June12

20th Anniversary Tribute

to the June 12, 1982 Rally in Central Park, New York City on the occasion of the UN Disarmament Conference in support of the

NUCLEAR FREEZE MOVEMENT

June 12, 2002

In 1982, a crew of actors and PR hacks in Washington were busily defining our enemies so that devious military planners could raid the public treasury to fund high-tech, ultra-powerful weapons without regard for real public security. Sound familiar? We were alarmed enough back then, as Reagan's people discussed "usable" weapons like neutron bombs and seriously proposed "nuclear warning shots" in Europe

while new intermediate-range and intercontinental missiles were furiously being installed. We were right to worry. Along with our delegation from the Maine Peace Action Committee, one million people from every part of this country turned out for the rally. My strongest memory of the day is watching the people march in. The photo at left was taken near a park entrance. They streamed in for hours until the park was full as far as the eye could see (below).

I do not specifically remember the speeches, but I know what they all said: stop the arms race now. The world did change after that. It got worse, it got better. The USSR collapsed. The power-hungry militarists learned better to fight wars against the weak, but limits were set.

Before the attacks of Sep. 11, 2001, the current Bush people were having a rough go on their massive plan to reinvigorate the arms race including abrogation of the ABM Treaty and agressive weaponization of space. Afterward, as fear has been used not unlike the days of the USSR, it is full speed ahead as any dangerous scheme qualifies for the fight against terrorism. Real nuclear war in South Asia is today closer than ever. People need to rally again now more than ever. We should not underestimate the power we held that day in June 1982.

Eric T.Olson