WILPF NEWS
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom
East Bay and San Francisco Branches
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Work to Advance Peace, Justice and Human Rights
December 2020
THE WORLD HAS SPOKEN
On January 22, 2021, nuclear weapons will be completely illegal in 50 countries and counting. Under international laws of war, it has always been illegal to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons to harm cities or civilians. Now, everything to do with nuclear weapons will be illegal in the 50+ countries that have ratified the Nuclear Ban Treaty.
This is very good news. We just have to finish the job. We have to eliminate all nuclear weapons before they eliminate us. The 9 nuclear-armed nations have boycotted this Nuclear Ban Treaty. If we are to survive as a planet, ALL nations must eliminate their nuclear weapons.
To learn how you can help, watch this two minute video, The World Has Spoken, and then go to www.NuclearBan.us and take one of these actions:
– write a letter to President-Elect Joe Biden
– write to your Members of Congress and State Legislators
– be visible on January 22nd and make your voice heard
VALENTINE’S DAY CELEBRATION FOR OUR MEMBERS
Saturday, February 13th, Noon to 1:30 pm
We are planning a virtual luncheon this year for our members and invited guests. It will be an opportunity to celebrate the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) becoming International Law on January 22, 2021. This was a tremendous achievement by WILPF and other peace organizations around the world.
We also want to ask some of our long-time members to share stories of your own work for peace and justice through the years, and to talk about how we’ve all been coping with the many challenges of 2020. Our planning committee will give an update of our accomplishments of 2020 and our plans for 2021.
And there will be music. So please plan to join us on February 13th.
OPPOSE THE AMERICAN NUCLEAR INFRASTRUCTURE ACT
The U.S. Senate is considering one of the worst pro-nuclear bills to ever come out of that body. The American Nuclear Infrastructure Act of 2020 is being rushed through what’s called the ‘lame duck’ session before a new Congress comes into office.
What makes this bill so bad? Among other things, it would spur additional uranium mining in this country, give away billions of dollars to the nuclear industry, and incentivize nuclear energy at the expense of renewables.
The American Nuclear Infrastructure Act does virtually nothing to curb the dangers of nuclear power. It worsens the environmental justice issues related to nuclear and extends a lifeline to this obsolete and dying industry at the expense of renewables, which are the real answer to the climate crisis.
Tell your members of Congress to OPPOSE the American Nuclear Infrastructure Act today.
AFRICOM AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN AFRICA
If you missed this amazing discussion about AFRICOM and Human Rights by women from several African nations as well as representatives of peace organizations including WILPF US, you can watch the complete webinar here.
STOP OPEN-AIR BOMB TESTS AT LAWRENCE LIVERMORE LAB
Public opposition to the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) proposal to detonate open-air bomb tests at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s Site 300 is showing results!
It is possible, but not assured, that the NNSA may not be granted a permit. The Air District has directed the NNSA to provide additional information on the environmental impacts of the blasts. The Air District has further asked NNSA to provide “further review and reconsideration” of the project. NNSA has not responded.
NOW is the time to send two letters. One letter goes to NNSA asking the agency to withdraw the permit application altogether, and one goes to the Air District requesting that it deny any permit if NNSA does not withdraw its application. If you go to the Tri-Valley CARES website, all you need to do is sign and send the already-prepared letters.
JANUARY WILPF EAST BAY/SAN FRANCISCO PLANNING MEETING
Our next planning meeting for the East Bay and San Francisco branches will be Saturday, January 9th from 10am-noon. If you would like to join us virtually, you are very welcome.
Just send an email to wilpf@wilpfeastbay.org and we’ll send you the information you need to join the call.
EXPLORE WILPF TODAY
Local branch web pages
www.WILPFEastBay.org or www.WILPFSF.org
WILPF East Bay
P. O. Box 13083, Oakland, CA 94661
WILPF-San Francisco
P. O. Box 590253, San Francisco, CA 94159
https://www.facebook.com/WILPFEastBaySanFrancisco/
National WILPF www.wilpfus.org
International WILPF: www.wilpf.org
PEACEWOMEN and REACHING CRITICAL WILL
