On January 13th, Evanston, IL City Council voted unanimously to support the Back from the Brink campaign and to call on the U.S. government to take commonsense steps to reduce the likelihood of nuclear war. This is the first city in the Midwest to join Back from the Brink, bringing the total number of city endorsements to 42.
The large and diverse coalition supporting the resolution included members of Union of Concerned Scientists, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Chicago Area Peace Action, American Friends Service Committee of Chicago, Neighbors for Peace, Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation, Benedictine Sisters of Chicago, and Voices for Creative Nonviolence, among others. A total of 21 local organizations supported this resolution.
Starting off the public comment, State Representative Robyn Gabel said, “This resolution is a strong signal to our federal government that the prohibition of nuclear weapons is achievable, necessary, and urgent. The threat of nuclear war is real. Such an event would be a disaster to our planet.”
Additionally, in her public remarks, State Representative Gabel stated her intention to introduce a similar resolution into the State Legislature in Illinois, surprising even the activists who had worked to secure her support.
This achievement demonstrates that people throughout the U.S., from Portland, ME to Portland, OR and everywhere in between, are concerned about the real and growing danger that nuclear weapons continue to pose, and are taking action to make sure their voices are heard locally and in Washington.
The text of the Evanston resolution can be found here.
Congrats to everyone who brought this resolution forward and came out to support it, and we look forward to supporting your efforts at the state level!
