From HIROSHIMA to FUKUSHIMA to LIVERMORE - Pt. 3 - Arjun Makhijani Keynote

A keynote by Dr. Arjun Makhijani of the Institute for Energy & Environmental Research (IEER), as well as talks by Dr. Robert Gould, Bay Area Physicians for Social Responsibility, Jackie Cabasso of the Western States Legal Foundation, and Marylia Kelley of the Livermore-based Tri-Valley Communities Against a Radioactive Environment (Tri-Valley CAREs) marked the 66th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in Livermore, CA - the place where scientists are still "modernizing advanced" nuclear weapons capable of 'overkilling' the planet many hundreds of times.

The U.S. and Russia still have thousands of nuclear missiles targeting each other's cities on hair-trigger, three-minute 'launch-on-warning' alert status. Is this crazy or what?!

Meanwhile, utilities are pushing for America's only nuclear power reactors located both on active earthquake faults AND in tsunami zones -- California's San Onofre, near San Clemente, and Diablo Canyon, near St. Louis Obispo -- to be re-licensed for another 20 years, even as new earthquake faults have been discovered nearby.

Furthermore, U.S. monitoring agencies have been forbidden by the Obama Administration from tracking the radioactive fallout in North America from Fukushima's continuing emissions-- despite reputable reports of radiation spikes all across the country. And the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) appears to be complicit in the cover-up being perpetrated by the international nuclear establishment and the Japanese government.

On this important day, people came together in an event organized by a broad coalition of Bay Area peace, environmental and social justice groups, led by Tri-Valley CAREs and the Western States Legal Foundation, to demonstrate solidarity with the radiation victims of the nuclear bomb and the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.



This year's theme: "From Hiroshima to Fukushima to Livermore: Confronting the Two-Headed Dragon of Nuclear Weapons and Nuclear Power." The event was held at Bill Payne Park right across the street from Livermore Lab, which is enjoying a nuclear weapons budget under Obama larger than existed under Reagan at the height of the Cold War.

The program explored the seamless, Siamese twin connection between nuclear weapons and nuclear power that has existed - and continues to exist - since the beginning of 'the Nuclear Age.'

Delicious vegetarian food was provided by Food Not Bombs, music by Emma's Revolution and other musical artists including Kaylah Marin. The event concluded with a march to the Lab entrance and a live skype
 conversation with an Hiroshima survivor, Mr. Keijiro Matsushima and Steve Leeper, Chair of the Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation, which was projected on the Livermore Lab fence.

For more info: TriValleyCARES.org WSLFweb.org SFbayPSR.org IEER.org

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