Sixty-two years after the U.S. dropped the first atomic bombs on two densely populated cities, killing more than 200,000 civilians, nuclear weapons remain a cornerstone of U.S. national security policy. Today, the U.S. retains about 10,000 nuclear weapons, is designing new ones, and is pouring billions of dollars into its nuclear weapons complex, while warning Iran that “all options are on the table.” Who is threatening whom?

On the occasion of the August anniversaries of the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, join with groups across the country who are working to expose the escalating threat to the world posed by U.S. nuclear hypocrisy, and to confront the corporations that are perpetuating and profiting from a worldwide nuclear crisis and the wars in the Middle East. Some of this month’s highlights include the Widening War Tour (http://www.august6.org/node/233), featuring Hiroshima survivor Yuko Nakamura, that stops in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Florence, MA; nonviolent direct actions at the Los Alamos and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories (http://www.august6.org/events); and the Think Outside the Bomb youth conference in Santa Barbara (http://www.thinkoutsidethebomb.org).

 

Here’s what you can do to prevent future Hiroshimas and Nagasakis throughout August and beyond:

 

   1. Visit August6.org to locate or post events, download action and education resources, and learn more about the nuclear facilities and war profiteers that operate near you.

 

   2. Cast your “vote” for the elimination of nuclear weapons by printing out, filling in and mailing copies of the unofficial ballot to the Department of Energy and public officials. http://www.august6.org/vote

 

   3. Email your senators to demand that they reject the Bush administration’s plan to build new nuclear weapons. http://capwiz.com/wagingpeace/issues/alert/?alertid= 10128026

 

   4. Host the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum‘s traveling “Hiroshima-Nagasaki A-bomb Exhibition.” http://www.pcf.city.hiroshima.jp/images_e/poster/us07 .html

 

   5. Organize a video screening or house party. http://www.august6.org/screen_videos

 

We especially encourage you to take advantage of the August HBO premiere of Academy Award-winner Steven Okazaki’s powerful new film, White Light/Black Rain: The Destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The critically acclaimed documentary features 14 Hiroshima and Nagasaki survivors and is a remarkable document of the only times nuclear weapons have been used in war. Organize a house party or community screening and discussion — if you don’t get HBO you can order a special community screening DVD from UFPJ (http://www.unitedforpeace.org/whitelightblackrain). Download a White Light/Black Rain Discussion Guide (http://www.august6.org/discussion_guide) or a ND Action Tool Kit (http://www.august6.org/tool_kit) to help focus the discussion on the current nuclear threat and what people can do about it.

 

This call was initiated by the United for Peace & Justice Nuclear Disarmament Working Group (http://www.unitedforpeace.org/disarm) and Bite the Bullet: War Profiteering Education & Action Network (http://www.bitethebullet.us). At the same time that we are calling for actions focusing on nukes and war, the Occupation Project (http://www.occupationproject.org is calling for nonviolent civil disobedience to end the war in Iraq, and both these calls are part of the larger United for Peace and Justice campaign that runs from early August to the end of October (http://www.unitedforpeace.org/article.php?id=3733).

 

MORE AUGUST PEACE & JUSTICE ACTIVITIES

 

* Aug. 13-18: California call-in days http://www.unitedforpeace.org/article.php?list= type&type=114

 

* Aug. 19: March Through the Arch in St. Louis, MO http://www.vfpnationalconvention.org/march.htm

 

* Aug. 25: People’s March for Peace, Equality, Jobs & Justice in Newark, NJ http://www.peaceandjusticecoalition.org

 

* Aug. 25: Rally & March for Peace, Kennebunkport, ME http://www.kportprotest.org/

 

* Click here to find more peace & justice events in your area: http://www.unitedforpeace.org/calendar.php

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