Why I Do PSR Work

11/20/2020

BY TERRY CLARK, MD
published on the PSR website

I do PSR work because I agree that it is important to work to prevent catastrophes that we cannot cure. The medical analogy of prevention, cure, determining variables that can get the ball rolling towards prevention and the importance of working along with other people who recognize this. Acceptance that we likely will not prevent all risk of nuclear war yet if we decrease the risk even the tiniest bit, we have accomplished a lot. Keeping in mind that we do this for people, for our children and grandchildren. This is a sturdy, enduring motivator.

I had heard that visiting Hiroshima could have a powerful effect. Indeed it did for me this past year when I visited the city and  museum. What stays with me is the photographs of children with sheets of skin peeling off their arms as they funneled down the city streets headed for the river to cool off and escape the fires. This is how I put a dent in denial that enables me to do this work. Most people are in denial about the risk of use of atomic bombs. Visiting Hiroshima as well as love and protection of children takes a sledgehammer to my denial. I am deeply concerned that for most people the only sledgehammer will be experiencing the horror of the detonation of nuclear weapons. Denial is hard to crack yet it is crackable.