Ministry of Defence HQ marked on Ash Wednesday in resistance to Nuclear Weapons

international | anti-war / imperialism | news report

Friday February 24, 2012 12:54

by LCW

Seven Catholic Workers, a Quaker, a doctor and a priest were detained and searched following the marking of the M.O.D. Buiding in Whitehall in an anti-nuclear weapons action on Ash Wenesday

140 others gathered at an Ash Wednesday event organised by Pax Christi, London Catholic Worker in repentance and resistance to British nuclear weapons. The group proceeded to M.O.D. building on White Hall as activists broke off to mark the building that controls British Nuclear wepaons

During a procession and liturgy those taking part heard how the UK Government's commitment to nuclear deterrence is an on-going challenge. The UK alone has 225 nuclear weapons and the Royal Navy boasts a proud record of over 40 years of uninterrupted nuclear deterrence, as at least one of the four Vanguard-class submarines is on patrol at any time. They that the government might have a change of heart and direction.

A Catholic Worker stated, "British troops on the ground have recently withdrawn from an illegal invasion of Iraq based on the fiction of that country's possession of WMD. The British government and parliamentary opposition expect us to swallow the same lies in a lead up to a war on Iran. Yet the M.O.D. and British government continue to manufacture and deploy nuclear weapons.

Ash Wednesday reminds us of the ash that nuclear weapons promises to reduce the world to. Lent is a season of repentance "turning around" from our silence and complicity with these high crimes. The appropriate response continues to be nonviolent resistance to these high crimes and solidarity with our brothers in chains and before the courts for such resistance.

We act in solidarity with Jesuit priests Bill Bischell and Steve Kelly and also Susan Crane and many others presently impisoned in the U.S. for resistance to nuclear weapons We are inspired by the resilience of Bradley Manning and the price he continues to pay for speaking truth to power, accused of exposing the war crimes of empire."

This is the 30th. year the M.O.D. has been confronted by christian peace activists on Ash Wednesday
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Comments (5 of 5)

Something not right here, Unity Jack

by Contrarian

Wed Feb 29, 2012 00:50

the burning of fossil fuels has burned out 38% of the planets oxygen to CO2

Ehhh? You sure of that? Got a reference for it? Oxygen comprises about 20% of the atmosphere. CO2 makes up a fraction of a tenth of 1%. Hard to see how the generation of less than 0.1% accounts for a loss of 38% of 20% if you follow me.

The present burn-out to CO2 is far faster and more volumous than the oxygen return. It does not take a rocket scientist to understand that if the present society and its fossil fuels burn-out continues, asphyxiation of all oxygen dependent animals will inevitably take place.

I'm no rocket scientist but that does not follow at all and any loss of exygen would be minimal and of the same order as the increase in CO" levels ie 100s of parts per million. Possibly significant for CO2 levels - irrelevant for oxygen levels. And that's before you even consider the increase in oxygen release from photosynthesis that will be brought about by increased CO2 levels (and increased temperature also.) Negative feedback, its called.

Planning and Doing of Aggressive War is the Supreme International Crime

by Unity Jack

Sun Feb 26, 2012 03:45

The second world war brought into being a whole set of anti-fascist covenants for the world's countries and peoples to bring about a liberation from militarism, and the possibility of ending aggressive war as any nations foreign policy.

Trouble is the Imperialist Camp has not implemented the liberation side, but instead took up the discredited axis powers military methods such as 1) Might makes right, 2)Unilateralism, ie go it alone, 3) Pre-emptive strikes, such as nuking, missling, droning, bombing, and shooting other countries in case they might develop weapons such as the Imperialist Camp has.

The betrayal has become so huge that it is now spilling over into the ecological organic green web-of-life and threatening the livability of the life on the entire planet. That is the biggy, and the most in-depth aggressive war, that all societies have ever faced. It exists in numerous places . Here is one, that the burning of fossil fuels has burned out 38% of the planets oxygen to CO2 and we cannot live on CO2--carbon-dioxide. The present burn-out to CO2 is far faster and more volumous than the oxygen return. It does not take a rocket scientist to understand that if the present society and its fossil fuels burn-out continues, asphyxiation of all oxygen dependent animals will inevitably take place.

Or the discovery of a huge whole in the ozone arctic atmosphere is taking place, and if the ozone protection is destroyed, the planet will become bereft of the ecological green web-of-life and sizzle and become an uninhabitable sun burned out desert.

The answer is simple. The immediate need is to RE-TOOL THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION to the non-pollution solution, such as wind, tidal, and solar power which transforms to electricity and is more power than can be used by society. This non-pollution solution is given freely in natures kinder laws and provides work for all and forever more.

In ancient times the good book said this about the destroyers: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.

Simply put the need is to scrap the war machine and its manufactury, not the plants , animals, and peoples. 1st cdn. div. says that. And also we occupying present day peoples add, nor to pollute air, land and water. In short workers of the world, unite!! You yet have a world to win!!

Videos

by Maria Albrecht

Fri Feb 24, 2012 13:51

Videos of Rachel, Scott, Mirjam Susan and Maria