Committee Board of Advisors Leroy Zerlang, President VFP Golden Rule Project Col. (Retired) Ann Wright Libby Toning, Secretary A National Project of Veterans For Peace Doris Timm, CPA Issue 2 September 2015 Leland Anderson, Treasurer Lawrence Wittner, Ph.D. Arnold “Skip” Oliver, Ph.D. P. O. Box 87 Peter Wilcox, Captain Bill Eastwood Samoa, CA 95564 S. Brian Willson, Author Chuck DeWitt Elliott Adams Gerry Condon [email protected] Mission Statement Helen Jaccard (206) 992-6364, (707) 443-5180, (415) 794-5235 The original nuclear protest boat, James Summers VFPGoldenRuleProject.org the Golden Rule will sail again to Jim Truitt promote a nuclear free future, to Nelson Camp educate about the dangers of Richard Gilchrist, Ph.D. Golden Rule Sails for a Nuclear Free, Peaceful World radiation to humanity and the environment, and to support November 2016 peaceful alternatives to war.

We held 36 events in 19 cities, including four wooden boat shows, four demonstrations against military activities and support of the Indigenous Canoe Journey. Thousands of people saw the Golden Rule this year; thousands more read about us in local newspapers and heard us speak on the radio! Fleet Week in Portland The Golden Rule provided a message Photo : Sara Kirschenbaum of peace, on the water and land, in In 1958 four Quaker activists sailed The Golden Rule’s 2016 Voyage took contrast to the Navy War Ships that the Golden Rule toward the Marshall the sail boat and her crew throughout invade our cities each year during Islands in an attempt to halt the waterways of the Pacific “Fleet Week”. atmospheric nuclear weapons testing. Northwest. The US Coast Guard boarded her in Honolulu and arrested her crew, causing a nationwide public outcry. The Phoenix of Hiroshima completed the journey and entered the atomic bomb test zone.

As a result of public awareness and Photo: Sara Kirschenbaum demand, President Kennedy signed Gerry Condon says that Navy personnel were the Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty very receptive to the message on the flyers. with the U.S.S.R and the U.K. in 1963. After the Golden Rule sank in a gale in During Portland’s Fleet Week the Humboldt Bay in Northern California, Washington County (Oregon) Sheriff’s Leroy Zerlang lent his boat yard to boat struck the Golden Rule during a Veterans For Peace and dozens of reckless, aggressive and negligent volunteers for her restoration. She approach. Several inches of a plank was rebuilt from 2010 to 2015. were splintered. Golden Rule now sails for a nuclear- We have filed a claim for the damage free world and a peaceful, sustainable and they have denied the claim, so future. we must pursue this in court. Volunteers Needed Flotilla of sailboats against Indian Island Munitions Transfer Station We need help to maintain our web site and social media, plan events, write articles, speak to the public, and ready the boat for sailing. Please contact Helen Jaccard at 206-992-6364 or Chuck DeWitt at 707-445-4790 or send an email to [email protected] Crew Needed! Come join the crew for a week or a month. Be an ambassador for peace, nuclear disarmament, and an end to fossil and nuclear fuels. On June 23 a Peace Flotilla of four sail boats protested at the Indian Island Munitions Transfer We especially encourage veterans, Station, which is within sight of Port Townsend. If a fire or explosion should happen there, the townspeople would be exposed to the blast, explosive chemicals and depleted uranium. women, youth, Indigenous people, people of color and various nationalities to apply. “Boats by Bangor” Apply at vfpgoldenruleproject.org/crew- application/

Fleet Week in Seattle In Seattle the annual Peace Fleet included the Golden Rule, five kayaks, a 24-foot sailboat, and a 16-foot skiff.

The largest action of the 2016 voyage was “Boats by Bangor”, held on August 9, Nagasaki Day. The Bangor Trident Nuclear Submarine Base, just 25 miles from Seattle, is home port to eight of the nation’s nuclear-armed submarines and has the largest stockpile of deployed nuclear About 35 Peace Fleet supporters, including weapons in the U.S. Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhists, the PNW Interfaith Peace Walk, and VFP, met on the In this first water-based action since 1982, the Golden Rule was joined by another sailboat rooftop of Pier 66 to cheer us on. “The Silent” and 14 kayaktivists. This protest was organized by Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action, whose center borders the Bangor Submarine Base. Most of the protesters are associated with GZ Center, and they helped the Golden Rule team in many ways throughout the summer! They are already planning next year’s water action.

June 10, Portland: Carol Urner of .June 15, Hood River: The Golden Presentations, Boat Shows, Women’s International League for Rule was almost to Hood River, wind Adventures Peace and Freedom was our guest surfing capital of the world, when a speaker at the strong gust of wind broke the tiller in June 8, Portland: Our first Multnomah Friends half. Thanks to quick thinking by educational presentation of the Meeting potluck. She Captain Geoff Burke, who used the season was at First Unitarian Church. spoke about the Nuclear throttle to move the boat forward Rev. Genko Rainwater, of Dharma Weapons Abolition and when it was going the right direction Rain Zen Center, led a meditation. Economic and Energy and Michael Gonzalez, who sawed off Conversion Act, H.R. the broken end and placed the stump Harvey Wasserman of Solartopia, long 1976, which provides for nuclear into the bracket. The crew made it time advocate for renewable energy, weapons abolition, environmental safely to harbor. spoke and international favorite restoration, and energy and Fortunately, a new tiller was quickly progressive singer/ songwriter David economic conversion. Let your found in Vancouver and Chuck Rovics sang his new song about the representative(s) know you want Johnson brought it to us. Golden Rule. them to support it. Peter Ford . provided our music. June 16: Stevenson, WA Chuck Johnson and Loyd Henion were the guest speakers and David Rovics again sang about peace and nuclear Tom Rogers shows off the new tiller issues. Crew member Tom Rogers told of his experience operating a The Golden Rule arrived in Hood Harvey Wasserman David Rovics nuclear submarine. River Just days after an oil train derailed and caught fire in Mosier, Fred Schafer of the National Association of Atomic Veterans spoke of his Oregon, only seven miles away. A experience being exposed to radiation while in the military. guest speaker was a fire fighter who talked at the presentation about what Mimi German of Nuclear Free Northwest (NFN) and Chuck Johnson of happened. The VFP Golden Rule Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) talked about nuclear issues today. Project supports transition to nuclear- Both NFN and PSR are working hard for Columbia Generating Station closure free, carbon-free energy, and and cleanup. Located on the Hanford Nuclear Reservation in Eastern exploding oil trains is one reason Washington and selling power to over 90 public and private utilities, it is the why. People in the Pacific Northwest last remaining commercial nuclear power plant in the northwest and is the are resisting new fossil fuel same design as the Fukushima-Daiichi plants. infrastructure – oil and coal trains, huge port terminals and natural gas Kianna Juda-Angelo of Living Islands spoke about her native country, the plants. Marshall Islands, and the traditional outrigger canoe they are building to keep Marshallese values and skills alive, even as their islands sink into the rising At the Riverside Community Church seas due to climate change. we were joined by Chuck Johnson, Loyd Henion of Living Islands, and Lauren Goldberg, Staff Attorney at Columbia Riverkeeper. Scot Bergeron and Rebecca Stonestreet provided the evening’s music.

Kianna Juda-Angelo presented the Golden Rule with a Marshall Islands flag and expressed her Dan Shea of VFP Portland Chapter gratitude that we are educating people about the Marshall Islands represented the Golden Rule at the unveiling of the Marshallese outrigger canoe. June 28, Poulsbo: Mary Glysteen of The people of Bainbridge Island gave Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent us a huge welcome – there was a Action did a beautiful job of planning picnic and a well-attended our Kitsap Regional library event. educational event. We were treated Tom Rogers spoke about the Bangor to music and dance from: The Raging Trident Nuclear Submarine base and Grannies, Rick Barrenger and “Dances Michael Gonzalez spoke about of Universal Peace”. increasing our activism. July 2 – 4, Lake Union Wooden Boat Itar is the first canoe of its kind to be made in Show: We gave people tours and over 200 years! It has planks that are sewn to each other with the stitches and seams talked about the Golden Rule covered in pitch. It holds 4 pullers and a dockside while VFP members passed bailer – and that’s the way it’s always been! out thousands of leaflets in the park and all over the boat show. July 2 – 4, Seabeck on the . Washington coast: Helen Jaccard July 24 – 30, Indigenous Canoe attended the Western Washington Journey: The crew did a lot of Fellowship of Reconciliation preparation to be a support boat for (WWFOR) conference and gave a talk the “Paddle to Nisqually”. Our We supported the “Umiak” Carver’s on a about the Golden Rule. Several skipper, Rick Bender, did a great job beautiful day with Mount Rainier in the background! WWFOR members helped organize of preparing the boat and crew for events this year. this adventure. Michael G, Helen and Theodora Tsongas attended evening potlatches. July 10, Lake Union: We took people Finally on July 30, it was time for the sailing all day! There were six official landing and welcoming sailings, each with several people ceremony for over 100 canoes into aboard Everyone had a great time! Olympia. L. Frank was aboard the July 15, Bainbridge Island: Mike Stern Golden Rule for the first time that crewed from Shilshole Marina in day. We put up the mizzen peace sail

Seattle to Eagle Harbor / Winslow on and were honored to carry 5 Itar Bainbridge Island. We practiced pulling Helen from the water pullers including 2 elders, who of using the life sling. them traded into the canoe to finish On July 24 we caught up with the paddling into Olympia to a welcoming Indigenous Canoe Journey. We were crowd of thousands. able to provide food, water, rest, and towing to three canoes the first three days. We supported Itar starting July 27. L. Frank, of the Tongva-Acjachemen Mike played “The Phoenix and the Golden tribe did extensive research to figure Rule”, our theme song that he wrote and recorded with a band, as well as some other out the design. Itar was made in L. cool peace songs. Frank’s back yard in Santa Rosa.

Itar and dozens of canoes wait for their official welcome at the landing site in Olympia. Organizer and host Reed Price interviewed Helen in the community radio studio and Rich Gile and Michael Gonzalez at the boat. L. Frank August 6 Lantern Ceremony fly at all hours of the day and into the her partner Mike Hurwicz, (together Hiroshima Day: The Golden Rule crew night. Gerry and I observed them as the “Irthlingz”), provided great music commemorated Hiroshima Day at the many of them flew right over us. The for us. annual Lantern Ceremony, “From sound hurts your ears, yet the health August 25 – 28, Vancouver Wooden Hiroshima to Hope” at Green Lake in board stated, despite overwhelming Boat Show: We talked to and gave Seattle. We shared table space with evidence, that there is no physical brochures to hundreds of people! Seattle VFP and Ground Zero Center harm that come from loud noise. Mary Ann Percy, Helen, Michael and for Nonviolent Action. Many moving On August 19, Terry Lush became our Terry all had a great time and many speakers, drummers, indigenous captain. His dad owned the Golden people learned about the Golden singers, and dancers participated. Rule in the 1970s and 1980s, and so Rule’s history and mission. Michael, Barry Binks and I each had a Terry spent about 15 years sailing her August 31, Friday Harbor: Terry and message written in Japanese on our back then. paper, put them onto our lanterns Linda Lush organized a lasagna August 20-22, Bellingham: and walked them out to the water to benefit dinner for the Golden Rule! be placed with the others. People from the San Juan Yacht Club and many others came from San Juan Island, Orcas Island, and Bellingham to participate. Thank you, Terry and Linda! September 2 – 4, Victoria Classic

On Saturday we took people sailing four times, Boat Show: Just as in Vancouver, we with nine passengers on each trip. Everyone met hundreds of people, all very The lake and lanterns formed a beautiful had a great time and the weather was supportive of our mission! perfect! peace symbol! Sunday was very windy, so we didn’t We even won the prize for the Best sail at all. However, we were still able Work Boat! to get to the day use dock in Bellingham, which was an excellent place for showing off the boat.

There was a huge turnout, 3 times the record last year of 1000.

We had an excellent place on the dock. The potluck Sunday just up from the dock was very well attended, despite the wind – we had at least 30 people there from Veterans For Peace, Whatcom Peace & Justice Center, Quakers, the Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship, and other supporters. This lantern held by Michael Gonzalez reads “Golden Rule” The presentations at the Bellingham August 17, Coupeville: The potluck Unitarian Fellowship Monday night and presentation were well attended; were wonderful and around 40 around 35 people came to hear about people came. Ellen Murphy and Beth the Golden Rule and to get an update Brownfield worked very hard to about the “Growlers” dispute. organize the whole weekend. In Growlers are the loudest airplanes in addition to the Golden Rule the world, and Coupeville and the presentation, Shar Abreu talked Ebey Island Nature Reserve are right about the dangers of nuclear power in their very low flight path, close to and the connections between nuclear the take-off and landing zone. They power and nuclear weapons. She and While at the Victoria Classic Boat Show, we met Kjell Kessell, who built Ruggen in just 24 years, the only known Colin Archer design built in North America!

Some of the bigger sail boats were also gaff- rigged and beautiful! Helen Jaccard and Caroline Wildflower gave a presentation on Friday Sept 2 at the World Federalist Society – over 20 people came. Bill Pearce, in the middle, arranged for the talk. This gaff-rigged boat that shows the On Saturday Sept 3, Helen attended a idea of how the Golden Rule’s main sail can work. Michael Gonzalez, Caroline Wildflower, Peter concert by the Doukhobor Choir. Crispell, Norm Petersen, Mike Hackett and There is leather on the shoe and the Helen Jaccard all crewed during the sail-by. boom’s throat curves up. September 9 – 11, Port Townsend Wooden Boat Show: It was great fun to return to Port Townsend and the Friends took great care of us in June! Caroline Wildflower, Clint Weinmeister, Doug Milholland, and

many others helped pass out The Lady Washington brochures and tell the world about September 14, Seattle: A Gala the history and mission of the Golden Benefit for the Golden Rule at the Rule. The Doukhobors were Russian Center for Wooden Boats on Lake Christian peasants resisting the Union brought out lots of people. We excessive opulence, elaborate rituals gave an educational presentation and and authoritative practices of the the Seattle Labor Chorus and Mike Orthodox Church. They burned their Stern provided the entertainment. A weapons and refused to pay war special thanks to Greater Seattle VFP taxes or participate in the military. for organizing this very successful Many came to Canada in the early event! On the last day, the sail-by was the most 1900s. amazing experience ever! Hundreds of sail boats were on the water and dozens approached the Golden Rule with peace signs flashing and telling us how much they appreciate our boat and mission!

The concert was followed by a Golden Rule presentation by Helen Jaccard and a talk by Tamara Lorincz about the Canadian Network to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. Captain Norm Petersen and crew member Peter Crispell (from North Carolina) really got into their roles. Argh, Matey!

Nuclear News The damage has been repaired from Nuclear Power Faces Increasing the underground explosion of UN Nuclear Weapons Ban: On Challenges February 2014 caused by incorrect October 27, 2016 the United Nations kitty litter packing. Additional safety Nuclear power plants in the U.S. are First Committee of the General measures are mostly complete. closing as they reach their designed Assembly voted to negotiate a “Business as usual” will begin after an end of life and because other forms “legally binding instrument to additional 21 issues are resolved. of energy are more cost-effective. prohibit nuclear weapons, leading Nuclear power accounts for about towards their total elimination”. The 20% of US energy needs. The price of Fukushima Cleanup Problems Persist negotiations begin in March 2017. uranium is at an all-time low, and the but Slow Progress is Made Most nations voted in favor of the mining, milling and fuel-rod-making Thousands of one-ton bags of resolution, including North Korea and industries are having a hard time radioactive debris litter the Iran. The U.S., U.K, France, Russia making a profit – if it weren’t for big and Israel voted against. Pakistan, landscape, degrading and spilling government subsidies, this side of the their contents. Huge tanks to hold India and China abstained. nuclear equation might well not contaminated water can’t be built This ban will be similar to the bans on survive. fast enough. The ice wall that was to chemical and biological weapons, The Fukushima disaster had an block ground water from running land mines and cluster bombs, which impact on many country’s desires for through the destroyed reactors is a are all weapons of mass destruction. nuclear power, and except for China failure. This resolution, L.41, implements the the industry might be faltering However, the protective walls around key recommendation of the UN open- worldwide. the Unit 1 reactor have been ended working group on nuclear A third of the nuclear power plants in removed in preparation for removing disarmament, following conferences the U.S. are approaching the end of the spent fuel rods. examining the humanitarian impact their operating licenses at 40 years of nuclear weapons. old. The Nuclear Regulatory “End the Entire Nuclear Era” Setsuko Thurlow, a Hibakusha Commission is granting 20 year (Hiroshima bomb survivor) said, “This extensions against the advice of their A subcommittee of Women’s is a truly historic moment for the scientists. This is a dangerous policy, International League for Peace and entire world. For those of us who as the concrete, steel and other Freedom is launching a campaign to survived the atomic bombings of components of the containment bring the entire nuclear industry to an Hiroshima and Nagasaki, it is a very vessels break down under the end including mining, milling, joyous occasion. We have been neutron bombardment. Massive processing, bomb-making, depleted waiting so long for this day to come. maintenance costs and cheap uranium weapons and nuclear power plants. “… It is all of our responsibility to alternate fuels are making these make sure that such suffering never power plants unprofitable. They will be inviting many other happens again.” The combination of solar and wind organizations to join in this effort in a coalition. We at the VFP Golden Rule Project power with battery or other energy heartily applaud this UN effort! storage devices will ultimately lead to Hanford Worker Exposures Mount a nuclear-free, carbon-free energy OLLI Class about the Golden Rule and system. On October 18, fifteen workers were Nuclear Issues exposed to radioactivity at the tank WIPP Plant May Reopen in 2017 A few members of the VFP Golden farms, where over 100 huge buried Despite Collapsing Ceilings Rule Project are giving a 6-week class tanks containing millions of gallons of through Humboldt State University’s Several roof collapses in the salt highly radioactive, toxic waste into Osher Lifetime Learning Institute on formation where radioactive waste the ground. Wednesdays April 5 to May 10 with a has been stored seems to be of little field trip to see the Golden Rule and concern at the Waste Isolation Pilot possibly go sailing. We will discuss Plant where some of the nation’s the Golden Rule history and all worst nuclear waste is stored. The nuclear issues today. collapses are in areas that have been sealed and are off-limits to people. You can Help Keep the Golden The Golden Rule only sails with help from our supporters! Rule Afloat We need funds for repairs, maintenance and upgrades, including: As you can see from the Golden  New mizzen mast. Rule News, we are reaching  Electrical and galley improvements thousands of people per year.  Heating and ventilation Next year promises to be the best  Propeller shaft seal repair yet – we will not only make more stops, but each stop will involve a The Exciting 2017 Voyage: Along California and to the Gulf States better program to reach beyond The 2017 sailing season will be very exciting! We will sail from Humboldt the choir. By offering public Bay to San Diego and truck the Golden Rule to Texas, then sail the speakers and education to Intracoastal Waterway to Florida. churches, clubs and many If you live on the coast of California or any of the Gulf States, we also need different kinds of organizations, help to organize events and seed money for each stop. Contact we are taking our message to Helen Jaccard at 206-992-6364. where people meet, encouraging them to see this famous sail boat and to go for a ride. So please send a generous check to: VFP Golden Rule Project PO Box 87 Samoa, CA 95564 Or donate online at: www.vfpgoldenruleproject.org