|
By Larry Ross, Secretary/Founder of NZ Nuclear-Free Peacemaking Association Box 18541, Christchurch, New
Zealand A 3-4 minute paper giving to Auckland's Human Rights Day at Aotea Centre, on December 10, 2003 It is sobering to realise
that 99.9% of species that once inhabited We have greatly changed our
environment with our new destructive tools - nuclear weapons. They have
given us a quantum leap in our ability to destroy ourselves and world.
However, our brains provide the vital difference between extinct species and us. They can tell us what we have created, and the probable results if we keep repeating our historically destructive behaviour - the thousands of wars in our history. Our unique insight allows us to change our behaviour so we don't repeat our traditional pattern of destruction with our new earth-destroying tools. We have even recognised the extreme risks to ourselves, by creating treaties committing us to vigorously pursue disarmament steps to abolish nuclear weapons before they abolish us. Unfortunately, we have not observed these treaties. The essential question is: Will we use our brains constructively to solve this problem in time to save ourselves? It seems unlikely. We are using our brains to deny the terrifying reality, pretend there is no risk, or that it is insignificant. Many believe that nuclear weapons have been proven over 50 years to give us security. We tend to venerate our leaders, believe and obey them. Like the Germans did with Adolph Hitler, or Italians with Mussolini. Leaders are respected as rational, sensible, honest, moral Christians who could never do anything crazy. However President Bush - the
world's most powerful man, and his allies and staff, have lowered the
barriers against using nuclear weapons. They have developed new doctrines
that allow them to use nuclear weapons in many more war situations and
against non-nuclear states - not just in retaliation for a massive attack.
The U.S. Congress and mass media have skirted this issue, so you may
not know about this 'seismic' change in U.S. policy and its implications.
People have forgot, or never learned, how nuclear weapons can destroy
our world. That is our dire situation
today. We are not adapting to change our behaviour, but reinforcing
old behaviour that leads to war? This weapons culture and the new doctrines mean that nuclear weapons are no longer treated as a last resort. They can be used in addition to conventional weapons to achieve military goals. . The culture has programmed itself for self-destruction and now has the ideology to continue until they precipitate a nuclear holocaust which kills all life. The quantum leap in destructive power has now been matched by this new will, or self-permission, to use these weapons. Laws, fears and reservations have been swept aside. Humanity seems to have accepted the new doctrines. Few seem concerned that any usage can kill millions, and quickly expand beyond any countries control, leading to a global nuclear war which ends humanity. We have radically altered our environment in so many other ways as well, that also threaten our existence in the longer term. Population growth and our economic growth ideology augment the trends of climate change - global warming - pollution - dwindling natural resources - deforestation etc. To emphasise again, the biggest change we have made in our environment is the quantum leap in our ability to destroy ourselves. Our psychological and social climate makes it more probable. Most people are not aware of this huge change in our environment. Others just accept it. We have learned to live with and treat nuclear weapons as a normal part of the environment. Many feel that to question or oppose this situation is silly, disloyal or threatens the security we think nuclear weapons give us.
The prospect for changing
these trends toward extinction seem poor. However concerned people can
choose to devote more of their time and resources to reducing and eventually
abolishing this threat. If the human race is to continue - which means
if our grandchildren and their descendents are to have a life - more
people must be willing to dedicate themselves to the cause of peace,
co-operation, justice and sustainability. |