President Bush, after days of silence, emerged from his Texas vacation to
issue a brief statement. Following a public rebuke and the worldwide reaction of utter
contempt, the initial aid offering of the Bush administration was raised from $15
million to $35 million. More is to come, Bush officials promise, as they jockey to
have a U.S.-led "coalition" take the leadership of the relief effort away from
the United Nations.
Many have commented on the paltry, really disgraceful U.S. aid offer.
The U.S. spends approximately $270 million each day for the occupation of Iraq. The
cost of one F-22 Raptor fighter jet is $225 million.
This year, the Bush Administration
provided a total of $13.6 billion in emergency funding to Florida (it was an election
year) in response to the four hurricanes that caused so much destruction in the state. The
death, suffering and property destruction was great. More than 100 families lost a loved
one. But in the last week more than 100,000 people in South Asia have died. 5 million are
now without access to the basic requirements of life - water, food and sanitation. In
Indonesia (the largest Muslim country in the world) and in Sri Lanka and India whole
villages and towns have been entirely wiped out.
Building human solidarity, especially at a moment of great crisis, is the
cornerstone of the new world movement that opposes militarism and war, racism and
globalized exploitation.
The Bush administration is shameless. Endless funds for limitless violence
to take over Iraq is one thing (it is well over $150 billion in the last 21 months). Money
to meet human needs and to alleviate suffering, however, that will only come as a
consequence of political pressure and radical change.
Many of our members and friends have sent donations directly to
organizations providing relief to those in need in South Asia and Africa. Given the
callous indifference and political cynicism of the Bush administration, it is only natural
that people have extended their generous support in a direct way. Members of our movement
have been doing the same by sending medicine directly to the people of Haiti after the
devastation caused by the hurricane this past Autumn.
We are also seeking to connect any and all humanitarian efforts with a
struggle to create political change. Every life that is saved from humanitarian efforts is
precious. By creating broad political change, we establish the social and economic
foundation that guarantees that access to basic services become a realized achievement of
the human race. We, modern society, have this capacity. The allocation of resources is
essentially a matter of political priorities. This is the choice: food, water,
housing, medicine, schools for the people everywhere - or the funneling of society's
wealth to those who maintain and profit from a system of militarism.
When we march and rally in the thousands on January 20 along Bush's
inaugural parade route we will be showing the people of the world that this administration
is being opposed by a large segment of the people of the United States. From Iraq to South
Asia to Venezuela to Haiti, Cuba, the Philippines and elsewhere, the Bush administration
asserts that its policies have the support of the people. Bush claimed a mandate even when
he lost the election in 2001 and asserts now that the people have given him to pursue his
criminal and anti-people policies. Richard Nixon assumed the same posture at his
reelection inauguration in January 1973 - 18 months before he resigned rather than face
impeachment.
Please do your part to help make the January 20 CounterInaugural
protest the next big step for the antiwar movement.
Pledge now to support the January 20 demonstration.