Six Shocking Billboards Going Up in Oakland/Berkeley
Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony Planned for Jan. 28, 2024
Six billboards are going up for a month beginning the week of January
22nd (on that date or as soon thereafter as possible depending on
weather) — five in Oakland and one in Berkeley, California. (Here are photos and addresses of the exact locations.)
The billboards carry in bold black text on a yellow background the
words “3% of U.S. Military Spending Could End Starvation on Earth” and
include a website address that explains where that statistic comes from:
worldbeyondwar.org/explained.
The billboards are being put up by the global antiwar and pro-peace
organization World BEYOND War, which thanks Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben
& Jerry’s for a generous donation. (PDF of billboard graphic.)
Events Being Planned
Events are being planned in partnership with CODEPINK and other
organizations. There will be a colorful ribbon-cutting ceremony at 2:00
p.m. on Sunday, January 28th, in front of the First Congregational
Church of Oakland at 2501 Harrison St, Oakland, CA 94612, which is just
across an intersection from one of the billboards. This will be followed
by a reception inside the church from 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. with speakers,
music, and food. Among those taking part will be:
David Swanson, Executive Director of World BEYOND War
Keith McHenry, Founder of Food Not Bombs
Francisco Hererra, musician
John Lindsay-Poland, American Friends Service Committee
Paul Cox, Veterans For Peace
Cynthia Papermaster, CODEPINK S.F. Bay Area
Jackie Cabasso, Western States Legal Foundation
Jim Haber, War Tax Resistance
David Hartsough, Co-Founder of World BEYOND War
RSVP to reserve your spot and to support Food Not Bombs.
For updates check this page.
https://worldbeyondwar.org/oakland
Why Do This
The main purpose is educational. A trillion dollars is not a concept
one can easily visualize, but it is a very conservative underestimate of
what the U.S. government spends each year on the military, including
the Pentagon base budget, plus war budget, plus nuclear weapons in the
Department of Energy, plus the Department of Homeland Security, and
other military spending. This does not include various additional
spending bills, such as those now under consideration to put over $100
billion into more weapons for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, and the border of
Mexico.
Three percent of a trillion dollars, or $30 billion, is still not
easy to visualize, but it could end starvation everywhere, or hire 33
thousand teachers at $90,000 each, or provide 3 million units of public
housing at $10,000 each, or provide 60 million households with wind
power at $500 each. And those alternatives would not only benefit huge
numbers of people, but also have greater positive economic impact. Far
from being the jobs program often claimed, military spending produces fewer jobs than other public spending, and fewer jobs than never taxing the money from working people at all.
The events being planned will be fundraisers for Food Not Bombs, which provides food to those in need locally.
Please be sure to:
RSVP to reserve your spot and to support Food Not Bombs.
And send this to anyone who might be interested.
THANKS!
Peace,
David Swanson, Executive Director, World BEYOND War
PS: Photos you take of yourself with the billboards and send us will go on our website!
World BEYOND War is a global network of volunteers, chapters, and affiliated organizations advocating for the abolition of the institution of war.
Donate to support our people-powered movement for peace.
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