Milwaukee residents rally to oppose the Milwaukee Air & Water Show
Milwaukee, WI – On July 19, more than 40 people rallied alongside the Milwaukee Anti-war Committee (MAC) for their third annual protest of the Milwaukee Air & Water Show.
The group gathered in the grassy area outside the Milwaukee Art Museum, a common viewing area for the show, to demand an end to the promotion of war.
Emcee Sara Kraco opened the rally remarking “The oppression of people overseas is directly tied to our oppression at home. The money being drained from community services like schools, libraries, healthcare and roads are being funneled into the military and the police instead.”
This theme continued throughout the rally as the group chanted “Money for jobs and education, not for war and occupation!”
Speakers from organizations such as the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (MAARPR), Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), and Peace Action spoke to the death and destruction that are being promoted behind the insidious illusion of a “family-friendly” event. Robby Knapp of SDS noted that “the Air & Water Show is an attempt to make war and U.S. imperialism lighthearted.” Speakers highlighted the role this propaganda plays in enticing people to join the U.S. war machine.
Connections were also made between the fight against the war machine and the struggle for immigrant rights. Speaking for MAARPR, Kayla Patterson said, “The Wisconsin National Guard launched a new propaganda campaign this year advertising a ‘path to citizenship’ for anyone and their families in exchange for military service.” She emphasized that this race-based repression makes the military a beneficiary of the recent terror against migrant communities.
Sara Onitsuka of Freedom Road Socialist Organization connected all the areas of struggle represented at the event and spoke to the importance of organization. They stated “It’s so important to make connections between the struggles, but the question is, what’s next? We need a strategy for how to win.” They further stressed the importance of a united front across movements to fight U.S. imperialism.
To close the rally, Elizabeth Bjork of MAC reminded attendees of the true purpose the planes used in the demonstration serve. They stated, “Here we have the comfort of knowing that these planes are not going to be raining bombs from the sky. Families in Palestine know that when they hear the same plane sounds that we hear now, that it means death.”
Specific reference was made to the F-35s flown by the Wisconsin Air National Guard in the Air & Water Show. These aircraft are also used by the Israeli Air Force to bomb the Palestinian people in Gaza. The F-35 is produced by Lockheed Martin and serviced by their Milwaukee-based subsidiary Derco.
The Milwaukee Anti-war Committee continues its fight against the U.S. war machine in its own backyard. As their main banner stated, “War is NOT family friendly!”