Malu 'Aina

The Cost of Empire:

Fund More Wars?

      It’s tax time and the war drums are beating. It’s time to remind ourselves that nearly 50 cents out of every U.S. income tax dollar is war related. This, despite government tricks to distort the military portion downward by including social security trust funds into the budget to make the pie look bigger and the military portion smaller. Social security funds are raised and spent separately from income taxes and should not be included in the discretionary budget pie. It should be noted that 80% of the interest on the national debt is war related, and that many average working people pay a higher rate of taxes than big corporations and the super-rich. (For more details on Where Your Income Tax Money Really Goes see www.warresisters.org) How do we fix the deficit. It’s rather simple: End the wars and tax corporations and the rich!

     The cost of Empire is indeed high. The U.S spends as much on its military than all other nations combined. For U.S. Federal Budget 2013 Fiscal Year the figure is $1,355 BILLION. That’s $1 TRILLION 355 BILLION on the U.S. War Machine! The so called U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is the largest consumer of oil in the world. The U.S. empire keeps waging more and more wars for oil and domination disguised as humanitarian missions for freedom and democracy.

      Now Syria and Iran are in the U.S. Empire cross hairs for attack if regime change cannot be achieved through more covert means and the use of surrogates – mercenary terrorists. The U.S. goal is to install client states for the benefit of corporate interests and control of the region as a hedge against Russia and China. The U.S. model for regime change in Syria appears to be Libya, while Iran seems to be headed for a pre-emptive attack by Israel and the U.S. modeled after the “Shock and Awe” attack on Iraq. Massive!

      I would suggest the following articles for more perspective on the situation in Syria:

“Expect War. It’s Coming”By Stephen Lendmanhttp://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article31055.htm
“Bogus ‘Ceasefire’ in Syria as Washington Prepares War Pretext”By Adam Ford  http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article31053.htm

      War! What is it good for? It’s good for military contractors. Follow the money!  Lockheed Martin FY2010 $11 Billion, Northrop Grumman $8 Billion, Boeing $5 Billion. More than 200,000 private contractors, hired by corporations with Pentagon money, carry on what is now called “overseas contingency operations.” Pentagon contracts awarded without competition topped $140 Billion in 2010. Simply put, it’s Wall Street = War Street!

End the Wars!   Tax the Rich!    Resist!

1.  Mourn all victims of violence. 2. Reject war as a solution. 3. Defend civil liberties. 4. Oppose all discrimination, anti-Islamic, anti-Semitic, 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 AB Kurtistown, Hawai’i 96760.
Phone 808-966-7622. Email ja@malu-aina.org  http://www.malu-aina.org
Hilo Peace Vigil leaflet (April 13, 2012 – 551st week) -Friday 3:30-5PM downtown Post Office

GOOD FRIDAY

Modern Day Crucifixion – Drone Wars &

Special Operation – Assassination Squads

       Good Friday in the Christian calendar is the day Jesus was executed by the Roman Empire for the crime of sedition (stirring up the people) in occupied Palestine. For the Occupier and Occupied, crucifixion was up front and personal. Troublemakers were tortured and executed in public places to deter others from stirring up further trouble for the empire.

      The U.S. is today’s global empire with a very slick propaganda machine to disguise its wars of conquest as humanitarian missions. It’s crucifying power operates on a much wider scale but is more stealth and exotic in nature. It tortures people in secret prisons, uses depleted uranium radiation weapons, killer drones named “Predators and Reapers,” and black op hit squads in an endless war for control of resources under the cover of “protecting citizens” and “fighting terrorism.” Empire defines a terrorist as anyone who resists domination by modern day moneychangers called multinational corporations.

     All empires promote myths to serve their interest. A key myth is that violence is a solution to problems, or as Obama says “All options are on the table.” Jesus knew otherwise –that being willing to die, but not to kill, is the way to new life, justice and peace. His witness proved that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of a new movement of non-violent resistance, what others call –the church. For over 200 years, to be a member of this new movement meant you refused to participate in the wars of empire. Thousands were crucified for their refusal and the movement grew by leaps and bounds. Then the Romans got smart. They learned the art of co-opting. They made Christianity the official religion of the empire, put the cross on imperial shields, and got Christians marching off to fight imperial wars.

     What of the U.S. Empire today? After more than 10 years of war in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and possibly soon to be Iran, where are the voices of conscience in our community? Where are the voices speaking out for justice and peace and against war and occupation? How many churches, temples, etc. are speaking out publicly to cut off the war funds and redirect spending to education, health care, and other human needs including military clean up instead of build up in Hawaii. And what about ending the illegal occupation of the Kingdom of Hawaii?

Time to Upset the Moneychangers Tables Again!

Get Stirred Into Action!  Arise From Being Dead!

Become Born Again This Easter!

1. Mourn all victims of violence. 2. Reject war as a solution. 3. Defend civil liberties. 4. Oppose all discrimination, anti-Islamic, anti-Semitic, 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 AB Kurtistown, Hawai`i 96760.
Phone (808) 966-7622.  Email ja@malu-aina.org   http://www.malu-aina.org
Hilo Peace Vigil leaflet (April 6, 2012 – 550th week) – Friday 3:30-5PM downtown Post Office

There are two geothermal items on the Hawaii County Council agenda 4/3/12:

Comm. 646: POWERPOINT PRESENTATION BY MR. JAY IGNACIO, PRESIDENT, HAWAI‘I ELECTRIC LIGHT COMPANY (HELCO)…regarding recent stories covered by the media relating to photovoltaic systems, energy pricing, and geothermal.

Comm. 651: PRESENTATION BY MS. PATRICIA K. BRANDT, CEO, INNOVATIONS DEVELOPMENT GROUP, INC.…regarding renewable energy resources of indigenous people

Aloha kakou:

Two points:

1.  As I recall from the early days of PGV (Ormat) 20 plus years ago, a worst case scenario described a large earthquake shearing off the wells resulting in uncontrolled venting and a permanent evacuation zone of four mile radius (8 mile diameter) of the plant.  As I also recall, PGV’s liability insurance policy was $20 million (presently $25 million as confirmed by Mike Kaleikini to me on 3/31/12) but the liability impact could have been hundreds of millions of dollars then, and more today.  Is that an accurate assessment?  Will government (State and County) require liability insurance for the full potential damage that may result from a worst case geothermal accident scenario?  If not, why not? Will taxpayers be left holding the bag to bail out geothermal profiteers when things go wrong, just like the Wall St. Banksters scammed the taxpayers? Same ole, same ole –privatize the profits, socialize the costs! One final point, Ormat is an Israeli company. This county should be boycotting doing business with Ormat as part of the global campaign against Israel’s apartied treatment of Palestinians.

2.  Hawaiian spiritual/cultural impact.  In Hawaiian religion, Pele is a deity.  There are people who practice the Pele religion.  Pele practitioners view drilling into Pele as sacrilegious? Desecration? I have heard Pele practitioners say that “Pele is NOT FOR SALE.”  How do you mitigate violating the host people of Hawaii’s religious beliefs?
How many Pele practitioners are there in Hawaii?  What has been the discussion with them over Geothermal?  What are the rights of Pele practitioners? What studies have been done on the impacts to Hawaiian religious beliefs, traditional and customary practices? Is not geothermal energy drilling and energy production a violation of Hawaiian religious rights?  Is it not a violation of the Hawaii State Constitution Article 12, section 7 that protects traditional and customary practices? Is it not a violation of the First Amendment of the U.S. to desecrate the Hawaiian deity – Pele. The First Amendment and the US Bill of rights intent is to protect the minority from the tyranny of the majority. I support Pele practitioners.   I do not want to be part of violating Hawaiian religion and culture. We, who are not Hawaiian have a moral obligation to stand up in solidarity with our Hawaiian sisters and brothers when their rights are being violated. An injury to one is an injury to all.

Mahalo for your consideration.

Jim Albertini, president

Malu ‘Aina Center For Non-violent Education & Action
P.O. Box AB Ola’a (Kurtistown) Hawai’i 96760
Phone 808-966-7622 Email ja@malu-aina.org Visit us on the web at www.malu-aina.org