeply troubled

When it comes to navigating the Catholic Church into the 21st century of moral enlightenment, high ranking church officials keep rowing in the opposite direction.

Benet Academy’s school board quickly reversed their tone deaf decision to withdraw the coaching offer to a superb candidate when they discovered she was gay, after over 4,000 students, alums and parents demanded her hiring. The board cruelly withdrew the job offer without explanation to the candidate or the Benet community.

But just a week later, Benet chancellor Abbot Austin Murphy of St. Procopius Abbey, which founded and helps run the Lisle, IL school, issued a statement saying he was “deeply troubled” the hiring decision raises the question of whether the public lives of Catholic school employees should follow the church's moral teaching. He’s decided to pray for spiritual guidance on how to proceed.

Apparently, Chancellor Murphy hasn’t gotten the message that the vast majority of practicing Catholics; indeed all Americans, have moved on from the dark days of fear and loathing of homosexuality.

He does, however, realize he’s on thin ice with the direction of Catholicism and religion in general stating, "Disagreements about the morality of homosexual acts should not be construed as hate."

It’s not hate that concerns those of us disappointed a high ranking Catholic educator would factor one’s sexuality into the hiring process. It’s simply ignorance of human nature and failure to recognize the mission of any religion should be honor, indeed celebrate diversity rather than use it as litmus test to keep talented people from fulfilling their dreams.

Abbot Austin Murphy should be deeply troubled, not about having a gay person coach his lacrosse girls, but by his own deeply flawed approach to judging those he accepts into his community. Let’s hope his prayers lead him to the enlightenment he has so far avoided.

Gov. DeSantis’ George Wallace moment

A news junkie for eight decades now, starting in the Eisenhower 50’s, I’ve come to detect recurring patterns in the great circus of American politics.

The other day I had one of those déjà vu moments, when I heard Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis railing against federally mandated covid restrictions trying to keep U.S. covid deaths under a million. DeSantis gave a carefully scripted announcement telling the feds, “If you come after the rights of parents in Florida…I’m standing in your way”. “If you come…” repeated 3 times with slightly different variations on the ‘feds are evil, states are supreme’ demagoguery.

The memory chip in my brain transported me back to June 11, 1963, when a 20th century demagogue actually did stand between the feds, trying to integrate the University of Alabama, and Alabama’s lily white university. That was Alabama Gov. George Wallace, who knew his school house door theatrics would fail but were designed to solidify his support from his all white Alabama base.

Likewise for Gov. DeSantis, who also bears an eerie likeness and sound to his 20th century mentor. Wallace parlayed his white populist appeal to a surprising run for the presidency in 1968, garnering nearly 10 million votes (13.6%) and 46 electoral votes in 6 southern states. Outside the South, Wallace made strong showings in white working class enclaves in the North. Wallace looked to increase his popularity outside the South in ’72 till struck down by Arthur Bremer’s attempted assassination May 15 while campaigning.

DeSantis’ demagoguery is getting the Floridians he’s sworn to protect, infected, some of whom die. But there is not a hint of remorse as he rolls out his pledge to stand between Uncle Sam and their health. He clearly has a loftier ambition than their welfare…the GOP presidential nod in ’24. But DeSantis has a problem. For those of us tortured listening to both, he’s no George Wallace. He’s not even a Donald Trump.

October 7 another Day of Infamy?

This Thursday, October 7 marks the 20th anniversary of America’s perpetual wars when we attacked Afghanistan following the September 11 attacks.

Our mission there was to bomb the terrorist camps and get out, not invade and take over the entire country. A further mission was to follow the numerous ties of the terrorist network involved to their source, Saudi Arabia, and hold them accountable.

But instead, we gave Saudi Arabia a complete pass so thorough we suppressed for years 28 pages in the Congressional 911 report that connected the Saudis to the attacks. Relatives of 911 victims suing the Saudis continue to be stonewalled by the U.S. government.

The Bush Administration, in a deadly sleight of hand, pivoted from Saudi Arabia, an ally against perceived enemy Iran, and our best weapons customer, to launching perpetual wars against much of the Middle East and Africa perceived as our enemies. Afghanistan, Iraq, were invaded with hundreds of thousands of troops. Libya, Syria, Pakistan, as well as Yemen and Niger in Africa were subjected to bombing by planes and drones. Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria have all been turned into failed states from America’s Day of Infamy.

Our frenzy for endless war was so self-destructive and deceitful, we supported, even armed forces connected to anti American terrorists to change out regimes in Libya and Syria.

All of this was immoral, illegal and criminal. It has killed over a million needlessly, including 7,000 Americans. It has injured or displaced millions, adding to a worldwide refugee crisis. It has squandered trillions in treasure critically needed to alleviate monumental problems at home.

This October 7, the 20th in America’s era of perpetual wars, is for me a Day of Infamy. In a bitter irony, it is not infamous from an attack on America such as at Pearl Harbor in 1941, but from America’s 20 yearlong attack on the Middle East and Africa.

But it doesn’t have to be. The nationwide peace community, led by the Ban Killer Drones network proposes to observe October 7, 2021 as "A Day of Atonement", a day to repent for the war crimes of our government and military in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere around the world.

It calls for an end to drone bombing strikes everywhere, particularly in Afghanistan which America has pledged to continue using ‘over the horizon’ bases in neighboring countries. Upwards of 90% of all deaths from such strikes are innocent civilians, such as the 10, including 7 kids, obliterated by a U.S. drone strike in Kabul August 29.

Forces such as weapons makers, military careerists, congressional hawks, and pro war media are ferocious in their efforts to keep October 7 a Day of Infamy. That requires every American of peace and goodwill to work as vigorously to make October 7 instead, a Day of Atonement.

What if it were firecrackers that killed 12 and injured 49 last weekend in Chicago?

 What if it were firecrackers that killed 12 and injured 49 last weekend in Chicago?

Last weekend was a bloodbath on Chicago’s mean streets. Sixty-one were shot, 12 of whom died. While that number is staggering, it is not much higher than the weekend carnage week after week, year after year. It barely made a ripple in the news.

But imagine those 61 persons were all killed or injured by fireworks, both legal and illegal. There would probably be a massive public outcry. Political leaders would rush to regulate the sale and availability of fireworks causing such carnage. Safeguards would be implemented. There would be consensus on the urgent need to reduce the violence.

Yet, 52 weeks a year, the carnage from more lethal deadly instruments, guns, piles up with barely a whimper and without an iota of action by local, state and federal officials. The gun and ammo makers, supported by their millions of 2nd Amendments zealots, have bought up all 50 state legislatures and Congress with money and fear, ensuring nothing will be done.

The daily, weekly, annual death and injury toll is a testament to the power of inhumane capitalism and institutional racism to maintain the endless supply of millions of guns and billions of bullets flooding minority areas, anxious to be used.

But it was not firecrackers, it was guns that shredded the bodies of 61 Chicagoans last weekend, many if not most, poor, vulnerable minorities. As a result, the daily weekday shootings that kill and injure, will spike again beginning at 6:00 PM this Chicago Friday, incurring another horrific toll this weekend.

And like the previous hundreds, thousands of weekends….nothing will be done.