Friday, December 26, 2014

ASK THE PHYSICIST: "Ash Carter, are we safe with all those nukes?"

Ashton "Ash" Carter
Nominated for the position of
U.S. Secretary of Defense
This is an invitation to solve a problem together.

Something new is happening: Barack Obama has nominated a physicist to be the next Secretary of Defense.

This tees up an opportunity. The nominee, Ashton "Ash" Carter, will need to pass through hearings before the Senate Armed Forces Committee and a vote in the full Senate before assuming his position.

The run-of-the-mill nominee for Secretary of Defense can hide behind their lack of expertise on the topic of nuclear weapons; they're swimming in the same groupthink as everyone else. For someone who holds himself out as a physicist, however, ignorance is not a refuge.

What might be achieved in support of nuclear disarmament in this special circumstance?


Nuclear Disarmament: The Line of Questioning is Timely

There are at least three reasons a line of questioning relating to nuclear disarmament is especially timely for the "Ash" Carter confirmation hearings.

First: the every-five-year review conference ("RevCon") of the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) takes place in spring 2015 at the UN in New York City. There is global pressure on the U.S. to live up to its obligations under Article 6 of the NPT to eliminate its own nuclear arsenal.

"We just have kind of taken our eye off the ball here"
(Image source: AP / Evan Vucci)
Second: the precipitating event in this turnover in the position of Secretary of Defense was the revelation that the U.S. nuclear arsenal is not in safe hands. (See "U.S. and Its Nukes: 'We just have kind of taken our eye off the ball here' ")

Third: there is a growing sense that, in his final two years in office, Barack Obama intends to follow through on major initiatives he promised when he was first elected in 2008. First and foremost among those is the promise for which he was prospectively awarded the Nobel Peace Prize: the elimination of nuclear weapons. ("The Committee has attached special importance to Obama's vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons.")


What Physicists Know

"Ash" Carter has important credentials in nuclear disarmament work: "Carter served as Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy during President Clinton's first term."

However, I believe that the important focus of the questioning is what he knows -- and how he understands truth -- as a physicist.

The following questions need to be refined, but they are predicated on the special qualifications a physicist brings to looking at the problem of the U.S. nuclear arsenal:

(a) Physicists recognize truth that is observable. Unlike most of the rest of us, for whom what passes for "truth" actually consists of a high degree of hope combined with a lot of random noise, physicists pay special attention to what is actually observable to be true.

I think it would be very enlightening to ask physicist "Ash" Carter: "Based on what is observable about nuclear arsenals, is "safety" of a population like that of the U.S. an objectively observable condition?"

Physics 101: What can we observe?
(Let's do an experiment.)
I think that, at a minimum, "Ash" would be compelled to state that the "safety" of a population like that of the U.S. can never be objectively observed so long as nuclear arsenals exist. (In other words, "we'll never be able to state with confidence that 'you are safe.'")

It's even possible that "Ash" would admit that, based on his observations, a population like that of the U.S. will always be objectively observed to be unsafe so long as nuclear arsenals exist.

(I suspect that an important element of this line of questioning would be the binary nature of "safety" in light of the existence of  nuclear arsenals: a population is either "safe" or "unsafe"; there's no such think as being "relatively safe.")

(b) Physicists are experimental. Physicists don't just expect to find observable truth lying around; they do work to make truth observable in noise-free environments.

The ability to devise noise-free experiments is particularly important in a world in which nuclear arsenals exist. The United States is currently conducting an experiment in foreign affairs, one which it hopes will render the true risk of a nuclear exchange objectively observable.

The question for physicist "Ash" Carter is: "What are the sources of noise in the experiment?" and "Given the amount of noise, isn't it true that the experiment is flawed and we are just wasting time?"

A numbers game:
people need to be able to think mathematically
in order to grasp the Obscene Geometry:
Hard Facts about Death and Injury from Nuclear Weapons
(c) Physicists count stuff. The run-of-the-mill nominee for Secretary of Defense probably can't be expected to explain the relationship between the couple of kiloton-scale nuclear weapons dropped on Japan in 1945 and the thousands of megaton-scale nuclear weapons that are poised worldwide today. A line of questioning about the scale of potential destruction from on-alert nuclear arsenals would be constructive in the hearings for physicist "Ash" Carter.

(d) Physicists are adept at deal time as a dimension in our dealings. The biggest difference between physicists and members of the general public, in my opinion, is that physicists are able to think in four dimensions -- the fourth dimension, of course, being time.

The reason this is important in trying to solve the problem of nuclear weapons is that most of us can't locate within the passage of time that we experience as our lives the relative magnitude of a one-time event, such as an exchange using nuclear weapons. (Hell, most of us struggle to imagine much smaller outcomes, like that possible hip-replacement 15 years from now.)

"5 minutes to midnight?"
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists publisher Kennette
Benedict, with the "Doomsday Clock" in the background
This line of questioning needs some development, but what I would be interested in seeing are questions that require the physicist nominee to characterize risk from nuclear weapons relative to some other forms of risk -- the risk of being killed in a car accident, or the risk of getting heart disease.

(e) Physicists value life. An under-appreciated fact about scientists is that, as a result of their observation of how nature works, they tend to be deeply appreciative of, and have a profound respect, for life. Where most of us take it for granted that human life -- not to mention all the other forms of life -- just is, physicists and other scientists tend to live in a near-perpetual state of wonder that this unlikely circumstance has come into being, and can testify to the unlikelihood of it ever being replicated.

What is the value of a human life? What is the value of millions of them?


Who Will Lead the Questioning?

It is important that one or more members of the Senate Armed Forces Committee prepare to pursue this line of questioning during the "Ash Hearings." (For reference, here is a overview of the senators who were involved in the Hagel hearings.) The committee membership will be updated in light of the new membership beginning in 2015.

Hearings are for getting at the truth
The late Senator Arlen Specter was known
for pursuing lines of tough questioning
Everyone should examine the list of committee members and consider how they might influence members to bear down on the question of nuclear disarmament.

I know who I have my eye on: Tim Kaine, Democratic Senator from Virginia. Kaine is unique in the Senate for his serious attention to the question: Who has the power to take us into war? -- even to the point of challenging a President who comes from his own party.

Let's hope one or more senators with a touch of the litigator in them take on this questioning. Done correctly, the questioning of physicist "Ash" Carter will allow for one of only two possible conclusions:

(A) The continuance of the U.S. stockpile of nuclear weapons renders the U.S. unsafe; OR
(B) This Secretary of Defense nominee is not really competent as a physicist, as he claims.

So, "Ash," . . . which is it?


TAKE ACTION:


Participate: Write to your senator.   
Tell him/her you want a Secretary of Defense
who is committed to nuclear disarmament.

Organize: Find others in your area 
and be part of the 
2015 mobilization for disarmament!

Share: Tweet on #NoNukesTuesday



Related posts

The decision about whether to live with the threat of nuclear annihilation is our decision. And that is why the entire country is mobilizing for mass action for nuclear disarmament in 2015. Are we capable of making sure the messengers -- Obama, Putin, the other agents of government -- hear their instructions from us clearly?



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?



Elaine Scarry demonstrates that the power of one leader to obliterate millions of people with a nuclear weapon - a possibility that remains very real even in the wake of the Cold War - deeply violates our constitutional rights, undermines the social contract, and is fundamentally at odds with the deliberative principles of democracy.












Any advocacy for the elimination of nuclear weapons must sooner or later get around to the specifics of the steps by which we get to zero. U.S. nuclear strategists recognize that 311 is still a large number of strategic nuclear weapons for the U.S. to hold. Shouldn't our minimum demand be to get U.S. to this level (or below)?

(See Why Are These Military Experts Saying CUT CUT CUT Nukes? )

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

New Years Messages for Nuclear Disarmament: The Power of Twitter

One of the most important aspects of the Vienna conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons was that it gave voice to people from all over the world.

Living in the U.S., I need constant reminding that we are not alone: we share this planet with many other people. Everyone has a voice.

Here's just one specific example: I noticed that participants from Iran were active participants in the Vienna conference.  This was exciting for me, living as I do in a country in which Iran -- and the "threat" of Iran's nuclear program -- consumes enormous amount of space and verbiage in our media.

Yet here was Mohammad Daryaei, Tehran-based university professor and senior disarmament researcher with diplomatic engagement on official work on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation issues for 22 years, participating in the conference -- including the live tweeting!

A few days ago, I reached out to Mr. Daryaei on Twitter. "What are #Iran's hopes for #NPT RevCon in NYC in spring 2015?" I asked. And I made a point of sharing the information about the NPT-related mobilization being planned in New York City.


from Mohammad DARYAEI @mhdaryai
"#Iran hopes [for] the commencement of international negotiations to ban and
completely eliminate all #nuclear arsenal as provided by the #NPT."


I love his response: "#Iran hopes [for] the commencement of international negotiations to ban and completely eliminate all #nuclear arsenal as provided by the #NPT."

Person-to-person diplomacy!

This leads me to think: we are approaching the first day of 2015. Isn't the time right for some New Years messages and personal resolutions about achieving nuclear disarmament? From people all over the world -- especially including people in the US?

I particularly like the idea that it is the PEOPLE who must resolve and commit to make nuclear disarmament happen in 2015. For far too long, we have behaved as if it was out of our hands.

But the truth is: it's OUR decision. It's up to US.

What are YOU committed to in 2015?


TAKE ACTION:


Share your #nonukes2015 commitment for nuclear 
disarmament on Twitter and other social media.

Join the #NoNukesTuesday twitterstorm
on December 30!

Engage your friends -- ITRW and virtual --
"Do you have a resolution for 2015 on 
nuclear disarmament?"

Become a Tuesdayista!

 
Related posts

The decision about whether to live with the threat of nuclear annihilation is our decision. And that is why the entire country is mobilizing for mass action for nuclear disarmament in 2015. Are we capable of making sure the messengers -- Obama, Putin, the other agents of government -- hear their instructions from us clearly?

(See NEEDED: Heroes to Bring About Nuclear Disarmament )


The Vienna conference in December 2014 was a great start!

NOW . . . it's up to those of us with networks in the U.S. to get the word out to people in this country about the what nukes do to people -- and the need for people to become active in the movement to eliminate nuclear weapons.

(See #GOODBYENUKES: 10 Images I'll Be Sharing From #HINW14Vienna )








In the U.S., there are three centers of power that will impact nuclear disarmament: the President, the Congress, and the people. One of them will have to make nuclear disarmament happen.

(See Countdown to U.S. Nuclear Disarmament (With or Without the Politicians) )

Monday, December 22, 2014

The #1 Question for #NoNukesTuesday in 2015

I saw this post today and it summed up everything I have been thinking:


from Gaukhar @GaukharM
Massive anti-#nuclear war and testing protests of 80s-90s had serious impact;
hope for effect of #HINW now - Dr Muller #DisarmDial @Wilton Park


I have heard this stated again and again: the massive anti-nuclear protests -- starting in the 1980s -- had a big impact.

I take inspiration from this image of the protest in Central Park in 1982:


New York City, Central Park:  No Nukes Mobilization, 1982


SO: If this is true -- if mass mobilization and mass action really DOES make a difference -- what should this motivate us to do in 2015? 

This question is particularly urgent in the light of the make-or-break nature of the 2015 Review Conference on the NPT (Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons), taking place at the UN in New York City beginning in late April.


TAKE ACTION:

Testify: Were you part of past successful mass
mobilizations against nukes? 
Tell people about it! 

Organize: Find others in your area and 
M O B I L I Z E !

Innovate: Times have changed -- 
contribute your new ideas about how to mobilize 
successfully in these new times!

Share: Participate in #NoNukesTuesday


Related posts

The decision about whether to live with the threat of nuclear annihilation is our decision. And that is why the entire country is mobilizing for mass action for nuclear disarmament in 2015. Are we capable of making sure the messengers -- Obama, Putin, the other agents of government -- hear their instructions from us clearly?

(See NEEDED: Heroes to Bring About Nuclear Disarmament )


2015 "No Nukes" Mobilizations planned in the US already include New York City in April, Nevada in March, and New Mexico in August.


(See Key 2015 Events for Nuclear Disarmament Movement Organizers )












There are three centers of power that will impact nuclear disarmament: the President, the Congress, and the people. One of them will have to make nuclear disarmament happen.

(See Countdown to U.S. Nuclear Disarmament (With or Without the Politicians) )

Friday, December 19, 2014

NEEDED: Heroes to Bring About Nuclear Disarmament

Is anybody else out there connecting these dots?

For six years, we've been frustrated with Obama. (Hell, I even revoked his Nobel Peace prize!)

But maybe he's in a different place then he's been up until now. Maybe he can do some things?

Exhibit 1:

For Obama, 
More Audacity and Fulfillment
of Languishing Promises
(New York Times, December 17, 2014)


Barack Obama announces action on Cuba


"President Obama’s decision on Wednesday to radically shift United States policy toward Cuba is the latest and most striking example of a president unleashed from the hesitancy that characterized much of his first six years in office . . . . "

What this means to me is: all bets are off.  There's almost no limit to what Obama might do.


Similarly, the last couple of years of deteriorating relations with Russian might make people despair that the U.S. will follow through with the nuclear weapons reductions everyone knows we need.

(Let's not even start on how circular these arguments are: we can't talk to the Russians because we're at odds with each other about the things we can't talk to each other about because . . . )

But things can change in a day.

Exhibit 2:

Economic Fears May Push
Russia Into Ukraine Deal
(New York Times, December 17, 2014)


Time for a "new heroic, patriotic deed" ?


"Analysts said President Vladimir V. Putin could seek a compromise on Ukraine to relieve some of Russia’s economic turmoil . . . "

Wait: so, suddenly, instead of Ukraine being the reason we can't make progress on anything, there's going to be an outright deal on Ukraine itself? Just like that?

I guess it goes to show that all the excuses don't really matter, once there's a shared interest in doing something.

Well . . . if people are in the mood to make deals . . . .

Here's a winning proposition for both these two leaders: Deliver a massive reduction in nuclear weapons to their respective populations. 

Now that would be a "heroic, patriotic deed"! 


But let me make myself perfectly clear . . .


I do not believe the decision about eliminating nuclear weapons belongs to these to leaders. It belongs to us -- the people. Obama and Putin are just the messengers.

Put another way: the hero is us.

Exhibit 3:

L E V I A T H A N
Or
The Matter, Forme,
and Power of a Common
Wealth Ecclesiastical
and Civil


Remember this image.

You may wish to go to the online images accompanying Elaine Scarry's book, Thermonuclear Monarchy: Choosing Between Democracy and Doom.

Look at the high resolution reproduction of the original image from Leviathan.

Zoom in . . . look at individual faces . . . .

As Elaine explains, "the outward-looking faces of the drawing . . .  successfully convey Hobbes’s central thesis that the Leviathan is constituted by our own bodies." (emphasis added)

We are the common body - the community, the commonwealth, the society, the nation, it is us.


The decision about whether to live with the threat of nuclear annihilation is our decision.

And that is why the entire country is mobilizing for mass action for nuclear disarmament in 2015.


Are we capable of making sure the messengers -- Obama, Putin, the other agents of government -- hear their instructions from us clearly?

Exhibit 4:

New York City, Central Park:  No Nukes Mobilization, 1982

We can do this thing . . . .


TAKE ACTION:


* Go to the 2015 calendar of
and commit to participating.

* Tweet every Tuesday on 
#NoNukesTuesday to build 
the snowball effect.

* Spread the word!
Get others to take these actions, too!



Related posts

In light of the upcoming review of the NPT (Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons) and the fact that organizations throughout the country and worldwide are organizing to press the U.S. to substantially reduce its stores of nuclear weapons, it seems like a good time to use social media to get EVERYONE on board!

(See 5 Ways YOU Can Make a Difference on #NoNukesTuesday )








There are three centers of power that will impact nuclear disarmament: the President, the Congress, and the people. One of them will have to make nuclear disarmament happen.

(See Countdown to U.S. Nuclear Disarmament (With or Without the Politicians) )








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))

Thursday, December 18, 2014

#NoNukesTuesday: Disarmament? Clean Power? Climate? All three?

Looking at #NoNukesTuesday on December 16, we noticed that we need to make the Fukushima connection.

In preparation for December 23, let's look more deeply at this . . . .


Three related issues

The image for the NYC "Peace and
the Planet" rally perfectly expresses
the multi-dimensional nature of the 
mass mobilization(s) being undertaken.
The planning that is under way for 2015 clearly envisions the connections between multiple issues -- nuclear disarmament, clean (non-nuclear) energy, and climate -- and a need to involve everyone who cares about these issues.

On the one hand, there are plenty of reasons that we should all be able to agree to cooperate around these issues.

In addition, there are grounds to say that it is foolish to try to postpone any of them; they are all urgent, and they all must proceed without delay.

On the other hand, successful mass action is conditioned on what large number of people are able to seize upon at once, and be highly motivated about.

How can we expect our 2015 mass mobilizations to address all three without losing some of their crispness.


Question 1: Are we speaking clearly enough about risk?

I think we can all agree that the big problem we are up against is that the vast majority of people underestimate risk: risk of nuclear annihilation, risk of radiation poisoning, risk of climate crisis.

Somewhat amazingly, the world has started to take the risk of climate crisis seriously.

I wonder: aren't we still failing to make it clear to the vast majority of people that

* the climate crisis is a clear risk --
 causality is certain -- and is urgent

* the risk of radiation poisoning is less clear to most people -- 
but if anything it is even more imminent and urgent

* the risk of nuclear annihilation is even less clear to most people -- 
out of sight, out of mind -- but in terms of actual catastrophic, irreversible 
consequences -- it is the most imminent and urgent of the three

If this is true, what does it imply for our priorities in our 2015 mass mobilization?


U.S. Government (NOAA) graphic shows cross-pacific connections


Question 2: Are we doing enough to build our story?

In particular, I am wondering if we should be doing more to emphasize that the kind of radiation poisoning that is being experienced right now in Fukushima illustrates before our eyes one of the horrible humanitarian consequences associated with nuclear weapon use.

I wonder if there are other strong points of interrelationship that we need to explain.


Question 3: How do we tell our story most effectively?

With a highly dispersed movement, how do we work together to try out the many possible ways of explaining this story, and arriving at the way(s) that have maximum impact?


What are your comments on this?

State-by-state -- 2015 Events for Nuclear Disarmament Movement Organizers

This page supplements the month-by-month calendar Key 2015 Events for Nuclear Disarmament Movement Organizers.

Activities are listed by state.

Please tweet updates @scarry!



Alabama



Alaska



Arizona



Arkansas



California

January 27
San Juan Capistrano, CA
Community Engagement Panel: Decommissioning San Onofre
via @gene_stone

March 5
Santa Barbara, CA
Nuclear Age Peace Foundation: 14th Annual Frank K. Kelly Lecture on Humanity’s Future with Helen Caldicott
via @rickwayman


Colorado



Connecticut



Delaware




District of Columbia

January 31
Washington, DC
No $1 Trillion Nuclear Arsenal
via @GlobalZero

 

Florida



Georgia



Hawaii



Idaho



Illinois

January 11 - 4:00 pm
Chicago, IL
THERMONUCLEAR MONARCHY: Book event w/ Elaine Scarry


Indiana



Iowa



Kansas



Kentucky



Louisiana



Maine



Maryland



Massachusetts

Students! Video and Poster Design Contest: Peace and Planet

January 5 - 7:30 pm
Cambridge, MA
Peace and Planet: Report back from Vienna Nuclear Abolition Conference
via @MassPeaceAction

February 3
Cambridge, MA
Peace + Planet: Are Nuclear Weapons Illegal?
Organizing meeting for the Peace and Planet mobilization in New York City, April 26, 2015.
via @MassPeaceAction


Michigan



Minnesota



Mississippi



Missouri



Montana



Nebraska



Nevada


March 28 - April 3
Nevada
Nevada Desert Experience - Sacred Peace Walk
via @NVDesertExp
 

New Hampshire



New Jersey



New Mexico


August 6 - 9
Santa Fe, NM
Campaign Nonviolence National Conference
* Aug 6 - Mark the 70th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of Hiroshima with the annual sackcloth and ashes peace vigil and call for nuclear disarmament near the National Labs.
* Aug 9 - Mark the 70th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of Nagasaki with the annual sackcloth and ashes peace vigil and call for nuclear disarmament near the National Labs.
via @CampaignNV


New York

February 28 - March 1
New York, NY
Symposium: The Dynamics of Possible Nuclear Extinction
A project of The Helen Caldicott Foundation
via @DrHCaldicott

April 24 - April 26
New York, NY
Peace and the Planet Conference and Rally
* April 24/25 - An international peace, justice and environmental conference
* April 26 - A major international rally, march to the United Nations and peace festival 
via @peaceandplanet

April 27 - May 22
United Nations Headquarters, New York, NY
NPT Review Conference ("RevCon")
* Call for NPT-related organizing 
* NPT brief overview
* NPT Home page at UN 
via @RCW_


North Carolina

February 1
Raleigh, NC
No $1 Trillion Nuclear Arsenal
via @GlobalZero


North Dakota



Ohio



Oklahoma



Oregon



Pennsylvania



Rhode Island



South Carolina



South Dakota



Tennessee


March 30
Knoxville, TN
Moving Towards a Nuclear Free Future 2015
walk to New York City for April 24 ff events

Texas



Utah



Vermont



Virginia



Washington



West Virginia



Wisconsin



Wyoming




Wednesday, December 17, 2014

What #NoNukesTuesday Reveals About Organizing for Nuclear Disarmament

Snowball Effect
The idea is to get the snowball
to roll down the hill . . . !

On Tuesday December 16, 2014:
about 50 tweets
about 3.5 RT/tweet
about 80 overall participants
(about 45 brand new participants!)
Tuesday saw a lot of activity on the #NoNukesTuesday hashtag.

Are we making progress toward Spring 2015?

I tweeted the image at right and said we need to get the "snowball effect" going prior to the big activity in the spring. A friend commented: "LOL - it looks like you're rolling the snowball UP the hill!" 

Well . . the idea is most definitely to get the snowball rolling down the hill!!!

So . . . what's working? what do we need to do better?


#NoNukesTuesday: What's working


(1) A picture is worth a thousand words




People loved this image shared by @nat_riverascott - as well as others shared week-in, week-out.

I've noticed that, in general, there's more activity with all tweets that involve images.

Makes sense -- visual information is a big part of the way we make sense of the world.

What might this mean for how you participate in #NoNukesTuesday?


(2) Remember: we can do this thing!




We all have big hopes for the spring 2015 mobilization. It helps to remember: this isn't just a dream -- we've done this successfully before ! ! !

Here are just a few resources from which to take inspiration:

. . . and there are many more . . . .

How can we use the success of the past to build even bigger success in 2015?


(3) Put this on your calendar!




People give a lot of attention to the events announced on #NoNukesTuesday.

* People say "Yes, count me in!"
* People draw inspiration for even more events, at different times and different places
* They want to share these announcements with even more people -- who may likewise want to attend, or learn from what is being planned for use in their own events.

(See more 2015 no nukes events here.)

Can we make #NoNukesTuesday the place where no nukes events in places from coast to coast are broadcast?


#NoNukesTuesday: What we need to do better


(1) Make the Fukushima connection

There are enormous communities of people working every day to educate the public about the danger of nuclear power and to inform them about the disaster at Fukushima.


A Nuke Free World on Facebook -- 50,000 members (but who's counting?)


We're all working toward the same goal, right? Shouldn't we be together on #NoNukesTuesday?

How can we make spring 2015 a mass mobilization for everyone who says NO to nukes?


(2) Re-activate the activists


Hey, the Clamshell Alliance has been at it
since I was a freshman in college in the '70s . . . !


Do you know someone who is a "peace activist" or "no nukes activist" but isn't on Twitter? Or has become inactive?

Who can you gently nudge toward Twitter and #NoNukesTuesday?


(3) Using social media: we're just beginning!

This aggregation page was a real eye-opener to me:




(Appropriately, from @wakeupnowbe in Belgium.)

It made me realize that we need something similar for #NoNukesTuesday.  There is so much more to do, so many ways we can turn up the volume . . . !

Do you have ideas about how to carry #NoNukesTuesday into Tumblr . . . Instagram . . . Reddit . . . ?


TAKE ACTION:

Share this link to invite friends

Sunday and Monday are for stirring 
the #NoNukesTuesday pot: 
how will YOU help build the snowball?

Have more in-depth ideas? Share them


Related posts

In light of the upcoming review of the NPT (Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons) and the fact that organizations throughout the country and worldwide are organizing to press the U.S. to substantially reduce its stores of nuclear weapons, it seems like a good time to use social media to get EVERYONE on board!

(See 5 Ways YOU Can Make a Difference on #NoNukesTuesday )









There are three centers of power that will impact nuclear disarmament: the President, the Congress, and the people. One of them will have to make nuclear disarmament happen.

(See Countdown to U.S. Nuclear Disarmament (With or Without the Politicians) )







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))

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Key 2015 Events for Nuclear Disarmament Movement Organizers


Recognizing that there are already several major U.S. events in 2015 being organized by the nuclear disarmament movement, I have begun compiling them below, and on the corresponding state-by-state listing.


Please tweet @scarry with additional events for listing.

(In the near future, I hope this static list will be supplanted by a dynamic listing, so additional events can be added directly by users.)

(For an extensive list of events of all kinds related to nuclear disarmament, see http://www2.fcnl.org/NuclearCalendar/index.php )



JANUARY 2015

January 5 - 7:30 pm
Cambridge, MA
Peace and Planet: Report back from Vienna Nuclear Abolition Conference
via @MassPeaceAction

January 11 - 4:00 pm
Chicago, IL
THERMONUCLEAR MONARCHY: Book event w/ Elaine Scarry


January 24
London
Wrap Up Trident - Mass Demonstration


January 27
San Juan Capistrano, CA
Community Engagement Panel: Decommissioning San Onofre
via @gene_stone

January 31
Washington, DC
No $1 Trillion Nuclear Arsenal
via @GlobalZero


FEBRUARY 2015

February 1
Raleigh, NC
No $1 Trillion Nuclear Arsenal
via @GlobalZero

February 3
Cambridge, MA
Peace + Planet: Are Nuclear Weapons Illegal?
Organizing meeting for the Peace and Planet mobilization in New York City, April 26, 2015.
via @MassPeaceAction

February6
Washington, DC
Gathering Momentum Toward Nuclear Zero
via @MarieADennis

February 28 - March 1
New York, NY
Symposium: The Dynamics of Possible Nuclear Extinction
A project of The Helen Caldicott Foundation
via @DrHCaldicott


MARCH 2015

February 28 - March 1 (NYC - see above)

March 2
Burghfield, UK
Burghfield Lockdown!
Atomics Weapons Establishment (AWE) Burghfield
via @ActionAWE

March 5
Santa Barbara, CA
Nuclear Age Peace Foundation: 14th Annual Frank K. Kelly Lecture on Humanity’s Future with Helen Caldicott
via @rickwayman

March 12
Cincinnati, OH
Appeal hearing scheduled on sabotage charge for three imprisoned nuclear disarmament activists (Greg Boertje-Obed, Michael Walli and Sr. Megan Rice)

March 26 - May 29
Büchel, Germany
65 Days - Nonviolence Blockade of Nuclear Weapons
via @atomwaffenfrei

March 28 - April 3
Nevada
Nevada Desert Experience - Sacred Peace Walk
via @NVDesertExp

March 28
Glasgow, Scotland
#TridentHastoGoNow demo

March 30
Knoxville, TN
Moving Towards a Nuclear Free Future 2015
walk to New York City for April 24 ff events



APRIL 2015

March 28 - April 3 (Nevada - see above)
March 26 - May 29 (Büchel, Germany - see above)

April 13
Scotland
#BairnsNotBOMBS Big Blockade

April 20
Cambridge, MA
Prof. Vincent Intondi on African Americans Against the Bomb


April 24 - April 26
New York, NY
Peace and the Planet Conference and Rally
* Friday-Saturday, April 24/25 - An international peace, justice and environmental conference
* Sunday, April 26 - Interfaith service
* Sunday, April 26 - A major international rally, march to the United Nations and peace festival
* Global peace wave
via @peaceandplanet


April 27 - May 22
United Nations Headquarters, New York, NY
NPT Review Conference ("RevCon")
* Call for NPT-related organizing 
* NPT brief overview
* NPT Home page at UN  
* Information for civil society participation at NPT RevCon
* Civil Society Statement to the United Nations First Committee, 28 October 2014
via @RCW_



MAY 2015

March 26 - May 29 (Büchel, Germany - see above)
April 27 - May 22 - NPT Review Conference (New York City - see above)

JUNE 2015

. . .


JULY 2015

. . .


AUGUST 2015


AUGUST  6 - 9

Santa Fe, NM
Campaign Nonviolence National Conference
* Aug 6 - Mark the 70th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of Hiroshima with the annual sackcloth and ashes peace vigil and call for nuclear disarmament near the National Labs.
* Aug 9 - Mark the 70th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of Nagasaki with the annual sackcloth and ashes peace vigil and call for nuclear disarmament near the National Labs.
via @CampaignNV


AUGUST 6


Canada:

Ontario
Toronto: Ground Zero to Global Zero: Hope After 70 Years - Hiroshima/Nagasaki Day Commemoration Thursday, August 6, 6:30 pm, 10 Trinity Square, Toronto http://www.hiroshimadaycoalition.ca


Japan:

Hiroshima:
"August 6, 2015 will be the 70th anniversary of the bombing [of Hiroshima]. Annually, there are events such as the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony, with guest speakers, and the Lantern Floating Ceremony, in which lanterns float on the river as petitions for peace. Additional special events for the 70th anniversary are to be announced."

USA:

Illinois
ChicagoOn the 70th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima, DePaul's Dr. Yuki Miyamoto will show the film "White Light/Black Rain" and discuss the residual impact to humankind of the A-bomb and the current state of affairs regarding Fukushima. Thursday, Aug 6 7:00-9:30 pm, DePaul Unviersity Schmitt Academic Center (SAC) 2320 N Kenmore Ave, Chicago, Illinois 60614. https://www.facebook.com/events/385513168313042/

Iowa
Des Moines: The Annual Hiroshima/Nagasaki Observance will be held at the Japanese Bell, on the Capitol Grounds in Des Moines on Thursday, August 6th, at 7:30 PM. https://www.afsc.org/event/hiroshima-nagasaki-observance

Maine
Bangor: 70th Anniversary of the Hiroshima/Nagasaki Commemoration on Thursday, August 6th at noon in Westmarket Square in downtown Bangor. See http://peacectr.org/wp/calendar/peace-and-justice-center-events/hiroshima-commemoration-2015/

Massachusetts
Throughout the state: see the full list on the Mass Peace Action site for events in Amherst, Andover, Arlington, Boston, Cambridge, Concord, Fall River, Falmouth, Leverett, Lexington, Martha's Vineyard, Northampton, Walpole, Waltham, Watertown, .... http://masspeaceaction.org/events/hiroshima-nagasaki-call-2015

Michigan
Saginaw, Bay City, and Midland: TriCity Action for Peace gathers 5-6 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 6, at the corner of Ezra Rust Drive and Washington Avenue in front of the Japanese Cultural Center, 527 Ezra Rust Drive. See: http://www.mlive.com/news/saginaw/index.ssf/2015/07/tricity_action_for_peace_remem.html

Missouri
St. Louis: 70th Memorial Anniversary of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Sunday, August 16 (NOTE DATE), 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm, Ethical Society of St. Louis, 9001 Clayton Rd, St. Louis 63117. See https://www.facebook.com/events/793663064087278/

New Jersey
Princeton: The Coalition for Peace Action will have a Commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki: Wednesday, Aug. 5. 6 p.m. picnic, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. program, Albert Hinds Plaza next to the Princeton Public Library at 65 Witherspoon St. See http://www.nj.com/mercer-community/index.ssf/2015/07/coalition_to_commemorate_anniv.html

New York
New York City: Peace Gathering - August 5, 12:00 noon in front of the Consulate General of Japan at 48th and Park Avenue. See https://peaceboatusoffice.wordpress.com/2015/07/29/join-us-at-the-peace-gathering-on-august-5-to-commemorate-the-70th-anniversary-of-hiroshima-and-nagasaki/

Schenectady: 2nd Annual Peace Pole Walk in Schenectady NY, sponsored by Schenectady Neighbors For Peace. Thursday, August 6th, 2015, 5:00 pm https://www.facebook.com/SchenectadyNeighborsForPeace/posts/859089587504838  See also Peace Pagoda commemoration.

Ohio
Columbus: Events begin Thursday with a peace vigil in solidarity with the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the gazebo on the northeast side of Goodale Park at 7:30 p.m. See full details and event list for the rest of the week: http://www.examiner.com/article/this-week-peace-events-to-commemorate-hiroshima-and-nagasaki

Pennsylvania
Doylestown: Hiroshima Day Peace Vigil, Thursday, August 6 at 6:00pm - 7:00pm, Corner of State & Main Streets in Doylestown - http://www.peacecoalition.org/component/content/article/40-chapters/640-hiroshima-day-vigil-in-doylestown-8615-70-years-.html

Tennessee
Knoxville and Oak Ridge: Commemoration Thursday evening at Oak Ridge, and events happening all week in Knoxville. Full schedule: http://orepa.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/august-2015-schedule-tab2.pdf

Washington
Seattle: From Hiroshima To Hope Thursday, August 6 at 6:00pm - 9:00pm. 7312 West Green Lake Drive North https://www.facebook.com/events/682608145216516/


AUGUST 8

USA:

California
BerkeleyMore than 10,000 people have joined this years fourteenth annual Japanese Lantern Ceremony for World Peace, to be held Sat., Aug. 8, 2015 at the north end of Aquatic Park (bottom of Addison Street). Join us in decorating lantern shades, to be floated on the lagoon at dusk. https://www.facebook.com/events/865345440216867/


AUGUST 9

Japan:

Nagasaki: [August 9, 2015 will be the 70th anniversary of the bombing of Nagasaki. Commemoration events are held annually and, as with Hiroshima, it is expected that additional special events for the 70th anniversary are to be announced.]


USA:

D.C.
Washington: Bike Around the Bomb. We’ll be biking through downtown D.C., tracing the distance around the Nagasaki bomb blast in solidarity with commemorations happening worldwide. Sunday, August 9, 10:00 am Lafayette Square (H Street and 17th Street, NW, Washington, District of Columbia 20005)  https://www.facebook.com/events/923795157659685/


SEPTEMBER 2015

September 20 - 27
Everywhere
Campaign Nonviolence Week of Actions 2015


OCTOBER 2015

. . .




NOVEMBER 2015

November - date TBD
Nagasaki, Japan
Annual Pugwash Conference


November 21-23
Hiroshima
World Nuclear Victims Forum

(See extended post on this blog: Nov 21-23, 2015 in Hiroshima: World Nuclear Victims Forum -- I'll Be There )




DECEMBER 2015

. . .


Related posts

I'm excited to be preparing to attend the World Nuclear Victims Forum in Hiroshima in November. Here are my thoughts as the event approaches, plus a list of my blog posts on this topic.
(See Nov 21-23, 2015 in Hiroshima: World Nuclear Victims Forum -- I'll Be There )




Let's dedicate June, July, and August this year to recognizing the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki (August 6 and 9, 2015). . . AND let's do something about it: make a nuclear ban a reality.

(See TIME FOR A NUCLEAR BAN? On the 70th Anniversary of Hiroshima/Nagasaki )





"It's not enough to remember this just once a year; it's not enough that we make a single book -- Hiroshima -- required reading, and never go beyond that. There should be a whole canon that people study progressively, year by year, to grasp and retain the horror of this."

(See FIRE AND BLAST: A Curriculum that Confronts Nuclear Danger?)











It's wonderful to see more and more calls -- especially to young people -- to do creative work (graphic art, video, etc.) on the subject of nuclear disarmament.

(See Art and Video for Nuclear Disarmament -- Calls and Contests)














The call for activism for nuclear disarmament in 2015 includes encouragement for the faith community to help lead the way.  Plans are being developed for an interfaith service during the April 26, 2015, convergence in New York City. How will people of faith all over the country -- and around the world -- lift up the cause of nuclear disarmament in 2015?

(See Ring Them Bells for Nuclear Disarmament in 2015 )