Working for nuclear abolition and non-proliferation

Who wouldn’t be interested in a campaign to stop the spread of nuclear weapons? Non-proliferation has always just seemed like a given to me. Still, I was never really informed about the various efforts to decrease or even eliminate nukes all together.

On Friday—my first day visiting the hill as a Peace Action intern—I had the opportunity to sit in on two meetings at the Center for Arms Control and Nonproliferation: the Next Nuclear Weapons Working Group (NNWW) meeting and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) meeting. Though the acronyms and strategies tossed around were often over my head, the very fact that various political and advocacy groups had gathered to tackle these issues made me feel hopeful and at ease.

During President Obama’s April 5th speech in Prague, he advocated for a nuclear free world. However, it’s hard to be sure what the rhetoric of his speech implied.

“I’m not naive. This goal will not be reached quickly – perhaps not in my lifetime,” Obama said.

We hope that Obama wasn’t being skeptical, and that instead meant this comment as a display of his commitment to abolishing nuclear weapons, no matter the time frame.
The speech’s full text can be found here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-By-President-Barack-Obama-In-Prague-As-Delivered/

With Peace Action and our allies collaborating, I think there is a lot of potential in upcoming months for some progress on non-proliferation. Grassroots organizing in a slew of states–in order to ensure US ratification of the CTBT–is one step in the right direction. After Friday’s meetings, I am eager to learn more about how communities can organize in support of a nuclear free world!

Sign this petition to support the cause of non-proliferation and nuclear abolition to be presented to the United Nations in May 2010:
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/161/t/288/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=1977

To learn more about Peace Action’s work on nuclear weapons policy, visit this site: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/161/p/salsa/web/common/public/content.sjs?content_item_KEY=5729

Thanks for your help!
Alyssa