WILPFers Take Part in “Defuse Nuclear War” Pickets All Over the US

Marjorie Atkinson, 100 years old, adds her sign to the Santa Cruz branch action. Photo used with Marjorie’s permission.
 

by Cherrill Spencer and Ellen Thomas        
Co-chairs, DISARM Committee

November 2022

WILPF US is a member of the "Defuse Nuclear War" coalition and our members all over the US enthusiastically took part in pickets outside the home offices of their congressional representatives to urge them to advocate for six actions, each of which will decrease the risk of a nuclear war: End the Policy of “First Use”; Rejoin Nuclear Weapons Treaties the U.S. Pulled Out Of; Take U.S. Nuclear Weapons Off Hair-Trigger Alert; Get Rid of ICBMs (land-based nuclear missiles); Support Congressional Action to Avert Nuclear War (H.R 1185); Move the Money to Human Needs, Not War.  

Here are the seven cities (listed in reverse alphabetical order) where our WILPF members took action during October 14-16, 2022:

Washington, DC

Dianne Blais and Phoebe Sorgen of our Jane Addams Branch (members-at-large) joined the picket against President Joe Biden in front of the White House on October 14.

Board Secretary Dianne Blais (left) and life member Phoebe Sorgen demonstrate in front of the White House. Photo taken on Dianne’s phone.

Saint Louis, Missouri

Lynn Sableman of the St. Louis, MO, branch reports: “Senators Josh Hawley and Roy Blunt were not in their offices at the Eagleton Courthouse in St. Louis on October 16. This was a very windy day and place. This was the debut of the Anti-Nuclear Weapons Pop-Up Folk Art exhibit. The Nuclear War Plan quilt was blown to pieces but I can fix it. The cube of the Daily Gamble was suspended from a canvas tent structure and spun and swayed in the wind in an eye-catching way. It was met with interest. We stood on the corner with signs we made the previous day. “

Photo: Lynn Sableman with her Nuclear War Plan quilt (showing trajectories of ICBMs). Photo taken with Lynn’s direction.

Santa Cruz, California

The Santa Cruz branch had two pickets, on October 14 at Congressman Jimmy Panetta’s office, and on the 16th branch members demonstrated against nuclear weapons at the Santa Cruz Clock Tower.

Santa Cruz branch members say No to Nukes at the Santa Cruz Clock Tower. Photo by D. Nunns, used with her permission.

San Francisco, California

There were 50 or more anti-nuclear war activists picketing Senators Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla on October 14 in San Francisco, including WILPFer Betty Traynor. They met with and delivered letters to aides for each senator. The picketing was spirited; they marched between the offices with their signs and chanted.

Large group of picketers from various peace groups in San Francisco, including Betty Traynor from WILPF. Photo by professional photographer Leon Kunstenaar, used with his permission.

Palo Alto, California
    
You can read a separate eNews article about the two pickets by the Peninsula/Palo Alto (California) branch.

Detroit, Michigan

Laura Dewey of the Detroit branch joined a demonstration against the war in Ukraine and nuclear weapons in central Detroit on October 16th.

WILPFer Laura Dewey holds the right end of the pro-TPNW banner at an October 16 demo in Detroit. Photo taken at Laura’s request.

Burlington, Vermont

Members of the Burlington branch of WILPF and Upper Valley Affinity Group VT joined with a dozen peace activists from around the state in front of Representative Peter Welch’s office and then moved to a nearby intersection to catch the October 14th afternoon traffic.

Since Welch’s office was shut, they left messages and taped the recently drafted “Vermonter’s Vision for a New Foreign Policy” to his door. One message was: “We call on you, Representative Welch, in your more expansive role as Senator, to speak out not only for the peace loving residents of Vermont, but for the poor and suffering women and men around the world whose lives are being ruined, and their children traumatized, by the violence and cruelty they see perpetuated from all sides. IT IS TIME TO GET TO THE PEACE TABLE!”

Vermonters Duncan Nichols, Catherine Back, and our Robin Lloyd tape messages to their representative’s office door. Photo taken on Robin’s phone.

Boston, Massachusetts

WILPFer Eileen Kurkoski joined other peace activists to picket outside Representative Jake Auchencloss’ office building in “metro” Boston. He came out to speak with them. Massachusetts Peace Action organized this October 14 picket.

Susan Mirsky of MA Peace Action hands demands to Rep Jake Auchencloss with WILPFer Eileen Kurkoski to his right. Picture taken by Jake’s assistant with Eileen’s camera.

An Ongoing Campaign

The DISARM/End Wars co-chairs thank all the WILPFers who took part in the Defuse Nuclear War actions in mid-October. This is the beginning of an ongoing campaign to get our politicians to move towards nuclear weapons abolition. See this 9-minute interview with Norman Solomon, initiator of the campaign, on Democracy Now.

If you would like to join the DISARM issue committee please write to disarmchair@wilpfus.org.