Tuesday, March 16, 2021

Slouching Toward Bethlehem

 Well, slouching may be an exaggeration, but my reluctance can’t be described any other way.  The subject is nuclear, both war and energy.  And of all our planetary issues,  nuclear, the nuclear of power and the nuclear of war, both joined at the hip, one not possible without the other,  is—at least in my view—the most dire. Even more dire than global warming And that probably explains my reluctance. Bear with me.

 

There is something to celebrate, and something to mourn. The good news first. After years and years of patient work for peace, by, among thousands of others in this country alone, the Women’s League for International Peace and Freedom, and the Catholic Plowshares-Catholic Worker Movement, the Treaty to ban nuclear weapons was signed by, of all countries, Honduras, which became the 50th to do so, and at last the Treaty entered into full force and effect on Jan. 22 of this year.

 

Here is pre-forever-war FDR in 1936: “I have seen war on land and sea. I have seen blood running from the wounded….I have seen the dead in the mud….I shall pass unnumbered hours thinking and planning how war may be kept from the Nation .”

 

As my readers can imagine, the Treaty is binding only on its signatories, none of which are bomb-blessed countries; all the 8 bomb blessed-countries won’t sign the Treaty. This includes not only the Big Brother Nuclear Eight but also all the little toady NATO subscribers.  #45, our former very own Very Magnificent and Glorious Caudillo, sent all those little shit hole signatory countries letters ordering them under all circumstances, to walk back their talk. Many such letters found their way to the nearest paper basket for recycling.

 

Nonetheless, the Treaty represents a colossal effort by all of humankind which has made this amazing benchmark possible We cannot even begin to imagine the years and years of diplomacy at top levels, the untold quantity of international flights by all people working at the NGO level, and all the strivings of all the grassroots people world over,  getting arrested and jailed, some of them for years, trying, trying with all their might to reverse the course of The Great Blundering Ship of States.

 

And that is what we must celebrate. Against Might, we have the great weapon of Spirit.

 

And now, to mourn

 

In the U.S. The new $100 billion Ground Based Strategic Nuclear Deterrant, a weapon of mass destruction the length of a bowling lane, carries a warhead 20 times more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb, and is slated to replace the Minuteman. It is on order by the Air Force—600 of them.

 

Soon after yet another mega earthquake roiled Japan Feb. 13, and following the tenth anniversary this week of the Disaster at Fukushima, Japan is still hell bent on restarting all their rectors, and holding their Olympics in heavily contaminated areas. After the relocation of millions of people, many of whom took their own lives, after scraping the Earth of millions of tons of top soil, decomposing vegetation of acres of forest land, only to have to decontaminate them all over again, and despite the resistance of its people, Japan still has not learned, and neither has the U.S. for that matter.

 

One picture is worth 1,000 words, and for that please go to

 

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/piapeterson/fukushima-10-year-anniversary-memorials

 

And for those still wanting to resist the media blackout on the events of Jan, 6, here are the Zexs Kashes:

 

https://www.propublica.org/article/6-questions-officials-still-havent-answered-after-weeks-of-hearings-on-the-capitol-attack#1053554

 

and on  March 18, if your appetite for war has become sated, check out:

https://cindysheehanssoapbox.blogspot.com/

 

 


 

No more Hiroshimas! No more Fukushimas! Please sign.

 

Read Ray Acheson’s new book: Banning the Bomb, Smashing the Patriarchy.

 


 

 

Resilient women farmers fighting climate change in six Jamul district villages transform lives by carrying out organize kitchen gardening with support of Greenpeace India.

 

Chile to elect convention to rewrite constitution replacing that written by Pinochet.

 

Brazil judge annuls convictions against Lula Da Silva, leaving him free to challenge Bolsonaro.

 

Lula goes after Bolsonaro’s ‘moronic’ handling of COVID pandemic.

 

Far-Right Bolivia coup leader Jeanine Añez arrested on terrorism, sedition charges.

 

First Atikamekw Nation asks UN expert to probe systematic racism in Canada

 

Canadian protesters call for end to arms sales to Saudi Arabia.

 

Assange’s father takes fight to free son to Canberra.

 

In the UK, study shows school street plan to keep them traffic free improves AQ.

 

New report to expose war industry’s lobby behind $24 billion US nuclear missile ‘boondoggle.’

 

NRDC DOE stike five-year deal allowing nuclear education of state energy regulators.

 

Supreme Court reject final #45 appeal.

 

Biden signs sweeping $1.9 trillion COVID relief package into law.

 

‘The kind of speed and efficiency we should always expect’ as $1,400 checks already hitting bank accounts.

 

Biden administration announces Pentagon will conduct an  urgently needed ‘Global posture review.’

 

Biden administration tells Supreme Court it won’t defend previous administration’s ‘public charge’ rule.

 

Supreme Court rejects final #45 appeal.

 

Biden administration‘s vaccine promotion efforts will look to take politics out of the picture.

 

US lawmakers call on Biden administration to oppose Israeli Palestinian home demolitions.

 

Congress urged to take ‘immediate action’ to stop debt collectors from snatching relied checks.

 

Black alliance for peace solidarity network demands NATO support peace process in Afghanistan.

 

Over 350 groups urge Biden to stop Line 3 pipelines, protect climate and indigenous rights.

 

Biden urges House to approve Protecting the Right to Organize Act following his support of Amazon  Alabama workers.

 

Amazon workers in Italy to go on first strike.

 

Deb Haaland confirmed as Interior Secy.

 

With appointment of Columbia U law professors Timothy Wu to the White House National Economic Council and Lina Khan to Federal Trade Commission, antitrust is back in the US.

 

House passage of historic union rights bill intensified pressure on Dem Senators to ‘stop hiding behind’ filibuster.

 

Broadband infrastructure bill centers affordability and equity.

 

Warning against ‘Democratic’ version of Ajit Pai,’ groups call for FCC pick without telecom ties.

 

Growing chorus implore Biden to fire #45 holdovers who support ‘dismantling and cutting ‘ social security.

 

Progressives hail official end of DCCC consultant blacklist.

 

Progressive takeover of Nevada Dem party sparks mas exodus of staff consultants.

 

Interior take first step evaluating leasing moratorium.

 

Applause as Biden picks antitrust trailblazer Linda Khan for FTC spot.

 

Jimmy Carter condemns Georgia GOP’s voter suppression push.

 

Stimulus package aids Puerto Rico still reeling after two years from Hurricane impacts.

 

Representative Smith re: F-35 boondoggle: ‘finally we have a shot to stop feeding that rathole at the Pentagon.’

 

Jayapal vows to fight for $15 minimum wage.

 

Jayapal demands investigation into 3 House Republicans for ‘involvement in the deadly attack on the Capitol.’

 

‘Don ‘t  patronize me”: Katie Porter tears into oil exec for claiming his industry doesn’t get special tax breaks.

 

Report finds raising minimum wage to $15 would boost pay of 32 million workers.

 

Support keeps building for #BAmazon Union Drive as three dozen organizations add the names urging Biden to come out for union organizers.

 

Poll shows majority of US adults support govt action to require COVID vaccine

manufacturers to share formulas, and forego patents to hasten vaccine deployment globally.

 

Progressive health care and global justice groups to rally across country and push pharmaceutical  companies to commit to just global vaccine distribution.

 

N.Y. State’s top legislators call on Cuomo to resign.

 

Georgia House passes repeal of citizen’s arrest law in aftermath of Ahmaud Arbery’s death.

 

Abortion ban repealed in N. Mex. after years of struggle.

 

Victory for BDS as Orange judge slaps down Zionist attempt to stifle free speech

 

Queens County judge blisters prosecutors in decision to release 3 wrongfully convicted Black men after 24 years.

 

ACLU, civil rights groups call on DHS to abandon proposed expansion of face surveillance at airports.

 

Push for Robinhood tax grows as poll shows majority in NY support levy on Wall St. trades.

 

Atlanta DA’s latest hire in #4 investigation is a racketeering expert.

 

Youth climate activists seek court ruling that US fossil fuel-based system is unconstitutional.

 

Climate activists applaud Rutgers University’s fossil; fuel divestment plan.

 

College athletes demand NCAA pull championships from states with anti-trans sport legislation.

 

Culver City calls on Gov. Newsom to slow neighboring gas storage facility in Playa del Rey.

 

Kansas City tenants’ month of activism breaks systems preventing 919 eviction hearings, 90% of all evictions scheduled for January.

 

Hundreds protest on eve of Derek Chauvin’s trial.

 

‘Say Her Name’: rallies and marches mark one-year anniversary of Breonna Taylor’s killing.

 

Bayer’s Roundup class action settlement draws widespread outrage.

 

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