Bye-Bye World: While Nuclear Weapons and Wars Exist, Annihilation Beckons

It’s been a long time since the atomic bombings of August 1945, when people around the planet first realized that world civilization stood on the brink of doom.  This apocalyptic ending to the Second World War revealed to all that, with the advent of nuclear weapons, violent conflict among nations had finally reached the stage where it could terminate life on earth.  Addressing a CBS radio audience in early 1946, Robert read more

Ten Worst National Anthems

By David Swanson, World BEYOND War, October 16, 2022

There’s probably not a corner of the Earth lacking talented, creative, and wise composers of lyrics for songs. It’s unfortunate that no nation has been able to locate any of them to assist with its national anthem.

Of course, I’m unfamiliar with many artistic genres and most languages. I read most anthem lyrics in translation. But the best ones seem to be the shortest, and their primary recommendation seems to be their length.

Here are read more

JCDecaux, World’s Largest Outdoor Advertising Company, Censors Peace, Promotes War

By David Swanson, World BEYOND War, October 13, 2022

Global NGO World BEYOND War sought to rent four billboards in front of NATO headquarters in Brussels with messages of peace. These were small billboards at train stops. Here is the image that we sought to use:

The U.S.-based organization Veterans For Peace has partnered with us on this campaign. We’ve successfully rented a read more

There Is an Alternative to War

The war in Ukraine provides us with yet another opportunity to consider what might be done about the wars that continue to ravage the world.

The current Russian war of aggression is particularly horrific, featuring a massive military invasion of a smaller, weaker nation, threats of nuclear war, widespread war crimes, and imperial annexation.  But, alas, this terrible war is but one small part of a history of violent conflict that has characterized thousands of years of human existence.

Is there read more

Opposing War Together With Libertarians

By David Swanson, World BEYOND War, October 7, 2022

I’ve just read In Search of Monsters to Destroy by Christopher J. Coyne. It’s published by the Independent Institute (which seems dedicated to untaxing the rich, destroying socialism, and so forth). The book begins by citing as influences both peace advocates and rightwing economists.

If I had to rank the reasons I want to abolish war, the first one would be avoiding nuclear holocaust, and the second would be investing in socialism instead. read more

2022: Nobel Committee Gets Peace Prize Wrong Yet Again

The Nobel Committee has yet again awarded a peace prize that violates the will of Alfred Nobel and the purpose for which the prize was created, selecting recipients who blatantly are not “the person who has done the most or best to advance fellowship among nations, the abolition or reduction of standing armies, and the establishment and promotion of peace congresses.”

With its eyes on the news of the day, there was no question that the Committee would find some way to focus on Ukraine. But read more