| Letter to policymakers and those of concern |
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The letter is addressed to anyone who might have an interest in learning about the issue. It is hoped that our scale free network of contacts will reach those who have the authority to stop the use of nuclear devices. FCNL recently quoted Albert Einstein, "The release of atomic power has changed everything except our way of thinking... the solution to this problem lies in the heart of mankind." We hope that by reading the book, Hiroshima, the heart of mankind will be influenced, hopefully changed. As the U.S. continues to act agressively in the world, we are fearful that the most violent method of attack will be used to "secure the safety" of the U.S. and Israel. Please join us in identifying those people who are at the center of decision making. “Mr. Tanimoto found about twenty men and women on the sandspit . . . He reached down and took a woman by the hands, but her skin slipped off in huge, glovelike pieces. He was so sickened by this that he had to sit down for a moment . . . He had to keep consciously repeating to himself, ‘These are human beings’” (page 45). Today we understand that the United States has raised the possibility of using another nuclear weapon, the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator (RNEP or “bunker buster”), against Iranian nuclear production facilities. Research has indicated that RNEPs cannot penetrate deeply enough into the earth to contain the radiation they release, so that fallout from a blast in Iran would be dispersed over civilian populations in Iran as well as Pakistan, Afganistan, and India. There are many strategic arguments against the use of such weapons, but even more importantly, we view the use of nuclear weapons as deeply abhorrent to people of faith. Tens of thousands of civilians died from the aftereffects of radiation exposure in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. So great was the devastation, so profound the world’s fear of experiencing such an event again, so intense the ethical debate surrounding the bomb’s use, and so certain the world’s condemnation of future nuclear wars that for sixty-one years even those nations with the capacity to produce nuclear weapons have refrained from using them. As the most powerful nation in the world, and as the only nation to have used nuclear weapons previously against a human population, we believe that the U.S. bears a particular moral charge to do everything in our power to prevent the occurrence of such devastation again. Above all, we cannot oppose the development of Iranian nuclear weapons technology by the deployment of U.S. nuclear weapons. As people of faith we are committed to seeking lasting solutions to the root causes of political instability and human suffering. Neither peace nor stability can be achieved with weapons that promote widespread human misery or increase the measure of hatred among human beings with whom we share this earth. Aside from being deeply immoral, such actions are ultimately ineffective. We must use other means to help resolve the conflicts in Iran. Enclosed with this letter is a copy of John Hersey’s Hiroshima, an account of the Hiroshima bombing and its aftermath as experienced by six survivors. It serves as a grim reminder of the human cost of nuclear warfare. We urge you to consider it as you influence U.S. policy and actions. Sincerely,  Add as favourites (68) |  Quote this article on your site | Views: 603
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