[Iowa-dx] Fwd: Guest Article for Women for Peace and Green Party
iagp-cochair@usa.net
iagp-cochair@usa.net
Sun, 17 Feb 2008 10:40:22 -0600
<html>
<body>
<font color=3D"#000000" face=3D"arial,helvetica,sans-serif" size=3D"2">
<br />
<br />
<br /></font>------ Original Message ------
<br /> <b>Received: </b>Sat, 16 Feb 2008 11:13:48 PM CST
<br /> <b>From: </b>Soyawax@aol.com
<br /> <b>To: </b>peacenik@usa.net
<br /> <b>Subject: </b>Guest Article for Women for Peace and Green Party
<br />
<br />
<br /> <zeta http-equiv=3D"Content-Type" content=3D"text/html; charset=3D=
UTF-8"> <zeta content=3D"MSHTML 6.00.6000.16587" name=3D"GENERATOR"><font=
id=3D"role_document" color=3D"#000000" face=3D"Arial" size=3D"2">
<div> <zeta content=3D"MSHTML 6.00.6000.16587" name=3D"GENERATOR"><font i=
d=3D"rolx_document" color=3D"#000000" face=3D"Arial" size=3D"2"> <zeta co=
ntent=3D"MSHTML 6.00.6000.16587" name=3D"GENERATOR"><font id=3D"rolx_docu=
ment" color=3D"#000000" face=3D"Arial" size=3D"2">
<div> <zeta content=3D"MSHTML 6.00.6000.16587" name=3D"GENERATOR"><font=
id=3D"rolx_document" color=3D"#000000" face=3D"Arial" size=3D"2">
<div> <zeta content=3D"MSHTML 6.00.6000.16587" name=3D"GENERATOR"><fo=
nt id=3D"rolx_document" color=3D"#000000" face=3D"Arial" size=3D"2">
<div>
<div><font style=3D"background-color: transparent;" color=3D"#000=
000" face=3D"Arial" size=3D"2">
<div>
<div>A Guest Article to freely share and publish;
</div>
<div>
<div> <zeta content=3D"MSHTML 6.00.6000.16587" name=3D"GENE=
RATOR"><font id=3D"rolx_document" color=3D"#000000" face=3D"Arial" size=3D=
"2"> </font></zeta>
<div>
<div> <zeta content=3D"MSHTML 6.00.6000.16587" name=3D"=
GENERATOR"><font id=3D"rolx_document" color=3D"#000000" face=3D"Arial" si=
ze=3D"2"><font id=3D"rolx_document" color=3D"#000000" size=3D"2">
<div><font face=3D"Times New Roman CYR"> <zeta conten=
t=3D"MSHTML 6.00.6000.16587" name=3D"GENERATOR"></zeta></font><font id=3D=
"rolx_document" color=3D"#000000" size=3D"2">
<div><b><font face=3D"Times New Roman CYR"> <font s=
ize=3D"3"> Connecting the Dots; The Pervasive Economic Infrastructure of =
War</font></font></b>
</div>
<div><font face=3D"Times New Roman CYR" size=3D"3">=
</font>
</div>
<div><font face=3D"Times New Roman CYR" size=3D"3">=
I applaud the efforts of individuals and organizations in our community t=
hat are taking a courageous stand against international war and the domes=
tic destruction of civil liberties in our present political milieu. March=
ing, candlelight vigils, and public demonstrations to support our troops =
by removing them from harm's way can be a first step, but without also wo=
rking on <i>deep systemic change</i>, such efforts will prove to be fruit=
less on their own. After each major war ends, most marchers go home and t=
he economic infrastructure's march to the very next war continues unabate=
d. This will only change by changing the <b>pervasive economic infrastruc=
ture of war and militarism.</b></font>
</div>
<div><font face=3D"Times New Roman CYR" size=3D"3">=
</font>
</div>
<div><font face=3D"Times New Roman CYR" size=3D"3">=
It is important for all of us to do two things;<b> </b></font>
</div><font face=3D"Times New Roman CYR" size=3D"3"=
><b></b></font></font>
</div><font color=3D"#000000" size=3D"2"><font face=3D=
"Times New Roman CYR" size=3D"3"><b></b></font></font></font></font></zet=
a>
</div>
<div><font id=3D"rolx_document" color=3D"#000000" face=3D=
"Arial" size=3D"2"><font color=3D"#000000" size=3D"2"><font color=3D"#000=
000" size=3D"2"><font face=3D"Times New Roman CYR" size=3D"3"><b> </b></f=
ont>
<div><font face=3D"Times New Roman CYR" size=3D"3"><b=
>
<br />1.</b> to educate ourselves and each other ab=
out the economic realities that have fostered war during all of recorded =
human history. Every war is a resource war from a drug turf war in a ghet=
to to an oil grabbing global Armageddon. <b> </b></font>
</div>
<div><b><font face=3D"Times New Roman CYR" size=3D"3"=
></font></b>
</div>
<div><font face=3D"Times New Roman CYR" size=3D"3"><b=
>2.</b> to "opt out" of the pervasive economic structures of war and "Emp=
ire" . We can start in our own communities to create alternative sustaina=
ble life support systems that we will build in place of Empire and the mi=
litary-industrial/petro-chemical complex. </font>
</div>
<div><font face=3D"Times New Roman CYR" size=3D"3"></=
font>
</div>
<div><font face=3D"Times New Roman CYR" size=3D"3">We=
have the opportunity to be the first generation of civilized human being=
s. To claim that our present society that's based on violence and war is =
anything less than savage is a mass denial of reality.</font>
</div>
<div><font face=3D"Times New Roman CYR" size=3D"3"></=
font>
</div>
<div><font face=3D"Times New Roman CYR" size=3D"3">To=
make systemic change is not easy. It took the human species ten thousand=
years to get to our present dead-end quagmire of endless war and Empire =
building <i>It will take one generation to turn around and go in a new di=
rection.</i> The word revolution simply means "turn around". We must real=
ize that the present structures of Empire that operate the "military-indu=
strial complex" have been built up progressively by Western Civilization =
over the last ten thousand years. What we now call "national defense" is =
actually making our world much more dangerous and unstable. As a result, =
our homeland is insecure. Intelligent methods of non-violent conflict res=
olution are a necessity to build a sane, stable and sustainable society. =
War must become obsolete for the human race to avoid becoming obsolete on=
this planet.</font>
</div>
<div><font face=3D"Times New Roman CYR" size=3D"3"></=
font>
</div>
<div><font face=3D"Times New Roman CYR"><font size=3D=
"3">Our long march to our present stage in Human History of climate chaos=
, global war, resource depletion and environmental degradation has litera=
lly been a ten thousand year journey. We are now at the crossroads; do yo=
u want your children and grandchildren to survive? If so, then you must c=
ommit to dramatic systemic change during our present generation. We have =
20 years to activate a global paradigm shift to a sustainable society. <i=
>With global climate crisis on the horizon there are no second chances th=
is time.</i> <b>This is the moment of truth in the human drama.</b></font=
></font>
</div>
<div><b><font face=3D"Times New Roman CYR" size=3D"3"=
></font></b>
</div>
<div><font face=3D"Times New Roman CYR" size=3D"3">At=
this stage, the USA sits at the Pinnacle of Empire. More than 60% of our=
public funds go to support the economic war machine. We must realize how=
pervasive the economic structures of the military industrial complex hav=
e become in every city and state. Here in my home town of Cedar Rapids, I=
owa the single largest employer, Rockwell Collins is hard wired into the =
military industrial complex. A huge portion, if not the majority of Rockw=
ell Collins contract work is for military purposes. The other Rockwell co=
ntracts are for the commercial airline industry, an industry with <i>one =
of the single largest carbon footprints on earth. </i></font>
</div>
<div><font face=3D"Times New Roman CYR" size=3D"3"><i=
></i></font>
</div>
<div><font face=3D"Times New Roman CYR" size=3D"3">Yo=
u cannot say that you are against war and global climate chaos without co=
nnecting the dots to see how those dots trace a path right to our own fro=
nt door in our own home towns. This is in no way to point the finger at a=
company such as Rockwell... they are only one single participant in the =
10,000 year march of the history of Empire that every one in Western Civi=
lization has been engaged in. In the USA where each one of us consumes 32=
times the energy and resources as the average citizens in the world, <i>=
we are all equally responsible for the dead end we now face with global w=
arming and resource depletion</i>.</font>
</div>
<div><font face=3D"Times New Roman CYR" size=3D"3"></=
font>
</div>
<div><font face=3D"Times New Roman CYR" size=3D"3">I =
only cite the example of Rockwell Collins, because as the largest employe=
r in my home city, it perfectly illustrates the pervasive economic infras=
tructure of war, militarism and empire building. </font><font face=3D"Tim=
es New Roman CYR" size=3D"3">During a paradigm shift, we must all realize=
; "God forgive us, for we no not what we do." In a time of paradigm shift=
, what seemed right before <i>can be totally wrong now</i>, as we must fa=
ce the need for radical change. The stockholders, management and staff of=
companies such as Rockwell Collins want their children and grandchildren=
to survive just as much as the rest of us. In fact, companies that have =
the intellectual and human capital such as Rockwell Collins can retool to=
provide the knowledge and capacity to build the sustainable systems of a=
new "Post Empire" culture. We have one generation to create a post-Empir=
e, new sustainable economy.</font>
</div>
<div><font face=3D"Times New Roman CYR" size=3D"3"></=
font>
</div>
<div><font face=3D"Times New Roman CYR" size=3D"3">Ev=
en Iowa agriculture has become one more appendage of the Military/Industr=
ial Complex. </font>
</div>
<div><font face=3D"Times New Roman CYR"><font size=3D=
"3"><span style=3D"color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"=
>The agricultural research legacy of Iowan Henry Wallace of Pioneer is no=
w owned by Du Pont Corporation of Delaware that has the history of Vietna=
m napalm and a century of war profiteering to its credit. <span> </span>T=
he agricultural know how and legacy of the Holden family of Williamsburg,=
Iowa is now owned by Monsanto of St. Louis that gave the world environme=
ntal disasters such as </span><span style=3D"color: black; font-family: '=
Times New Roman','serif';">Agent Orange, DDT, Bovine Growth Hormones, GMO=
=E2=80=99s and PCB=E2=80=99s.</span><span style=3D"color: black; font-fam=
ily: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> Cargill started in Iowa, but now contro=
ls a massive global reach from Minnesota. <span> </span>ADM is a huge Ill=
inois company. <span> </span>Quaker Oats is owned by Pepsi of New York.<s=
pan> </span>Iowans are tossed a few bones as crop sales, salaries and loc=
al operating expenses, while the big guys haul the big bucks out of Iowa.=
<o:p></o:p></span></font></font>
</div>
<div><span style=3D"color: black; font-family: 'Times=
New Roman CYR','serif';"><o:p><font size=3D"3"> </font></o:p></span>
</div>
<div>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 0pt=
; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style=3D"color: black;=
font-family: 'Times New Roman CYR','serif';"><font size=3D"3">Agricultur=
e has become <span>very consolidated. </span>The majority of economic con=
trol of Iowa Ag is vested with a few multi-national Empire builders that =
are <i>headquartered <u>outside of Iowa</u></i>. Profits are deposited in=
East Coast banks, not in locally owned Iowa institutions. This seriously=
drains Iowa capital. Out of state companies are <i>subsidized with your =
tax dollars</i>. You are <i>paying twice</i>; with skyrocketing prices fo=
r food and energy and with your hard earned tax dollars. Each bioregion m=
ust re-localize our economy.</font></span>
</p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 0pt=
; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style=3D"color: black;=
font-family: 'Times New Roman CYR','serif';"><font size=3D"3"></font></s=
pan>
</p><span style=3D"color: black; font-family: 'Time=
s New Roman CYR','serif';">
<div><font face=3D"Times New Roman CYR" size=3D"3">=
We have one generation to create a post-Empire, sustainable agriculture b=
efore we destroy our own land and water base. Not one single "empire" has=
survived in human history. Many collapse as they destroy their own ecosy=
stems. </font><span style=3D"color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman =
CYR','serif';"><font size=3D"3">Iowans must evaluate the direction our ag=
riculture is headed. Soil and water is damaged as we export the majority =
of agricultural value out of state. Economics is simply the exchange of e=
nergy. With a cost of 10 petro-chemical calories to net 1 calorie of food=
energy, Iowa agriculture is <i>totally unsustainable</i>.<o:p></o:p></fo=
nt></span>
</div></span>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 0pt=
; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><font size=3D"3"><span style=
=3D"color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman CYR','serif';"> </span><s=
pan style=3D"color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><o:p>=
<font face=3D"Times New Roman CYR"> </font></o:p></span></font>
</p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 0pt=
; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><font size=3D"3"><span style=
=3D"color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman CYR','serif';">Since our =
agriculture is controlled by out of state empire builders, as we evaluate=
the total structure of Iowa Agricultural Economics, as a collective citi=
zenry, Iowans are now relegated to a powerless "tenant farmer" status in =
our own home state. A vital democracy only works when active citizens con=
trol access to their own food, energy and resources.</span><font face=3D"=
Times New Roman CYR"><span style=3D"color: black; font-family: 'Arial','s=
ans-serif';"> </span><span style=3D"color: black; font-family: 'Times New=
Roman CYR','serif';">Iowa needs <span>intelligent economic development <=
/span>way beyond petroleum, pigs, prisons and poker! A reality based econ=
omic science must include the long term environmental and social costs of=
any economic activity. Local farmers can best protect our land as they n=
ow wake up and reclaim control of Iowa agriculture.</span><span style=3D"=
color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"><o:p></o:p></span></fon=
t></font>
</p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 0pt=
; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style=3D"color: black;=
font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"><o:p><font face=3D"Times New Roman C=
YR" size=3D"3"> </font></o:p></span>
</p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 0pt=
; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><font size=3D"3"><span style=
=3D"color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman CYR','serif';">The Leopol=
d Center at ISU, Practical Farmers of Iowa and Iowa Network for Community=
Agriculture</span><span style=3D"color: black; font-family: 'Times New R=
oman CYR','serif';"> <i>are bringing Iowa=E2=80=99s ag economy back home.=
</i></span><font face=3D"Times New Roman CYR"><span style=3D"color: black=
; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> </span><span style=3D"color: black=
; font-family: 'Times New Roman CYR','serif';">A shift to local food prod=
uction will capture the<span> <b>$4 billion dollars</b></span> that Iowan=
s <i>spend to purchase food from out of state each year. </i> This econom=
ic shift should now be our <b>#1 objective</b> for state economic develop=
ment.<span> </span>An economy based on local self-reliance can ride the w=
aves of global change that are now hitting our economy hard.<span> </span=
>Act now while you still can.<o:p></o:p></span></font></font>
</p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 0pt=
; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style=3D"color: black;=
font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"><o:p><font face=3D"Times New Roman C=
YR" size=3D"3"> </font></o:p></span>
</p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 0pt=
; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style=3D"font-size: 3p=
t; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"><o:p><font face=3D"T=
imes New Roman CYR" size=3D"3"></font></o:p></span>
</p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 0pt=
; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><font size=3D"3"><span style=
=3D"color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman CYR','serif';">The issues=
of political self-determination, peace, social justice, global warming a=
nd the environment <i>all connect within <b>one whole system</b> </i><spa=
n>in a sustainable economy<i>.</i></span> Our present linear/industrial e=
conomic model is the causal root of deep-seated systemic economic and env=
ironmental problems. All ecological systems become healthier with increas=
ing diversity. Iowa agriculture now <i>depletes diversity.</i> Solutions =
will be provided by working together as an intelligent community to build=
reality based ecological-economic structures. Ecology and economy share =
the same root word; <i>Eco</i> simply means "<i>home"</i></span><font fac=
e=3D"Times New Roman CYR"><span style=3D"color: black; font-family: 'Aria=
l','sans-serif';">. </span><i><span style=3D"color: black; font-family: '=
Times New Roman CYR','serif';">Ecology is the study of our home environme=
nt. Economics, is about managing the resources of our "home". Our shared =
home is planet Earth. There is only one living biosphere.</span></i><span=
style=3D"color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"><o:p></o:p></=
span></font></font>
</p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 0pt=
; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style=3D"font-size: 3p=
t; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"><o:p><font face=3D"T=
imes New Roman CYR" size=3D"3"> </font></o:p></span>
</p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 0pt=
; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style=3D"font-size: 3p=
t; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"><o:p><font face=3D"T=
imes New Roman CYR" size=3D"3"></font></o:p></span>
</p>
<div style=3D"border-style: none none solid; border=
-color: -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color windowtext; border-width:=
medium medium 1pt; padding: 0in 0in 1pt;">
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"border: medium no=
ne ; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; padding: 0in; line-height: normal; text-align: =
justify;"><font face=3D"Times New Roman CYR"><font size=3D"3"><span style=
=3D"color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Author Kurt Vo=
nnegut suggested that we all "improve out own small corner of the univers=
e." In our small neighborhood; Oakhill/New Bohemia in Cedar Rapids we are=
taking steps to build an urban sustainable village. Obesity and diabetes=
from commodity based, processed food results in billions of dollars of d=
isease care costs that hit low income people hardest. </span><span style=3D=
"color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman CYR','serif';"><span> </span=
>Instead of <span> </span>handing out USDA commodity foods to low income =
families, were distributing fresh produce and seeds and teaching families=
how to grow real food in the our neighborhood in the central core/lowest=
income area of Cedar Rapids. This type of effort can take place in any c=
ommunity. I invite you to join in with this timely work.<span> </span></s=
pan><span style=3D"color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"><spa=
n> <font face=3D"Times New Roman CE">Building the paradigm of a sustainab=
le global society begins in each of our own backyards.</font></span></spa=
n></font></font>
</p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"border: medium no=
ne ; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; padding: 0in; line-height: normal; text-align: =
justify;"><font face=3D"Times New Roman CYR"><font size=3D"3"><span style=
=3D"color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"><span><b></b></span=
></span><b><span style=3D"color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman CYR=
','serif';"><o:p></o:p></span></b></font></font>
</p>
</div>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 0pt=
; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><b><span style=3D"color: bla=
ck; font-family: 'Times New Roman CYR','serif';">=E2=80=9Cguest column=E2=
=80=9D </span></b><span style=3D"color: black; font-family: 'Times New Ro=
man CYR','serif';">submitted by<b>;<span> </span>Michael Richards, </b>10=
29 Third St.S.E. Cedar Rapids 52401<o:p></o:p></span>
</p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 0pt=
; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><font size=3D"3"><span style=
=3D"font-size: 10pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman CYR','se=
rif';">Richards is the founder of Sustainable Ecological Economic Develop=
ment (S.E.E.D.) He serves as the President of the Oakhill Jackson Neigbor=
hood ASSN. Richards is the inventor of soy wax replacements for petroleum=
wax and is President of Soyawax International. His book, <b>SUSTAINABLE =
OPERATING SYSTEMS</b>/<i>The Post Petrol Paradigm,</i> published in 2007 =
is available at Amazon.<span> </span>Contact #319-213-2051, or e mail at:=
Postpetrol @ aol.com</span><span style=3D"font-size: 10pt; color: black;=
font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"><o:p></o:p></span></font>
</p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 0pt=
; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style=3D"color: black;=
font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"><span><font face=3D"Times New Roman =
CYR" size=3D"3"> </font></span><o:p></o:p></span>
</p>
</div></font></font>
<br /> </font>
<div><font id=3D"rolx_document" color=3D"#000000" fac=
e=3D"Arial" size=3D"2"><font style=3D"font-family: ARIAL,SAN-SERIF; font-=
style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt=
; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; colo=
r: black;" face=3D"Times New Roman CYR" size=3D"3"></font></font>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<br /></font>
</div>
</div></font></zeta>
</div></font></zeta>
</div></font></zeta></font></zeta>
</div></font>
<br />
<br />
<br /></zeta></zeta>
<div><font style=3D"color: black; font-family: ARIAL,SAN-SERIF; font-styl=
e: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; li=
ne-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">
<hr style=3D"margin-top: 10px;" />Delicious ideas to please the pickies=
t eaters. <a title=3D"http://living.aol.com/video/how-to-please-your-pick=
y-eater/rachel-campos-duffy/2050827?NCID=3Daolcmp00300000002598" href=3D"=
http://living.aol.com/video/how-to-please-your-picky-eater/rachel-campos-=
duffy/2050827?NCID=3Daolcmp00300000002598" target=3D"_blank">Watch the vi=
deo on AOL Living.</a></font>
</div> =
<br>
</body>
</html>