Vigil at the Arms Bazaar in National Harbor, MD
“Why are deadly weapons being sold to those who plan to inflict untold suffering on individuals and society? Sadly, the answer, as we all know, is simply for money: money that is drenched in blood, often innocent blood. In the face of this shameful and culpable silence, it is our duty to confront the problem and to stop the arms trade.”
September 16 from Noon-1:30 PM, Mike Walli, Kathy Boylan, Bob Cooke, Jack McHale, Scott Wright, Verleah Kosloske, Ken Cooper, Jake Cooper-Kalin, Msgr. Ray East, Donna Grimes and I vigiled outside the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, MD which is once again hosting the annual Air Force Association (AFA) "Air-Space-Cyber Conference and Technology Exposition," what we call an "Arms Bazaar." This Arms Bazaar is an affront to God and endangers the entire human family and all of creation! This witness, organized by the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker, was in solidarity with all who are participating in the coming days in Campaign Nonviolence, the Catholic Days of Action, and the Warheads to Windmills Campaign. I want to express great gratitude to all who were part of today's witness, as well as those who were in prayerful solidarity but not able to be physically present.
During our witness we were visible to many weapons contractors and military attending the Arms Bazaar who were on their lunch break. Holding banners and signs, we began our witness/prayer service by remembering that God and Jesus command us to renounce all killing and be nonviolent peacemakers, and calling into our presence the Holy Cloud of Witnesses. There were readings from the Beatitudes in Luke's Gospel (read by Verleah) and an excerpt from Dr. King's Beyond Vietnam Speech, April 4, 1967 (read by Kathy and Mike). Also offered was a Reflection and Response (see below—read by Bob, Jack, Scott, Donna and Art), a "Prayer of Exorcism and Conversion" (read by Msgr. East), and a recitation of the Pax Christi Litany of Repentance and Conversion (read by Coop).
Bob Cooke also shared a personal statement about the role weapons contractors at the Arms Bazaar, including Lockheed Martin whose corporate headquarters is in Bethesda, MD, have played in the death and suffering of the Afghan people. Bob has been working to support Afghan refugees who have been relocated to Montgomery County. Bob writes: "Lockheed Martin, for example, has an Office of Charitable giving. They have been asked at least a few times by former Lockheed Martin employees, to consider giving a tenth or a hundredth or a thousand of one percent (or less) of the massive profits they made in Afghanistan over 20 years to help those who helped the US in Afghanistan and as a result needed to flee. Lockheed’s Charitable Giving office has been very adamant that they only provide financial support to US Veteran organizations or STEM programs. This does not seem to be charity to me at all." See more here.
We then processed to the main entrance of the Gaylord from our vigil site located just up the street at another entrance. We sang "Down by the Riverside" and Msgr. East read the Gospel account where Jesus commands his followers to put away the sword (Mt. 26:52). I made a statement about the purpose of our presence and why the Arms Bazaar should be permanently shut down. We then had a brief exchange with security who ordered us to leave because we were on "private property." I was able to remind them that we were all on stolen Piscataway Indian land. We eventually complied with the order and sang the "Vine and Fig Tree" song as we left the area and had a closing circle across the street. During this time Msgr. East offered a concluding prayer and blessing. We also remembered Tom Siemer, who went home to God on September 11th. Tom, who often attended this vigil in the past, as well as countless other peace vigils over the years, was part of the early beginnings of the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker and a long-time Pax Christi member. We give thanks to God for Tom's life, his steadfast commitment advocating for Gospel Nonviolence, and his tireless work for the abolition of nuclear weapons and war.
In these perilous times, let us live in the hope that Jesus offers: "All things are possible for the one who has faith." (Mk. 9:23) We beckon the holy cloud of witnesses and all peace and justice makers who have gone home to God and who are now advocating for us. Hope abounds in the actions of countless people worldwide who are seeking to make God's reign of justice, love and peace a reality. Let us redouble our efforts to do all we can to nonviolently resist the forces and systems of violence, racism, oppression and death and witness to the God of Life and Love as we strive to create the Beloved Community.
Reflection/Response
From September 16-18, the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center is once again playing host to the Air Force Association (AFA) "Air-Space-Cyber Conference and Technology Exposition," what we call an "Arms Bazaar." The AFA is "the voice for aerospace power and the Air Force family." According to the AFA web site: "AFA's Air, Space & Cyber Conference provides first-class professional military development, facilitates sharing of emerging requirements and technologies, and helps fuel connections that advance the cause of air and space power. The theme of this year’s conference is "Achieving Decisive Advantage in an Age of Growing Threats." There are nearly 300 exhibitor booths at this year's Air, Space & Cyber Conference.
Response: God Commands Us Not to Kill and To Beat Swords into Plowshares! Stop the AFA Arms Bazaar! Disarm Now!
The U.S. is the #1 arms dealer worldwide. U.S. weapons companies racked up $81 billion in new foreign military sales last year, a more than 50 percent increase from 2022. See more here.
Exhibitors taking part in the Arms Bazaar play a prominent role in U.S. warmaking and global military intervention, including now in Israel's genocidal war in Gaza. Weapons contractors like Lockheed Martin, Boeing, General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, BAE, and General Atomics are profiting from war and literally are making a killing! But that's not all. The Pentagon, in concert with numerous arms dealers, are committed to U.S. nuclear/military/cyber superiority and militarizing and controlling space.
Response: God Commands Us Not to Kill and To Beat Swords into Plowshares! Stop the AFA Arms Bazaar! Disarm Now!
During its three-day Arms Bazaar, the AFA will hold forums addressing how the U.S. can refine its war making apparatus and cyber capability so it can dominate earth and space. See the agenda here.
Additionally, there will be two gala banquets. We decry the AFA Arms Bazaar for what it is: a scandalous affront to God, a theft from the poor, and a threat to people and the environment throughout the world!
Response: God Commands Us Not to Kill and To Beat Swords into Plowshares! Stop the AFA Arms Bazaar! Disarm Now!
On January 23 of this year, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists "Doomsday Clock" was again set to 90 seconds before midnight due to the existential dangers of nuclear war and climate change — threats compounded by cyber-enabled information warfare, upgrades to existing nuclear systems, the Ukraine war and worsening world tensions.
The Ukraine war has further exacerbated the nuclear peril between the two foremost nuclear powers, the U.S. and Russia.
Response: God Commands Us Not to Kill and To Beat Swords into Plowshares! Stop the AFA Arms Bazaar! Disarm Now!
Last year the U.S. government spent over $51 billion on its nuclear weapons program.
The proposed National Defense National Authorization Act (NDAA) FY 2025 military budget is $923.3 billion.
Response: God Commands Us Not to Kill and To Beat Swords into Plowshares! Stop the AFA Arms Bazaar! Disarm Now!
Since the October 7, 2023 horrific Hamas attack in Israel, the U.S. has continued to supply weapons, produced by arms contractors at the Arms Bazaar, to Israel who has waged a genocidal war in Gaza. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, Israel's bombardment and siege of Gaza has resulted in some 41,000 deaths (the actual death toll is believed to be much higher), including over 16,500 children; nearly 100,000 injured, over 17,000 orphans, the displacement of some two million Gazans, and a catastrophic humanitarian crisis resulting in widespread famine, and now an outbreak of polio. Additionally, Save the Children estimates over 20,000 Palestinian children have gone missing during Israel’s war on Gaza, with thousands separated from relatives or buried under the rubble. Gaza is now rendered almost uninhabitable, with people lacking adequate sources of income and access to water, sanitation, health or education.
Response: God Commands Us Not to Kill and To Beat Swords into Plowshares! Stop the Bombing in Gaza! Stop the AFA Arms Bazaar! Disarm Now!
The victims in Gaza and worldwide cry out for justice, and the earth, under daily assault, groans in travail! Who will speak for the poor and the victims, as arms dealers reap huge profits from their lethal weapons and death technology? Who will protect our sacred earth and environment and work to avert global catastrophe? Who will help to convert the U.S. war economy to meet urgent human needs? We need, more than ever, to nonviolently resist and work to eradicate what Dr. King called the interrelated triple evils of racism, poverty/economic exploitation, and militarism/war.
Response: God Commands Us Not to Kill and To Beat Swords into Plowshares! Stop the AFA Arms Bazaar! Disarm Now!
Together, in solidarity with sisters and brothers in the U.S. and worldwide, we appeal to all people of faith and goodwill to call on the U.S. government to:
repent and make reparations for the harm it has caused people resulting from its military intervention and economic exploitation;
renounce all systems of domination and oppression, rooted in white supremacy, which are reinforced by the murderous weapons displayed at the AFA Arms Bazaar;
ensure an immediate permanent ceasefire in Israel's genocidal war in Gaza, provide emergency humanitarian aid to Gaza, release of all Palestinian and Israeli captives, and reparations to all victims; demand an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestine, U.S. weapons to Israel to support the war and occupation, and support self-determination for Palestinians, and a just peace in Israel and Palestine;
end U.S. arms sales to Saudi Arabia used to support its 9-year illegal war in Yemen, and to Morocco used to support the illegal occupation of Western Sahara;
close its over 800 military bases worldwide, end NATO and AFRICOM, stop all forms of military intervention throughout the world, and cancel all arms sales worldwide;
stop the deployment of U.S. and NATO missile defense systems ringing Russia and China which is increasing already heightened tensions and;
heed Pope Francis' plea that the possession of nuclear weapons is immoral and abolish all nuclear weapons now;
ratify the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) which now makes nuclear weapons illegal under international law (70 nations have ratified the TPNW but the U.S. and other 8 nuclear nations refuse to do so);
redirect exorbitant military expenditures, including the estimated $1.7 trillion over the next several decades to modernize the U.S. nuclear arsenal, to meet urgent human needs and safeguard the environment;
promote nonviolent diplomatic solutions to conflict and establish peace between adversaries; and
create and economic and political order committed to placing people before profit, serving the common good, dismantling racism, promoting equality and restorative justice, and upholding the human rights and dignity of every person.
Let us continue to do all we can to establish the Beloved Community, end the climate crisis and create a world free of nuclear and conventional weapons and war. In the name of God, who commands us to love and not to kill and to beat all the swords (weapons) of our time into plowshares, in the name of Jesus, who calls us to be peacemakers and people of total nonviolence, it's time to end the AFA Arms Bazaar, abolish war, and establish a disarmed world!