August 8 Letter opposing "Bunker Busters"
Tom Munk, for CANVRT

August 6 was the 57th anniversary of the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima, Japan. In Chapel Hill, there was a noontime vigil at the post office and a nighttime memorial service at University Presbyterian Church. August 9th is the 57th anniversary of the bombing of Nagasaki. Since that time, the threat of global nuclear destruction has always been with us, yet no nation has used such a weapon against another. Most of us consider the use of such terrifying weapons unthinkable. Treaties have reduced the dangers. Yet now, we have an administration which wants to abrogate the treaties and make the unthinkable thinkable. The Bush Administration is pushing hard for the development of a new, "usable" nuclear weapon, a "bunker buster." It is up to Congress to decide whether to allocate this money or not. Please oppose this horrific weapon. We need no more Hiroshimas or Nagasakis.

Sent to Rep. Price, Sen. Edwards, and the Greensboro News and Record

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July 26, 2002 Thank you Letter to Rep. Price Regarding Cuba
Dear Congressman Price:

Your staffer, Susan Carr, called to inform us on the Committee for an Active Nonviolent Response to Terrorism of the vote on the Rangel amendment to deny funding to enforce the U.S. economic embargo against Cuba in the Treasury/Postal Appropriations bill. We want to thank you for your support for this amendment even though it failed. We understand that there was some loosening of travel restrictions, which is a step, albeit small, toward a more humane engagement with Cuba, which would benefit both our countries.

We look forward to meeting with you on August 23.

Sincerely,
Nancy Milio
for the Committee

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Letter sent to Rep. Price, July 15, 2002 regarding the Cuba embargo.
Congressman David Price
1777 Fordham Blvd. Suite 201
Chapel Hill, NC 27514

Dear Congressman Price:

We are writing to underscore an issue that you are no doubt aware of: the opportunity to end funding for the U.S. embargo of Cuba, and to seek your support for this measure as a step to begin to ease tensions in the Caribbean. We believe that to it is essential to take every opportunity, however small, to elicit less hostility to the US.

As you know, when the FY2003 Treasury/Postal bill comes to the floor of the House the week of July 15, you will have the chance to send a strong message in favor of ending the inhumane, unjust and ineffective U.S. embargo against Cuba. In particular, we hope you will vote in favor of the amendment offered by Rep. Rangel (NY) which would deny funding to enforce the U.S. economic embargo against Cuba.

U.S. unilateral economic sanctions against Cuba have brought great hardship to the people of Cuba, while they have done little to weaken the regime of Fidel Castro. If anything, the regime's power has been strengthened and preserved through this policy. The embargo should be lifted. U.S. citizens should be allowed to travel to and do business with Cuba. The U.S. government should resume normal diplomatic relations.

Please support the Rangel amendment to the Treasury/Postal Appropriations bill. Its passage would be a positive step towards renewed U.S. engagement with Cuba.

Thank you for considering our view.

We look forward to meeting with you during the August recess and are awaiting word from your Chapel Hill scheduler for a specific date.

Respectfully,
Nancy Milio, for the Committee

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July 22, 2002 letter to Rep. Price regarding the "Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator"
Dear David Price,

I write to you on behalf of the Committee for Active NonViolent Response to Terrorism of Chapel Hill Friends' Meeting, whose members have reviewed this text.

The Energy and Water Appropriations bill that the House is scheduled to consider next week (week of July 22) includes funding for researching a new nuclear weapon, the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator (RNEP). Your colleague, Rep. Edward Markey (MA), is expected to offer an amendment on the floor of the House to eliminate this funding.

The record of how you voted on this amendment when previously moved by Rep. Markey is not available on the internet at this time (Sunday afternoon). We do hope that you voted for it then or if not, on this go-around, you will join the increasing number of representatives said to be for it now.

The RNEP, though less damaging than a Hiroshima-type bomb, is still estimated by some to fatally irradiate 50,000 people if used in a city. This would not be collateral damage but a war crime.

Adding a new and so-called "useable" nuclear weapon to the U.S. arsenal would severely damage the already strained international arms control regime, which is our best protection from the danger of nuclear weapons proliferation. The U.S. has made commitments to the rest of the world to work against the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Development of a new nuclear weapon would be in bad faith. The U.S. cannot reasonably expect other countries to eliminate or decrease in number their nuclear arsenals if it is intent on expanding its own. We can set a good example and commit in practice not to create new nuclear weapons or nuclear weapons systems.

Sincerely, Arnold R. Post
For the Committee