NUCLEAR WEAPONS: THE ELEPHANT IN OUR ROOM, Tacoma, June 28th

A Workshop on nuclear weapons

Nuclear Weapons are in our backyard…
 What have they done to us and where are they leading us?

Come and consider this peril with us.

When: Saturday, June 28, 2014, 9:00AM to 4:00PM

Where: Tacoma First United Methodist Church, 621 Tacoma Avenue

The event is free and includes a light lunch

Free will offering

Click here for the event flier.

Nuclear weapons have been called the taproot of violence in our world. Their continued existence of expropriates precious resources for destruction rather than for sustaining life. What has their continued presence done to us as human beings? How does the nuclear Sword of Damocles hanging over us affect our well-being as individuals and as a society?

Nuclear weapons are truly the elephant (or herd of elephants) in the room; we ignore them at humanity’s peril. We, as human beings and citizens, can and must do something.

Join us on June 28th for a day-long workshop on the presence of nuclear weapons among us, and what we can do to bring about their abolition.

SPEAKERS

David Hall,MD—psychiatrist, member of Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action, and former president of Physicians for Social Responsibility

David Price, PhD—cultural anthropologist and professor of anthropology 

and sociology at St. Martin’s University

Diane Tilstra—Community Action Advisor, Study of Community and Society

The workshop will lead off the Summer of study, prayer and action working toward the abolition of nuclear weapons. Events will include one or more days of further reflection in July, and an interfaith service at the Bangor Trident nuclear ballistic missile submarine base. 

Co-hosted by the Micah Project of Tacoma First United Methodist Church, Pax Christi Tahoma, and Tacoma Catholic Worker

Endorsed by Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent action – Tacoma Dominicans - Tacoma Jesuit Volunteers – Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility – Veterans for Peace, Tacoma Chapter – Jewish Voice for Peace - Tacoma Wages … 15 now – Kerry Watrin, MD – Tacoma Peace Prize – Peter Karlin, MD – Anna Colombini, ND -- Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia (Tacoma)

Click here to download the event flier.

SCHEDULE

9:00 am Coffee and rolls and Sign In

9:20 am Welcome: Bill Bichsel of Catholic Worker – what the day is about
Tom Karlin of Pax Christi
Matt Pattera of First United Methodist Church
Prayer: Sr. Mary Pat Murphy, OP
Song: James Morgan

9:45 am Presentation: Dr. David Hall, MD - psychiatrist, member of Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action, and former National Chairperson of Physicians for Social Responsibility.
A penetrating view of nuclear weapons and what they are capable of doing. Questions to follow.

10:30 am Presentation: David Price, PhD - cultural anthropologist and professor of anthropology and sociology at St. Martin’s University
The militarization of our culture and what it has done to us. Questions to follow.

11:30 am Lunch (Share lunch with people you don’t know.)

12:30 pm Presentation: Diane Tilstra - Action Advisor to the Study Group of Community and Society.
Questions to follow.

1:30 pm Leonard Eiger, facilitator for breaking into small, designated groups.
Groups with facilitators:
 Actions to take (Mark Bubenik)
 Outreach to other churches (George Rodkey)
 News and publicity (Leonard Eiger)
 Need for education (Patricia Hoppa)
 Interfaith Service at Bangor July 26 (Bix)
 Overall Personal Responses (James Brecht and Tom Karlin)

2:20 pm Break

2:30 pm Reporting back from each interest group

3:00 pm Panel of 3 speakers will give thoughts and responses to reporting back.
Leonard Eiger will make the connections between responses and upcoming actions.

3:45 pm Closing prayer and song.