For
Immediate Release
August 1 st , 2012
CONTACT:
Libbe HaLevy, Communications Coordinator, CAN, info (at) WriteYourBrainsOut (dot) com - 818-353-8399 (9:00 a.m. -- 8:00 p.m. Pacific time)
Gene Stone, ROSE and CAN, genston (at) sbcglobal (dot) net - 949-233-7724 (7:30 a.m. -- 9:00 p.m.)
Priscilla Star priscillaastar (at) hotmail (dot) com 631-680-5163 (9:00 a.m. -- 9:00 p.m. Eastern time)
3-Day DC Rally for
Nuclear Free Future Seeks to Mobilize Election Year Policy Shifts on Nuclear
Issues
Thousands of anti-nuclear activists from across the
U.S. will converge on Washington, D.C. this September 20-22, 2012 for a
three-day Rally for a Nuclear-Free Future. A Capitol Hill briefing, citizen
lobbying, and several peaceful demonstrations -- including an
"Occupy" action -- will mobilize stronger grassroots awareness about
the ongoing risks to public health and safety posed by the nuclear power industry.
Thousands of anti-nuclear activists from across the U.S. will converge on
Washington, D.C. this September 20- 22, 2012 for a Rally for a Nuclear-Free
Future. The three-day event, brought together by the grassroots network Coalition
Against Nukes (CAN -- http://www.coalitionagainstnukes.org ),
will feature a Congressional briefing on nuclear dangers attended by Rep.
Dennis Kucinich, a peaceful demonstration at the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC), presentation of petitions at the embassies of Japan and
India, and a demonstration at the Capitol to increase awareness of the dangers
of nuclear power plants and spread of global radiation.
Speakers over the three days (confirmed) will include: nationally recognized experts Dr. Arjun Makhijani, President, Institute for Energy and Environmental Research (IEER); Arnie Gundersen of www.Fairewinds.com ; Alice Slater of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation; Michael Mariotte of Nuclear Information and Resource Service (NIRS); Beyond Nuclear's Paul Gunter; Harvey Wasserman of www.nukefree.org ; congressman Dennis Kucinich; Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein; and Japanese activist Yuko Tonohira.
"In the wake of the ongoing disaster at the Fukushima nuclear plants, we are witnessing a mass uprising against nuclear power in Japan," said Gene Stone of Residents Organized for a Safe Environment (ROSE), a watchdog group working to keep the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station shut down permanently in Southern California. "Let's hope that it doesn't take a major nuclear catastrophe in the United States for the American people to awaken to the dangers posed by the production of nuclear energy."
A vocal and visible grassroots anti-nuclear movement has
re-emerged across the United States since the ongoing catastrophe at Fukushima
Daiichi began on March 11th of 2011. Citizens watchdog groups from across the
country have expressed outrage over the U.S. government's reckless pro-nuclear
agenda and the dangers posed by the deteriorating condition of the 104 aging
nuclear reactors in the United States -- 23 of them GE Mark I reactors, which
are the same design as the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plants in Japan.
Organizers have scheduled a range of peaceful actions:
* Thursday, Sept. 20: Parents and Children Against
Nukes rally on the Capitol grounds (11:30 - 1:00); Congressional briefing (2:00
- 4:00); and a gathering of musicians, speakers and some surprise guests at Busboys
and Poets.
* Friday, Sept. 21: International Nuclear-Free Solidarity, with
petitions to the Japanese and Indian embassies (9:30 - 11:30); A No Nukes/No
War/Occupy peaceful protest outside the NRC (2:00-5:00); film screenings and a
candlelight vigil.
* Saturday, Sept. 22: "What's Next" strategy session for
national and regional groups to set agenda and establish ongoing dialog with
our elected officials at the local, state and federal levels.
"It is time to raise our voices more urgently about
the dangers of nuclear energy production and place it at the forefront of the
national agenda," said Priscilla Star, who founded the Coalition Against
Nukes after the catastrophic accident at Fukushima. "In an effort to
mobilize an election year policy shift, we hope to break through the apathy and
silence on nuclear issues condoned by our elected officials and the two major
party presidential candidates," Star said.
According to CAN organizer Michael Leonardi, "The Nuclear
Regulatory Commission allows nuclear reactors to operate by weakening safety
standards and ignoring safety issues. This puts millions of Americans,
trillions of dollars of real estate, and water and food supplies at risk of a
major nuclear accident. Nuclear watchdog groups from Vermont to Virginia, from
Florida to the Great Lakes, and from Portland to Southern California are
outraged at the government's reckless pro nuclear agenda and the omnipresent
danger posed by this country's 104 aging nuclear reactors."
"On Friday, we will take our movement directly to the headquarters of the
Nuclear Regulatory Commission," said Peter Rugh of the Occupy Wall
Street movement in New York City.
Endorsing Organizations:
Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League (BREDL) - Cape Downwinders -
Environmental Solidarity Occupy Wall Street - Fukushima Diary - Green Party -
Jill Stein For President - Helen Caldicott Foundation - Indian Point Safe
Energy Coalition (IPSEC) - Manhattan Project - Mothers for Peace - NIRS - No
Nukes NW - Nuclear Age Peace Foundation - Nuclear Hotseat - Nuke Professional -
Ohio Sierra Club Nuclear Committee - OWS Environmental Solidarity Working Group
- Orange country Green Party of CA - Peace Nick (Detroit) - The Peace Resource
Center of San Diego - Physicians For Social Responsibility - Pilgrim
Anti-Nuclear Action group - Cecile Pineda, author of Devil's Tango - S.A.F.E.
Carolinas - San Clemente Green - Radiation and Public Health Project -
Radiation Truth - Residents Organized for a Safe Environment - Rock The
Reactors - Shut Down Indian Point Now - Shut Down San Onofre - Solartopia -
Todos Somos Japan - Fissures in the Planetary Apparatus - Toledo Coalition For
Safe Energy - Tri-Valley CARES - Veterans For Peace - War Is A Crime.org.
About Coalition Against Nukes
Coalition Against Nukes (CAN) is a proactive grassroots citizens group focused
on nuclear issues, which actively networks with elected officials; creates and
circulates petitions; organizes peaceful marches, rallies and public events;
and disseminates information on why the nuclear power industry (beginning with
uranium mining) must be stopped. It was founded by longtime activist Priscilla
Star soon after the catastrophic nuclear accident at Fukushima, Japan, which
began on March 11, 2011 and continues to this day. .
www.coalitionagainstnukes.org
CONTACT:
Libbe HaLevy, Communications Coordinator, CAN, info (at) WriteYourBrainsOut (dot)com - 818-353-8399 (9:00 a.m. -- 8:00 p.m. Pacific time)
Gene Stone, ROSE and CAN, genston (at) sbcglobal (dot) net - 949-233-7724 (7:30 a.m. -- 9:00 p.m.)
Priscilla Star priscillaastar (at) hotmail (dot) com 631-680-5163 (9:00 a.m. -- 9:00 p.m. Eastern time)
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