Last Friday’s demonstration was a remarkable upsurge of popular feeling against the policies of Donald Trump. It was a powerful rejection of the extraordinary human, social and economic damage being inflicted across the USA – and the consequences of these developments elsewhere in the world. His presence in the White House means open season for racism, homophobia and misogyny. The support and succour that he brings to the far right internationally is enormously dangerous; this is a political development that must be challenged at every level.
For peace and anti-nuclear campaigners, the threats are very marked and we need to ensure that they are widely understood. There are many reasons to oppose Trump, but his nuclear policies present dangers that no one can avoid. When he builds his wall, we can tear it down. When he puts children in cages, we can break them open. But when he presses the nuclear button, there will be no second chance. We are all confronted with annihilation.
Trump is an existential threat to humanity and the planet. He has trashed the Iran nuclear deal, and speaks of destroying North Korea when he isn’t being Chairman Kim’s best friend. But whatever rhetorical flourishes he may occasionally adopt, the reality is that his new nuclear posture review commits to building ‘usable’ nuclear weapons, and outlines more scenarios in which they could be used. He is making $1.2 trillion available for nuclear weapons development and modernisation.
This is why we must act.
Friday’s Together against Trump demonstration gave me real hope that people will take action to stop this terrible turn in politics: to reject the brutality, hatred and sheer immorality that underpin these far right policies wherever they are found. There was a sense of coming together as a renewed movement, united, embracing all of us, to stand up for peace, justice and basic human decency.
There was a sense of that people power which we felt on February 15th, 2003, as we came together against the war on Iraq. We must rise again, and this time we must win. For this is not a war against a country, it is a war against humanity, and we will not be defeated.
Please join the movement: please join CND. We need you now, more than ever.