Editorial: The Strike That Could Stall Our Skies – A Biblical Call for Wisdom in Defense
By Arakel Akashay Mikaelian III Independent Free Press
August 4, 2025
This week’s strike by 3,200 Boeing defense workers in St. Louis, Missouri, is more than a labor dispute, it is a warning sign for a nation that has allowed profit, entitlement, and shortsightedness to compromise its security. Scripture reminds us: “If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand” Mark 3:25, NIV. When those entrusted with building the very weapons that keep America safe walk away over demands that far exceed fairness, division undermines national defense.
Entitlement in the Face of Provision
Boeing offered workers a 20% base wage increase, a $5,000 bonus, and total wage growth exceeding 40%. This would raise average yearly wages from $75,000 to more than $102,000, well above the national average income of under $60,000. Yet the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers rejected the offer, citing “respect” and “scheduling issues.”
The Bible warns against greed and discontent: “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have” Hebrews 13:5, NIV. Demanding more, even after abundant provision, reflects not justice but excess. And when such demands cripple national readiness, it becomes not just a labor issue but a moral one.
Defense Delays = National Decay
These workers are responsible for building the F-15, F/A-18, MQ-25 Stingray, and the new F-47 stealth fighter, aircraft essential to deterring war with China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Yet production is now halted. Drones delayed. Contracts frozen. The Pentagon left scrambling.
Ecclesiastes 3:8 tells us, “a time for war and a time for peace” NIV. But peace is only secured when a nation is prepared for war. A strike that jeopardizes air superiority does not merely inconvenience, it endangers. Foreign adversaries are not pausing while America negotiates wages.
Union Overreach in Times of Testing
Scripture commands, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves” Philippians 2:3, NIV. Yet this strike places personal demands above the security of 330 million citizens. To reject an unprecedented raise when others in the nation earn far less, all while halting defense production, is a misuse of power.
Boeing is not the enemy here. They are a subcontractor working under strict defense contracts. When costs rise, taxpayers carry the burden. In this light, the strike resembles not justice but entitlement, and entitlement, when left unchecked, weakens nations.
Should the Military Build Its Own Aircraft?
Here lies the deeper question: Why does America’s defense rely entirely on private corporations, vulnerable to strikes, profit motives, and even cyberattacks?
In World War II, the U.S. military operated its own plants and built over 300,000 aircraft in less than five years. That efficiency, driven by duty and patriotism, is hard to imagine in today’s corporate climate of stock buybacks and labor disputes. Rebuilding government run aircraft manufacturing would be costly, between $20 and $40 billion. But consider: a single F-22 costs $350 million. For the price of a dozen jets, America could reestablish sovereign control over its entire defense pipeline.
The principle is biblical: “The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty” Proverbs 27:12, NIV. Continuing to depend on corporations leaves America exposed. Building sovereign infrastructure is costly upfront, but far less costly than losing security altogether.
Sovereignty Begins on the Assembly Line
Today, a strike can delay everything. A cyberattack can compromise everything. A budget dispute can freeze everything. The Bible says, “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Psalm 11:3, NIV. The foundation of American defense is not the jets themselves but the system that builds them. Lose that, and you lose the power to defend freedom.
If soldiers, engineers, and trained personnel built these aircraft in secure, military run facilities, there would be no strikes, no subcontractor delays, no leaks, and no excuses. Yes, the startup costs are great. But the long term value is measured in sovereignty and uninterrupted strength.
Final Word
This moment is not about paychecks and paperwork. It is about whether America’s defense is controlled by unions, corporations, or the military itself.
The union’s rejection of Boeing’s generous offer should serve as a wake-up call. It is time for Washington to reconsider the wisdom of relying solely on private companies for critical defense production. “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people” Proverbs 14:34, NIV. If America continues to allow entitlement and profit motives to govern its defense industry, it risks condemnation by its own choices.
By Arakel Akashay Mikaelian III Independent Free Press
August 4, 2025
This week’s strike by 3,200 Boeing defense workers in St. Louis, Missouri, is more than a labor dispute, it is a warning sign for a nation that has allowed profit, entitlement, and shortsightedness to compromise its security. Scripture reminds us: “If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand” Mark 3:25, NIV. When those entrusted with building the very weapons that keep America safe walk away over demands that far exceed fairness, division undermines national defense.
Entitlement in the Face of Provision
Boeing offered workers a 20% base wage increase, a $5,000 bonus, and total wage growth exceeding 40%. This would raise average yearly wages from $75,000 to more than $102,000, well above the national average income of under $60,000. Yet the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers rejected the offer, citing “respect” and “scheduling issues.”
The Bible warns against greed and discontent: “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have” Hebrews 13:5, NIV. Demanding more, even after abundant provision, reflects not justice but excess. And when such demands cripple national readiness, it becomes not just a labor issue but a moral one.
Defense Delays = National Decay
These workers are responsible for building the F-15, F/A-18, MQ-25 Stingray, and the new F-47 stealth fighter, aircraft essential to deterring war with China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Yet production is now halted. Drones delayed. Contracts frozen. The Pentagon left scrambling.
Ecclesiastes 3:8 tells us, “a time for war and a time for peace” NIV. But peace is only secured when a nation is prepared for war. A strike that jeopardizes air superiority does not merely inconvenience, it endangers. Foreign adversaries are not pausing while America negotiates wages.
Union Overreach in Times of Testing
Scripture commands, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves” Philippians 2:3, NIV. Yet this strike places personal demands above the security of 330 million citizens. To reject an unprecedented raise when others in the nation earn far less, all while halting defense production, is a misuse of power.
Boeing is not the enemy here. They are a subcontractor working under strict defense contracts. When costs rise, taxpayers carry the burden. In this light, the strike resembles not justice but entitlement, and entitlement, when left unchecked, weakens nations.
Should the Military Build Its Own Aircraft?
Here lies the deeper question: Why does America’s defense rely entirely on private corporations, vulnerable to strikes, profit motives, and even cyberattacks?
In World War II, the U.S. military operated its own plants and built over 300,000 aircraft in less than five years. That efficiency, driven by duty and patriotism, is hard to imagine in today’s corporate climate of stock buybacks and labor disputes. Rebuilding government run aircraft manufacturing would be costly, between $20 and $40 billion. But consider: a single F-22 costs $350 million. For the price of a dozen jets, America could reestablish sovereign control over its entire defense pipeline.
The principle is biblical: “The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty” Proverbs 27:12, NIV. Continuing to depend on corporations leaves America exposed. Building sovereign infrastructure is costly upfront, but far less costly than losing security altogether.
Sovereignty Begins on the Assembly Line
Today, a strike can delay everything. A cyberattack can compromise everything. A budget dispute can freeze everything. The Bible says, “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Psalm 11:3, NIV. The foundation of American defense is not the jets themselves but the system that builds them. Lose that, and you lose the power to defend freedom.
If soldiers, engineers, and trained personnel built these aircraft in secure, military run facilities, there would be no strikes, no subcontractor delays, no leaks, and no excuses. Yes, the startup costs are great. But the long term value is measured in sovereignty and uninterrupted strength.
Final Word
This moment is not about paychecks and paperwork. It is about whether America’s defense is controlled by unions, corporations, or the military itself.
The union’s rejection of Boeing’s generous offer should serve as a wake-up call. It is time for Washington to reconsider the wisdom of relying solely on private companies for critical defense production. “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people” Proverbs 14:34, NIV. If America continues to allow entitlement and profit motives to govern its defense industry, it risks condemnation by its own choices.
Editorial: The Strike That Could Stall Our Skies – A Biblical Call for Wisdom in Defense
By Arakel Akashay Mikaelian III Independent Free Press
August 4, 2025
This week’s strike by 3,200 Boeing defense workers in St. Louis, Missouri, is more than a labor dispute, it is a warning sign for a nation that has allowed profit, entitlement, and shortsightedness to compromise its security. Scripture reminds us: “If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand” Mark 3:25, NIV. When those entrusted with building the very weapons that keep America safe walk away over demands that far exceed fairness, division undermines national defense.
Entitlement in the Face of Provision
Boeing offered workers a 20% base wage increase, a $5,000 bonus, and total wage growth exceeding 40%. This would raise average yearly wages from $75,000 to more than $102,000, well above the national average income of under $60,000. Yet the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers rejected the offer, citing “respect” and “scheduling issues.”
The Bible warns against greed and discontent: “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have” Hebrews 13:5, NIV. Demanding more, even after abundant provision, reflects not justice but excess. And when such demands cripple national readiness, it becomes not just a labor issue but a moral one.
Defense Delays = National Decay
These workers are responsible for building the F-15, F/A-18, MQ-25 Stingray, and the new F-47 stealth fighter, aircraft essential to deterring war with China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Yet production is now halted. Drones delayed. Contracts frozen. The Pentagon left scrambling.
Ecclesiastes 3:8 tells us, “a time for war and a time for peace” NIV. But peace is only secured when a nation is prepared for war. A strike that jeopardizes air superiority does not merely inconvenience, it endangers. Foreign adversaries are not pausing while America negotiates wages.
Union Overreach in Times of Testing
Scripture commands, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves” Philippians 2:3, NIV. Yet this strike places personal demands above the security of 330 million citizens. To reject an unprecedented raise when others in the nation earn far less, all while halting defense production, is a misuse of power.
Boeing is not the enemy here. They are a subcontractor working under strict defense contracts. When costs rise, taxpayers carry the burden. In this light, the strike resembles not justice but entitlement, and entitlement, when left unchecked, weakens nations.
Should the Military Build Its Own Aircraft?
Here lies the deeper question: Why does America’s defense rely entirely on private corporations, vulnerable to strikes, profit motives, and even cyberattacks?
In World War II, the U.S. military operated its own plants and built over 300,000 aircraft in less than five years. That efficiency, driven by duty and patriotism, is hard to imagine in today’s corporate climate of stock buybacks and labor disputes. Rebuilding government run aircraft manufacturing would be costly, between $20 and $40 billion. But consider: a single F-22 costs $350 million. For the price of a dozen jets, America could reestablish sovereign control over its entire defense pipeline.
The principle is biblical: “The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty” Proverbs 27:12, NIV. Continuing to depend on corporations leaves America exposed. Building sovereign infrastructure is costly upfront, but far less costly than losing security altogether.
Sovereignty Begins on the Assembly Line
Today, a strike can delay everything. A cyberattack can compromise everything. A budget dispute can freeze everything. The Bible says, “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Psalm 11:3, NIV. The foundation of American defense is not the jets themselves but the system that builds them. Lose that, and you lose the power to defend freedom.
If soldiers, engineers, and trained personnel built these aircraft in secure, military run facilities, there would be no strikes, no subcontractor delays, no leaks, and no excuses. Yes, the startup costs are great. But the long term value is measured in sovereignty and uninterrupted strength.
Final Word
This moment is not about paychecks and paperwork. It is about whether America’s defense is controlled by unions, corporations, or the military itself.
The union’s rejection of Boeing’s generous offer should serve as a wake-up call. It is time for Washington to reconsider the wisdom of relying solely on private companies for critical defense production. “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people” Proverbs 14:34, NIV. If America continues to allow entitlement and profit motives to govern its defense industry, it risks condemnation by its own choices.
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