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Mtg. to Oppose Ottawa War Show! July 31
Please circulate this notice:
Oppose the Ottawa War Show!
Please join us at this important, upcoming meeting to plan opposition to
the Ottawa war show
(aka the "National Capital Air Show"):
Monday, July 31, 7 p.m.
91A Fourth Ave. (Meeting House of the Society of Friends (Quakers))
(just east of Bank St., in the Glebe)
For more information, contact:
Richard Sanders (Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade) 231-3076
--------------------------
Here is the latest list of aircraft that are scheduled to descend upon
Ottawa for the so called "air show" which will be held this year in
mid-September.
Please note that other than one "US Coast Guard" plane, ALL of these are
military planes.
This information is from the war show's web site <ncas.ottawa.com> (updated
July 20)
Air Displays
Canadian Forces Snowbirds Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
Canadian Forces Sky Hawks Trenton, Ontario
CF-18 Hornet Canadian Forces, Bagotville, Quebec
F/A-18 Hornet United States Navy, NAS Oceana, Virginia
HH-65 Dolphin US Coast Guard
CH-113 Labrador Canadian Forces, Trenton, Ontario
Ground Displays
Jaguar Royal Air Force
Tornado German Air Force, Royal Air Force
E-2C Hawkeye United States Navy
F-4 Phantom German Air Force
F-14 Tomcat United States Navy
F-15 Eagle United States Air Force
MiG-29 German Air Force
T-38 Talon United States Air Force, Vance AFB, Oklahoma
T-45 Goshawk United States Navy
B-52 Stratofortress United States Air Force
CT-133 Silver Star Canadian Forces
CP-140 Aurora Canadian Forces
CC-144 Challenger Canadian Forces
Transall C-160 German Air Force - Hohn, Alt Duvenstedt, Germany
--------
Background information:
Challenging the National Capital War Show
By Richard Sanders, Coordinator, Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade.
This year, the theme of Ottawa's war show is "Between Best Friends." It
sounds harmless enough, but what's behind this innocuous title? Organisers
say they'll be "commemorating the special relationship between Canada and
our NATO partners." Many of world's most deadly warplanes will execute
aerial stunts to demonstrate the amazing, high-tech warfighting abilities
of our government's "best friends." It's fun for the whole family!
Every year, the latest "weapons delivery systems" descend on our city for
a degenerate carnival to celebrate war. Part of the growing globalisation
of war culture, such public spectacles - held annually in about 500
communities across North America - are among our society's most popular,
mass cultural events. Though euphemistically called the "National Capital
Air Show," this is really a kind of sanitized blood sport. It exemplifies
a military culture that has escaped its bounds and is parading through
civil society. In this theatre of war, the battle is fought for the
public's hearts, minds and pocket books.
War shows proudly provide a major recruiting venue for the armed forces.
The high-flying drama is carefully orchestrated to breed a young generation
on the art of war, to cultivate their support for militarism and entice
them into a cult which worships at the altar of violence. War shows also
manipulate the attitudes of adults who should know better than be conned by
such crude propaganda. These events serve the interests of the military
industrial complex by blatantly encouraging public revelry in war
technology. By romanticising and glorifying the ultraviolent tools of
military culture, these events help to "manufacture consent" for war.
War as Performance
Last spring, during the bombardment of Yugoslavia, the following NATO
warplanes strutted their stuff over our fair city: Tornado IDS, E-2C
Hawkeye, P-3 Orion, AV-8B Harrier II, A-10 Thunderbolt, F/A-18 Hornet, B-52
Stratofortress, F-117A Nighthawk, C-130 Her-cules, KC-135 Stratotanker,
B-1B Lancer, F-16 Fighting Falcon and the CF-18. During the previous
year's war show, a B-2 nuclear bomber flew over Ottawa. At US$2.2 Billion
each, the B-2 is the most expensive warplane ever built. Imagine the
social and environmental programs that could be funded with even a small
fraction of this public wealth!
Seeing this list of warplanes brings to mind many of the wars,
interventions, invasions and campaigns of state terror and repression that
have been launched by our "best friends" over the past 50 years: Korea,
Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Iran, Lebanon, Panama, El Salvador, Guatemala,
Libya, Grenada, Iraq, Turkey, etc. Warplanes disturbing the skies over
Ottawa have struck fear in the hearts of millions around the world. Why do
these vehicles of destruction bring smiles and laughter to the hearts of so
many of our fellow citizens? Why are people enthralled and delighted by
weapons which have destroyed so many lives?
Media: "Partners" in War
The public's naive perception that warplanes are an appropriate source of
joyous fun is aided and abetted by our mass, corporate media. War
technology, and war itself, are often used to entertain children and adults
alike. Last year, the following local newspaper, radio and TV outlets were
listed as official "partners" of the war show: Le Droit, CFRA, Kool FM,
The Bear, Young Country, CJOH and CHOT. In 1998, media partners included:
Ottawa Sun, CJOH/CHRO (BBS), CHEZ 106 and Majic 100. Can we expect fair
coverage of our opposition to war, and war shows in particular, when so
many media outlets shamelessly become "partners" with event organisers?
No, not likely, but when did that ever stop us before?
Building a "Culture of Peace"
This is the fourth year that the Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade (COAT)
has used the war show to raise awareness on peace, human rights,
environmental and economic issues. This being the UN Year for a "Culture
of Peace," and the beginning of the UN's "International Decade for a
Culture of Peace and Non-violence for the Children of the World," activists
from diverse communities have an opportunity to work together to build a
culture of peace. We can refocus attention on NATO's war against
Yugoslavia, which will continue to damage the Balkan region for generations
to come. NATO's "first use" nuclear policies can also be highlighted by
the disturbing presence of numerous nuclear warplanes.
This year, we are inspired by opposition to Hamilton's war show. Among
those involved in the planning are some activists with Homes Not Bombs
(Ottawa) who travelled to Hamilton's "Festival of Life" (see pp. 27-30). We
are working to create and strengthen alliances between as many individuals,
groups and movements as possible to develop a broadly-based, innovative
campaign to oppose Ottawa's war show. In this way, we are building a
culture of peace and demonstrating our own understanding of the war show's
theme, "Between Best Friends."
Source: Press for Conversion!, issue #41, July 2000.
Press for Conversion is a 40 page, quarterly magazine published by the
Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade.
The theme of the current issue is: "Building a Culture of Peace."
For a free sample copy of COAT's magasine, please contact COAT.
------------------------------------------------------
Richard Sanders
Coordinator, Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade (COAT)
541 McLeod St., Ottawa Ontario Canada K1R 5R2
Tel.: 613-231-3076 Fax: 613-231-2614
Email: ad207@ncf.ca
Web site: www.ncf.ca/coat
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