Beyond Cuckoo

Military Madness

No matter how you feel about what’s happening on the streets of Ferguson, Missouri, you can’t ignore the U.S. surplus weaponry now carried by local law enforcement, against US citizens.  Apparently the Pentagon 1033 Program allows state and local police to stock up on excess US military equipment free of charge. The Pentagon’s Law Enforcement Support Office’s website brags that it can help save the American taxpayer’s investment by arming local community enforcers against civilian unrest.

This cost effective government strategy was initially born out of a need to fight “The War On Drugs”, which we all know has been highly successful. Then after September 11, 2001 we needed better weapons against terrorists. Now we can watch the same guns, helicopters, tanks, and night vision equipment that we fight with in the Middle East, deployed against our own US citizens—should they decide to protest—for whatever reason. The same citizenry, by the way, that pays the taxes, that are overspent, on never used military equipment, while every other social program is cut. I have to ask, “Would it be beyond cuckoo to use the excess military budget to raise the minimum wage?”—Maybe cut down on some of the frustration? Or we could fund our school programs, maybe teach job skills, so it becomes possible to earn a middle class living.  Maybe if folks could afford food, clothing and consumer goods the economy would grow and our neighborhoods would become safer. It might even cut down on the looting by those that see a riot as a chance to score some free shit. Who knows? You tell me.