In Kansas City, residents are wondering why the government is building bombs, not schools.
Local activists have collected just under 5,000 signatures for a ballot initiative banning nuclear weapons production at the site and recommending green energy technology production instead. The City Council then voted to keep this initiative off the ballot, the protestors sued to get it back on and it is currently in the hands of a judge.
‘There will be a hearing on August 31st, and we are prepared to continue no matter what happens! Right now things are a bit up in the air, but we'll know more after August 31st,' says Suellentrop.
Kevin Martin, Executive Director of Peace Action says the Kansas City plant, along with two others slated for Los Alamos, New Mexico and Oak Ridge, Tennessee, 'would be a complete renewal of our nuclear complex'.
‘We support the ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, but it doesn't look politically feasible before the elections in 2012. In the meantime the Obama Administration should be taking executive action towards nuclear disarmament. The START treaty capped nuclear warheads at 1,115 - we could go further than that. They should immediately stop plans for this absurd nuclear modernisation'.
TAKE ACTION
Join and support the Peace Planters
Email a message of support to be read out at protests to help ‘keep our spirits up,' says Suellentrop.
More information on Nuke Watch and the Alliance for Nuclear Accountability.
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