Performative Politics

Performative Politics

by C. A. Matthews

I’ve heard the term performative politics quite often in recent times. It makes me wonder why this kind of politics has come into vogue.

 

Let’s take a look at the words and define them separately. According to Wikipedia:

Politics...activities that are associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of resources or status.

Merriam-Webster Online defines performative this way:

1. Relating to or marked by public, often artistic performance

2. Made or done for show (as to bolster one's own image or make a positive impression on others)

Both definitions describe more than a few actions taken recently by neoliberal politicians. Before I describe these incidents, perhaps it’s wise to define what exactly is meant by neoliberal or neoliberalism.

From Britannica.com:

Neoliberalism: an ideology and policy model that emphasizes the value of free market competition. ...It is most commonly associated with laissez-faire economics... Its confidence in free markets as the most-efficient allocation of resources, its emphasis on minimal state intervention in economic and social affairs, and its commitment to the freedom of trade and capital.

Now that we’re on the same page with what is meant by these terms, politics, performative, and neoliberalism, here are three examples of recent performative politics and what I think each of the actors (that is, politicians) is communicating to their obvious and not-so-obvious audiences and why they choose to perform in such as way at this time.

First off, we have the extremely photogenic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, or “AOC” as she is known. AOC gave a fiery speech at the recent March to End Fossil Fuels in New York City. Her obvious audience was, of course, the crowd that gathered there or watched her performance online. This crowd included environmental activists and protesters of all the destructive things “Big Oil” has done to our planet with their constant drilling, mining, and burning of fossil fuels. But who was the not-so-obvious audience AOC was reaching out to with her speech? And why did she choose to perform this particular speech at this particular place and time?

To understand, AOC’s motivations we have to do a little research and look back at her history in politics. AOC ran as a “Bernie Sanders Democrat” and was photographed interacting with the youth-led Sunrise Movement environmental organization. She led a very loud protest with these young environmental activists inside Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi’s offices early on in her career, so it makes sense that she would show up at the march where many of them were protesting that day.

But many things have happened since AOC’s time hanging out with the Sunrise Movement in 2018. AOC has been re-elected to Congress a couple times, and she’s made quite a name for herself, not so much as an environmentalist but as a very good Democrat who does as she’s told. She has voted several times for massive Pentagon/Defense Department budgets in spite of the fact the US military is one of the most polluting organizations in the world.

AOC declared earlier this year that she supports President Biden running for office again, although he has done the complete opposite of what an environmentalist would support. Biden has opened up more federal land to oil drilling than any other president, particularly with the Willow Project:

The Biden Administration released its final decision approving three drilling sites for the Willow Master Development Plan, otherwise known as the Willow Project that threatens local communities, wildlife, and the global climate. This is a massive oil drilling development on Alaska’s North Slope, which is a stretch of public land known as the National Petroleum Reserve that borders the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).

This project developed by ConocoPhillips would be the single largest oil extraction point on US public lands, emitting 278 million metric tons of climate pollution over the next 30 years. That’s equivalent to the annual emissions from 74 coal plants — one-third of all remaining U.S. plants. Willow will disproportionately impact the community of Nuiqsut, a predominantly Iñupiaq village of about 500 people already suffering extreme pollution from existing oil projects.--from Biden Administration Breaks Climate Promise and Approves Willow Project

By supporting Biden's actions, it seems AOC doesn't care much about the environment at all.

AOC has never protested the billion of dollars Biden has sent to Ukraine to continue NATO’s proxy war there. She hasn’t really come out against the sale of cluster munitions (cluster bombs) and depleted uranium to Ukraine, either. Cluster bombs maim primarily civilians—children for the most part—and depleted uranium radiation can lead to generations of genetically malformed babies and horrible rates of cancers in persons of all ages.

By supporting these astronomical Defense budgets and the US sale of cluster bombs (munitions that have been outlawed in almost every country in the world) as well as Biden’s Willow Oil Project, AOC's actions tell us that she isn’t particularly concerned with the health and well-being of her fellow human beings or the planet. Her actions in Congress just don’t support her image or “performance” as an environmental activist, now does it?

Who is Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez’s not-so-obvious audience she was trying to reach with her fiery environmental tirade at the march? I think she was telling the major donors of the Democratic Party—the military-industrial complex, corporations like Raytheon, Lockheed-Martin, Boeing and the rest—that she is more than willing to act as a front to keep the public from looking too closely at what’s really going on behind the scenes in Washington DC. AOC is good at getting positive press by looking pretty on camera and saying what the public expects at the right time and place. What she says has no real depth or substance, since none of her actions back her words up. 

AOC’s example of performative politics shows that she is willing to act as the perfect front in order to take interest away from the true polluters and causers of death and destruction on our planet. She’ll make all those young environmental activists in NYC forget that nothing has really changed since she first marched with them. Magicians would say she’s the “smoke and mirrors” of the establishment, a perfect distraction. And by the size of her growing bank account since joining Congress, she has been well rewarded for her work.

This next example of performative politics is very easy to spot, and it’s easy to figure out who the obvious and not-so-obvious audiences are. The United Auto Workers are on strike. President Joe Biden—who didn’t permit the railroad workers to go on strike for safer working conditions in 2022—said he wanted to be the first sitting president to visit a picket line. So Biden spent about 12 minutes for a photo op at one of the picket lines in Detroit. Looking at the photos of some of the strikers, you can tell what the obvious audience thinks about Biden’s performance. Just look at the expression on the guy’s face standing to the far left in this picture!

Tim Black tells us exactly what Biden’s motivations were for making that oh-so-brief visit in this video clip on Twitter:

Does Joe Biden Really Care About Union Workers? #JoeBiden #CornelWest2024 #UAW pic.twitter.com/4s55qW127k

— RealTimBlack (@RealTimBlack) September 29, 2023

The not-so-obvious audience of the CEOs of the Big Three Automakers know that Joe Biden’s many years of not supporting the workers and always being there to help bail out the corporations at the expense of the public purse isn’t going away anytime soon. They understand Biden's trip to a UAW picket line was just the photo op that it so obviously was. The billionaires hope that it will trick enough workers into thinking they're being heard by Washington to stave off the revolution for a while. But does Biden and his campaign staff realize just how shallow this attempt came across? That remains to be seen.

Our last example of performative politics took place recently north of the border. Compared to the first two examples, it was a complete and unmitigated disaster. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government invited a Ukrainian-Canadian veteran to be honored with a standing ovation in the House of Commons… A man who turned out to be a veteran of the 14th division of Hitler’s Waffen-SS (1st Galician) in World War II, a group that was known for its genocide of Poles, Jews, and other ethnic minorities in what eventually became Ukraine after the break up of the Soviet Union. The soldiers of the 1st Galician were responsible for burning 1,000 Polish people alive.  Horrific!

Oops! 

After Canadian Jewish groups demanded an explanation, the prime minster tried to rationalize why his government acted so callously:

Trudeau, meanwhile, pointed to the “deeply embarrassing” event as a reason to “push back against Russian propaganda,” as though the Kremlin somehow smuggled an nonagenarian Nazi collaborator into parliament, then hypnotized the Prime Minister and his colleagues, Manchurian Candidate-style, into celebrating him as a hero. --from Canada's Honoring of Nazi Vet Exposes Ottawa's Longstanding Ukraine Policy

Using your critical thinking skills you’ve sharpened with the first two examples, who are in the obvious audience and the not-so-obvious audience Trudeau hoped to reach with this performance? We can assume that the public wasn't suppose to discover the genocidal history of this particular Ukrainian-Canadian veteran and that this “honor” given by Parliament would promote more Canadian corporations arms sales to Ukraine. Obviously, independent thinkers weren’t fooled and shared the information of the man's identity widely. Whether or not this negative publicity will affect Canadian arms sales to Ukraine remains to be seen.

Trudeau's not-so-obvious audience were the arms manufacturers who want the bloodshed to continue in Ukraine. The CEOS of the Canadian military-industrial complex were probably salivating at the thought of more arms sales. Endless proxy war is great for the NATO war machine, even if it’s not so great for the health and safety of human beings on the whole.

Hopefully you’re getting a handle on what is meant by “performative politics” by studying these recent examples. If you’re still confused why I labeled these three politicians “neoliberals” then go back to the definition for neoliberalism above and re-read the last line: [neoliberalism's]“commitment to the freedom of trade and capital.”

Think about that sentence. There’s a lot of capital to be made in the trading of armaments and munitions. All three of these politicians—AOC, Biden, and Trudeau—are on good terms with the military-industrial complex and are eager to see the trade in arms grow. They may say they support the striking workers, the environment, and veterans, but at the end of the day their actions make more money for the CEOs of the Big Three automakers, Big Oil, and the military-industrial complex.

And remember: actions always speak louder than words. Just ask this guy:

Keep sharpening your critical thinking skills and doing your research into the backgrounds and motivations of everyone who is involved in politics or the “activities that are associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of resources or status.” 

Why? Because it seems politicians enjoy distributing the world's resources into their own pockets and keeping the status quo exactly the way it is while the world burns. Their fat personal bank accounts apparently help them sleep well at night, too. Stop believing the "performances" of politicians and hold them accountable before it's too late.

 

Related Articles and Interesting Links:

The Climate March, Joe Biden, and AOC's Dubious Endorsement https://scheerpost.com/2023/09/19/the-climate-march-joe-biden-and-aocs-dubious-endorsement

Biden Administration Breaks Climate Promise and Approves Willow Project https://www.commondreams.org/newswire/biden-administration-breaks-climate-promise-and-approves-willow-project 

Clusterf*cked: The Cruelty is the Point https://continuousrev.blogspot.com/2023/07/clusterfcked-cruelty-is-point.html

Nazi SS Veteran Receives Standing Ovation in Canadian Parliament https://peoplesdispatch.org/2023/09/26/nazi-ss-veteran-receives-standing-ovation-in-canadian-parliament/

Canada's Honoring of Nazi Vet Exposes Ottawas Longstanding Ukraine Policy https://scheerpost.com/2023/10/01/canadas-honoring-of-nazi-vet-exposes-ottawas-longstanding-ukraine-policy/

How Joe Biden and The Democratic Party’s Climate Agenda Increases Environmental Racism More Than It Reduces Emissions https://blackagendareport.com/how-joe-biden-and-democratic-partys-climate-agenda-increases-environmental-racism-more-it-reduces

GOOD NEWS: Climate Lawsuits Against Fossil Fuel Industry Starting to Build Major Momentum https://stevendonziger.substack.com/p/good-news-climate-lawsuits-against

Biden’s Picket Line Visit Doesn’t Mean He Is On Our Side
https://www.leftvoice.org/bidens-picket-line-visit-doesnt-mean-he-is-on-our-side/

Canadian parliament’s applause for Nazi war criminal exposes NATO war against Russia  https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2023/09/28/xalg-s28.html

In Canada, Denialism Grows Over Residential Schools Ahead of Orange Shirt Day  https://truthout.org/articles/in-canada-denialism-grows-over-residential-schools-ahead-of-orange-shirt-day/

Senator Menendez and co-defendants plead not guilty as Democrats seek to contain fallout from bribery scandal
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2023/09/28/lwpt-s28.html

William Astore: What Would Real ‘National Defense’ Look Like?
https://scheerpost.com/2023/09/27/william-astore-what-would-real-national-defense-look-like/

People Are Dying For Inches In Ukraine, The "World's Largest Arms Fair"  https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/people-are-dying-for-inches-in-ukraine

Caitlin Johnstone: Neocons Love the Ukraine War
https://scheerpost.com/2023/09/28/caitlin-johnstone-neocons-love-the-ukraine-war/

US House Rejects Cluster-Bomb Ban https://consortiumnews.com/2023/09/28/us-lawmakers-reject-cluster-bomb-ban/

Fog Over Nord Stream https://scheerpost.com/2023/09/28/fog-over-nord-stream/

Files Expose Syrian ‘Revolution’ As Western Regime Change Operation https://popularresistance.org/files-expose-syrian-revolution-as-western-regime-change-operation/

Patrick Lawrence: The Undiscovered Country https://scheerpost.com/2023/09/28/patrick-lawrence-the-undiscovered-country/

Suing For a Livable Planet https://scheerpost.com/2023/09/28/suing-for-a-livable-planet/

A Major Win Against Factory Farming In Oregon https://popularresistance.org/a-major-win-against-factory-farming-in-oregon/

Uninvited and Unaccountable: How CBP Policed George Floyd Protests https://theintercept.com/2023/09/21/cbp-george-floyd-protests/

UN Report Urges End to Forced US Prison Labor—a 'Contemporary Form of Slavery' https://www.commondreams.org/news/racism-in-the-criminal-justice-system

Philadelphia Youth React When Charges Are Dropped Against Killer Cop https://popularresistance.org/philadelphia-youth-react-when-charges-are-dropped-against-killer-cop/

Why Our Popular Mass Movements Fail https://chrishedges.substack.com/p/why-our-popular-mass-movements-fail

 

The Ugly American vs. The Ugly Canadian

Some mornings you feel like Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz. You wake up and you wonder: "Am I in [insert your state/country here] anymore?" And if we're not in Kansas or wherever, where the heck are we and how do we get back home?

During these challenging times, we're all learning what it means to be a good and decent American--or Canadian, Mexican, Brit, German, Indian, Australian, etc.  Perhaps these articles of how not to become a negative symbol of your country could help us all to become better human beings.

The Ugly American 
by C.A. Matthews

I'd planned on posting some reportage and photos of a Toledo protest against Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos this week, but the darndest thing happened. Betsy became a no-show once news of our protest got out. Like so many of Trump's associates, she probably decided not to risk a public shaming. 

 
Mrs. DeVos' handlers must have worried something could happen along the lines of what happened recently to DHS Secretary Nielsen, Press Secretary Huckabee-Sanders or now-former EPA head Scott Pruitt if she took a tour of an outdoor area where protesters could see her and wave their signs for the TV cameras. Betsy just couldn't put herself out in front of ordinary Americans and face the creative signage and chants pointing out some her less-than-glamorous flaws. (Update: DeVos did make it to Toledo according to The Blade, but times for her visits to private charter schools were not published. She sneaked in and out of back doors, thwarting chances for the public to actually see her, so CSRN, a local activist group, did a press conference with the media instead on education issues DeVos has totally missed the mark on.Well, it's not like Betsy actually works for the American people, right?)

At least we did receive some good news this week when the story broke that Scott Pruitt was quitting the Environmental Protection Agency due to numerous federal investigations showing how he has personally profited from destroying the agency. Unfortunately, he'll be replaced with his deputy Andrew Wheeler, a former coal lobbyist, but we can comfort ourselves with the fact that our calling Pruitt out for his crimes against humanity and the environment shut him down eventually. Or was it the magnitude of the man's greed that did him in? Either way, good riddance, Scott!

I'll admit I was really looking forward to the DeVos protest. Betsy's blatant disregard for the health, safety and mental well-being of our students--and the fact that she personally makes a lot of money from student loan collection agencies and a private "baby jail" immigration detention agency out of western Michigan--doesn't endear her to me or anyone with half a heart. She is just one of many of Trump's appointees who need replacing, so perhaps Pruitt's resignation (and coming trial?) will inspire her to do likewise.

It really is hard to say who the "ugliest American" is in the Trump administration. There are so many to choose from. However, today at a bi-weekly peace protest I ran into the most perfect example of an ordinary ugly American to ever cross my path. He fit all the MAGA supporter stereotypes imaginable. He even drove a monster truck jacked up twice as high on its axles as allowed by law with a smokestack on the back belching thick, black polluting smoke as he drove past our corner demonstration. 

Before he drove off with a curse word and a finger, he parked and walked up behind us on the busy street corner (where motorists generally give a honk or thumbs up for our peace and social awareness signs) and gave us a tongue lashing to beat the "snowflake libtard" out of us (while occasionally threatening bodily harm to us as well). His veins practically popped out of his face as he yelled at how stupid we "Commies" were for believing in such things as "Love your neighbor" and "Peace on Earth." After all, a border wall will solve all our problems.

He informed us that we were all "queer dog fornicators," or words to that effect, if we felt people had the right to express the gender identity in the way they felt comfortable with.  He ranted on about the evils of socialism, universal health care and the $15 minimum wage. He blamed all on the "illegals" who had the gall to expect due process of law for themselves and their children when seeking asylum in the US, and their children had to be locked up because they were "criminals." From his remarks, it seemed evident he didn't understand what "seeking asylum"  or "due process" or "socialism" meant. (He claimed to receive his information from "alt right dot org" or similar outlets.) His presence and manners emanated an aura of unhappiness and fear. 

I kept a low-key tone and repeatedly suggested, "Why not go home and do something loving for your family, like making ice cream or cooking dinner? You'll feel better." But he stated he didn't want to have anything much to do with love or family. It's a "drugged up hippy" thing he informed us.

I wonder if this statement made an impact on the young woman standing beside him who kept her mouth zipped  the entire time. Was she his wife, girlfriend, sister, cousin or simply a friend? I couldn't imagine what life around this very unhappy young man who didn't want to have anything to do with love would be like. Suffice it to say, it probably wouldn't be very satisfying, and  it  might even be downright scary at times.

The bellicose Trump supporter is your quintessential "ugly American." He is a sad person who'd rather expend large amounts of energy hating and blaming others for his and the world's troubles rather than simply loving and accepting his fellow human beings the way he'd like to be loved and accepted. I genuinely felt sorry for the guy. Didn't he have anything better to do on a beautiful summer's day than to yell at a bunch of strangers with peace signs? He's young and has his whole life in front of him, but with so much obvious anger and hatred in his heart, there's a high probability of him suffering a serious health issue, such as a stroke or addiction, or getting into a deadly fight or accident, and dying before his time.
 
Ugly Americans aren't the only "ugly folks" out there (as our guest blogger will inform you in the next piece). But I keep thinking wouldn't it be nice if Americans could set a positive example of what it means to be a good and loving neighbor on this planet. Why aren't we taking the lead on this worthy goal? Could it be simply because we can't make big bucks on it like Scott Pruitt did at the EPA?

(Here's a video about a bill that could help bring about peace on Earth, goodwill to all mankind, especially those suffering in Yemen:  https://youtu.be/SDy5sQ5gA98)

Doug Ford, a.k.a. the Trump of the North

The Ugly Canadian

by Vegematic Deluxe 

 
What is happening to our world, our values, our compassion? I realize that I shouldn't read comments on You Tube videos, but the truth is comments provide a snapshot of a segment of society and, as such, provide me with some insights. 

The insights that I gained from my fellow Canadians last week distressed me greatly. I had been watching a CBC documentary following the trail of refugees fleeing violence and poverty in their Latin American homeland. To these traumatized people, Canada represents what America once did--a chance to live in peace and freedom. The video was at once heartbreaking and inspiring. 

The comments were vile and disgusting. I will not dignify the hate and racism here by quoting them, but generally they were on par with something that would be published by the KKK. Coinciding with the election of Doug Ford, an extreme right-wing windbag as premier of Ontario, my faith in basic Canadian decency was dealt a serious blow. Add to that an interesting tidbit about our former right-wing Prime Minister Stephen Harper, whose government was soundly defeated in the last Canadian election.
 
The Canadian embassy in Washington DC received  a call from John Bolton, asking who would be accompanying the prime minister to a meeting on Monday. The surprised embassy staff called Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's office who were completely dumbfounded. It turns out that Harper had broken with accepted protocol and not informed the PM of his invitation to meet with White House officials. Although a hastily arranged call claimed a mix up and that his office had meant the former prime minister, one is left with the impression that this was intended to humiliate Trudeau.

Former P.M. Harper eyes climate justice?

Harper has no authority to speak on behalf of Canadians; he is a private citizen. Harper had also secretly arranged meetings with Trump advisors to re-negotiate NAFTA. He is being welcomed in Washington with open arms.  This is an unprecedented attack on the Canadian people. Indeed, it is an attack on democratically elected governments worldwide. It is unprecedented for a defeated politician to act and be treated as if he had any legislative power to negotiate on behalf of the Canadian people.
 

Given the contempt Trump has for democracy, I suppose Canadians should not be surprised. Is he now planning to install Harper in a bloodless coup? Both men suffer from authoritarian personalities, and Harper never got over losing his grip on power. Being Trump's puppet would appeal to Harper since ideologically he and Trump are birds of a feather.
 
These are the darkest of days for those of us who treasure democracy and freedom, yet there are glimmers of hope. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez  has displaced a powerful corporate Democrat with a fraction of the money. The struggle to regain democracy will be a marathon, not a sprint, and there are undoubtedly more trying times ahead. Fellow progressives must reach out to each other and redouble our efforts to bring about a more just and sane society.

BIO: Vegematic is a humorous and insightful Canadian podcast commentator with an ever-growing following on You Tube. Check out his channel and subscribe.


More stories on current US-Canada Relations:

Canadians Rally Around Retaliatory Tariffs
https://readersupportednews.org/news-section2/318-66/50977-canadians-rally-around-retaliatory-tariffs-aimed-at-the us                                                                                                     

Canada's Retaliatory Tariffs
http://time.com/5327864/canada-trump-retaliatory-tariffs/

Doug Ford Is Already Hurting Jobs And Could Cost Billions
https://youtu.be/a4S89HHnaT8

Trump Threatens Canada--Canadian Defence Community Stays Quiet
https://worldbeyondwar.org/trump-threatens-canada-defence-community-stays-quiet/

***

And now a book review about a non-ugly American that many voters wanted to become president in 2016 (and may yet become in 2020).

Bernie or Bust: Pioneers of Electoral Revolt
by @BernieOrBust with Patrick Walker
Dorrance Publishing Company
http://bookstore.dorrancepublishing.com/bernie-or-bust/

Reviewed by A. J. Matthews

Of the events that occurred during the contentious 2016 presidential election, the blatant rigging of the Democratic Party primaries against Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont is at the top of the list in importance. The Bernie or Bust movement was one of the prime movers in public debate on the issue of the Democratic nominee selection process and its aftermath which resulted in the nomination of Hillary Clinton, a deeply flawed candidate with a mass of political baggage who represented the status quo during a time when the American electorate desperately wanted change.

The author and his associate Patrick Walker started the Bernie or Bust grassroots movement in 2016 with a manifesto aimed at affecting change for the better in the American political system. The objective was – and still is – the use of leverage to force the Democratic Party to heed the will of the American people, not that of Big Business. This book recounts a warts and all picture of the movement from the inside. It doesn’t flinch from admitting the mistakes and conflict involved in seeking a way forward, nor does it flinch from scathing and justified condemnation of the Democratic Party machine that helped elect Donald Trump.

Where the book scores highly is in the wealth of advice included for activists, voters, and future progressive movements. This is a valuable resource which can be dipped into for guidance, inspiration and a wealth of "how to" examples (such as facts to refute spurious arguments by Clinton supporters who claim Bernie cost the DNC the election). It is also an important historical document in its own right for all who wish to understand more about the 2016 election, those involved and the consequences of their actions. 

Highly recommended. 

BIO: A.J. Matthews is a multi-published novelist, book reviewer, essayist, and all around decent human being. He openly admits he supported Bernie Sanders in the 2016 primary elections.

***

Help Create Beautiful Americans (and others)!

The Revolution Continues has set up an easy way to donate to the cause of keeping it ad-free. Three years without obnoxious ads (that many news sites have to cover costs) has been great, but the editor does have to pay for internet, electricity, etc., out of her own pocket, and she would like to be able to pay her contributors in the future. Please consider donating a buck, $5, $10 or $100--any amount you can share with us to keep this progressive site going without those awful ads is appreciated. Thank you.

You can donate via Paypal at http://paypal.me/camatthews 

Power to the people and not the corporations! ***

The war machine is caging kids, and profiting off it too. Defense contractors like General Dynamics and MVM, Inc. are making millions off surveilling and detaining thousands of migrant children away from their parents.

Usually, deep-pocketed defense contractors can get off the hook for war profiteering. But this is different. Right now, people power mobilizing against Trump’s racist immigration agenda has cracked open the door to hold these companies accountable for their cruel profiteering.
If we mobilize grassroots pressure onto defense contractor CEOs, then we can build on this current political momentum and force them to stop profiting from Trump’s family detention policies.

Sign now to demand General Dynamics and MVM, Inc CEOs cut contracts: Stop terrorizing migrants for profit! 

General Dynamics and MVM are both top recipients of lucrative Pentagon war contracts. Both have dirty histories of misconduct including anti-Muslim discrimination against employees and corruption.
And these war profiteers are raking in the cash from Trump’s inhumane and cruel immigration policies. General Dynamics has a $1,667,580 contract with the Trump administration’s Office of Refugee Resettlement for the infrastructure to detain migrant kids. Yep — that’s $1.6 million public dollars. And MVM has a long list of multimillion-dollar contracts to detain and spy on migrants as well.

But here’s the silver lining: Right now, General Dynamics and MVM, Inc are vulnerable. In the current migrant-led activist surge, General Dynamics has already responded to pressure by making public statements trying to distance themselves from the business of family detention [1]. However their contracts with the Office of Refugee Resettlement for infrastructure for the shelter of unaccompanied children show they are instrumental to detention [2]. Their public statements also prove they are worried about their public image-- which means we have the upper hand. 

If we let these companies know the public is still watching, we can overturn their contracts and stop them from making war profits off family detention. But we need to act fast. We must seize this opportunity to make them cut their anti-immigrant contracts now!

Demand defense contractors cut ties: No war profits from caging kids!

Ending child detention contracts is only the beginning. If we question the contracts that allow for detention profiteering, we can start to unravel the defense industry’s tangle of profits from traumatizing children and tearing livelihoods apart beyond our borders as well. After all, racism doesn’t just drive Trump’s immigration policies — it keeps the war machine churning forward by devaluing the very lives displaced and destroyed by militarism to begin with. Together, we can bring down corporate profiteering from war and white supremacy, here and everywhere!

Thank you for raising your voice against militarism,
Tara, Cassandra, and the Win Without War team

PS: Did you see our split fundraiser last week for 9 frontline groups working to end border militarization and migrant detention?
[1] US defense contractors profit from child detention—and you might, too
[2] General Dynamics- Department of Health and Human Services Contract Summary

  ***

From Acre Action Center on Racism & the Economy:

After white supremacist Dylann Roof murdered nine Black churchgoers in Charleston in 2015, Amazon said it was banning the sale of Confederate flag images from its site. Today, we released a report with the Partnership for Working Families showing that not only are products with Confederate flag and other hate imagery widely available on Amazon.com, but that Amazon allows recognized hate groups to use its various platforms to spread their ideas and generate resources. Read the report here.


SIGN THE PETITION TO AMAZON HERE

The growth of racist hate movements in our country provides a base of support for horrific policies like Trump's Muslim Ban and so-called "zero tolerance" immigration policy. As racist movements have grown, so have incidences of racist violence.

Will you join us in calling on Amazon to take a stand against hate?

Normalizing white supremacist, Islamophobic, and anti-Semitic extremists puts our communities at risk -- and yet the country’s largest online retailer and largest distributor of e-books is providing these groups with a platform to spread their ideas and generate resources to support their operations.

Sign the Petition: Amazon, Stop doing business with racist hate groups!

With the public contest for Amazon’s second headquarters (HQ2), many of us are taking a critical look at what kind of neighbor Amazon is, and what values the company promotes. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and his board of directors must take a public stand against this hate and violence, and stop enabling others to profit from hate.


In unity,
Carrie Sloan