Nuclear Watch NM Seeks Letter Writers

Guest Blog from John Witham, Nuke Watch NM:
NukeWatch is looking for a few brave letter writers to be a rapid response team when the issues merit! 

If you have been been seeing us mentioned in articles, visiting our website or receiving our newsletter you know about our work in nuclear weapons issues, nonproliferation and cleanup of contamination from weapons production.

There is a serious groundswell of opposition to the Bush Administration’s plan to build new nuclear weapons and resume industrial-scale bomb production. Editorials and articles are now being published here in New Mexico...

Santa Fe New Mexican article
Albuquerque Journal article

...and nationally, for example in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, which call for fundamental review and change in policy.  Even Henry Kissinger and Mikhail Gorbachev have called for the elimination of nuclear weapons! Congressional hearings and the new Federal budget are pending. Yet nuclear weapons affairs remain balanced on the knife-edge.  The results can be tipped by the slightest nudge if acted upon in a prompt manner.

How can we take advantage of this significant time?

Our representatives and elected officials take the pulse of the nation by having their staff review letters-to-editors, op-eds, and online comments from citizens responding to articles in the press. Usually these comments are 150 words or less! Congressional staff has told us that there are not enough citizens making their voices heard through these standard media outlets to compel their offices to act decisively on nuclear weapons issues. New Mexicans have a special responsibility and opportunity to do so, as our state is the key state in the nuclear weapons complex (43% of the Department of Energy’s nuclear weapons funding is spent here alone). At the same time, we know from personal experience that because of our relatively small population New Mexicans who do speak can have more effect than citizens in a more populous state. We are living now in a time when some added citizen advocacy could help change U.S. nuclear weapons policies and make a better world for generations to come.

We’d like to identify a group of people with an interest in helping shape this future by occasionally writing (say every couple of months) a letter-to-the -editor.  As time is usually of the essence we are looking for potential “rapid responders” who we can tip off (via email) about a recent editorial, pending legislation or an upcoming hearing, and who can invest a few minutes to write a few words in order to help nudge the scales towards the future we want our children to enjoy.

Please consider being a rapid responder, letting your elected officials know where you stand on nuclear weapons issues and having an impact on our future! If you decide to become a rapid responder we will add your email address to a select list to receive these prompts.  Although we may provide key points about the particular issue and where to send comments, how you respond is up to you.

We deeply respect the privilege of communicating with you and will not share your e-mail address with anyone for any purpose. If you wish to participate as a rapid responder just let us know.  Or, if you have any questions please feel free to give me a call or e-mail me.

In peace,
John Witham, Communications,
Nuclear Watch New Mexico
www.nukewatch.org
john@nukewatch.org
(505) 989-7342

Editor's Note: This is a guest blog from John Witham of Nuclear Watch. If you'd like to submit a piece for consideration as a guest blog, contact me by clicking on the Email Me button the upper left-hand side of our main page.