Peacestock Fall21 Observations

from Bill McGrath

Two military veterans on Oct. 19 told a zoom audience that a growing movement is calling attention to the connection between U.S. militarism, and the pain being inflicted on the rest of the world due to climate change.

 

Speaking during the 21st annual Peacestock teach-in, Adrienne Kinne urged activists to reject militarism and instead help create an environment with a message of peace, fairness and interconnectedness. 

 

“The climate crisis and militarization are disproportionately affecting poor people,” Kinne said. She is national president of Veterans for Peace (VFP). Her sentiments were echoed by Gary Butterfield, who is a past president of the San Diego Chapter of Veterans for Peace.

 

“We go to war for oil and other extractive resources, and also to make money for military contractors,” said Butterfield. “The U.S. military is the largest institutional consumer of oil in the world.”

 

Both Kinne and Butterfield are members of the National VFP Peace Climate Crisis and Militarization Project.

 

Another segment of Peacestock featured two young veterans who are part of a new organization, “Gamers for Peace.” 

 

Chris Velazquez and Katie “Plantifa” explained how the U.S. military has infiltrated the world of on-line video games, especially popular among young white males. One of the nastiest pro-war games is “Creech Action,” they said.

 

“E-Sport”, said Katie, is an on-line platform currently popular among college students, and it draws huge advertising involvement including U.S. military recruiters. She also described the interactive influence of “Twitch,” an on-line video game streaming service especially popular among those between ages 13 and 28. Finally, she described the social media platform called “Discord.”

 

Velazquez is not trying to get rid of video games, and he himself participates in them. However, he and others within “Gamers for Peace” are introducing their own pro-peace and pro-environment message within the world of video games.

 

Activities of “Gamers for Peace” are described within the national website of Veterans for Peace, veteransforpeace.org.

 

Among several other components of Peacestock was a short documentary called “1.5 Degrees of Peace,” a segment featuring two young women in Mankato, Minnesota, who are promoting peace and healing, and three musical acts conveying messages that fit the spirit of the 2-and-a-half hour program. Peacestock 2021 will soon be able to be viewed in its entirety through the site peacestockvfp.org.