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Town Hall
Nuclear Zero sponsored Town Hall sessions. Read the summaries of the sessions and view the videos. Go to Town Hall.
“TICK-TOCK TICK-TOCK”
---A 1949 Herblock Cartoon, copyright by The Herb Block Foundation- Used by permission (click photo for larger version)
Nuclear Zero Task Force
August 9, 2018: 73rd anniversary of bombing of Nagasaki
73 Years After Second Nuclear Attack, Threat of Nuclear War Persists
While attention has been focused on the anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima on August 6, it’s easy to forget that on August 9 a second nuclear bomb was used on Nagasaki. While an estimated 80,000 people, mostly civilians, were killed instantly (without warning) in Hiroshima, another 70,000 were killed instantly (also without warning) in Nagasaki. Even if the use of the first bomb was considered justified as a way to bring the war to a rapid conclusion, (and this is subject to debate,) use of a second bomb was completely unnecessary and unacceptable. By December 1945 the death toll from both bombs had reached 200,000.
The letter appeals to Japan as well as to our own government to play a leadership role in signing, ratifying, and promoting the Treat on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which was adopted by the United Nations in 2017 with support from 122 member states. As of now, 59 states have signed and 14 states have ratified the Treaty. See below for compete text of the letter.
The Doomsday Clock, indicating the concern of the world’s leading scientists about the danger of nuclear war, has been set at 2 minutes to midnight, the closest to midnight it’s been since 1953, as a result of Trump’s repeated threats of nuclear war in addition to his unilateral withdrawal of the United States from the Iran nuclear agreement.
Dr. Charlotte Phillips, retired pediatrician and Chairperson of Brooklyn For Peace, speaking outside the Japanese Consulate, commented: “I was 19 when I went to my first demonstration on the anniversary of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Since then it’s always been important to me to remember this anniversary. Sometimes as so many bad things keep happening it’s hard to focus on the importance of what we’re doing here, as we say: No More Hiroshimas! No More Nagasakis! No more nuclear power plants!”
Brooklyn For Peace has been working in Brooklyn since 1984 for the prevention of war. We call for an end to nuclear proliferation, complete nuclear disarmament by all countries including the United States which now possess nuclear weapons, and the end of nuclear power as an energy source which is inherently dangerous to human health and the environment, as well as being an opening and cover for nuclear weapons proliferation, and a very costly diversion from safe, renewable, sustainable energy alternatives. Continue reading →
Call Congress Now! Take The Nuclear Codes Away From Trump!
Brooklyn For Peace urges you to take action to stop Trump’s mad rush to nuclear war.
CALL CONGRESS NOW!(877) 762-8762
These are the bills to concentrate on right now—
Call your House Rep, particularly Jerrold Nadler & Dan Donovan who have NOT signed on; other Brooklyn Reps. have sponsored—be sure and say “thank you” to those.
►► If you don’t know your House Rep, find them here: bit.ly/find-rep or call 877.762.8762
House Bill H.R. 669—
…would restrict Trump’s ability to launch nuclear war.
In the Senate, neither Gillibrand or Schumer have signed on to
Senate Bill S. 200 —
…would restrict first use of nuclear weapons.
Demand our senators sponsor it at this critical point in time!
Remarks by Tara Currie, Rally at Rep Dan Donovan’s office (Sept 4, 2017): Take Trump’s Hands Off Nuclear Trigger
Just as we once thought that we no longer had the need to assert that there is no such thing as a good Nazi, we are finding that we must once again proclaim that nuclear weapons present a horrific danger, and make the case for their elimination. They don’t protect us or make us safer. In fact, nuclear weapons make our world more, not less, dangerous. We saw this throughout the Cold War in the 1950s as the US and USSR attempted to outdo each other in stockpiling enough weapons to destroy the planet many times over. Then China developed nuclear weapons to deter the USSR from attacking it, which led India to become nuclear-armed, compelling Pakistan to develop a nuclear weapons program of its own. And today, we see that North Korea has concluded that it needs to become nuclear-armed in order to deter the U.S. from attacking it.
The increased military threat is not the only way nuclear weapons endanger us. Their development and maintenance is highly polluting. And they don’t come cheap. The Trump administration is now supporting a proposal developed under the Obama administration to “upgrade” our nuclear arsenal at a cost of $1 trillion over 10 years. This, at a time when our subways, bridges, and roads are crumbling. What great nation would allow its public transportation system to exist in the condition that ours does? You can see why if you look at where the money is being spent.
122 Nations Vote for Treaty to Legally Ban Nuclear Weapons!
July 7, 2017: United Nations, New York:
In December of last year, President-elect Donald J. Trump tweeted that the United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability ‘until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes’.
On July 7, 2017, 122 nations voted for a treaty, to legally prohibit the development, testing, production, manufacture, possession, stockpiling, use, or threat of use of nuclear weapons. This unambiguously demonstrates that the majority of the world’s countries have indeed come to their senses regarding nuclear weapons. The United States and the other nuclear-armed nations boycotted the negotiations and refused to sign. The Netherlands participated in the negotiations but votes against. It hosts nuclear weapons belonging to the United States. The Doomsday Clock is ticking…When will the US and the other nuclear-armed states come to their senses?”
The next major step will be to get those governments which voted for the treaty to sign it when it opens for signature on September 20, and then to ratify it. The treaty requires 50 states to formally join before it enters into force. This should occur soon, and when it does, the treaty will become international law.
Our next priority is educating the public about the treaty so that we can build the popular pressure needed in our own country as well as the other nuclear-armed countries and those that host nuclear weapons (NATO, Japan, South Korea etc.) to eventually eliminate their nuclear arsenals.
“Despite the promises of past administration, the United States has 6,970 nuclear weapons, and spends approximately $61.3 billion per year on maintaining the arsenal – 20 times the cost of the U.S. commitment to the Paris Climate Deal, and 15 times the funding gap of the global refugee crisis. The United States is considering modernizing its nuclear arsenal, with $1.2 trillion in costs over 30 years,” according to Kate Alexander, the Director of Policy and Outreach at Peace Action New York State. “These costs are unnecessary and dangerously erode our nation’s fiscal and national security priorities”.
Clearly we have a long way to go, but this treaty is a step forward and opens new avenues for addressing this major issue. For some ideas as to what these avenues might be, check out this article by Zia Mian in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.
Women’s March to Ban the Bomb!
June, 23, 2017
The Women’s March to Ban the Bomb was held last Saturday, June 17.
The Women’s March to Ban the Bomb is a women’s led initiative building on bringing together people of all genders, sexual orientations, ages, races, abilities, nationalities, cultures, faith, political affiliations and background to march and rally in New York City and around the world in support of negotiations taking place at the United Nations for a treaty banning nuclear weapons. And despite the rain there was a robust turnout of people that gathered to show support for this organization. View our SmugMug gallery of images by Matthew Weinstein. The BFP contingent to the Women’s March To Ban The Bomb was there joining other groups from all over the planet in marching in solidarity to ban the use of nuclear weapons.
As stated on the Women March to Ban the Bomb website – the March was a success, but the work isn’t over. We need to continue to speak out against weapons of mass destruction and move toward a world where nuclear disarmament is the saner alternative. View video of rally
If you are still wondering why people would brave the side-ways rain, these videos should help you in understanding why this issue is of great importance and why a little rain didn’t stop this march and rally.
Also watch Joanne Robinson powerful 3 minute speech at Women’s March to Ban the Bomb “June 17, 2017” on YouTube. https://youtu.be/F8rbhCLFnUI
Sat 6/17, 2017: Women’s March to Ban the Bomb! Led by Women, Everybody Welcome!
The UN General Assembly is negotiating a treaty to ban nuclear weapons, just as land mines have successfully been banned. Nations in the “nuclear club”, including the U.S., are opposing the treaty.
Nukes don’t keep us safe!
They endanger our cities, pollute our lands, and drain our treasury.
Demand that nuclear-armed nations, including our, join UN negotiations to BAN THE BOMB.
We believe that “Nuclear Zero”-an end to nuclear proliferation, complete nuclear disarmament by all countries including the United States which now possess nuclear weapons, and the end of nuclear power as an energy source-is among the most critical issues of our time. The United States, as the first nuclear power and the only nation to use nuclear weapons to intentionally kill human beings, bears a special responsibility to act immediately, consistently, and cooperatively within the international community, to foster “Nuclear Zero.”
We also oppose nuclear power as an energy source, because it is inherently dangerous to human health and the environment, it is an opening and cover for nuclear weapons proliferation, and also is a very costly diversion from benign, renewable, sustainable energy alternatives.
Support for a national policy of “Nuclear Zero” will require the education and mobilization of Americans of all ages.
Please contact us at nuclearzero@brooklynpeace.org or call 718-624-5921 with your comments and suggestions, or if you would like to work with us on this issue.
Could NYC evacuate for a nuclear attack? What about a nuclear accident at Indian Point?
The recent preparations for Superstorm Sandy are only a small part of what would be necessary in the event of a nuclear attack, or a nuclear accident an Indian Point. While this experience is still fresh in our minds, let’s remind Mayor DeBlasio that the only way to keep NYC safe from these disasters is to make it a City of Peace, and to close Indian Point. Continue reading →
Town Hall Sessions
Recognizing the importance of citizen participation to effect change in government policies regarding nuclear weapons as well as nuclear power, the Nuclear Zero Committee has sponsored two Town Halls which have featured experts on nuclear policy responding in an open Question and Answer format.
We’ve compiled a list of Movies About Nuclear War, which can be used to educate, organize, and inspire to action. Let us know how these movies affect you. Contact us at nuclearzero@brooklynpeace.org with your comments and suggestions, or if you would like to work with us on this issue.
