July 19, 2024

PSR-North Carolina Chapter Meeting     7/19/2024

Present: Brita and Terry Clark, Brian Campbell, Scott Baker, Dot Sulock, Mary Olson, Bert Crain

Brian is the new executive director of PSR and will be living in Asheville.

Minutes of June meeting were approved. 

Treasurers report: Deposit $135   Debits 0        Balance $3729

Dot brought a letter for signing to our federal legislators, president and vice president stressing that our ICBMs were unnecessary and only increased the danger we face. She also critiqued nuclear command and control and urged our executives and legislators to do the same, stressing the flawed nature of sole presidential authority. 

Bert reported on the monthly national CAN call which stressed the need to stop the replacement of the current ICBMs with The Sentinel and the danger of sole presidential authority when the chief executive is cognitively impaired.  Joseph Gerson’s group- The Campaign for Peace, Disarmament and Common Security did a recent webinar on the flawed concept of nuclear deterrence.

A recent interview with Theodore Postol-emeritus MIT professor- highlighted the increased danger we face as Russian radar facilities have been destroyed. They do not have as reliable a satellite system for detection as we do and perhaps we should actually help them with this.

Brian stated that national is working on a webinar with Washington PSR that will stress the huge amounts of money spent on nuclear weapons that could be spent on human needs.

Scott B. reported that Scott Mahan is requesting letters for the next newsletter.  Scott also had an editorial recently published in the Citizen-Times-Say No to Nuclear Escalation.

We made plans for a Nagasaki Day observance Fri. Aug. 9 from 4-6 PM. Brita has a hundred messaging plants to distribute.

Scott discovered a new outreach called Prayer Sunday which highlights Hiroshima Day. This is being done by The United Methodist Church. Brian will try to expand to other faith-based groups. It was pointed out that faith-based groups were important in the abolition movement in the early eighties. 

We discussed whether it was worth trying to push for a city resolution endorsing BftB rather than just the proclamation we now have.

Brian says National can help us with our website. 

We agreed to a Social meeting at Brita and Terry’s place Aug. 16.

Bert Crain