We're Rooting for You, Scotland! (Trident NO Scotland YES)

Trident NO Scotland YES   tridentploughshares.org

The vote on Scottish independence is trending toward YES! I'm celebrating by taking a look at the activism of people in Scotland against the stationing of Trident nuclear-weapons-equipped submarines in Scotland.

(There is a strong hope that the YES vote on Scottish independence will be followed by a vote to ban the Tridents from Scotland.)

Did you know that activists in Scotland blockaded the Trident base at Faslane for 365 days straight?  I read about it in the excellent book on peace activism and civil disobedience by Rosalie Riegle, Crossing the Line. There's an entire Faslane 365 website where you can learn more.

So . . . in the days ahead . . . 

when you hear #Scotland and #indyref . . . 

think #nonukes and #disarmament!

Protesters covered in "blood" as police look on

TAPESTRY: Faslane 365 - Nonviolent Resistance to Britain's Nuclear Weapons

Protesters being arrested at Faslane nuclear submarine base

COLLAGE: Faslane 365 protest art

Police presence confronts protesters at the gates of Faslane submarine base

DOUBLE-DECKER BUS ADVERT:
"How would U spend £40,000,000,000? Nurses or Nukes? Trident or Trams?"

Mass Demonstration: "Scrap Trident, Fund Human Needs"

This is just a tiny sampling of images from the protests against nuclear weapons in Scotland. Check out the photo section of the Faslane 365 website.

PS - Also check out the Faslane Peace Camp Facebook page, for more creative resistance, like this sculpture by Lavinia, one of the peace campers:

SCULPTURE protesting Trident submarines by Faslane Peace Camp participant

Related posts

England might negotiate to obtain lease on the base, so it can stay open. (Some commentators call that unlikely.) England might decide to move the Tridents to a port in England. (But that would require them to create a depot to store the nuclear missiles - a dicey proposition in densely populated areas.)  England might find another country to allow them to base this dangerous cargo; some have suggested France. (Um - hello? France?)

(See YES! to Scotland; No Place for Trident )


"We all live in a yellow nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine . . . ."

(See Lady Alba: When Progressive, Antiwar Views Go Viral )

How do you formulate a statement that can somehow convince the United States to eliminate its threatening nuclear weapons?  How do you formulate the 10th request? Or the 100th? Knowing all the time that the United States is in the position -- will always be in the position -- to say, "No" ?  At what point does it dawn on you that the United States will never give up its nuclear weapons, because it has the power and the rest of the world doesn't?

(See 360 Degree Feedback in New York (2014 NPT Prepcom and How the World Views the United States))


I don't think Alanna and I ever talked about what it must be like to be trying to escape a shower of sparks and hot ash. But she seemed to know that the sparks and hot ash are too important a part of the picture to be left out.


(See The Children Are Waiting )