Alaskan Nuclear Weapons Freeze

I am very proud of Alaska for doing this:

http://www.ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Alaska_Nuclear_Weapons_Freeze_Measure_%281986%29

Alaska Nuclear Weapons Freeze Measure (1986)

From Ballotpedia

The Nuclear Weapons Freeze Initiative was an initiated state statute that appeared on the statewide primary ballot in Alaska in 1986, where it was approved.
The language on the ballot said:

"The initiative would officially recognize that the prevention of nuclear war is the greatest challenge facing the Earth and that the nuclear arms race dangerously increases the risk of a war that would destroy humanity. The initiative would promote mutual and verifiable nuclear weapons freeze, to be followed by nuclear weapons reduction. The initiative would direct the governor to conduct the state's affairs in conformity with the initiative's goals. "

Alaska Nuclear Weapons Freeze Measure (1986)
Yes or no		Votes	Percentage
Yes		-	58.4%
No		-	41.6%
Total votes		-	100% precincts

I believe the whole country of New Zealand did this as well. I was visiting there when President Bush threatened them with economic sanctions if New Zealand did not allow US nuclear subs to refuel there. They remained firm in their refusal, although they were frightened by the economic threats. That  was impressive.

It seems like a good idea for more countries and states, provinces, etc. to do this. 


I do not know whether the average Alaskan voted for this nuclear weapons freeze, with the nuclear test bombing of  Amchitka Island in mind or not. The understanding of just how bad the consequences are for the Amchitka nuclear bomb tests, have only been revealed gradually.


Amchitka used to be inhabited by Alaskan Natives. Many Aleutian Alaskan Natives were forcibly evacuated from their homes during WWII according to some material I read. There is quite a bit about it. This is not a shining moment for the USA. Here is a link to a site on a book about it:


http://www.nps.gov/aleu/historyculture/unangan-internment.htm


United States citizens were forcibly and even violently evacuated from their homes, and then interned in camps. Their villages were burned in their sight as they were taken away on ships to be imprisoned.


This is not something that I had been aware of before I began research for these posts. I find it distressing.


This evacuation is the reason that Amchitka was not inhabited when nuclear bombs tests were done there. It saddens me to think that those people will never be able to go home again, nor will many generations of their children and children's children.


This is all the more reason why we can not trust politicians and military with nukes. The average people in the street and in their homes and workplaces need to take this option away. We do not need  nuclear weapons and we do not need nuclear power plants. We can not live with them. We can live without them. 


This is not on topic, but it is so good I have to share it for those interested. It is an entire video about the dead zone around Chernobyl, especially the wolves that live there. http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/radioactive-wolves/introduction/7108/