For me, Memorial Day means reflecting on how war and militarism always benefit the rich while harming the bodies, minds, and communities of the working class, including many people I have known and loved.
This is always the case, but it is particularly potent in a moment of multiple unjust wars, increased saber-rattling between global powers, and the horrific ground invasion of Rafa. It is my commitment as a peace candidate to always resist illegal and unjust wars, and to speak out against imperialism and genocide. It’s also my commitment to center the lived experience of veterans who deal with ongoing trauma. We need to end homelessness among veterans and dramatically expand mental health services to help cope with trauma and disproportionately high rates of addiction and suicide. Let’s work so we don’t have to mourn those lost outside of combat, too.
Today also reminds me of Eugene Victor Debs’ powerful 1918 anti-war speech, which resulted in his sentencing to ten years in prison under the recently passed Espionage Act. He went on to earn over a million votes for President, despite being behind bars. One line in particular resonates today:
“...the working class who fight all the battles, the working class who make the supreme sacrifices, the working class who freely shed their blood and furnish the corpses, have never yet had a voice in either declaring war or making peace. It is the ruling class that invariably does both. They alone declare war and they alone make peace.” -Eugene Victor Debs, “The Subject Class Always Fights the Battles”
This week's blog post focuses on campaign staff member and veteran Eric Ard, who sat down with me over the weekend to discuss what Memorial Day means to him and all those he witnessed lose their lives in active military service.