Manufacturing Consent For Endless War On Climate: Report From Warship Christening

The late Carl Levin looks like a nice guy, doesn't he? When corporate press are fawning over his daughters helping to "christen" a warship named after him, they are helping to manufacture consent for endless war. As chair of the Armed Services Committee, Senator Levin shepherded billions of dollars in spending on war and weapons. The blood of millions of civilians including children is on his hands, but you'd never know it from this bland corporate messaging at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works shipyard in Maine.

The banner displays a special crest dedicated to his accomplishments, including imagery that evokes the Great Lakes, which Levin fought to protect as senator from Michigan.

Ironically, the USS Levin will simply continue to contribute to the negative impacts of climate change on the Great Lakes.

All photos by Martha Spiess

The system of lakes have seen increasingly lower water levels and reduced ice cover due to elevated temperatures, and this has had a negative impact on Michigan’s economy. 

What's to celebrate?

When we gathered in Bath on October 2, I spoke about how consent for endless war and endless weapons programs gets manufactured.

Here is a video of our program with an index to the speakers, thanks to Martha Spiess of Peace Action Maine:

Their warship remembered the late Carl Levin, but our protest remembered the late Peter Woodruff. A BIW worker who organized for conversion at the shipyard, Peter was a steady presence outside the gates after his retirement due to neurological injuries from inhaling metal particles for many years. He is sorely missed -- a gentle, kind man and tireless organizer with the wisdom to oppose warmongering as a jobs program.

INDEX for video

02:   Bruce Gagnon, Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space
16:   Rosalie Paul, Peaceworks of Greater Brunswick

22:  Dud Hendrick, Maine Veterans for Peace

30:  Mare Honan, ordained UCC minister

34:  Bill Bliss, ordained UCC minister
38:  Mary Beth Sullivan, social work supervisor
45:  Lisa Savage, Maine Natural Guard

56:  Nancy Galland, Conversion Campaign
59:  Closing

What to do?

Sign up to learn more about the climate impacts of militarism and militarized space programs later this month. 

https://peaceactionme.org/events/how-the-pentagon-fuels-climate.html