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Event Announcement ACTIVISTS TO RALLY TUESDAY FOR NO WAR ON IRAN With the call, "NO WAR ON IRAN", local activists will hold a vigil for peace on Oneonta's Main St. Square from 4:30 to 5:30 PM on Tuesday, June 6. Themes for the event are "End U.S. Global Dominance -- World Nuclear Disarmament Now." This is being done in conjunction with groups around the country who are deeply concerned about the escalating rhetoric between the US and Iran. Vigil organizers say that they believe many citizens are unaware of the Bush administration's nuclear weapons policy, noting that the administration has pushed hard for the development of "mini-nukes" and "nuclear bunker busters." These weapons--although smaller in scale than previous nuclear weapons, also have the capability to spread radioactive fallout over a wide area and to cause many thousands, even millions, of civilian deaths. Their use, or the threat of their use, can re-ignite a nuclear arms race, which would be far more dangerous and uncontrollable than what we have experienced in the past, given the widespread availability of technology and materials. And the moral burden of our nation using these weapons would be unbearable. Says Paddy Lane, one of the organizers, "We now live in an age when rogue states can much more easily acquire dangerous technology, and stirring up populations on the other side of the world can only push us closer to that eventuality. Bush's rejection of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and his administration's declaration favoring nuclear first strike, even against countries that do not have nuclear capability, are taking us backward. Although the administration says they want direct talks with Iran--the one possible channel for defusing the situation--the pre-conditions they have set are very high. Iran must first re-suspend all of its nuclear activities. The American people need to know how dangerous this government's policies are. Bush may say he wants dialogue, but his actions speak otherwise.” |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- updated 8/14/06 |