The subtle militarism of Canadian air shows

 

...These airshows are indications of the militarization of Canadian and US life and add to the pro-war propaganda. They also serve to market their wares, such as the F-35, which is being demonstrated at the Abbotsford show. Presented as local, recreational and cultural events away from the theater of combat, these shows condition their audiences to militarization.

Presented as festivals, the audience may come to associate joy with these death machines. By creating them as family entertainment, children are targeted. The strategic aim is to acclimatize the public to militarization, to make them comfortable with the tools of war and war itself. That is to normalize war. Also, a goal is to excite the youth into joining the military forces.

To celebrate military aircraft is greatly inappropriate, but air shows display marvelous technology out of context and persist in cheering. In reality, for example, the F-18 Hornets and A-10 Thunderbolts were used to bomb 100’s of 1000’s of civilians in Iraq in the 90’s and 2000’s. 

As major events, air shows stimulate local and regional economic activity. Many businesses, producers and suppliers of anything from tools to soap, are benefiting from air shows-related business. Services bring revenue: construction/ tear-down of displays and facilities, various services, tourism, supp such as cleaning, delivery, mechanics, food, advertising, etc. 

The peace movement’s resistance to these airshows has not been big or strong or persuasive enough to cause boycotts and shut them down. One growing obstacle is the reliance of local vendors and producers on military activity in many ways.

The existence and continuation, even expansion, of these air shows reflects the existence, continuation and expansion of the militarization of life at home and beyond. This is a current trend as the US stirs up intensifying antagonism against Russia and China. North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and other military alliances such as the Australia, UK and US alliance (AUKUS) are growing. The US and its partners including Canada are building and sharing more military bases, holding more military drills, such as those in northern Europe and the Indo-Pacific. Canada’s defense and foreign policies are bound to those of the US, so its military spending and engagements follow suit.

In general, defense departments are state enterprises with lots of private enterprise involvement that provide employment, military and civilian, as well as large contracts and purchases, to society. Daily life is thus integrated with military activity, and many come to depend on the military. This is how a war economy develops in Canada and elsewhere.  (more...)

The subtle militarism of Canadian air shows