This week, we mourned and honored the more than 100,000 people who were killed in the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki 79 years ago.
As we reflected on this solemn anniversary, we joined partners and friends around the globe to recommit to the urgent work of ensuring that nuclear weapons are never used again.
We must never forget that humanity lives under the shadow of a nuclear catastrophe. Particularly at a time of rising global tensions and conflicts, we must turn back the clock and ensure a safe and secure future for the generations to come.
We cannot afford to take nuclear security for granted. As The New York Times put it this week, “the threat of another blast can’t be relegated to history.”
Diplomacy and arms control are crucial to reducing tensions and the risk of nuclear use. Unfortunately, nuclear diplomacy has been trending in the wrong direction in recent years. That is why our voices are needed to urge Congress to reassert a strong commitment to dialogue and vital arms control agreements.
U.S. and global spending on nuclear weapons is soaring. The last thing the world needs is a nuclear arms race. As one Japanese survivor said this week, “when I turn on the news, I see politicians talk about deploying more weapons, more tanks. How could they? I wish for the day they stop that.”
We must also reject dangerous calls to restart nuclear weapons testing. These tests inflicted a devastating toll on people across the globe, including many “downwinders” communities right here in the U.S. Instead of polluting and sickening more people, Congress has a responsibility to extend and expand the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act and support those who are suffering the consequences of past tests.
As FCNL’s Allen Hester wrote, “Repairing the damage of the past is a positive step in our collective journey toward a more peaceful and nuclear-free future.”
Elsewhere
What are the People’s Unfunded Priorities?
The Pentagon’s enormous budget (including wasteful nuclear “modernization”) is apparently not enough. So, every year they submit wish lists, or “Unfunded Priority Lists,” which skip the normal budget process. We looked at the important programs that people need, not the wasteful weapons that the Pentagon wants. We drafted a People’s Unfunded Priorities List with money for housing, addressing climate change, welcoming asylum seekers, and slashing child poverty.
Native Boarding School Report Tells the Truth but Doesn’t Go Far Enough
The Department of the Interior just released the second of two investigative reports on the federal government’s role in Indian Boarding Schools. This is an important step to learning the truth about these institutions, which stole kids from their families and abused them in a cruel attempt to extinguish Native culture. But it isn’t enough. We need legislation.
Guantánamo Plea Deals Revoked
After we sent last week’s newsletter, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin intervened to revoke the plea agreements of three 9/11 detainees in Guantánamo. This is deeply disappointing. After more than 20 years, we need to resolve these cases and reckon with our dark legacy of torture and human rights abuses.
Gaza War Threatens Broader Violence
Violence stemming from the Gaza war is putting the whole region at risk. This week a rocket attack injured several U.S. personnel in Iraq as the region braces for a substantial Iranian response to Israel’s attacks. This violence does not advance long-term peace or security for anyone. Until there is a permanent ceasefire, escalation will continue, and more people will die.
FCNL Book Club: Light in Gaza
Once the fighting stops, Gaza will need to be rebuilt. This undertaking will take creative vision. In their book, Light in Gaza, 11 Palestinian writers give a hopeful glimpse of a just future for Gaza. Join an FCNL Book Club for a virtual discussion on Light in Gaza, Thursday, August 29 at 6 p.m. ET.