On November 6th, Honolulu became the first city in Hawaii and the 38th city nationwide to pass a Back from the Brink resolution to prevent nuclear war. Being both the capital and largest city in the state, this is a huge accomplishment for the Veterans for Peace activists who initiated the resolution.
The resolution, which called on the federal government to “embrace the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons,” also stated the council’s support for Veterans for Peace and the Golden Rule Project, and welcomed them to Oahu. The Golden Rule is a peace boat that sails around the world educating people about the dangers of nuclear war.
Citing Veterans for Peace’s mission to “end the arms race and to reduce and eventually eliminate nuclear weapons,” the resolution also points out the history of the Golden Rule in Hawaii, which includes the crew being arrested in 1958 after attempting to sail to the Marshall Islands to protest the horrific nuclear weapons testing that was taking place there.
Additionally, the resolution points out the connection to climate change, noting that the increased stress on communities around the world would intensify the likelihood of conflict, and therefore nuclear war.
The text of the resolution can be found here.
