Milwaukee Anti-war Committee holds teach-in on war propaganda and Astronautics
Milwaukee, WI – On Sunday, January 28, around 30 people gathered at the Cactus Club in Milwaukee to attend the Milwaukee Anti-war Committee’s (MAC) teach-in on war propaganda and the Astronautics Corporation of America.
Astronautics supplies integrated systems and digital avionics equipment for military aircrafts, and is headquartered in the suburb of Oak Creek. There have two subsidiaries in Israel.
The event began with a history of Western media, dominated by the United States, highlighting how information has been used as a weapon of war in conjunction with military attacks. “In the age of social media, it can be used as a powerful tool to instill fear and support for military action,” said Stephanie Spalatin, the education co-chair of MAC.
Various examples throughout history of the link between the media and the military industrial complex were illustrated. Warmongering propaganda that develops from this relationship has been used to push for invasions and proxy wars. It is an important tool for Israel and the American government in support of their genocide in Palestine. Examples were given by audience members of major American news networks framing the genocide of Palestinians as Israel simply “defending itself” against a “spontaneous” attack on October 7, refusing to acknowledge the history or context spanning almost a hundred years.
The second half of the teach-in tied the genocide to local weapons-tech manufacturer Astronautics. The technology Astronautics develops has been used in many American invasions and wars, including Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen and Palestine. The direct ties between Israel and Astronautics were made clear: this is a corporation profiting off of genocide.
While the death toll in the genocide has now surpassed 27,000, Astronautics posts pro-Israel propaganda on their social media sites. The Milwaukee Anti-war Committee is continuing their campaign to raise awareness and hold Astronautics accountable, and will be in Oak Creek on Friday, February 2 to continue to fight against the U.S. war machine.
The Milwaukee Anti-war Committee is a grassroots anti-war organization committed to de-militarization in Milwaukee and abroad.