When will we wake up from our Nuclear Weapons Nightmares?

“I am become death, the destroyer of worlds.” J Robert Oppenheimer, the moment the first atomic bomb was exploded.

“The unleashed power of the atom has changed everything save our modes of thinking and we thus drift to unparalleled catastrophe.” Albert Einstein

“What? What did you say? I can’t hear you!” I’m trying to read my neighbor’s lips as we hold hands over our ears, shouting to be heard and failing. U.S. Navy Growlers, Boeing EA-18G electronic warfare aircraft are passing over our island air space, lower than I’ve ever seen.

“Does this happen very often?” my new neighbors inquire when we can finally release our hands from the ear-splitting noise. Way too often for the peace and calm, we used to find here. At least we could plug our ears. What about the wildlife with their sensitive hearing? Do they make noise-filtering headphones for Eagles?

It was directly after Putin launched his attack on Ukraine. None of us living on these islands sharing the border with Canada needed to read the news. An island we can see from ours has a U.S. Navy base and is home to Growler squadrons. There they came, streaking through the heavens at 1,960 km an hour, sending notice of war.

Their flight paths take them precariously close to an exquisite rainforest in the Olympic National Park. Once considered one of the most peaceful places in the world. The predecessors of Growlers were Prowlers. They were unarmed electronic surveillance jets and had to be accompanied by a fighter squadron in case of attack. The Growlers carry their own deadly weapons, which increases their noise.

The Navy has been steadily amping up Growler activity. The noise pollution became so intense, the Governor of our state, Jay Inslee, backed by many environmental activists, managed to successfully sue the Navy for noise pollution.

The government had deliberately selected research supporting its goal of bringing in more Growlers and turned a blind eye to the abundant data refuting their stats. This cover-up is all too common when it involves weapons of war. Arms are big business.

Washington state is loaded with targets for any political despot with itchy fingers closing in on the red hot, atomic button. The Bangor Naval Base, not far as the crow flies, is homeport for Trident Ballistic Missile Submarines.

The warheads on ONE U.S. nuclear-armed submarine have seven times the destructive power of ALL the bombs dropped during WWII, including the two atomic bombs dropped on Japan. These submarines pass through our waterways on their entrance into the Pacific Ocean. What would happen to the ocean if one of these submarines was attacked?

Then there’s Hanford Nuclear plant situated in the middle of nowhere desert on the east side of the Cascade mountains. It’s the most contaminated nuclear waste site in the U.S. It was one branch of the secret Manhattan Project during WWII and produced the plutonium fuel to ignite atomic bombs.

“File out calmly and rapidly children. When you enter the hall, get down on your knees and tuck your body in close to the wall. Place your hands over your heads on the floor. Don’t talk until we give the signal.” These were our teacher’s instructions during our 1950s duck and cover drills. Shouted out over an alternating siren guaranteed to affect your hearing.

My classmates and I believed this posture would save us in case of a nuclear, Russian attack during the Cold War. Our principal assured us of our safety if we cooperated. He would know, right? Meanwhile, Hanford, a mere 35 miles upstream, was manufacturing its own environmental disasters and poisoning us one sip of water at a time.

These are only a few of the ripple effects of war. Those dirty little details can no longer be swept under the rug after whistleblowers lay the floor bare. There are many aftershocks, such as the troops who come home from wars with severe cases of PTSD. Soldiers and a couple of friends of mine as well. Blasted with Agent Orange in the Vietnam War, surviving the war to slowly die of cancers.

There is no such thing as damage control when it comes to nuclear weapons. Releasing atomic weapons in any part of the world is felt in all parts of the world. Radioactive debris from the tsunami which damaged the Fukushima Nuclear Plant in Japan washed up on our shores in Washington state.

We share the same oceans and planet. Borders are nonexistent when it comes to environmental nuclear destruction.

“The nuclear arms race is like two sworn enemies standing waist deep in gasoline, one with three matches, the other with five.” Carl Sagan

China, France, Israel, India, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, the U.S., and the UK. are the nine countries with nuclear weapons. There are 194 universally recognized countries in the world.

Think about that and let it sink in. The leaders of these nine countries have been given the power to determine the future of every other country, our planet, and all other life on it. Two of those countries are led by malignant narcissists, Kim Jong Un in N. Korea and Vladimir Putin in Russia.

Malignant narcissist: “In the popular conception, malignant narcissism is a form of narcissistic personality disorder that is highly abusive. People with this personality supposedly get a sense of satisfaction from hurting others and may manipulate people to gain money, acclaim, and other things they desire.” www.medicalnewstoday.com

These two suffering souls are imbalanced to the point they cannot see the consequences of their own actions. They don’t realize there is nothing to win or gain in a ravaged world.

Can we see this insanity for what it is? How can any individual or group be granted the power to radically affect our planet and the vast majority of lives on it? You know. The rest of us. The ones who can’t afford the rocket. And to where?

The Russian military advance recently engaged in a firefight with Ukranians at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant. Dr. Alex Rosen of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War said the incident was due to military units overestimating the precision of their instruments. Human error also led to the Chernobyl nuclear plant disaster not long ago.

It is sheer insanity to unleash any weapon near a nuclear facility. This fire could’ve easily hit storage facilities that hold spent fuel rods and unleashed radiation. This was also the first time a state had attacked a fueled and functioning nuclear power plant.

Meanwhile, Kim Jong Un of N.Korea seized the opportunity of world distraction to test his own new, Hwasong-12, intermediate-range ballistic missile. This was his biggest rogue launch since 2017. He wanted to test their accuracy. Boys will be boys. Tsk tsk. A Putin, Kim, bro moment.

My niece is an award-winning environmental scientist. She’s invented tools to restore war-damaged soil and water. She lives on the Hawaiian Islands, a dumping zone for mustard gas and other toxic materials stored and used during WWII.

Her work will not be completed in her lifetime and it only addresses pollutants we can somewhat handle. How would scientists be able to restore our planet after a B83 gravity bomb, more than 80 times stronger than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima, hits the ground?

“We have made a thing, a most terrible weapon, that has altered abruptly and profoundly the nature of the world. We have made a thing that, by all standards of the world we grew up in is evil.” J. Robert Oppenheimer

When I talk with friends about the horror of nuclear weapons, the first thing they ask is what can they possibly do about them on a personal level. The whole subject is overwhelming. I understand their frustration and anger. I feel the same. So what can we do about them?

We can protest any new manufacturing of nuclear weapons. Say NO. Sign petitions. We can also push for decommissioning and deactivating all existing nuclear weapons worldwide. Rid the world of active nukes. This would meet with great resistance, but it’s a worthy cause called Life.

We can use our voices and the power of collective strength to share our opinions, feelings and thoughts. Declaring to be heard. More voices, the louder the choir.

We all want to live free of the fear we’re on the brink of disaster. Walking on nuclear eggshells and hoping our children don’t glow in the dark is exhausting.

Putin has already come up with justifications for violating established treaties against the use of nuclear weapons. If he chooses to launch one, there will be retaliating strikes. Missiles will be launched and our opportunity to change the course will become even more challenging.

I’ve had one constantly present, unconditional love as I continue trekking through this wild life of mine. It's called Mother Nature. She freely offers direct contact with forces larger than myself and shows me the truth in Universal Laws.

Nuclear weapons violate each one of these Laws. Starting with a primary Universal Law:

Do no harm to self or others.

Nuclear weapons are presenting a challenge for our ability to unite. I’m using my voice any way I can to support the abolishment and banning of these anti life weapons which should never have been birthed.

I hold high hopes for humanity and our magnificent, blue jewel of a magical home called Planet Earth. Don’t forget we can always turn the key and enter a thriving domain in our imaginations and dreams. Dreams can have a way of coming true.

Thank you dear readers. I appreciate your time.