Pittsburgh demands end to Lockheed Martin contract
Pittsburgh, PA – On February 20, the International Solidarity Committee of Pittsburgh (ISCPIT) rallied outside of the headquarters of Howmet Aerospace – a company that produces essential F-35 jet components for Lockheed Martin which are used against Palestine
The demonstration took place in coordination with the Anti-War Action Network’s week of action. Protesters chanted, “No more violence, no more threats, no more parts for bomber jets!” Volunteers read selections of poetry by Palestinian authors, and members of local organizations delivered speeches bringing attention to the many facets of U.S. imperialism facing the world today.
ISCPIT’s Dot Bodwell stated, “The genocide did not begin when it hit U.S. headlines, and it will not end once it's out of the spotlight. Pittsburgh needs a consistent voice against war.”
Pittsburgh’s branch of Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) has long been leading the campaign against Howmet Aerospace. The Howmet Accountability Project is one of many efforts by local organizers to end Pittsburgh’s complicity in genocide and war crimes.
Freedom Road Socialist Organization’s (FRSO) Marigold Cameron stated, “During the renegotiations between Howmet and Lockheed Martin, Lockheed's representatives argued that if Howmet dropped the contract, it would take 18 months to resume F-35 production.”
Cameron continued, “The work done in this building forces laborers to work in unsafe conditions around the country; it consumes all other titanium manufacturers, forcing whole industries to do business on its terms; it contributes to the gentrification of our city, pricing our poorest neighbors out of their own homes; and it drops bombs on Palestine, Venezuela, and perhaps soon Iran. Here is our enemy!”
A member of ISCPIT told the crowd, “This oil-obsessed imperialism is the same mindset that darkened Pittsburgh’s sky with coal dust, and set fire to the Cuyahoga River. They are seeking profit at the expense of our world, our home, and our children.”
Other demonstrators drew attention to the idea of the “imperial boomerang,” which refers to the phenomenon where the repression and violence used overseas in imperialist aggression is eventually turned back on the people of the imperialist nation itself.
The rally’s call to action emphasized the important role of the labor movement in disrupting the military industrial complex’s supply chain.
Ed Gallo, a local union worker, said, “The trade unions in Italy swiftly and repeatedly mobilized the workers. They seriously threatened the economic interests of those in power – what is it going to take for U.S. labor leaders to acknowledge that there is no safety, or secure institutions, nothing is sacred in a world where people are murdered by the thousands with impunity? It’s up to us, the rank-and-file, the workers of the United States, to be brave and make our voices heard.”
A strong anti-war movement will be vitally necessary as the Trump administration continues to boldly stoke conflict with Cuba and Iran.