|
March 2022 Newsletter
Issue #61
|
|
|
The world spent $1,981 billion on the military last year -- an increase of 2.6%.
This represents about 2% of the world Gross Domestic Product, or $242 for every person on earth.
The 5 biggest military spenders are the United States, China, India, Russia and the United Kingdom -- accounting for 62% of global expenditure. Military spending by China grew for the 26th consecutive year.
There are estimated to be nearly 13,000 nuclear warheads in the world. Russia has 6,257 & the U.S. possesses 5,550, accounting for over 90%. Other countries include:
-
China=350
-
France=290
-
The United Kingdom=225
-
Pakistan=165
-
India=156
-
Israel=90
-
North Korea=40-50
The U.S military expenditure reached an estimated $778 billion, representing an increase of 4.4%. As the world’s largest military spender, the USA accounted for 39% of total military expenditure. This was the 3rd consecutive year of growth in US military spending.
The entire U.S. budget in 2019 was $4.4 trillion.
The cost of the U.S. war in Afghanistan (2001-2019) was $2.15 trillion:
$1.5 trillion -- War effort
$10 billion -- Counter narcotics operation
$87 billion -- Training Afghan police & military
$24 billion -- Afghanistan economic development
$30 billion -- Reconstruction program
$500 billion -- Interest on federal borrowing
In addition, the U.S. spent an estimated $5.9 trillion on the "war on terror" through 2019.
It is estimated that the world spends nearly $3 trillion a year on arms, and the U.S. drives the bulk of the globe’s weapons trade — about 79%.
For the past 70 years the United States has been the top supplier of weapons to the world. The U.S. exports more arms than than the next 9 countries combined.
The top 5 arms manufacturers in the world, along with their estimated sales figures are:
-
Lockheed Martin — $47 billion
-
Boeing — $29 billion
-
Northrop Grumman — $26 billion
-
Raytheon — $23 billion
-
General Dynamics — $22 billion
It is estimated that the combined arms sales of the top 100 largest arms producing companies amounted to an estimated $315 billion.
Researchers estimate that between 480,000 and 507,000 people were killed in the post-9/11 U.S. wars -- in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. This toll does not include the more than 500,000 deaths from the war in Syria, going on since 2011.
50% of war casualties are civilians caught in the crossfire.
200 million children worldwide live in high-intensity conflict zones.
In 2020, nearly 168 million people needed humanitarian assistance and protection around the world. This represents 1 in about 45 people -- the highest figure in decades.
86% of humanitarian needs occur in situations of conflict and violence.
Funding for peace building across the world is $6.3 billion or less than .3% of military expenditures.
In 2019, international humanitarian spending was $29.6 billion -- $1.6 billion less than in 2018, as funding from public donors decreased.
84 countries have mandatory military service.
15 nations do not have military forces. Factors include:
-
Size: 7 of the 10 smallest countries of the world
- Achieved independence in a peaceful manner
- Agreements with other countries for help
- Too costly to maintain. Use funds for other purposes
- Fear of a military coup
-
Possess a strong police force, militarized coast guard or an air defense system
- Symbol of peace = source of pride
|
|
|
The 100 Thing Challenge:
How I Got Rid of Almost Everything,
Remade My Life, and Regained My Soul
By Dave Bruno. A response to the culture of materialism in America, with the constant and unsatisfactory desire for "more." Offers compelling anecdotes and practical advice to help readers live more meaningfully, simply by casting off the unnecessary "stuff" that clutters their lives. Provides an opportunity to experience the positive changes that occur as one defiantly hops off the treadmill of consumerism. Read more.
|
|
|
The Line Becomes a River:
Dispatches from the Border
By Francisco Cantú. A memoir by the author -- a Mexican American and grandson of a Mexican immigrant -- that details his experiences working with the Border Patrol in hopes of forming a firsthand understanding of the U.S./Mexico border. A discussion guide is also available. Read more.
|
|
|
Catholic Prison Ministries Coalition
A central hub for all Catholic jail, prison, and detention ministry efforts in the United States. Promotes ministry to all people affected by incarceration. Recruits, trains, supports and empowers those called to this ministry. Strives to create a more just and merciful criminal justice system that upholds the dignity of every human person and advances restorative justice.
For more on the Criminal Justice System,
|
|
|
Voices of the Civil Rights Movement
A resource that honors the legacy and impact of the men and women who championed racial equity in the United States. The project launched in 2013 as “His Dream, Our Stories” to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s iconic “I Have a Dream” speech became a rallying cry for the movement. Since then, Voices of the Civil Rights Movement has grown to more than 18 hours of firsthand accounts, historical moments and stories submitted by the public. It is free to the general public & available across a variety of platforms. Learn more.
|
|
|
World Fair Trade Organization
A global community and verifier of 1,000 social enterprises and 1,500 shops that fully practice Fair Trade. Spread across 76 countries, WFTO members exist to serve marginalized communities and must demonstrate putting people and planet first in everything they do. WFTO focuses on both social enterprise and fair trade. Its "Guarantee System" is the only international verification model focused on social enterprises that put the interests of workers, farmers and artisans first. Through peer-reviews and independent audits, WFTO verifies members are mission-led enterprises fully practicing the 10 Principles of Fair Trade across their business and supply chains. Learn more.
|
|
|
Reveille for a New Generation:
Organizers and Leaders Reflect on Power
By Greg Pierce. A collection of over 50 stories, essays, letters, poems, sermons, eulogies, and other writings by leaders and organizers. Shows how people in America—from the beginning—figured out how to “fight back” against those who would ignore, abuse, or oppress them and “fight for” their families, their institutions, and their communities. Consists of three main sections: Roots of Organizing, Foundations of Organizing and Future of Organizing. Each entry is accompanied by background information on that writer and three questions for personal reflection or group discussion. Read more.
For more Community Organizing resources,
|
|
|
Community Tool Box
A public service of the Center for Community Health and Development at the University of Kansas, the Tool Box is a free, online resource for those working to build healthier communities and bring about social change. It offers thousands of pages of tips and tools for taking action in communities. Includes assessment, planning, intervention, evaluation, advocacy, and other aspects of community practice in over 300 educational modules and other tools. Under continuous development since 1994, the Tool Box is widely used in teaching, training, and technical support. Currently available in English, Spanish, Arabic, and Farsi. Learn more.
For more Community Organizing resources,
|
|
|
Important Dates This Month
|
|
|
Individuals Honored This Month |
|
|
Exact Date of Death Unknown
No one has ever become poor by giving.
|
|
|
We who say we dwell in Christ, should walk just as he walked.
|
|
|
March 3rd
I believe much trouble would be saved
if we opened our hearts more.
|
|
|
March 5th
The number one cause of atheism is Christians. Those who proclaim Him with their mouths and deny Him with their actions is what an unbelieving world finds unbelievable.
|
|
|
March 13th
Many powerful people don’t want peace because they live off of war.
|
|
|
March 14th
The world is not dangerous because of those who do harm but because of those who look at it without doing anything.
|
|
|
March 24th
A church that doesn’t provoke any crises, a gospel that doesn’t unsettle, a word of God that doesn’t get under anyone’s skin, a word of God that doesn’t touch the real sin of the society in which it is being proclaimed – what gospel is that?
|
|
|
March 31st
History will judge societies and governments and their institutions not by how big they are or how well they serve the rich and powerful but how effectively they respond to the needs of the poor and the helpless.
|
|
|
Since 2017, there have been more than 250,000 visitors the Social Justice Resource Center website. We provide a wide variety of facts and figures on specific social issues as well as thousands of free resources including films, publications, links to other organizations, prayers, quotes, principles of social justice, key dates throughout the year, action ideas, Diocesan office contact information and biographies of famous people who have worked for social justice.
|
|
|
Every month we email our newsletter to over 4,000 people around the country. Each issue focuses on a social justice topic and has resources that have been recently added to our website. If you know of anyone who might be interested in receiving our newsletter, please forward this email on to them or let us know and we'll add them to our mailing list. For our previous Newsletters,
|
|
|
Contact@SocialJusticeResourceCenter.org |
|
|
|
|
|
|
