Forty years ago, June 12, 1982, one million citizens assembled at the United Nations, then proceeded to march to Central Park, one voice calling for the abolishment of nuclear weapons worldwide, their unified demand to eliminate all of them before they eliminate all of us.
Two generations have passed, most believing — or having forgotten — that nothing of any consequence became of the mass effort. Yet, it christened the Nuclear Freeze movement, all of which resulted in the global reduction of no less than 25,000, out of a total of 60,000, warheads of possessor-nations, Soviet and U.S. It would be an understatement to say that their efforts were a significant step toward saving us from annihilation of the war no nation survives.
That impassioned legacy thankfully lives on, beginning once again at the U.N. in 2017, when an overwhelming majority of delegates voted to create the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, or TPNW. They were to bring it before their respective parliaments for ratification.
Once 50 nations did so, the treaty would become international law. As of August 2021, the requisite number was reached. Today, no less than 59 have signed on, with dozens more actively under consideration. Even though the current nine possessor-nations have yet to do so, they realize that they are now in violation of the treaty.
Pressures are mounting for them to take TPNW as seriously as possible. The present heightening of tensions, veiled threats, increased ICBM missile-testing, the ever precipitous danger of miscommunication, unhinged leadership with their hands on the controls, make it all the more necessary to take agreed upon action to end harboring arms that could very well spell an end to humanity via omnicide.
The good news is that Congress has before it the Norton Bill, which, in effect, would have the U.S. join the other 59 nations, in working on a plan of measured abolishment, leading the way for the other eight to follow suit. Our own Rep. Jim McGovern will be hold a press conference on June 22, on the lawn of the Capitol, to acknowledge the first meeting of the 59 “States’ Parties to the TPNW,” convening at the same time in Vienna, June 21-23.
On Beacon Hill, two similar Senate and House bills to establish a commission to assess the presence of the existential threat of these ultimate weapons of mass destruction and related command centers could have upon the commonwealth, has successfully reached the Joint Ways and Means Committee. If it is approved, it would come to the floor of the Senate and House for a vote. They are Senate 1555, and House 3688, both of which are authored by our Sen. Jo Comerford and Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa, respectively. If passed, it would create a prototype for other states to follow, thereby putting serious pressure on Congress and the executive branch, to see their way to recognize and abide by the Treaty.
What can you do, I hope you’re asking yourself? Commit yourself to our Re-Freeze movement by strongly advocating for passage of the Resolve to establish a Citizens Commission. Ask similarly enlightened friends to join you. The most comprehensive and helpful link is: https://www.nuclearban.us/mass/. There you can easily locate the three who are key to passage: Senate President Karen Spilka and Senate Chairs Michael Rodriquez and Aaron Michelwitz. Regardless of your district, your letters, calls, emails, or texts are equally impactful at this critical stage.
An venerable maxim tells us that nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come. It arrived on June 12, 1982, and now has returned more timely than ever: REFREEZE.
The Rev. Peter Kakos lives in Northampton.