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Why Hold a Day of Remembrance of Hiroshima and Nagasaki?
August 6, 2023, from 4-6 p.m.
Pack Square, Downtown Asheville
August 6 marks the 78th anniversary of the first explosion of a nuclear weapon in warfare. That date in 1945 along with the bomb that obliterated Nagasaki three days later resulted in the deaths of some 200,000 persons – almost all of them innocent civilians just going to work, going to school or buying groceries. Men, women and children. The ones who were instantly vaporized were the fortunate ones. Thousands of others endured suffering that is too horrible to describe in its most graphic detail: flesh dripping off foreheads, flesh burning over the entire body all at once…and this was just the beginning of the carnage.
These were not military personnel. No, this was the suffering of persons who in no way determined the outcome of the war; just ordinary people going about their private lives.
And the weapons that bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki were tiny compared to the megatonnage of destruction of today’s nuclear weapons.
That is why from the very beginning scientists like J. Robert Oppenheimer knew that nuclear weapons are in fact, weapons of genocide. They result in immediate genocide on a massive scale; the intentional murder of the innocents. Even as early as 1949 it was known by many that these weapons have no real military use. The only use they have in today’s world is to try to prevent their use by others. Other nations fear we will use them. We fear that they will. But what guarantee is there that they won’t be launched – even unintentionally? Accidents happen (they already have). Mistakes can be made (they happen all the time).
A nuclear war with its accompanying “nuclear winter” (due to the massive dissemination of soot into the atmosphere) has been shown to result in the deaths of billions of human beings. That’s BILLIONS – with a “B.” Everybody loses.
Bottom line, there is only one sensible answer: get rid of nuclear weapons. Git rid of all of them!
Whether you are American, Chinese, Russian, Pakistani, or the citizen of any country in the world – the only answer is to eliminate them – globally.
Unrealistic? NO!!!
Recent history has demonstrated that nuclear weapons manufacturers, politicians, and military decision-makers WILL submit to public outcry.
That’s what demonstrations like the Day of Remembrance of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are all about: calling on the public to demand – yes demand – that we adopt a sane national policy concerning nuclear weapons. There are steps we can take to make the world safer. See the “Back from the Brink” program that among other measures includes the common sense requirement that more than just one person’s approval is necessary to launch nuclear weapons. Also, see the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) passed by the United Nations that makes even the possession of nuclear weapons against international law.
But progress requires public outcry. There are too many monetary interests and political interests and misinformed parties pushing not only against the reduction of nuclear weapons but for escalation!
Please come and join us at Pack Square (where the Vance Memorial used to be) in downtown Asheville on August 6th between 4 and 6 p.m. Make and bring your signs. Let’s make some noise! Let’s encourage everyone to speak up in order to eliminate this threat to all that we hold dear including life itself.
Sincerely,
Dr. Scott Allan Baker
Chair, Western North Carolina Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility
The Western North Carolina Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility is a long standing group of concerned citizens including physicians. We invite you to come to our monthly meetings as posted on this website, to help determine policy and to plan educational programs and events.
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The Western North Carolina Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility meets on the third Friday of each month.
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Announcements:
In March 2022, Dr. Scott Baker, M.Div., D.Min. was elected as Chairman of The Western North Carolina Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility
Dr Baker earned his Master of Divinity from Candler School of Theology at Emory University and his Doctor of Ministry from Louisville Seminary. He is deeply concerned about the threat to humanity and the environment by nuclear weapons as well as climate change. Chapter board members are pleased to welcome him as Chairman.
March 18, 2022
New chapter officers:
Scott A. Baker, D.Min. Chairman
Terry Clark MD, Vice Chairman, Secretary
Bert Crain,MD, Treasurer
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We welcome your help as we work on the survivor-ship nuclear and environmental issues of our time.
