Anti-Nuclear, Political Activist

Life with Nuclear Weapons

Life with Nuclear Weapons:
Not a Hollywood Movie

Washington Against Nuclear WeaponsWith 13 Oscar nominations, Oppenheimer could make Academy Award history. While Oppenheimer is history, nuclear weapons are not–but they should be. The film’s powerful ending underscores the chain reaction set off by the Manhattan Project, from the shock of the first blast to today’s threats with images of modern nuclear weapons. In a time of extreme risks–even one nuclear weapon is too many. Oppenheimer’s portrayal of nuclear horrors on screen was just the beginning. Today’s reality is even more chilling: nuclear arsenals 80 times more potent than depicted in the film.

Sign up to learn more and get involved with Washington Against Nuclear Weapons

78 years after the dawn of the atomic age depicted in the film Oppenheimer, over 13,000 nuclear weapons exist on the planet — 90% of which are possessed by the United States or Russia. If detonated, only a small fraction of these bombs could kill billions of people and effectively end human civilization as we know it. What’s more, nuclear weapons are also deeply linked with pressing problems like racial and economic justice, militarism, preserving our democracy, and climate change.

WA State: the Hemisphere’s Biggest Nuclear Stockpile

I know, I know, I said I was going to post about my next memoir writing project. But my first memoir Open Borders: A Personal Story of Love, Loss, and Anti-War Activism is more top of mind than ever given the situation in our world today. The only sure way to prevent nuclear war is to rid the world of nuclear weapons, a goal that is possible if we, the people, demand it and join a growing global chorus working to confront this existential threat to humanity. We must hold leaders accountable and envision a future free from nuclear threat. I believe the best way to do that is to join the Washington Against Nuclear Weapons coalition, part of the international effort of Physicians for Social Responsibility.

Anti-Nuclear, Political Activist

conventional or nuclear bombs–what’s the difference?

This just came across my desk. You need to know about it. Our planet depends on us for survival.

Anti-nuclear weapons groups of every ilk have written a letter to congress to help our elected officials understand the strategic difference between a nuclear weapons and a conventional weapon. The risk of starting an irreversible conflagration between hostile nations increases exponentially with the deployment of so-called low-yield nuclear war heads. Please read the document and consider expressing your opinion to your Member of Congress (MOC). Make a call; make a difference.

2019 NGO stop W76-2 ltr-1
Anti-Nuclear, Political Activist

What can I do to prevent nuclear war?

One question has come up at all four of the book launch events since Open Borders came out Oct. 16th: what can I do to prevent nuclear war? The question is slow to surface as audience members old enough to remember begin to relive the frightening times in Seattle in the 1980s when children were practicing duck and cover in their classrooms and bomb shelter signs appears on the walls of buildings downtown.

What can one do? Get involved in the anti-nuclear weapon movement through Washington Against Nuclear Weapons WANW, Washington Physicians for Social Responsibiltiy, Earth Care not War Fare and Ground Zero to name a few. Find their next meeting on the calendar under the menu tab “calendar”.

Where does the money come from to keep the nuclear war machine going? Following the money may be the most effective way to reverse current policy. The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons recently published a study revealing the money path. I encourage you to take a look at their findings. One darling of personal finance and family investment (my husband and I began building our nest egg with a $25 a month contribution back in the 1970s) is Vanguard. In fact, I just counseling my grandson to begin his investment program with a Vanguard account and promised to match his monthly contributions. I was shocked and dismayed to find Vanguard in the top ten of the companies investing in nuclear weapons.

ICAN executive director Beatrice Fihn:If you have been wondering who benefits from Donald Trump’s threats of nuclear war, this report has that answer. These are the companies that stand to profit from indiscriminate mass murder of civilians. We grow less safe while they cash in on chaos by banking on Armageddon.”

What can I do to prevent nuclear war? Call your broker. Then write to the company after you pull your money out and explain why you have left them. Even if your account is only a pittance, your opinion will sting, register a welt that burns the skin. Enough of these welts make even a very large company uncomfortable. Perhaps even uncomfortable enough to change.

PAX

Betsy

Anti-Nuclear

Radio broadcast about Citizen Diplomacy

Take a listen to this MyNorthwest story from late fall last year. You get my voice as Felix Banel interviews me about Target Seattle and Citizen Diplomacy in the 80’s.

Here’s a picture of Don Bell, chair of Target Seattle: Preventing Nuclear War, in 1982-1984.

I’m getting involved with Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility, one of the sponsoring organizations that kicked off Target Seattle’s public education events in the 1980s helping our local citizens understand the dangers of nuclear war. As informed people, we have the power to take action. WPSR is re-kindling actions to prevent nuclear war today. Take a look and take action.

In faith for our future where all people respect all other people and work to insure peace,

Betsy Bell