Looking at the Past and Protecting the Future on the 62 Anniversary of the Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Each year New Mexicans come together to remember the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan on August 6th and 9th, 1945. It has been 62 years since the United States dropped these bombs, which killed over 200,000 people instantly. Both bombs were developed and built at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), located in New Mexico.
This week's CCNS News Update will provide a list of events taking place in Northern New Mexico to observe the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and opportunities to voice your opinions about future nuclear weapons manufacturing. Please be prepared to write down information about the events which interest you.
On Saturday, August 4, people will gather at Ashley Pond in Los Alamos. At 2 pm, a traditional sackcloth and ashes prayer vigil will begin, sponsored by Pax Christi New Mexico. The day will continue with speakers and a candlelight vigil. These events are sponsored by Dragon Fly Sanctuary, Vets for Peace and Pax Christi New Mexico. For more information visit PaxChristiNewMexico.org.
On Sunday, August 5th, the Ninth Annual Peace Day will be held throughout downtown Santa Fe. At 11 am, Santa Fe Mayor David Coss will declare a Day for Peace and children will hang thousands of peace cranes on the ChildrenŐs Peace Statue. The participants will proceed to Federal Park, where there will be activities for children and dialogue circles exploring how we can realize peace and nuclear abolition in our time. The day will conclude at the Capitol Roundhouse with the Peace Bell ceremony at 5:15 pm, in unity with Hiroshima, Japan. Peace Day is organized by the Los Alamos Peace Project. For scheduling details, please visit losalamospeaceproject.us.
In order to bring about a future free of nuclear weapons, Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety has created a YouTube Group, called Vision 2030. The Group is a place where people can post short films which show their vision of the future, as well as view the videos which others have made. These videos will be compiled by CCNS and submitted to the Department of Energy (DOE), which manages the nuclear weapons complex, as public comment on their proposal for new nuclear weapons, called Complex 2030.
With Complex 2030, DOE proposes to modernize the nuclear weapons complex in order to produce an evolving line of new nuclear weapons and ensure that they have a continued role in the United States defense strategy for years to come.
CCNS will compile the alternative visions which are posted to the Vision 2030 Youtube Group, and submit them. The Department of Energy (DOE) has agreed to accept these videos as public comment for the administrative record.
Joni Arends of CCNS said, "While we are remembering the past, we must also envision the future which we want for ourselves and future generations."
