Activists Challenge Boeing to Disinvest from Drone Research

As reported on local TV news, at Fight Back News, and by Progress Illinois, Dozens of activists came to the Field Museum in Chicago last Monday (4/28) to speak out against Boeing's involvement in developing the next generation of killer drone.  

You're looking at the next incarnation of
 drone terror: Boeing's Phantom Ray.

They braved cold and rain to stand on the steps of the Museum and hold a press conference admonishing Boeing for its involvement in drone terror. 

"The U.S.'s use of drone warfare has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of children, many of whom live in countries where we have not declared war, yet Boeing has decided to pursue a Navy contract for the prototype for the next combat drone. This is unacceptable", said Kait McIntyre of the Chicago Anti-War Committee (AWC). 

McIntyre had applied for a spot on Boeing's board of directors but was pronounced ineligible due to a paperwork technicality. Several who had purchased Boeing stock then entered the meeting to address shareholders directly.

 Newland Smith proclaimed: “Drone strikes as conducted by our government, according to the Geneva conventions, are illegal and immoral and inflict terror on civilian populations.”  

Kait Mcintyre and Richard Berg also spoke out at the meeting. Also present were members of the 8th Day Center for Justice, veterans of the Vietnam-era Students for a Democratic Society, and members of Voices for Creative Nonviolence.

The death of innocent people is a viable investment
 strategy for Boeing CEO James Mcnerney.

 CEO James Mcnerney reportedly responded to the statements of stockholders with the expression of a belief that there is some common ground between their views and the current goals of the company. While patently absurd, this statement showed Mcnerney to have felt himself in a defensive posture when confronted with the unavoidable consequences of his company's investments.

While several took the opportunity to speak truth directly
 to the rich and powerful gathered inside, others
 addressed the public, bearing witness to the consequences of
 Boeing's policy of killer drone R&D.

To see video regarding the Boeing campaign, and to purchase t-shirts in support of the actions against it, visit the Chicago AWC here.

The Spring Days of Drone Action are in full swing!
 CLICK HERE to learn more about actions nationwide.

Demonstrators make a resounding appearance at Boeing's annual stockholder meeting

As reported in the Chicago Tribune, protestors from Veterans for Peace and other Chicago organizations made sure that Boeing stockholders understood where their funds are going: to the development of new technologies for illegal drone killing overseas.

The "Phantom Ray," Boeing's new technology for illegal killing

Speakers also drew attention to a more than 60 million dollar tax
 break Boeing received to relocate to Chicago: this means that
Chicago taxpayer money is indirectly funding the development
 of drone technology. 

"U.S. Drone Pilots Suicide Rate-DOUBLE other U.S. Military."
 A side effect of drone use hidden by whitewashed media accounts
 that depict it as a "surgical" method for killing known terrorists.

By drawing attention to tax breaks Boeing has received, demonstrators
 revealed that we are all stakeholders in the perpetuation of U.S. imperialism.

"STOP DRONE TERROR"

Media were out in force to transmit the message:
"BOEING KILLING CHILDREN."

"MURDER FROM A DISTANCE IS STILL MURDER"

"BOEING: STOP MAKING WAR MACHINES"

See video of the demonstration here!

Check out more information on Fight Back News!

Chicago demonstrators joined protests across the country to complete the April Days of Action Against Drones. GET INVOLVED IN THE BURGEONING MOVEMENT!

Related posts

Now that the Israeli government's killings in Gaza are front-page news -- particularly the way military aircraft is being used to mow down innocent men, women, and children -- Boeing's involvement is in everyone's face.

(See Boeing Has an Israel Problem . . . and Chicago Has a Boeing Problem)

"The U.S.'s use of drone warfare has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of children, many of whom live in countries where we have not declared war, yet Boeing has decided to pursue a Navy contract for the prototype for the next combat drone. This is unacceptable", said Kait McIntyre of the Chicago Anti-War Committee (AWC), at the annual stockholders' meeting of the Boeing Corporation.

 (See Activists Challenge Boeing to Disinvest from Drone Research)

A large contingent participated in creative resistance activities at the 2012 Air and Water Show.

(See Taking the NO DRONES! Message to the Masses at Chicago's Air & Water Show for full details.)

April 29: Protest Boeing Drones at Annual Stockholder Meeting

Join the Anti-War Committee (AWC) of Chicago to oppose Boeing CEO James McNerney’s plan to make the next combat drone for the US military.

Protest at Boeing Stockholders Meeting
No Killer Drone for Boeing
Monday, April 29th, 9:30 am
Field Museum, South Entrance

Boeing is competing with the other top arms manufacturers for the growing budget for unmanned aircraft for the military. This year, the Navy is asking for designs for a new combat drone. Boeing is expected to propose its “Phantom Ray.”

Boeing’s stockholders meeting will take place at the Field Museum on Monday, April 29th. Members of the AWC, including Sarah Simmons and Newland Smith, have purchased Boeing stock and will hold a press conference at the Field Museum to condemn the plans for the new killer drone.

After years of denial by the Obama administration, Senator Lindsey Graham of the Armed Services Committee recently admitted the number of casualties from killer drones. “We've killed 4700,” he told a pro-drone crowd. This is the estimated number of casualties in Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen, but including drone strikes in Afghanistan and Iraq would result in a much higher number.

There is growing controversy around the US drone wars. Earlier this month, McClatchy News Service released a top secret paper from the White House which proves that the administration statements about who is targeted by the drones are lies. Most of the drone strikes are not Al Qaeda leaders. In Pakistan, as many as 881 deaths in the past decade were civilians, including 176 children. Almost all the rest are “alleged combatants.”

AWC has taken a number of measures to oppose the drone wars, including submitting a statement to Senator Richard Durbin’s hearing this week on the topic. Our main campaign is to target Boeing, headquartered in Chicago, for their role. (See April 6 Chicago protest against Boeing.) Boeing, the number two arms manufacturer, wants to keep the profits they make from producing arms. While the budget for manned aircraft will decline in the Pentagon strategy, the budget for drone warfare is only going to increase. The key element in Boeing’s plans for capturing war spending is to build the Phantom Ray.

Money for Schools, Not for War

In addition to the deaths caused by their products, Boeing received over $60 million in tax breaks to move to Chicago. It’s not acceptable that our public schools and city streets are crumbling, while tax breaks are given to a company which has $25 billion in defense contracts.

We also recognize that drone pilots are victims of drone warfare, as they experience a rate of PTSD and suicide higher than combat veterans.

Join us to say: It’s time to end the drone wars, not prepare to build another generation of more deadly weapons.

Join the Facebook event for the Boeing Stockholder's Meeting Protest and invite friends!

Sign the petition on the Anti-War Committee Chicago website.