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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August 9, 2018Los Angeles City Council Votes to Support U.N. Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty
As reported in a press release by PSR-LA (Physicians for Social Responsibility-Los Angeles).
Federal health officials agree radioactive waste in St. Louis area may be linked to cancer
RT's Ashlee Banks interviewed Beyond Nuclear's Kevin Kamps about this news.
After the ATSDR report was published, Beyond Nuclear did a post going into more detail on the Cold Water Creek and West Lake Landfill radioactive contamination disaster in metro St. Louis, MO.
These radioactive wastes are among the very oldest of the Atomic Age, generated by the processing of Belgian Congo uranium ore in the earliest days of the Manhattan Project, in the early 1940s.
Prevent Nuclear War Maryland
See the Prevent Nuclear War Maryland website.
Beyond Nuclear was honored and privileged to join our anti-nuclear weapons, anti-nuclear power, and pro-peace and justice allies in Baltimore for the 34th annual commemoration of the U.S. atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan, 73 years ago on August 6, 1945.
A vigil with placards was held, from 5:30 - 6:30 pm at 3107 N. Charles Street, corner of 33rd and North Charles St.
The vigil was held near Johns Hopkins University as a speak-out against JHU’s (Johns Hopkins University's) weapons contracts, including those of a nuclear nature, and the killer drone research. [As Ian Zabarte of Native Community Action Council in Las Vegas, Nevada just reminded Beyond Nuclear, General Atomics invented the Predator Drone in the first place!]
Afterwards, everyone gathered at Homewood Friends Meetinghouse, 3107 North Charles St., for a potluck dinner.
After dinner, Jay Levy spoke about Takoma Park becoming a Nuclear Free Zone and its current work on divestment. [Beyond Nuclear's Paul Gunter, a Takoma Park resident, has long served on the Nuclear Free Zone Committee.]
Also some members of Preventing Nuclear War Maryland discussed the Back From the Brink campaign, aimed at lessening the chances of a nuclear war. Their exciting news was that the Baltimore City Council, by a unanimous vote, endorsed the Back from the Brink resolution's five points, and pointed out in its resolution how much money each Baltimore taxpayer, and each Maryland taxpayers, has to spend each year on nuclear weapons and other instruments of war and war-making.
(Prevent Nuclear War Maryland is also actively advocating for a similar resolution to be passed by Prince George's County, MD, which borders Washington, D.C.)
As posted at Prevent Nuclear War Maryland's website, the Back from the Brink five-point plan includes:
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Renouncing the option of using nuclear weapons first
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Ending the sole, unchecked authority of any U.S. president to launch a nuclear attack
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Taking U.S. nuclear weapons off hair-trigger alert
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Cancelling the plan to replace its entire nuclear arsenal with enhanced weapons
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Actively pursuing a verifiable agreement among nuclear-armed states to eliminate their nuclear arsenals
The Baltimore city council's decision to include specific dollar figures for how much city residents are forced to pay in taxes to support weapons of war, including nuclear weapons, harkens back to something that President Eisenhower himself once said,
Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed...
Beyond Nuclear's Kevin Kamps, who attended the event, was asked by Jay Levy to say a few words about nuclear power and radioactive waste. Kevin's remarks focused on the risks and impacts of radioactive waste being transported through places like Takoma Park, where the Beyond Nuclear office is located, and Baltimore City.
The 34th annual Hiroshima-Nagasaki Commemoration in Baltimore continues on Thurs., Aug. 9 from 5:30 to 6:30 PM, as attendees gather outside Homewood Friends Meetinghouse, 3107 North Charles Street, for an anti-nuke demonstration. Then everyone will go inside for the program.
Paul Magno will speak about ways of supporting the Kings Bay Plowshares. Also that evening, some members of Preventing Nuclear War Maryland will discuss the Back From the Brink campaign. There will be a performance by Baltimore Guitarists Against Violence.
The evening will conclude with a late dinner at a Japanese restaurant at 33rd & N. Charles Sts. Contact Max at mobuszewski2001 at Comcast dot net or 410-323-1607 to RSVP.
Prevent Nuclear War Maryland is also planning a major event at Goucher College in Towson, MD on Saturday, November 17, 2018.