Protest
Militarism and Climate
Demilitarize
On the Fourth of July, we celebrate freedom, not war.
Justin Loza
Watching armored vehicles roll through our streets during a holiday meant to honor liberty and independence created a sense of DREAD instead. These killing machines were built for combat, not to be celebrated in community parades.
As a veteran, I believe we honor this country best by promoting peace, not by glorifying the instruments of war.
Maybe if we didn’t normalize militarism, we’d be more appalled as a society by the recent domestic deployment of U.S. troops on American soil for seemingly no legitimate reason. #StandDown
City of Monterey - Government We’re calling for a ban on armored military vehicles in parades and public celebrations. They do not belong on our streets unless there’s a true emergency. Celebrating the people in the military is good alternative than to allow this equipment to continue to be used.
Here’s a succinct list summarizing the killing potential of each vehicle that we saw rolling down our street:
- M3 Half-Track – Built for combat, typically armed with heavy machine guns.
- Willys Jeep – Sometimes mounted with machine guns for recon/escort.
- GMC CCKW Truck – Occasionally armed for convoy protection.
- DUKW Amphibious Truck –Occasionally armed for beach landings.
Photo credit to Oldtown Monterey
