U.S (WIN WITHOUT WAR) : "OPPENHEIMER" reminds us of the need for justice.

 

 

 

 

It’s official, friend : Oppenheimer has brought the story of nuclear weapon development to millions of people.

But we know there’s a story that continues beyond the film — and it’s one of poisoned air and land, lifelong illness, and generations of suffering because of decades of U.S. nuclear testing.

For more than 30 years, the Radiation Exposure and Compensation Act (RECA) has provided healthcare and compensation to people exposed to radiation from nuclear testing and uranium mining. Unfortunately, the program has gaping holes in coverage and too many are excluded.

The good news is that on Thursday the Senate included provisions to extend and expand RECA in a must-pass bill : the NDAA. But this campaign is far from over, because this legislation still needs more support from across Congress if we want to see it become law. That’s why for the past week, advocates and activists have been up and down Capitol Hill working hard to keep up the pressure. Today, you can join with them, no matter where you are.

If we want to see RECA help more people poisoned by the U.S. government’s nuclear testing, the time to act is NOW. Can you add your name to the petition we’re sending to Congress calling to extend and expand RECA ?

Given the impact of radioactive exposure on human health and the environment, we need you to call on your members of Congress to co-sponsor and pass RECA without delay.

ACT NOW

The truth is, the real cost of nuclear weapons testing and development that so many people have borne cannot be repaid. But we can, and should, seek justice for them and their loved ones.

Indigenous communities, the miners who spent their days extracting uranium, the countless veterans, and many others simply living in the areas were unknowingly exposed to nuclear tests — and many still suffer long-term health impacts. Many cannot afford the healthcare they desperately need.

Some are no longer with us, their lives cut tragically short. Consider “downwinders” like Ed Pattillo, a resident of Mohave County, Arizona, who, along with thousands of others across the southwestern United States, was exposed to radiation and died having never received support or acknowledgement by the U.S. government. Why ? Because lower Mohave County hasn’t been recognized as an area affected by nuclear testing. Upper Mohave County has.

This is the human toll of our past nuclear activities. This is the injustice we are fighting against, every day.

Oppenheimer won’t tell you these stories, but the film's release has created a crucial, made-in-Hollywood opportunity to demand justice. That’s why we're joining with partners across the movement to expand RECA to cover more people who suffer because of U.S. nuclear testing — and you can help by sending a letter now.

As we look back at the history of nuclear development, let's not forget its human cost, friend. Today, let's work together to acknowledge and rectify the errors of the past. Contact your members of Congress and tell them to co-sponsor and pass the bipartisan RECA bill.

This is the moment to act — for the health, well-being, and justice of those harmed by radiation exposure. Let's support expanding RECA, and in doing so, let's show up for human rights, justice, and a more equitable future.

Thank you for working for peace,

Faith, Shayna, Amy, and the Win Without War team.

 

 

 

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