Time to say ‘no’ to nuclear weapons

Seventy-two years ago the United States dropped nuclear weapons on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing hundreds of thousands of people and destroying major portions of two cities.

The ability to use nuclear weapons of mass destruction has spread to 10 countries; Russia and the United States possess 90 percent of the world’s nuclear arsenal; 122 of the United Nations’ member countries are in favor of banning all nuclear weapons, which are seen as a threat to the safety of the entire planet.

Instead of working toward this goal, the current administration stands firm in continuing former President Barack Obama’s plan to spend more than $1 trillion over the next 30 years to rebuild our nuclear arsenal, perpetuating this major threat to humanity for generations. This is unacceptable.

I agree with the organization Win Without War: “Nuclear weapons do not protect anyone. Every day, their mere existence threatens ours. Nuclear use today would change the world as we know it — politically, environmentally, psychologically. Seventy-two years after the horrors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, it is time to finally turn the page on the threat of a nuclear catastrophe.”

In the United States, nuclear weapons are under the control of the commander in chief, President Donald Trump. The past has taught us that nuclear weapons create horrors that last for decades. No one person should hold such devastating power.

It’s time for the citizens of the United States to stand with the majority of member nations of the U.N. and say no to nuclear weapons.

This story was originally published August 8, 2017 at 11:30 PM with the headline "Time to say ‘no’ to nuclear weapons."