On Friday afternoon after the vigil at the County building, nuclear war resisters carpooled to the local Lockheed Martin facility. Through art and diaglogue, they challenged LM employees to consider the implications of their occupation.
On August 6, 2005, the United States dropped an atomic bomb over the civilian population of Hiroshima, Japan. Over 250,000 thousand were killed from the bombings and many suffered horrible deaths from radiation burns, radiation poisoning and systemic necrosis.Recently uncovered historical documents show that the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, often credited with ending the war, were actually unnecessary; the United States had credible intelligence that the Japanese were ready to surrender and were seeking ways to do so without humiliation, according to historian Howard Zinn in a People's History of the United States.
More recently, the American people have been told that wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were necessary to end the war on terror. Varied and credible sources now confirm what peace advocates knew all along: these wars were fought for other reasons than what our government told us. It was not only unnecessary, it has actually weakened any legitimate efforts in curbing terrorism.
What is unknown to many people is that atomic warfare has continues up until this very day. Activated Depleted Uranium munitions are much less dramatic than giant mushroom clouds and people with missing flesh. Nonetheless, the impact of these weapons on civilians is nothing short of genocide. DU poisons environments, including water and land, and poisons people insidiously, weakening people's immune systems, leaving people vulnerable to pathogens, cancers and genetic mutations. As of 2004, the radiation from DU used in Iraq was equivalent to the fallout of 250,000 Nagasaki bombs!
The above is from Paloma's "Weapons Inspectors Visit Lockheed Martin on Hiroshima Rememberance Day" (Santa Cruz Indymedia) and was sent in by Cindy.
Randall e-mails to note Sue Frankel-Streit's "Hiroshima Day at the Enola Gay: Protestors Demand Honest Exhibit" (Richmond IMC):
Protestors at the Smithsonian knelt in front of the Enola Gay (the plane that dropped the Hiroshima bomb) demanding that the exhibit speak to the horrors of nuclear warfare.About 20 members of a Smithsonian tour stood listening to a guide describing the technological abilities of the B-29 in front of them. Kneeling below the plane were another 20 people--gathered to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima. This shiny B-29, named the Enola Gay after the pilot's mother, dropped the first war-time nuclear bomb on the icty of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, killing 140,000 people.
The protestors, from DC, Northern and Central Virginia, came to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum outside Dulles Airport to remember the vicitms of Hiroshima, and of all wars, and to ask the museum, as they have every year since the Enola Gay has been on display, to include in the exhibit information about the destruction wrought by the nuclear bomb.
"What's shown here is the technological magnificance, not the historical signifigance," said Brian Buckley of Little Flower Catholic Worker, Louisa, VA. (Buckley served two months in jail last year after pouring ashes at the exhibit on August 6, 2004.)
Diane e-mails to note Martin Stephens' "Protestors Gather to Remember Hiroshima and Oppose Nuclear Production in Tennessee" (Tennessee Independent Media Center):
The Oak Ridge Enviromental Peace Alliance hosted a rally at the Y-12 Plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee on Saturday, August 6th. Amongst the speakers were one of the Hibakusha, or Hiroshima survivors. On August 6, 1945, the United States destroyed the city of Hiroshima, killing tens of thousands of civilians by the first use of an atomic bomb. The Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, where the highly enriched uranium that destroyed Hiroshima was produced, continues to build nuclear weapons today. Over 1000 demonstrators gathered at the protest, making it the largest such rally in recent Tennessee history.
Portland e-mails to note gk's "A Personal Account of Ground Zero Actions: August 6-8" (Portland IMC):
About 100 people showed up at Ground Zero in Bangor, WA, to protest trident nuclear weapons and remember the first atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki--19 arrested at Bangor Submarine Naval Base
I spent this last weekend with Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action in Poulsbo, WA, in planned actions on the 60th anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Having just returned, I am still quivering from the awesome experience.
I rode with several participants on the Bainbridge Island ferry early Sunday from Seattle. After about a half hour drive, we arrived at Ground Zero, an almost sacred land of trees and peace, located alongside the Bangor Submarine Naval Base. A tall fence separates the properties. About 100 people arrived Sunday to participate in planned actions, strategies, and a walk and vigil to the Bangor main gate. We separated into specific planning groups.
Peacekeepers kept us safe in their leadership along the highway, as well as stepping out in front of cars early Monday morning as Naval employees headed for work. Monks, who had walked from Hanford to Bangor, led us with drumming and chanting. The extremely hot sun penetrated our skin as we stood alongside the asphalt highway with signs , No More Miroshima bombing. We shared meals together, and heard the regional Raging Grannies, Jim Thomas, who talked on Hanford accountability, and Bruce Gagnon, a leader against weapons in space.
Mark Wilson, who has filed as a Democrat challenging Sen. Cantwell, attended the evening program and was available to talk with us. He filed as a Green last year.
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