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ARTICLE ARCHIVE

Nuclear Weapons

Beyond Nuclear advocates for the elimination of all nuclear weapons and argues that removing them can only make us safer, not more vulnerable. The expansion of commercial nuclear power across the globe only increases the chance that more nuclear weapons will be built and is counterproductive to disarmament. We also cover nuclear weapons issues on our international site, Beyond Nuclear International.

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Entries by admin (581)

Friday
May062016

A Moral Giant: Remembering Father Dan Berrigan, co-founder of the nuclear weapons abolition Plowshares movement

This photo of Dan Berrigan (smiling, center) shows his apprehension after many months living underground, evading arrest. Despite being on the FBI's "Ten Most Wanted" list, Dan Berrigan continued to speak and preach against the Vietnam War, once narrowly slipping through the dragnet by hiding inside a giant puppet after addressing an anti-war rally.As reported by Amy Goodman at Democracy Now!, Father Daniel Berrigan passed on Saturday, April 30th, just shy of his 95th birthday. Democracy Now! dedicated its entire hour-long episode on Monday, May 2nd to remembering Father Dan Berrigan, "a moral giant." Those interviewed included Father Berrigan's niece Frida Berrigan, a columnist for Waging Nonviolence and the author of "It Runs in the Family: On Being Raised by Radicals and Growing into Rebellious Motherhood."

Dan Berrigan co-founded the nuclear weapons abolition Plowshares movement, named after the Old Testament prophet Isaiah's injunction to beat swords into plowshares, and study war no more. In 1980, Berrigan, his brother Philip, and several others conducted a disarmanent action at a nuclear weapons manufacturing plant in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, disabling a nuclear warhead, then submitting to arrest.

Both Berrigan brothers, and their comrades in disarmament, would continue to commit numerous non-violent civil disobedience anti-war and anti-nuke actions for the rest of their lives, for which they ended up spending long time periods in prison (Philip Berrigan spent a total of 11 years in prison).

Dan Berrigan's funeral mass on Friday, May 6th at St. Francis Xavier Church in New York City was livestreamed; the eulogy delivered by his niece Frida Berrigan is posted online.

Thursday
Apr282016

Hibakuaha's International Signature Campaign Launched. Please Support It

Friends,

                Yesterday Peace & Planet Japanese member organizations Nihon Hidankyo, Gensuikyo and Peace Boat launched an international petition campaign urging support for the Hibakuksha’s call for the complete elimination of nuclear weapons.

                Please find the announcement and a link to the petition below. Better yet, please print out the petition, sign and circulate it.

                For a nuclear weapons-free, peaceful, just and sustainable world,

                Joseph [Gerson, Peace & Planet]
 
 

A starting joint action of the international signature campaign in support of the Appeal of the Hibakusha (A-bomb survivors of Hiroshima & Nagasaki) for the elimination of nuclear weapons was carried out at downtown Shibuya, Tokyo on April 27, 2016.

With a banner reading “Hibakusha Earnestly Desire Elimination of Nuclear Weapons” hanging high, Terumi Tanaka, secretary general of Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo), called on passers-by to support the petition for the abolition of nuclear weapons.  He said, “I want hundreds of millions of people in the world to support the petition”.  Many Hibakusha took part in the action from Tokyo and nearby prefectures, and insisted that nuclear weapons must never be used again, speaking of their A-bomb experiences. Many peace organizations and individuals, which support the Appeal of the Hibakusha, also joined the street action and called for the start of negotiations on a treaty to prohibit and eliminate nuclear weapons.  They include Japan Council against A and H Bombs (Gensuikyo), Japan Peace Committee, Peace Boat, Religions for Peace Japan, etc.

The Hibakusha and participants were so much encouraged to get support for the petition from young people, high school students, housewives and tourists from USA, UK, France and China.  A total of 277 signatures were collected in the 45-minute action.

Linked here, please find the Appeal of the Hibakusha and petition form

The Appeal of the Hibakusha was announced in April, 2016 in Tokyo, and this signature campaign was proposed and initiated by the Hibakusha and Nihon Hidankyo.  Japanese peace organizations and individuals are determined to jointly support and develop this campaign in Japan and the rest of the world.

Please send us your support message to the petition and spread this signature campaign in your country.

Sincerely,
Yayoi Tsuchida
Gensuikyo Assistant general secretary
Wednesday
Apr132016

As John Kerry Visits Hiroshima, U.S. Quietly Launches $1 Trillion Effort to Upgrade Nuclear Arsenal

Marylia Kellley, Executive Director of Tri-Valley CAREs in California, an ANA member groupAs reported by Amy Goodman at Demoracy Now!:

On Monday, John Kerry became the first secretary of state to visit Hiroshima, the Japanese city destroyed by a U.S. nuclear bomb on August 6, 1945. Three days after the Hiroshima bombing, the U.S. dropped another nuclear bomb on the city of Nagasaki. Hundreds of thousands were killed. The United States is the only country ever to drop an atomic bomb. Kerry offered no apology for the U.S. nuclear attack but called for "a world free from nuclear weapons." Despite his remarks, the Obama administration has been quietly upgrading its nuclear arsenal to create smaller, more precise nuclear bombs as part of a massive effort that will cost up to $1 trillion over three decades. We speak to Marylia Kelley. Her group, the Alliance for Nuclear Accountability [ANA], just published a report titled "Trillion Dollar Trainwreck: Out-of-control U.S. nuclear weapons programs accelerate spending, proliferation, health and safety risks."

The report has been released on the eve of ANA's annual DC Days. You can find a link to the full report, as well as a press release about DC Days, on ANA's website homepage.

Beyond Nuclear is proud to have been an ANA member group since our founding in 2007.

Friday
Apr012016

Global Zero: Rally for Zero, April 1st, Washington, D.C.

Rally for Zero

Nuclear weapons ≠ security

 

On March 31 & April 1, world leaders are convening right here in DC to talk nuclear security. Not on the agenda: nuclear weapons.

 

That has to change. There are 15,000 nuclear weapons in the world today, thousands ready to fire at a moment’s notice. Nuclear weapons jeopardize global security - not strengthen it.

 

Join us as we rally to show world leaders that 15,000 nuclear weapons ≠ security. It’s time they take action for zero.

 

Who: Global Zero, the international movement to eliminate nuclear weapons, and you!

 

What: A rally featuring a life-size inflated nuclear missile and Global Zero movement leaders

 

When: Friday, April 1st, 12:00pm

 

Where: McPherson Square

 

RSVP at: http://www.globalzero.org/protest

 

Email ldaigle@globalzero.org for more information.

Thursday
Mar312016

Is Obama's Nuke Summit a Sham?

Thom Hartmann hosted Beyond Nuclear's Kevin Kamps on his television program The Big Picture. On Thom's "The Best of the Rest of the News" segment (from the 44 minutes 45 seconds mark to the 52 minutes 08 seconds mark), Thom asks Kevin "Is Obama's Nuke Summit a Sham?"