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"A working class boy from Illinois sent halfway around the world to kill a young farmer. How did we get here? How did this crazy war economy come to be?" (Photo: Philip Lederer)
It's Time to Transform the War Economy
The Poor People's Campaign offers an antidote to a poisoned and militarized culture that has perverted the national agenda.
Mar 21, 2018
This piece is adapted from a speech given by Brock McIntosh at a mass meeting for the Poor People's Campaign.
I'm here to speak to you today about one of Dr. King's triple evils: militarism. As an Afghanistan War veteran, I'd like to highlight an aspect of his warning about militarism, when he said, "This way of... injecting poisonous drugs of hate into the veins of peoples normally humane... cannot be reconciled with wisdom, justice and love."
I'd like to tell you all about the precise moment I realized there was poison in me. I'm the child of a nurse and a factory worker in the heartland of Illinois, the family of blue-collar and service workers. At the height of the Iraq War, military recruiters at my high school attracted me with sign up bonuses and college assistance that some saw as their ticket out--for me, I hoped it was my ticket up, providing opportunities that once felt out of reach.
Two years later, when I was 20 years old, I was standing over the body of a 16-year-old Afghan boy. A roadside bomb he was building prematurely detonated. He was covered in shrapnel and burns, and now lay sedated after having one of his hands amputated by our medics. His other hand had the calloused roughness of a farmer or a shepherd.
As he lay there with a peaceful expression, I studied the details of his face and caught myself rooting for him. 'If this boy knew me,' I thought, 'he wouldn't want to kill me.' And here I am, supposed to want to kill him. And feeling bad that I wanted him to live. That is the poisoned mind. That is the militarized mind. And all the opportunities afforded me by the military can't repay the cost of war on my soul. It is poor folks who carry the burden of war for the elites who send them.
A working class boy from Illinois sent halfway around the world to kill a young farmer. How did we get here? How did this crazy war economy come to be?
"We need a Poor People's Campaign to amplify the voices of regular folks above the lobby of militarized industry, a poisoned economy, to demand jobs in industries other than war-making, to demand opportunities for working class folks that don't require killing other working class folks."
First, there is the demand. A society that feels perpetually threatened perpetually prepares for wars, even in times of peace. To do this requires a military-industrial complex, a vast war economy whose charters, profits, stocks, and jobs depend on permanent militarization and whose fortune prospers most in times of war. Corporations have political influence, and so do constituents who need the jobs.
Second, there is the supply. A nation that wants to attract volunteers to its military and care for veterans provides opportunities that allure recruits who are predominantly working class folks with limited opportunities.
We need a Poor People's Campaign to amplify the voices of regular folks above the lobby of militarized industry, a poisoned economy, to demand jobs in industries other than war-making, to demand opportunities for working class folks that don't require killing other working class folks.
We need a Poor People's Campaign to demand justice for people of color killed by a militarized police force, a poisoned law enforcement.
We need a Poor People's Campaign to transform a militarized politics, a poisoned Congress and a poisoned White House, that proves their toughness with chest beating and unites their base with war drumming.
The Poor People's Campaign offers an antidote to a poisoned and militarized culture. War always has a way of distracting our attention, and perverting our priorities. We need a Poor People's Campaign to organize for racial, economic, and ecological justice; to force these issues to the front; and rectify our nation's agenda.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
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Brock Mcintosh
Brock McIntosh served 8 years in the Army National Guard as a combat MP, including a tour in Afghanistan from 2008 to 2009. He is a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War and has been involved in numerous veteran support and advocacy organizations. He is currently a Harry S. Truman Scholar pursuing an MPA at New York University.
This piece is adapted from a speech given by Brock McIntosh at a mass meeting for the Poor People's Campaign.
I'm here to speak to you today about one of Dr. King's triple evils: militarism. As an Afghanistan War veteran, I'd like to highlight an aspect of his warning about militarism, when he said, "This way of... injecting poisonous drugs of hate into the veins of peoples normally humane... cannot be reconciled with wisdom, justice and love."
I'd like to tell you all about the precise moment I realized there was poison in me. I'm the child of a nurse and a factory worker in the heartland of Illinois, the family of blue-collar and service workers. At the height of the Iraq War, military recruiters at my high school attracted me with sign up bonuses and college assistance that some saw as their ticket out--for me, I hoped it was my ticket up, providing opportunities that once felt out of reach.
Two years later, when I was 20 years old, I was standing over the body of a 16-year-old Afghan boy. A roadside bomb he was building prematurely detonated. He was covered in shrapnel and burns, and now lay sedated after having one of his hands amputated by our medics. His other hand had the calloused roughness of a farmer or a shepherd.
As he lay there with a peaceful expression, I studied the details of his face and caught myself rooting for him. 'If this boy knew me,' I thought, 'he wouldn't want to kill me.' And here I am, supposed to want to kill him. And feeling bad that I wanted him to live. That is the poisoned mind. That is the militarized mind. And all the opportunities afforded me by the military can't repay the cost of war on my soul. It is poor folks who carry the burden of war for the elites who send them.
A working class boy from Illinois sent halfway around the world to kill a young farmer. How did we get here? How did this crazy war economy come to be?
"We need a Poor People's Campaign to amplify the voices of regular folks above the lobby of militarized industry, a poisoned economy, to demand jobs in industries other than war-making, to demand opportunities for working class folks that don't require killing other working class folks."
First, there is the demand. A society that feels perpetually threatened perpetually prepares for wars, even in times of peace. To do this requires a military-industrial complex, a vast war economy whose charters, profits, stocks, and jobs depend on permanent militarization and whose fortune prospers most in times of war. Corporations have political influence, and so do constituents who need the jobs.
Second, there is the supply. A nation that wants to attract volunteers to its military and care for veterans provides opportunities that allure recruits who are predominantly working class folks with limited opportunities.
We need a Poor People's Campaign to amplify the voices of regular folks above the lobby of militarized industry, a poisoned economy, to demand jobs in industries other than war-making, to demand opportunities for working class folks that don't require killing other working class folks.
We need a Poor People's Campaign to demand justice for people of color killed by a militarized police force, a poisoned law enforcement.
We need a Poor People's Campaign to transform a militarized politics, a poisoned Congress and a poisoned White House, that proves their toughness with chest beating and unites their base with war drumming.
The Poor People's Campaign offers an antidote to a poisoned and militarized culture. War always has a way of distracting our attention, and perverting our priorities. We need a Poor People's Campaign to organize for racial, economic, and ecological justice; to force these issues to the front; and rectify our nation's agenda.
Brock Mcintosh
Brock McIntosh served 8 years in the Army National Guard as a combat MP, including a tour in Afghanistan from 2008 to 2009. He is a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War and has been involved in numerous veteran support and advocacy organizations. He is currently a Harry S. Truman Scholar pursuing an MPA at New York University.
This piece is adapted from a speech given by Brock McIntosh at a mass meeting for the Poor People's Campaign.
I'm here to speak to you today about one of Dr. King's triple evils: militarism. As an Afghanistan War veteran, I'd like to highlight an aspect of his warning about militarism, when he said, "This way of... injecting poisonous drugs of hate into the veins of peoples normally humane... cannot be reconciled with wisdom, justice and love."
I'd like to tell you all about the precise moment I realized there was poison in me. I'm the child of a nurse and a factory worker in the heartland of Illinois, the family of blue-collar and service workers. At the height of the Iraq War, military recruiters at my high school attracted me with sign up bonuses and college assistance that some saw as their ticket out--for me, I hoped it was my ticket up, providing opportunities that once felt out of reach.
Two years later, when I was 20 years old, I was standing over the body of a 16-year-old Afghan boy. A roadside bomb he was building prematurely detonated. He was covered in shrapnel and burns, and now lay sedated after having one of his hands amputated by our medics. His other hand had the calloused roughness of a farmer or a shepherd.
As he lay there with a peaceful expression, I studied the details of his face and caught myself rooting for him. 'If this boy knew me,' I thought, 'he wouldn't want to kill me.' And here I am, supposed to want to kill him. And feeling bad that I wanted him to live. That is the poisoned mind. That is the militarized mind. And all the opportunities afforded me by the military can't repay the cost of war on my soul. It is poor folks who carry the burden of war for the elites who send them.
A working class boy from Illinois sent halfway around the world to kill a young farmer. How did we get here? How did this crazy war economy come to be?
"We need a Poor People's Campaign to amplify the voices of regular folks above the lobby of militarized industry, a poisoned economy, to demand jobs in industries other than war-making, to demand opportunities for working class folks that don't require killing other working class folks."
First, there is the demand. A society that feels perpetually threatened perpetually prepares for wars, even in times of peace. To do this requires a military-industrial complex, a vast war economy whose charters, profits, stocks, and jobs depend on permanent militarization and whose fortune prospers most in times of war. Corporations have political influence, and so do constituents who need the jobs.
Second, there is the supply. A nation that wants to attract volunteers to its military and care for veterans provides opportunities that allure recruits who are predominantly working class folks with limited opportunities.
We need a Poor People's Campaign to amplify the voices of regular folks above the lobby of militarized industry, a poisoned economy, to demand jobs in industries other than war-making, to demand opportunities for working class folks that don't require killing other working class folks.
We need a Poor People's Campaign to demand justice for people of color killed by a militarized police force, a poisoned law enforcement.
We need a Poor People's Campaign to transform a militarized politics, a poisoned Congress and a poisoned White House, that proves their toughness with chest beating and unites their base with war drumming.
The Poor People's Campaign offers an antidote to a poisoned and militarized culture. War always has a way of distracting our attention, and perverting our priorities. We need a Poor People's Campaign to organize for racial, economic, and ecological justice; to force these issues to the front; and rectify our nation's agenda.
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