The following is from a press release from the Los Angeles chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility:

On August 8, 2018, the Los Angeles City Council voted to approve a resolution that urges the U.S. to embrace the U.N. Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and implement important protective policies such as ending the President’s sole, unchecked authority to launch a nuclear attack, taking U.S. nuclear weapons off hair-trigger alert, and canceling U.S. plans to replace its entire nuclear arsenal with enhanced weapons.

The resolution was introduced by Councilmembers Paul Koretz and Mike Bonin. “We’ve reached a time where the nuclear threat is the greatest since the Cold War,” said Councilmember Koretz. “We need to have the United States join the 122 nations that voted to adopt the U.N. Treaty on Treaty on Nuclear Weapons, and we support a grassroots movement called ‘Back from the Brink’ which has been endorsed by cities across the country.”

Proponents of the resolution include Physicians for Social Responsibility-Los Angeles (PSR-LA.) “Nuclear weapons pose a tremendous threat to public health,” said Dr. Robert Dodge, President of PSR-LA. “And today I’m very concerned. We are in the midst of a new arms race and have a president who has threatened to use nuclear weapons. But it’s not too late to change course. The policies recommended in this resolution provide a clear pathway back from the brink of nuclear war.”

Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs for Peace Action, also noted the significance of the L.A. resolution. “Representing one of the largest cities in the country, the L.A. City Council just passed a common-sense resolution calling for reasonable steps to reduce the threat of nuclear war,” Martin said. “More and more cities are stepping up efforts to challenge Cold War era nuclear policies and outlandish escalations in nuclear weapons spending that make us less safe. Taking this important action during the anniversaries of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the City of Angels clearly understands the importance of defending against the hell of nuclear war.”

Prior to the resolution vote, the City presented the American Society of Hiroshima-Nagasaki A-Bomb Survivors (ASA) with a commendation for their decades of nuclear disarmament efforts. “Today, 73 years later some of the survivors are still experiencing cancer, leukemia, and the radiation sickness,” said Junji Sarashina, President of ASA. “We must abolish the atomic and nuclear weapon so no one will ever it again on human beings. We must pursue the peace of the world.” ASA members present for the commendation also included Midori Seino, Toshiyuki Seino, Hiroko Nakano, Taeko Okabe, Howard Kakita, and ASA Honorary Director/Historian Gloria Montebruno Saller.

The resolution was also supported by Beyond the Bomb, Fukushima Support Committee, Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace, International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, International Epidemiology and Research Center, MLK Coalition of Greater Los Angeles, Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, Nuclear Free Schools-Alliance Dr. Olga Mohan High School, Office of the Americas, SoCal 350 Climate Action, Veterans for Peace, and Women’s Action for New Directions. 

Text of the resolution can be found here and the full press release can be found here

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