New Year’s Day, 2022. Rain is steadily falling outside my window and there are rumors of another tornado that might hit Nashville. The weather (including climate change) is one of my concerns as I look forward to the coming year. I am also worried about my country. The thousand pound gorilla in the room is this: the United States military budget. As long as our country spends so much money on the military, we will not have the money to make the changes that we need to improve the lives of ordinary Americans. Despite our failed wars (Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan) our elected representatives of both parties continue to pass, and even increase, the military budget with little, if any, debate. Meanwhile, we do not have universal kindergarten, many Americans do not have affordable housing, we pay more for drugs than Canadians do because of our corporate healthcare system, young people are mired down in student debt, many workers are not being paid a living wage, etc.
It seems most Americans have not traveled abroad to places like the United Kingdom, France or Sweden -- countries that have universal, government-sponsored healthcare. We continue to buy into the idea that America is the greatest country in the world. I so wish this was true. Unfortunately, we have a long way to go to catch up with other western democracies. If we weren’t squandering so much of our money on maintaining our 800 plus military bases all over the world, maybe we could begin to live up to our potential as the “shining light on the hill.” As a student of history, I know it is up to us, the American people to change our country. Change always comes from the bottom up, not the top down. So let us be brave and courageous. Let’s use our music, our art, our feet, our voices and our votes to effect change. The women’s peace organization Code Pink has started a campaign called Cut The Pentagon. You can find more at www.cutthepentagon.org Michael and I will soon be releasing a new song/music video that takes to task the military budget. Look for an announcement of it online soon. So this is what’s on my mind on New Year’s Day 2022.Onward!
