We stand in solidarity with people throughout the world who are working to dismantle institutional and systemic racism in the United States. The recent murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd and the violent responses to protesters demand that we speak out as centuries of oppression culminate in this moment of societal awakening.
In truth, this moment calls on us, as individuals and as nuclear abolition organizers, to reflect on our own role in sustaining a culture of white supremacy and on ways in which we can embrace anti-racism and solidarity as a movement going forward.
We have decided to postpone our previously planned video conference this month and invite you to join us as we:
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Reflect on how Back from the Brink can proactively contribute to the struggle against white supremacy and institutional racism in the United States
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Take anti-racist actions in ourselves, our communities, our organizations, and our society to work towards a more equitable and just future that values and protects Black lives
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Uplift the voices of organizations and individuals doing anti-racist work
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Talk with our supporters and endorsing organizations about how we can be better anti-racist allies
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Learn more about the intertwined history of racism, militarism, nuclear weapons and the history of Black people organizing against nuclear weapons
The U.S. uses violence and threats of violence to achieve submission from communities of color and from countries around the world. In fact, many of the tools used to suppress people of color in the U.S. were devised on the battlefield to suppress dissent in occupied territories and to police the world. And while chemical weapons, such as tear gas, are banned in war, the state regularly employs these weapons against its own citizens, as we have witnessed in recent racial justice demonstrations. Bloated police and military budgets siphon critical resources away from the real needs of citizens, like education, healthcare, and fighting climate change. We must resist both, as they are two sides of the same coin.
Our work to end the scourge of nuclear weapons must go on, especially as the Trump Administration continues to flout domestic and international law, and incites and escalates violence at every turn. A single nuclear explosion in a major American city would disproportionately affect people of color, completely overwhelm our healthcare system, and potentially lead to civilization-destroying escalation. We cannot afford to get this wrong.
We’ll be back in touch soon with information about Back from the Brink initiatives moving forward. In the meantime, we invite you to review resources on the intersection of racism and nuclear weapons, including:
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Statement: Women of Color Advancing Peace and Security Solidarity Statement Against Racism and Discrimination signed by over 150+ organizations, networks and individuals in the areas of peace and security, national security, and foreign policy who pledge to take actions against racism and discrimination
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Book: African Americans Against the Bomb: Nuclear Weapons, Colonialism, and the Black Freedom Movement by Vincent J. Intondi
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Article: Redefining our concept of security by Bonnie Jenkins
We are committed to a world where all people are free to live without fear of state violence, free from police brutality, and free from the threat of nuclear war that hangs over all of us. We will continue to fight for peace and justice, knowing that the burden of violence and injustice falls disproportionately on Black and other marginalized communities. And we will work harder to make space for and uplift the voices of these communities in our own organizing.
We also invite you to share your thoughts, feedback and suggestions for ways in which we as a campaign or as individuals can do this important work better – please email us at info@preventnuclearwar.org.
