January 13, 2018, citizens of Hawaii, the western defense perimeter of our nation, were ordered to seek shelter or “shelter in place” because a nuclear strike was imminent. “This is not a test!” Everyone was warned. For 38 minutes all in Hawaii froze in fear of immediate incineration by a nuclear weapon about to find its target.
Our Commander in Chief was playing golf which distracted him from laying aside the clubs to pick up the Pentagon’s “nuclear football” containing secret codes that would order USA missiles upon any country deemed to be the one to have ordered an attack on Hawaii.
James Albertini has lived in that armed outpost (1/4 of the 50th state belongs to the military) since the USA war in Vietnam. Having endured the 38 minutes of suspense, he wrote from Kurtistown on the “Big Island” (200 miles from the capital Honolulu). Jim quoted Albert Einstein, whose only regret in life was consenting to development of an atomic bomb. While at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania during May of 1946, the wise scientist warned: “The situation of humankind today is like that of a child with a sharp knife. There is no defense against atomic bombs which will destroy any city, and the Earth upon which that city exists.” Jim Albertini and his peace pursuing friends continue in the struggle for abolition of nuclear weapons globally.
In July 2017, the desire of our world community triumphed as 122 nations voted for global abolition of nuclear weapons. Countries that refused to join the universal momentum are simply “rogue states.” We are aware of the fact making nuclear weapons is a trillion dollar enterprise employing tens of thousands in fourteen installations throughout the USA. Continuation of such an enterprise will eventually assure nobody has jobs in the future.
During the cold war, a nun administrating a large hospital in St. Louis, MO refused to cooperate with the inane civil defense drills because she was convinced there is simply no way to protect cities in any atomic attack.
Ash Wednesday, March of 1981, an officer in Honolulu knew of thousands of targets in the former USSR and said: “I no longer believe in what my country is doing!” He invited Jim Albertini and some friends to place ashes on the walls of a nuclear war policy room at Camp H.M. (means “howling mad” a name given by soldiers to their commander) Smith in Honolulu. The officer then drove opponents of nuclear war on to the base to interrupt nuclear war plans for a full Ash Wednesday period.
Are those who still pursue nuclear weapons production also slightly “howling mad”?
