‘Weapons of mass destruction are not making the world safer’: Nuclear disarmament demonstration held inside State House

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Local peace groups and legislators joined together Tuesday inside the State House library to support legislation to reconsider investments in nuclear weapons.

The bills they joined together to support are H7482 S2589, which require transparency in how much of the state pension fund are invested in military weapons production. The bill has wide range support from Treasurer Seth Magaziner and the State Investment Commission. It would allow six months to identify all military weapon manufacturers the fund is investing in.

Also, H7518 S2423, which asks the federal government to pursue disarmament of the country and world. The resolution would renounce nuclear weapons as a “first strike,” taking away the presidents soul authority to launch nuclear weapons, disallow modernization of the nuclear arsenal, and actively pursue an agreement among nuclear states to eliminate their arsenals.

“Weapons of mass destruction are not making the world safer. As we can see, in the hands of a tyrant, they enable tyranny. They put all the people of the world in danger, particularly innocent civilians with scarce resources,” said Rep. David Morales, D-Providence. “We are confident there is widespread support among working people for peace, and yet our government spends billions maintaining powerful weapons. In democracies, we have the right and the obligation to stand up and say that’s not the will of the people, and that’s the powerful message behind these bills.”

Sen. Tiara Mack, D-Providence, released a statement on the matter.

“A nation’s power is not measured by the level of destruction its arsenal can inflict. It’s in the sort of life its people enjoy. Our country would be so much stronger if we spent more money eliminating poverty and investing in education and housing rather than in creating and maintaining weapons to prove our might and our ability to annihilate other nations. To truly be a leader among nations, the United States should move the world toward nuclear disarmament, and usher in a new era of peace and real prosperity.”

“As peace advocates, we very much appreciate the bold leadership of Rep. Morales, Sen. Tiara Mack, and every cosponsor of these bills. This is a historic moment of advocacy because it is not often that you see local officials take legislative action to promote peace and transparency. We look forward to seeing other commitments made at the State House that will reflect Rhode Islanders’ values of transparency and a world less threatened by nuclear war,” said organizers from Just Peace RI.