On Friday, June 3, 2016 a Navy Blue Angels pilot was killed and an Air Force Thunderbirds plane destroyed at air shows in the US. The loss of life and aircraft beg the question, why do we put our highly trained military people at risk to entertain the population and promote war?
San Diego Veterans For Peace has now embarked on a five-year plan to change public understanding of what the Miramar Air Show is actually all about. Here’s the short list of how we see it. The Miramar Air Show glorifies war with an exciting and colorful show of speed, power and noise. It celebrates the skills and machinery that exist to kill, maim and destroy. It misuses taxpayer’s money for entertainment and defense industry marketing and sales. It is dangerous - 10% of Blue Angel’s pilots have been killed in accidents. Miramar jets have already crashed in San Diego neighborhoods. It serves as a misleading recruiting tool for our unsuspecting youth.