WILPF NEWS
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom
East Bay and San Francisco Branches
July 2018
Get involved! Become better informed! Resist!
Work to Advance Peace, Justice and Human Rights
Join the planning team Saturday, August 11, 10-12
at La Boulangeria, 222 Sutter, San Francisco
How Prohibiting Nuclear Weapons Changed the World
by WILPF’s Ray Acheson
A year after 122 nations adopted a nuclear-weapons ban, the treaty is showing results.
On July 7, 2017, the world made history. Surrounded by atomic-bomb survivors, antinuclear activists, members of the Red Cross, and UN officials, 122 governments adopted a new international law banning nuclear weapons. The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) outlaws all nuclear weapon-related activities, sets out measures for disarmament, addresses victim assistance and environmental remediation, demands that women play an equal role in arms reduction, and acknowledges the disproportionate impact these weapons have had on women and indigenous peoples. Its adoption was groundbreaking. As Setsuko Thurlow, atomic-bomb survivor from Hiroshima, said in her concluding remarks, “This is the beginning of the end of nuclear weapons.”
Yes, nuclear weapons still do exist. Yes, the handful of countries that possess them are still pouring billions of dollars a year into their renewal and expansion. Yes, the leaders of the nuclear-armed states—and their allies that support their possession of nuclear weapons—continue to say they will “never” join the treaty. But this is the same environment in which the nuclear-ban treaty was negotiated and adopted. And it the same hubristic attitude by nuclear-armed states toward international law, human security, and the survival of the planet that has prevented nuclear disarmament for more than seven decades. It is this attitude that has facilitated a new arms race and that those supporting the prohibition of nuclear weapons sought to disrupt.
First, the nuclear-ban treaty has opened space for reviving the antinuclear movement, including by engaging a new generation of activists. Last year the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for helping to drive the process for the TPNW. This prize, which reflects the relentless efforts for nuclear disarmament over generations, has generated additional interest and attention for campaigning against the bomb.
Hiroshima Day “March for Nuclear Abolition & Global Survival”
WILPF to join a demonstration commemorating Hiroshima Day “March for Nuclear Abolition & Global Survival” Monday, August 6th, begins at 8 am at Livermore lab. Link to flier for details on transportation on BART and program:
http://www.trivalleycares.org/new/Aug_6Actionfront_offlyer7118.jpg
Daniel Ellsberg will be among the speakers
Livermore Lab’s Site 300 BOMB BLASTS
++++ Livermore Lab’s Site 300 near Tracy is their high explosive testing range and is poised to detonate more and bigger toxic bomb blasts, lofting 121 hazardous contaminants. The site is just 7000 feet from a planned housing development. The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution District has issued a decision to give the lab a permit to increase the size of bomb blasts from 100 pounds to 1000 pounds per day. They have exempted the district from all provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act, which means that an analysis of what might be an outcome of this will not be done. You can learn about the issues and send protest letters to the district go to www.trivalleycares.org/SJVAPCDcomment.pdf
Or sent an email to publicnotices@valleyair.org
WILPF SUPPORTS THE POOR PEOPLES‘ CAMPAIGN
Every Monday in June, there were nonviolent actions supporting the Poor Peoples’ Campaign the Sacramento Capitol steps, and in state capitols across the country and in WAshington DC. www.poorpeoplescampaign.org. This VERY IMPORTANT CAMPAIGN challenges the racism, militarism and economic injustice in this country, and strives to radically change our government’s priorities from greed and empire to people and human well being.
See their Bay Area Facebook page for info: https://www.facebook.com/ppcbayarea. or for campaign videos around the USA https://www.facebook.com/search/videos/USA
Join East Bay and SF WILPF in a Book Study idea:
On the One WILPF call this month, the book Screwnomics,was recommended as a book to discuss. https://www.screwnomics.org/ The book talks specifically about how the U.S. economy works against women.
Playwriting Competition
WILPF US is sponsoring a contest for 10 minute plays about community activism. For more info. write to plays@wilpfus.org
Save this date: Saturday, September 29 for WILPF Regional Cluster Meeting
Plan to join the WILPF Regional Cluster meeting of our branches in Sacramento. This meeting is a great way to meet other WILPF members. Look for more details in the August and September Newsletters.
Unable to attend local WILPF meetings?
You can join the monthly National ONE WILPF CALL. The next ONE WILPF CALL will be Thursday, August 9th at 4pm PST If you have not yet joined our ONE WILPF calls, add them to your calendar, the second Thursday of each month, at 4 pm. If you would like to participate and you don’t use a computer, call Sandy at 510 967–9622 for a phone link. For more information or to register: 1WILPFcalls@gmail.com
You can also participate in an issue committee.
Advancing Human Rights, Corporations v Democracy Cuba, Women, and the Bolivarian Alliance, Disarm/End Wars, Earth Democracy, Middle East
To find out more, go to http://wilpfus.org/our-work
WILPF EAST BAY Joins COUNTER RECRUITMENT IN THE SCHOOLS
For more information explore: National Network Opposing Militarization of Youth’s excellent link /www.nnomy.org WILPF is looking for members who might like to join us this fall in working with Veterans presenting in local high school classrooms. Reply to wilpf@wilpfeastbay.org Army of None by Aimee Allison and David Solnit is a good read on this subject.
International WILPF Congress in Ghana: WILPF-US is getting ready for the International Congress August 20-22. We have 5 voting delegates attending, including Pres. Mary Hanson Harrison and Darien DeLu, plus 5 non-voting alternate delegates, including our own Barbara Nielsen. as WILPF-US Program co-chair. It will be held at the University of Ghana in Accra. Members are welcome to attend.
How to help Immigrant Children and Families
President Trump’s recent reversal of his own abusive policy of separating families at the border doesn’t end this humanitarian crisis. His actions only make the situation worse. Putting families seeking a better life in cages is never an answer. What does it say about our values as a nation when our government imposes cruel, punitive measures on children?
WILPF demands an immediate end to Trump’s ‘zero tolerance’ policy that interns families, including small children, to brutal detainment facilities and immediate return of the children separated to their parents. We won’t rest until this stain on our nation’s moral fabric is removed and fully support and will participate in upcoming actions or groups you can support to protest these abhorrent Trump Administration policies.
Go to the Washington Post map to see where people have reported detention centers where these children are being held. If there’s a location near you, get some friends together and decide on the appropriate action — for example, surround the place, bring teddy bears and toys and books, play music, let them know you’re there for them. Keep in touch with National WILPF to see or add to statements; sign up for the wilpf eAlerts.
Donate to groups that are helping
Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project – prevents wrongful deportations by connecting refugee families to community support and emergency legal aid.
Kids In Need of Defense (KIND) protecting unaccompanied children who enter the US immigration system alone to ensure that no child appears in court without an attorney.
La Union del Pueblo Entero– founded by Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta,
We Belong Together mobilizes women in support of common sense immigration policies that will keep families together and empower women.
Women’s Refugee Commission – advocating for the rights and protection of women, children, and youth fleeing violence and persecution.
Neta – a Latina-run progressive media platform telling the stories of what’s happening on the border.
Innovation Law Lab -working in immigrant detention centers and hostile judicial districts; keeping the definitive list of kids being held.
The Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights -promoting the best interests of unaccompanied immigrant children.
ACLU – fighting attacks through the legal system.
Human Rights First – helping refugees obtain asylum in the U.S
Anti-war Leafleting: Join us on Wednesdays from 11:30–Noon at the Grove St. entrance to SF Main Library. Call Betty to confirm, (415-931-1126)
EXPLORE WILPF TODAY
Local branch web pages: www.WILPFEastBay.org or www.WILPFSF.org
New address for WILPF East Bay
P. O. Box 13083, Oakland, CA 94661
https://www.facebook.com/WILPFEastBaySanFrancisco/
WILPF US: PO Box 13075, Des Moines, IA 50310 Tel: 617-266-0999
National WILPF web site: www.wilpfus.org
International WILPF: www.wilpf.org