Do you remember the Doomsday Clock? I say "remember" even though it still exists. It was established in 1947 as a graphic way to illustrate the threat to the planet from nuclear weapons. In the late 70's and early 80's we were reminded that the clock was inching toward midnight with insane nuclear proliferation. Some of you will also recall the NFB short film, If You Love This Planet, which won an Oscar. With the fall of the Berlin Wall and the dissolution of the Soviet Union the public concern over nuclear weapons diminished even though all those weapons are still out there.
This week there is a Nuclear Security Summit taking place in Washington involving 47 nations, some of which were once enemies. The goal is to reduce and destroy stockpiles of plutonium and existing weapons. You may be interested to know that while the clock reached a couple of minutes before midnight at the height of the Cold War, even now it has only been pushed back to 11:54 because of the concern about nuclear bomb-building materials getting into the hands of terrorists.
As Canadians we may think that President Obama's legacy will be the healthcare legislation passed earlier this year. I wonder if this initiative will ultimately be more important for the planet and Nobel peace prizeworthy.
In Isaiah there is a promise that the wolf and the lamb will one day lie down together in peace, and Jesus said "Blessed are the peacemakers." Blessed are world leaders who have the courage to find security in mutual cooperation and arms reduction.
Any reminiscences about the earlier years of nuclear stand-off? Were you scared? Do you appreciate what the Obama administration is working toward? Do you have fears and concerns now about the terrorist threat of procuring nuclear weapons?
3 comments:
I think when the leader of the free world says that fly away nuclear material could accessible to terrorist groups, then we should listen! I'm glad the conference went so well.
I also think it's imporatant that more and more countries are responding collectively to the terrorist threat. The lesson of September 11th is that massive weapons of the cold war are no match for the smaller scale, well organized threats of today. Working together to deter terrorism is really the only path open to us.
I remember well the fear and terror I felt as a fledging adult on my own when I heard Russia had invaded Afganistan in 1980 and the nuclear clock was moved to 2 minutes before midnight. I remember phoning my mother in a panic and her calm reassurance and her story of fear and terror as a new mom when she heard about the conflict between USA and Russia over the Bay of Pigs and the nuclear clock was moved closer to midnight. As fearful as I was, her story and reassurance helped immeasurably so when the Soviet invasion happened in the 1990's I was much more laid back. It's good to read and hear about the previous nuclear weapon leading countries and leaders finally taking the lead in nuclear disarmament and yet there is that niggling fear about terrorists seeking nuclear weapons. But we are God seeking people. :)
Thanks for your observations Ian, and for your memories Susan. We should take this seriously and be grateful for the initiative of President Obama.
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