Category Archives: Air Force

Public & Press Release: Nonviolent Resisters Block Shift Change at Truax Military Base Monday Morning

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Madison, WI, 3/27/2023

Nonviolent Resisters Successfully Blocked Shift Change at Truax Air National Guard Base this Morning to Oppose F-35 Fighter Jets & War

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Contacts:

Janet Parker, Madison for a World BEYOND War, 608-228-9096 [email protected]

Joy First, Wisconsin Coalition to Ground the Drones and End the Wars, 608-239-4327

Live this morning on Channel 27: https://www.wkow.com/news/demonstrators-gather-at-truax-field-to-oppose-arrival-of-f-35-fighter-jets/article_a526c44c-cc8f-11ed-9c13-6b59db1b26b4.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=user-share

A nonviolent resistance action successfully blocked the shift change this morning at Truax ANG Base this morning, March 27, 2023.   More than 40 activists, including Iowa County parish priest Father Jim Murphy, took part in protesting the F-35 fighter jets, which are scheduled to come to Truax Field in Madison this spring.  These jets were opposed by the MMSD School Board and the Madison City Council.  Activists are calling on the Governor to change the mission of Truax ANG base to a peaceful one.  Today in Burlington, VT, the other F-35 base, activists are also demonstrating.

“Help us say no to war, environmental pollution, militarism, and F-35’s in Madison or anywhere else.”              – Andrea Novotney, Great Turning Catholic Worker Farm, Madison

 “We call for grounding the F-35 fighter jets, gun control at the Pentagon, and war abolition: an end to the organized mass murder called war.”

– Janet Parker, Madison for a World BEYOND War.

“We want the Governor to meet with a delegation of Safe Skies representatives in order to discuss the F-35 project and to propose a solution that will meet the needs and concerns of Madison residents and our local public official allies.  We want the Governor to negotiate with the Air Force to create a new mission for the Air National Guard at Truax Field.”

– Safe Skies organizer Tom Boswell

Statement: 

F-35 FIGHTER BRINGS THE WAR HOME TO WISCONSIN!

WE SAY NO!

We come here today, March 27, 2023 to say: ground the F-35 fighter jet and abolish war! The F-35 fighter jet is a threat to the planet. It should not be based in Madison or anywhere.

Under state law, the Air National Guard provides protection of life and property and preserves peace, order and public safety, but the ANG at Truax violates that mandate. ANG bases in several states provide emergency relief during floods, earthquakes and forest fires; search and rescue operations; medical missions. Fighter jets can’t “preserve peace, order and public safety.” They are worthless in a natural disaster.  They are not effective for search and rescue. They can’t help maintain vital public services. The F-35 is only an instrument of war and more than ever before, the ANG at Truax will threaten the lives of civilians abroad and degrade the quality of life in Madison.

The F-35, wherever it is deployed, will degrade the environment, intensify climate chaos, intensify the horrors of present wars and precipitate new ones. Due to the expansion of NATO and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the threat of nuclear annihilation has never been so grave as now. Placing the F-35 at Truax will make Madison a target in any nuclear confrontation with Russia.  But in reality, nowhere on earth will be safe.

We urgently call on the governor of Wisconsin, on the Adjutant General of the Wisconsin National Guard, on the commander of Truax Field, on the state’s legislature and congressional delegation to change the mission of Truax. We call upon world leaders to disarm and abolish war and on the world’s people to join us in this demand.







This weekend, Madison hosted the 20th Catholic Worker Midwest Faith and Resistance Gathering this past weekend, to prepare for nonviolent resistance actions in Madison on Monday, March 27 to oppose war and F-35 fighter jets.

Madison Veterans for Peace, Safe Skies Clean Water Wisconsin, Madison for a World BEYOND War are local hosts.  Madison activists are joined by Catholic Workers who converged from Missouri, Ohio, Kansas, Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Maryland and Wisconsin.  CODEPINK: Women for Peace are partners in the action also.

More details:

https://www.safeskiescleanwaterwi.org/save-the-date-march-24-27-catholic-worker-faith-resistance-gathering-no-f-35s/

Catholic Worker was formed in the depths of the Great Depression, 1933, when Dorothy Day and a few others hawked The Catholic Worker in New York’s Union Square. Today there are 187 Catholic Worker communities committed to non-violence, voluntary poverty, prayer and hospitality. They continue to protest injustice, war, racism, and violence of all forms.

All Posts – Safe Skies Clean Water Wisconsin

Air Force Veteran, Larry Orr on Israeli attack on the USS Liberty

watch/listen —> Larry Orr on USS Liberty and Israel

Vietnam era Air Force veteran, Larry Orr, of Veterans for Peace Madison speaks of his friend who was murdered in the Israeli attack on the #USSLiberty

From June 5th to June 10th, 1967, the Israeli government seized the remaining Palestinian territories of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Gaza Strip, Syrian Golan Heights and the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula, marking the completion of the occupation of historical Palestine – this is known as the Naksa (or the #SixDayWar).

On June 8th, 1967, Israel launched an unprovoked attack on the USS Liberty, which was carrying videos of Israeli war crimes against Palestinians. Though Israel claimed the attack was a case of mistaken identity, there is significant evidence suggesting otherwise. In addition to the very visible markings of an American ship, including a large American flag flying above the ship, Israel identified – at least seven times, according to audio recordings – that the ship belonged to the U.S. Navy.

The U.S., however, did not seek justice for the 34 murdered and 173 injured Americans. Instead, U.S. government officials lied, suppressed information in defense of Israel, and even threatened to imprison survivors, should they speak out.

It has been 55 years since the attack, and justice has never been served. Palestinians who are constantly murdered indiscriminately by the Israeli government and military have also never seen justice. Israel must be held accountable for ALL of its crimes – against Palestinians, against Americans, and against its Arab neighbors; just as everyone needs to be held accountable for their actions.

#NoJusticeNoPeace

Video and audio is from  the 2022 Madison, Wisconsin #Nakba event, co-sponsored by Madison Veterans for Peace.

#RemembertheLiberty

May 24 @ 3:30pm~ Vigil Against Drones ~ Volk Field Wisconsin

 

DRONES KILL INNOCENT PEOPLE

VIGIL AGAINST THE DRONES
OUTSIDE THE GATES OF VOLK FIELD

TUESDAY MAY 24      3:30-4:30 pm

Dear Friends,
Please join us as we vigil against drone warfare at Volk Field on May 24.
The vigil at Volk Field is a legal vigil where we will be on public property.  As always, it will be a solemn vigil, remembering the victims of US government drone attacks.
THE VIGIL – We will gather at the wayside around 3:15 for introductions and to review the plan for the vigil, and then process together to the gates of the base where we will hold a solemn vigil for one hour to remember those killed by drones.  Participants can stand in silence or read poems and stories about the effects of drone warfare.  It is important that the voices of the victims be brought to the gates of Volk Field.
Bring posters if you can.
A WORD ABOUT THE WEATHER – If you have questions about the vigil because of the weather, please make sure to call Joy at 608 239-4327 or Bonnie at 608-256-5088 for an update.
CARPOOLING –  If you are interested in carpooling to Volk Field from Madison, please contact Bonnie at 608-256-5088.
DRONES KILL INNOCENT PEOPLE
VIGIL AGAINST THE DRONES
OUTSIDE THE GATES OF VOLK FIELD
TUESDAY MAY 24      3:30-4:30 pm 
We hope to see you at the vigil on Tuesday May 24.  If you can’t come this time, mark your calendar.  We usually vigil on the 4th Tuesday of every month.

If you have any questions please call or email Joy at 608 239-4327 or [email protected]

or Bonnie at 608-256-5088 or [email protected]

Peace,

Joy and Bonnie

Wisconsin Coalition to Ground the Drones

and End the Wars

First Friday Film Feb 4: What’s All the Noise About? (Zoom Films & Discussion)

Two short documentaries, follow link for more info :

* Jetline: Voices from the Flight Path

* When the Jets Fly: New Warplanes Turn US Towns Into Sonic Hellscapes

Films & Discussion with:

~ Retired Air Force Colonel Rosanne Greco ~
Greco spent 30 years in active service specializing in strategic intelligence, nuclear weapons and arms control. Former chair of the South Burlington City Council and an active Unitarian Universalist. Greco has been fighting the basing of F-35s in Vermont for ten years.
~ Omar Poler ~
Poler lives in the Eken Park neighborhood of Madison and has been organizing with his neighbors to stop the F-35 “beddown” and protect water from PFAS contamination. He is a leader of Eken Park Resistance.
~ Terra Huey ~
Huey is the social media coordinator for the Sound Defense Alliance, a coalition of groups in Northwest Washington and the Salish Sea. SDA is recognized for getting Real-Time Noise Monitoring into the National Defense Authorization Act, passed last year by Congress.