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  • Approved for CNN

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    Posted April 18, 2012 by
    Peteykstyles
    Location
    El segundo, California
    Assignment
    Assignment
    This iReport is part of an assignment:
    Occupy Wall Street

    Peteykstyles and 14 other iReporters contributed to Open Story: Occupy Wall Street protests
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    Occupy The Military Industrial Complex

    By Peteykstyles  |  Posted April 18, 2012  |  El segundo, California
     

    CNN PRODUCER NOTE     Peteykstyles shot this video of an April 17 "Occupy" protest near a plant run by aerospace and defense contractor Boeing. The Occupiers were demonstrating against what they see as too much military spending by the U.S. government. 'These private industries are the ones who profit for killings while the citizens of United States are barely living paycheck to paycheck,' he said. 'It's a sad state of affairs when people turn a blind eye to things because it's not happening in their own backyards.'
    - jmsaba, CNN iReport producer

       
    On April 17, 2012, thousands from around the world will take part in the second annual Global Day of Action on Military Spending. With actions taking place in more than 35 countries, we will send a message to the 1% who profit off war and destruction, and the governments who do their bidding.

    Global military spending reached over $1.6 trillion in 2010, and on April 17th, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute will release the data for 2011. Almost certainly, they’ll announce that military spending went up.

    As the people of the world face existential crises from climate change, conflict and underdevelopment, the resources we need to solve humanity’s problems are being overwhelmingly devoted to death and destruction. In 2011 people spoke in one voice for a global priorities shift. This year, we’ll raise our voice even louder.

    The Military Industrial Complex is actively lobbying against the the military budget cuts and pushing for War on Iran. The United States has spent 189 out of 235 years at war.

    In 2010, US spent over $1 trillion on the military and related defense programs; that’s over 58% of the Federal Discretionary Budget, and more than the next ten countries combined (which are mostly our allies).

    And to add insult to injury, the same corporations that profit the most out of this waste of precious resources, are some of the top tax dodgers in the country. Boeing for example, has spent $52 million on lobbying, made a profit of $3.3 billion in 2010, and had a tax rate of -1.8%. Instead of paying taxes, they got a tax rebate.

    On the second annual Global Day of Action on Military Spending we will stand in Solidarity with citizens of the world, to demand an end to this madness and the diversion of resources to fund human needs.

    We will gather at Mariposa stop of the Metro Green Line in El Segundo at 4:00PM Tuesday, April 17. From there we will march about a mile to Constitution Park on Washington Street, between Sycamore and Maple streets. We’ll have a rally there and decide on the next step.


    SPEAKERS AND PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS

    Patricia Foulkrod - Code Pink and director of The Ground Truth http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0446345/
    Occupy Los Angeles
    Occupy 805
    Occupy Torrance
    Occupy Marines
    Veterans for Peace
    Topanga Peace Alliance
    March Forward
    Move to Amend LA

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