The meeting was opened with a showing of "The Strangest Dream," an 89 minute DVD covering the career of Joseph Rotblat, a Pugwash Founder and the first physicist to denounce the development of nuclear weapons, for which he was branded a subversive.
Minutes of WNCPSR Meeting, July 17, 2009, Noon, at Firestorm
Present: John Joyner, Mary Olson, Lew Patrie, Leah Karpen, Don Richardson, Jim Roush, Stan Dienst, Gene Rosenberg, Tim Surrenty
The meeting was opened with a showing of "The Strangest Dream," an 89 minute DVD covering the career of Joseph Rotblat, a Pugwash Founder and the first physicist to denounce the development of nuclear weapons, for which he was branded a subversive.
Lew will show this film at the UU church on July 24 at 7 PM, with a discussion period hosted by Lew and Don. Lew can be reached at 299-1242 for information. Lew circulated announcements of the film, and a note alerting us to an upcoming Asheville C-T article on missile defense and our need to oppose S. 1390, the National Defense Authorization Act, which would reverse Pentagon-requested cuts in missile defense programs. (Note: these are OFFENSIVE programs).
Treasurer John Joyner reported a balance of $954.32 including $70 donated in May; $75 in checks are outstanding.
The minutes of last month's meeting were approved after Leah made a correction that plans for a vigil in Pritchard Park for Hiroshima Day are cancelled because the park will not be available. See below.
A tentative schedule for coverage at the SEEExpo of August 21-23 is as follows:
Friday:
Set-up 9-11 AM
Noon-6 PM.: Don, Mary, others: Lew may be available, also Cindy Heil and Robbie Sweetser (Mary will set day and time)
Saturday:
10AM-2PM: Don, Mary, others
2-5 PM: Leah, others
4-7 PM: Stan
Sunday:
To be arranged by Mary, who may be there for all times
Slots are 10AM-2 PM, 2-4PM
WNCPSR will focus on nuclear power and NIRS on nuclear weapons. Leah will have 200 postcards printed for distribution at SEEExpo.
Leah reminded us of the Southeast World Affairs Institute meeting at Blue Ridge Assembly on Friday, July 24--next week! Dot Sulock will lead a panel on "Nuclear Disarmament: Is It Timely?" Background materials will be available.
Hiroshima Day: Leah has scheduled a candlelight vigil at Pack Place on Thursday, August 6, at 5 PM in order to coincide with traffic for maximum audience. Banners needed, including NO MORE HIROSHIMAS! Don will provide several. Don is to pick up Lew at 4 PM unless he has doctor's orders to drive again.
Leah announced that WILPFF will declare August 6 "Nuclear Disarmament Day." She circulated petitions for use at the vigil--please copy for additional signatures. Don will provide some clipboards. She also called attention to the NYT front page article of July 5, "The Long Arc of a Nuclear-Free Vision," which can be found on the internet.
Our next meeting will be informal and coincide with our attendance together at SEEExpo on the August 21-23 weekend.
The September meeting will be on September 18 at the newly opened Southeast NIRS office, directions to follow.
Word to memorize: Hibashuka, the Japanese survivors of Hiroshima.
The meeting was adjourned at 2:30 PM
