|
|
|
Called to seek peace"To remember the past is to commit oneself to the future. To remember Hiroshima is to abhor nuclear weapons. To remember what the people of that city suffered it to renew our faith in humanity; in our capacity to do what is good; in our freedom to do what is right; in our determination to turn disaster into a new beginning. In the face of calamity that every war is, one must affirm and reaffirm, again and again, that the waging of war is not inevitable or unchangeable. Humanity is not destined to self-destruction." This excerpt from Pope John Paul II's address at Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima, Feb. 21, 1981, is a call for each of us to act for peace - to say "Never again" to the use of nuclear weapons. Aug. 6, 2008, marks the 63rd anniversary of the destruction of Hiroshima. What have we learned from that "calamity"? The facts provide the answer. In the 1950s and 60s (the Cold War years) we taught our children to take cover under either their school desks in case of a nuclear attack or improvised bomb shelters in our basements. In the 1970s the arms race accelerated and new technology made nuclear weapons even more fearsome. Multiple-headed nuclear weapons and anti-ballistic missiles became household words as they were deployed. During the Carter years, Salt II was withdrawn from consideration, codified plans for an extended nuclear war were issued and more missiles were deployed. In the 1980s President Reagan's earl rhetoric about nuclear warning shots, recallable missiles, improved fallout shelters and limited nuclear wars promoted the birth of the nuclear freeze movement. The end of the Cold War late in the decade promised a Peace Dividend which never materialized. In the 1990s a so-called second nuclear era began as a dozen or so third world countries acquired nuclear and chemical capability. Among them were India, Israel, Pakistan, the Koreas, South Aftrica, Libya, Brazil, Iran and others. The breakdown of control imposed by the two superpowers (Russia and the United States) increased the likelihood of conflict in the third world in which the use of nuclear weapons became a constant threat. What are the signs of the times in the Third Millennium? The current administration's policy is to continue to maintain a stockpile of thousands of nuclear weapons; U.S. military planners continue to plan for the use of weapons in a war with Russia; and the quest for new nuclear weapons which would replace every nuclear warhead in our weapons arsenal by 2030 has been introduced. The Non-Proliferation Treaty is ignored and the constant statements by our leaders that "all options are on the table" in regard to our relationship with Iran are indicative of a mindset that increases the possibility that the use of nuclear weapons by this country for the third time in world history may become a reality. As we reflect on Pope John II's words, it might be helpful to know that there are other leaders who have reviewed current nuclear dangers and are calling for changes in our policy. In January 2007 four men who were active in developing our Cold War policies in the 1980s and 90s (George Schultz, William Perry, Henry Kissinger and Sam Nunn) have called for U.S. leadership to work for the abolishment of nuclear weapons. The USCCB's Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development sent out an Action Alert in early June 2008 asking us to take action on nuclear non-proliferation by contacting our representatives in Congress and urging them to cosponsor the Global Security Priorities Resolution (H.Res.1045). The bill calls for cuts in the nuclear arms arsenal and increased funding for nuclear non-proliferation efforts and child survival programs. USCCB and other religious partners worked with Congressman Dan Lungren (R. CA) and James McGovern (D. MI) to craft this resolution. H.Res. 1045 needs your letters of support. Contact Catholic Charities, 1601 Military Road, Sioux City, IA 51103; telephone: (712) 252-4547; e-mail: cathchar@cableone.net; or fax: (712) 252-3785. |