2021 Meetings and Agendas

Sunday evening April 11, 7:00 – 9:00 pm

National Nuclear Disarmament Coordinating Committee – Agenda:

            7:00 pm: – Welcome to this effort to increase communication, cooperation and collaboration among nuclear disarmament advocates (Jonathan King and Susan Mirsky):

–  1 min opening short intros  — one sentence where you are located, one sentence on what organization or constituency you identify with.           

7:25: (25 min) – Current National Grass Roots Mobilizations: 

                       – National Our Revolution – Larry Cohen, national OR Chair;

                       – National Poor People’s Campaign – Rev. Savina Martin (PPC) and Jackie Cabasso (United for Peace and Justice).

– Discussion.

         7:50: (50 min) – 4-5 min Nuclear Disarmament Campaign Presentations – Jean Athey (Maryland Peace Action), Chair; Trish Weinmann (MIT Radius), timekeeper:

a. Back from the Brink – Ira Helfand  (PSR);

b. Prohibiting First Use – Elaine Scarry (CPDCS);

c. Divest from the War Machine – Carley Towne (CODEPINK);

d. Mayors for Peace – Jackie Cabasso (United for Justice and Peace);

e. Tax Day Mobilizations/State Legislative Bills – Cole Harrison (Mass Peace Action);

f. Stop the Money Pit Missile – Kevin Martin (national Peace Action);

g. Fund Healthcare Not Warfare – Amar Ahmad (Mass Peace Action);

            (For next meeting. Non-Proliferation Treaty – Joe Gerson; Treaty Prohibiting Nuclear Weapons- David Swanson; Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty – Bulletin Rep; Nuclear Weapons Costs – Beyond the Bomb).

            8:40  (15 min) Opportunities to Increase Coordination or Cooperation – Jim Anderson (PANYS) Chair:

            8:55 Next Meeting, Sunday eve 7:00 pm May 9.  Agenda Committee for May 9 – Carley Towne, David Borris, Jackie Cabasso, Jean Athey, Jim Anderson, Jonathan King, Joseph Gerson.

Sunday evening May 16, 2021     

1. (5 min) Welcome and Introductions- Jonathan and Susan.

2.  (25 min) Analysis of Potentially Vulnerable Nuclear Weapons Items in NDAA (Chair, Jackie Cabasso): 

                  – John Isaacs (Council for a Livable World); 

                  – Monica Montgomery (Council for a Livable World);

                  – Discussion.

3. (40 min) Reports – (Chair, Jean Athey):

                  – Upcoming Treaty on the Non- Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Conference;

                           – Joseph Gerson (CPDCS)

                  – Emerging campaign opposing new  “Money-Pit” ICBM;

                           – David Borris (Chicago Area Peace Action);

                  – Emerging campaign Prohibiting First Use of Nuclear Weapons:

                           – Elaine Scarry (Mass Peace Action and CPDCS);

                           – Yasmeen Silva (Beyond the Bomb).             

4. (20 min) Opportunities for cooperation & collaboration re above (Chairs, Jim Anderson and Carley Townes).

5. (10 min) Announcements and other business.

6. (5 min) Next Meeting – Second Sundays – June 13th, 7pm.

(Agenda Committee: Jim Anderson, Jean Athey, David Borris, Jackie Cabasso, Joseph Gerson, Jonathan King, Susan Mirsky, Carley Towne).

Sunday evening June 13, 7:00  – 8-:45 pm (Eastern)

1. (15 min) Welcome and Introductions- Susan Mirsky;

2. (15 min) National Co-Chair of the Poor People’s Campaign, Rev. Liz Theoharis, addressing “The Poor Peoples Campaign, 3rd Reconstruction Resolution and Nuclear Weapons.” (Chair, Jackie Cabasso). This will offer an opportunity to explore possibilities for deepening connections between nuclear disarmament advocates and the Poor Peoples Campaign, organized  in more than 40 states.

– (10 min) Discussion. 

3. (30 min) Reports: (Chair, Jean Athey);

– “Money-Pit” missile opposition – David Borris (Chicago Area Peace Action);

– Fund Healthcare Not Warfare Campaign – Jonathan King (Mass Peace Action);

– Expanding Outreach for Physicians for Social Responsibility – Martin Fleck (PSR ED);

4. (15 min) Whom to hear from on Climate/Nuclear Disarmament connection?

Led by Jim Anderson and Joseph Gerson .

5. (10 min) Announcements (Carley Towne). 

6. (5 min) Next Meeting Sunday July 11, 7 pm (Eastern).

NDCC meeting Sunday evening July 11, 7:00  – 8-:15 pm (Eastern)

1.  (15 min) Dr. Arjun Makhijani (President, Institute for Energy and Environmental Research) ” Climate Change, Nuclear Power, Nuclear Weapons”

(10 min) Discussion.

2. Reports: (Chair  – Jean Athey) 

a. (10 min) No Wars, No Warming – Ed Aguillar and Niki VanAller (Campaign for Peace Action, NJ and PA) (5 min) Discussion;

b. (10 min) Closing Nuclear Power Plants Safely – Susan Mirsky (MA Downwinders/Peace Action). (5 min) Discussion;

c. (10 min) Divesting Pension funds from Companies Selling Weapons to Saudi Arabia and Nuclear Weapons to the U.S. Gov. – Paul Shannon (AFSC and Mass Peace Action).

(5 min) discussion; 

3. Preparing for Sept. China and Prohibiting First Use  Discussion – Joseph Gerson, Jackie Cabasso.

4. No August meeting; next meeting September 12, 7 pm (Eastern).

 Nuclear Disarmament Coordinating Committee meeting September 12, 7:00 – 8:15 pm

Agenda:

-Brief introductions (5 min)  (Susan Mirsky, Chair);

Lead presentations (David Borris, Chair);

– No Cold War on China (10 min) – Joseph Gerson;

– Cut the Pentagon Budget Campaign (10 min)  – Carley Townes (if not arrested earlier today in DC);

Discussion.

Reports: Jean Athey, Chair:

– Rev. Paul Dordal (10 min) – Don’t Bank on the Bomb divestment campaign (PNC bank);

– Rachel Bronson (10 min) – Roles for the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists; https://thebulletin.org/magazine/2021-09/

– Jonathan King (5 min) – Planning Jan 2022 “Reducing the Threat of Nuclear War” Conference.

Matters Arising (5 min) – Jim Anderson, Jackie Cabasso.

Sunday evening October 10, 7 – 8 pm (Eastern),

– Prioritize Congressional Progressive Caucus – Cole Harrison

         [Progressives Flex Muscles on Biden Agenda, Adopting New Tactics https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/02/us/politics/biden-progressives-moderates-agenda.html

– Discussion: Focus on districts with most progressive CPC Reps? With most backward Reps? Most convenient to organize in?

– Sign on letter to Schumer and Pelosi to move No First Use bills;

– Draft from Elaine Scarry, Ira H, and Joe Gerson from No First Use Coalition;

– Organizing Program for Jan 2022 “Reducing the Threat of Nuclear War” Conference.

– Increased focus on rebuilding robust movement;

– Breakout sessions and recruiting conveners;

– Fund Healthcare not Warfare sub theme?

– Other business and Announcements – United Nations Day Oct 24/ next steps for Cut the Pentagon Budget/other