70 Years Of Nuclear Weapons Is Enough: 1945-2015.

by Jerry Alatalo

“If we do not abolish war on this Earth, then surely, one day war will abolish us from this Earth.”   Speech, Independence, Mo., 1966

– HARRY S. TRUMAN (1884-1972) 33rd President of the United States

It’s been 70 years since the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. For whatever reasons, after seeing the overwhelmingly sad effects of those weapons, after seven decades the human race has yet to abolish what are truly the most hellish products ever created by man.

So, the fate of the Earth – the people, animals, marine life, all living things, and future generations – remain at constant risk of nuclear catastrophe, either through accident or intention. The recent agreement through dialogue among the P5+1 nations and Iran offers hope for all those wishing for complete elimination of nuclear weapons. After the next step of signing an agreement for making the Middle East a nuclear weapons-free zone, the final step of making the Earth free of nuclear armaments becomes possible.

Along with reforming the United Nations by requiring each member state sign the Rome Statute and join the International Criminal Court or face expulsion from the international organization,  another reform is requiring member states to sign the nuclear NonProliferation Treaty.

Making possession of nuclear weapons illegal under international law is the first step for ridding the Earth of hideous products serving no legitimate purpose in light of the unacceptable, massive damage their use would inflict. History’s lessons from war need to become fully learned. The urgent action of global nuclear disarmament remains unfulfilled every minute of every day – until the weapons are no longer existent.

Thinking on why nuclear weapons became created from a philosophical, spiritual or metaphysical standpoint leads to high personal levels of disbelief, puzzlement and lack of explanation for their existence. Perhaps the Creator/God gave human beings free will to develop nuclear weapons, to provide the opportunity for evolving to the point where it becomes obvious their total abolition is the only reasonable and wise choice.

ow many people wonder how it came about he or she  became born in a generation, at a point in human history, where such horrendous creations exist and threaten literally everything?  Taking only a few moments to reflect on the fact that in various locations around the Earth exist weapons of such destructive force to – if used – destroy the creation shifts one’s awareness and consciousness into places humans experience on extraordinarily rare occasions.

While experiencing such unusual and startling states of awareness, the time between normal everyday exclusion of nuclear weapons as a topic for consideration and coming to hold the unmistakable conviction that the weapons must become banned – forever – is short. It becomes clear that anyone who holds the view that nuclear weapons somehow serve a “good purpose” is missing something of extreme importance.

Abolition of nuclear weapons for some reason hasn’t been mentioned as a topic for debate among those who’ve decided to run for the office of President of the United States. This stunning fact is a source for similar feelings of bewilderment and questions along the lines of thoughts related to nuclear weapons’ coming into existence. One experiences perplexity pondering how it is possible nuclear annihilation of the human race doesn’t make the list of important topics for debate and consideration, along with the economy, health care, education and so on.

If one spends only a short time thinking about that ongoing hellish possibility, the thought arises that nuclear war/extinction for 2016 presidential candidates – until all weapons the world over become abolished – is the only important topic for debate, making all the others insignificant by comparison. The presidential debate question which has to be asked, and is so obvious that even having to mention it boggles one’s mind:

“What is your plan for preventing nuclear war and possible extinction of the human race?”

The period from 1945 to 2015, 70 years, will be seen by some as a short one from a historical perspective, or in contrast to eternity. On the other hand, some perceive 70 years as far too long for humanity to allow the continued existence of such deadly and destructive devices. The time for debate is over. It really ended in 1945 at Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Banish nuclear weapons from the Earth.

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1945: The debate ended.

The detonation of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan and the consequences makes clear the appropriateness of the statement: “Never again”.

(Thank you to Stop the War Coalition at YouTube)

1982: Millions became convinced.

Academy Award winning film in 1982 for Best Short Subject Documentary: “If You Love This Planet” (Running time 25:53). With long-time anti-nuclear activist Helen Caldicott, the film became suppressed in the United States – and described by the U.S. Department of Justice as “foreign political propaganda”.

(Thank you to NFB at YouTube)

2015: Nuclear threat remains.

In June of 2015 in Greece, at a meeting (Delphi Initiative) of economists, academics and experts discussing the Greek economic/financial crisis, former Italy MEP Giulietto Chiesa talks about the possibility of war between the US/NATO/Europe and Russia. His view is that the people of Europe, along with concerned men and women across the world, must join together and act to prevent war from breaking out on the European continent.

Although Mr. Chiesa doesn’t mention nuclear disarmament, what he does say reinforces the idea that abolition of nuclear weapons has become a matter of highest urgency.

(Thank you to The Delphi Initiative at YouTube)