Rogue Valley Nuclear Weapon Abolition Campaign

A project of Rogue Valley Campaign for Nuclear Abolition in collaboration with Rogue Valley VFP Chapter 156, Citizens for Peace and Justice, OSD Initiatives, Ashland (OR) Peace House, South Mountain Friends Meeting, United Nations Association/USA—Southern Oregon, and Women's international League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)

The Rogue Valley Campaign is part of a global effort to reduce the threat of nuclear war. Other organizations that are pursuing the same goal are Peace and Justice Now, and many others.

A very strong additional reason for trying to reduce or eliminate nuclear weapons is not just the perceived external threats to a country, but the very real potential of human error from within the nuclear weapon training, storage and maintenance systems as depicted here.

Go to Why act now?
Go to The campaign explained
Go to How you can help
Go to Sample letter
Go to Petition

Why act now?

President Obama has declared that nuclear disarmament is a centerpiece of his foreign policy agenda. He first proclaimed his commitment in Prague last April, then repeated it in September at the UN Security Council Summit on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Nuclear Disarmament, which he chaired in person.

The President signed a treaty with Russia to make further reductions in the nations’ nuclear arsenals, and he has succeeded in making China a respected partner in halting nuclear proliferation.

But these actions are not sufficient to position the U.S. to get meaningful international commitments at the UN Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference, scheduled to open in New York this coming May. The world is wary of our repeated failure to fulfill the obligations of the nuclear "haves" under the NPT while we have insisted that the nuclear "have nots" live up to theirs.

Nor will the President find it easy to overcome the intransigence of the U.S. military and the nuclear priesthood at the weapons laboratories, to say nothing of those who regard nuclear weapons as essential to the maintenance of U.S. global hegemony.

Therefore, as always, pressure for change must come from the bottom up. There must be strong grassroots support for further action by the President. That is the premise of this campaign.



The campaign explained

President Obama is the key to success. Because it is unlikely that the U.S. Senate will ratify any nuclear arms agreements, such as the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, he must be persuaded to take significant actions that lie within his authority as President and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces.

The actions we will urge him to take prior to the opening of the NPT Review Conference on May 3 are:

  • Stress that nuclear disarmament is a necessary condition for halting the further spread of nuclear weapons.
  • Declare a U.S. policy of No First Use of nuclear weapons
  • De-alert missiles aimed at Russia
  • Pledge to quickly step down the U.S.-Russian strategic nuclear arsenals to 1000 warheads each in verified stages
  • Request no money in the FY2011 budget for new nuclear weapons or new plutonium production

To realize these goals, the Rogue Valley Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament will

Gather at least 5000 names on petitions

Generate at least 500 letters to the President

Hold a call-in day with at least 100 callers

The campaign will enlist the support of other organizations, congregations, student groups, and individuals to educate on the issue, circulate petitions, and secure commitments to write and call. It will provide them with relevant materials and, if requested, speakers.

In advance of the Review Conference and to facilitate outreach, representatives of the campaign will brief area media about renewed prospects for abolition, promote coverage of developments, place articles and letters in print media, and make personal appearances on local radio and television.



How you can help

  1. The most important thing you can do is to write a personal letter to President Obama encouraging him to take the actions outlined above. For tips about writing an effective letter and some sample text, see the next section.
  2. Bring the campaign to any group in which you participate: a congregation, organization, fraternity or sorority, campus, or residential complex. Circulate the petition (see last section) and set up a letter-writing table. To get campaign brochures and wall flyers for this work, contact Herb Rothschild, 541-531-2848, herbertrothschild@hotmail.com.
  3. Participate in the call-in day sometime in late March. Send Herb your email address for notification.
  4. Participate in a rally sometime in April. Send Herb your email address for notification.


Sample letter

WRITE A LETTER TO ENCOURAGE PRESIDENT OBAMA IN HIS PURSUIT OF A NUCLEAR-FREE WORLD

Our President's call for nuclear disarmament has given us renewed hope that, finally, we can end this threat to life on our planet. Words, however, are not enough for effective leadership. Our nation must demonstrate by significant actions that we are ready to "walk the talk."

So people at the grassroots must let the President know that we support him and expect decisive leadership through executive action. And the best way for us to be heard is by personal letter. Short of a face-to-face meeting, a personal letter is the most effective communication to an elected official. Petitions, emails, and phone calls (in ascending order) are useful, but a personal letter commands the most attention.
So please take a few minutes to write a letter supporting the abolition of nuclear weapons. The sample letter below is offered only as a core message. Please construct your own letter around il But remember, it is important to announce your subject right away. And in this case it is especially important to ask President Obama to take the specific, meaningful actions.
Click here for an ".rtf" copy of the sample below, readable by virtually any word processer.

President Obama
The White House Office
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington DC 20500

Dear President Obama:

Your call for the abolition of nuclear weapons, and your acknowledgement that the United States must lead the world toward that goal, has greatly encouraged me. Please be assured of my whole-hearted support for your aspiration and your efforts.

As you know, deeds speak louder than words. The following actions are among many that lie within your sole capacity as President and Commander-in-Chief. To establish yourself as a credible world leader for nuclear disarmament, I urge you to take them in the coming months.

  • Stress in every appropriate forum that nuclear disarmament is a necessary condition for halting the further spread of nuclear weapons.
  • Declare a U.S. policy of No First Use of nuclear weapons.
  • De-alert U.S. missiles aimed at Russia.
  • Pledge to quickly step down the U.S.-Russian strategic nuclear arsenals to 1000 warheads on each side in verified stages.
  • Request no money in the FY2011 budget for new nuclear weapons or new plutonium production.

Very respectfully yours,



Petition

We have prepared a petition form with the heading below on each page, again in ".rtf" format, that is easy to use: Petition.

Dear President Obama:

We applaud and pledge to support your call for a nuclear-free world and our own nation's responsibility to lead the way.

There are many meaningful actions you can take as President and Commander-in-Chief to position you for leadership when the UN's Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty Review Conference convenes on May 3 of this year. Among them, we, the undersigned, urge you to take the following steps:

  • Stress in every appropriate forum that nuclear disarmament is a necessary
    condition for halting the further spread of nuclear weapons.
  • Declare a U.S. policy of No First Use of nuclear weapons.
  • De-alert U.S. missiles aimed at Russia.
  • Pledge to quickly step down the U.S.-Russian strategic nuclear arsenals to
    1000 warheads on each side in verified stages.
  • Request no money in the FY2011 budget for new nuclear weapons or new
    Plutonium production.