Illustration Friday: The Military Skeleton

The Military Skeleton / inks on paper / 2007

Earlier this year, I gave you a preview of a series of illustrations I have put on indefinite hiatus for a number of reasons- The Ballad of the Skeletons, based on the poem by Allen Ginsberg.  At some point, I'll revisit these works and illustrate all 80+ skeletons of this massive project.  Today,  I felt compelled to share another one with you which immediately came to mind for Illustration Friday.  The theme of this week's artistic escapade is "Launch."

"Said the Military Skeleton,

Buy Star Bombs."

-Allen Ginsberg, Ballad of the Skeletons

We live in a country which launches a military offensive at a bare minimum of once per Presidential administration. We always have to have an enemy- a bad guy for the public to demonize, hate and call to be hunted down like a dog to justify the majority of our military operations.  Why do we need this constant state of fear of impending attacks?  To keep us in line with the program of being proud of war.  We need it to be necessary and justified because our country profits from war.  Companies have made out like bandits since WWI from manufacturing arms, ammunition, uniforms, nonperishable foods and a whole variety of other toys, gadgets and necessities of war.  Capitalism seeks to profit from every industry, hence the term, "war profiteering."  Big Business wants us at war and needs us at war, which is why we're ALWAYS at war.   I could go on all day long on this subject but a more recent example of my grievance with our military industrial complex is thoroughly covered the documentary, Iraq for Sale, which I've posted for you here today...

"Let us call a truce to terror. Let us invoke the blessings of peace. And as we build an international capacity to keep peace, let us join in dismantling the national capacity to wage war."

- John F. Kennedy, September 25, 1961

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