WWIII Trending On Tax Day -- Coincidence?

It is hardly a coincidence that WW3 is the top trending term on Twitter this morning in conjunction with U.S. citizens being forced to pony up an average of $1,748 each to line the pockets of the Pentagon's contractors. That figure is just part of the $5,109 the average taxpayer spent on militarism in 2023.

WW3 is trending ostensibly because Iran finally launched direct attacks on Israel's ability to continue waging genocide in Gaza. What's that have to do with U.S. taxpayers?

Israel receives at least $3.8 billion every year, and considerably more in 2023-24 since it began carpet bombing and starving Gaza. It is the wealthiest and also largest recipient of U.S. military "aid" over time, and could not continue the violent occupation and subjugation of Palestinians without U.S. support.

Here in Maine we came together last Saturday in Brunswick to demand an end to U.S. support for Israel and its war crimes. 

Latest in a series of statewide protests with an anti-war and anti-imperialist focus, we joined with Bowdoin Students for Justice in Palestine to march through downtown. Students, kids, dogs, teachers, social workers, and retirees marched before circling up to share our thoughts. At least four people in the group said, I was passing by and saw your signs so I decided to join in. 

Evidence that there is a lot of pent up desire to oppose the war machine and the suffering it creates for profits.

Four thousand miles away, about a dozen folks had a lively discussion yesterday after viewing my webinar on Climate & War (previously shared with UNAC and viewable on YouTube). How to halt climate crisis that is a direct consequence of massive military spending and government captured by billionaires? How to effect a just transition away from harmful forms of energy usage in way that protect rather than penalizes the most vulnerable? 

Electing members of either corporate party was seen as a dead end by this group, Peace Action of San Mateo County. 

General strike, anyone?

People across the U.S. who are able to do so will engage in a tax strike today. 

In addition, here in Maine people will be at the federal building in Bangor to protest how our taxes keep funding genocide in Gaza. 

Others will protest in Portland at a KeyBank branch downtown to highlight that bank's role in selling Israel Bonds.

People everywhere are rising up and there is little the federal government can do about it. 

Rest in power, Aaron Bushnell, who famously said: "I will no longer be complicit in genocide."

ERRATA: Corrected to restore a missing decimal point to the minimum amount Israel receives from the U.S. each year i.e. $3.8 billion.