Reaping the Whirlwind!
“For they sow the wind and reap the whirlwind. (Hosea 8:7)
What we do to the land, the water and air, we do to ourselves. We reap what we sow. Modern day industrial capitalism seeks short term profit with little or no thought to long term consequences. It is finally catching up with us on a global scale. The evidence is crystal clear: climate change with more frequent and intense storms, droughts, wild fires, rising sea levels, global warming, and corporate driven resource wars and pollution of the planet at unprecedented levels.
As I write, Hurricane Ana is bearing down on the Hawaiian Islands. The second tropical storm/hurricane in 3 months. A lava flow is threatening residential communities in the Puna District of Hawaii Island where geothermal energy production has been taking place in utter disregard for the sacred nature of Hawaiian religious beliefs in Pele, the goddess of the Volcano. And Hawaiians are standing in protest of the desecration of their sacred temple – Mauna Kea by TMT – too many telescopes.
One of the least recognized and talked about aspects of “Reaping the Whirlwind” has to do with militarism and war. The U.S. military is the largest single consumer of oil on the planet and the largest emitter of CO2. The U.S. military is the greatest polluter the world has ever known. Examples include vast pollution from chemical, biological, and nuclear weapon production and testing, and the present day use of Depleted Uranium (DU) munitions in warfare. Case in point – modern day Iraq and DU use in Hawaii.
Iraqi doctors call the use of DU munitions in Iraq by U.S. and British military, “Genocide.” In an Oct. 14, 2014 article by reporter Dahr Jamail in Truthout, it’s stated that
“Contamination from depleted uranium (DU) munitions is causing sharp rises in congenital birth defects, cancer cases and other illnesses throughout much of Iraq, according to numerous Iraqi doctors. .Iraqi doctors and prominent scientists believe that DU contamination is also connected to the emergence of diseases that were not previously seen in Iraq, such as new illnesses in the kidney, lungs and liver, as well as total immune system collapse. DU contamination may also be connected to the steep rise in leukemia, renal and anemia cases, especially among children, being reported throughout (Iraq). There has also been a dramatic jump in miscarriages and premature births among Iraqi women, particularly in areas where heavy US military operations occurred, such as Fallujah during 2004, and Basra during the 1991 US war on Iraq. It is estimated that the United States used 350 tons of DU munitions in Iraq during the 1991 war, and 1,200 tons during its 2003 invasion and subsequent occupation.” (See the complete article here http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/26703-iraqi-doctors-call-depleted-uranium-use-genocide)
What about DU use in Hawaii?
The U.S. military has confirmed that DU munitions have been fired at the Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA) on Hawaii island and Schofield Barracks on Oahu and possibly other sites. The full extent of DU use remains unknown. The U.S. continues to bomb military sites in Hawaii known to be contaminated with DU – up to 14.8 million live-rounds annually at PTA alone. Without comprehensive testing, monitoring, and study of possible effects, the answers to citizen questions remain blowing in the wind.
Stop the Bombing! Stop the Wars! Respect the Sacred!
“We can’t keep on desecrating.”
1. Mourn all victims of violence. 2. Reject war as a solution. 3. Defend civil liberties. 4. Oppose all discrimination, anti-Islamic, anti-Semitic, anti-Hawaiian, etc. 5. Seek peace through justice in Hawai`i and around the world.
Contact: Malu `Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action P.O. Box 489 Kurtistown, Hawai`i 96760.
Phone (808) 966-7622. Email:ja@malu-aina.org http://www.malu-aina.org
Hilo Peace Vigil leaflet (Oct. 17, 2014 – 682nd week) – Friday 3:30-5PM downtown Post Office
