May 17, 2021

Discussion outside at the State Capitol this Thursday, May 20, noon, east side

Permalink for this letter. Please forward whole message as desired. Prior letters to this New-Mexico-oriented list.
Previously (04/26/21): Reminder: public briefing, discussion Thurs. Apr 29, 6-8 pm, St. John's UMC, Santa Fe; "How Santa Fe liberals and environmentalists are enabling plutonium pit production at LANL in support of Biden's failing foreign and nuclear policies, and what we can do differently"
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Dear friends --

We hope you are all well.

We hope you can join us for a live discussion on Thursday, May 20, at noon on the east side of the State Capitol in Santa Fe. We will meet for two hours. The program is still evolving, but we hope to devote the first hour and half to an update and discussion -- as thoughtful as we all can manage -- regarding nuclear weapons issues (so important for the future of northern New Mexico) in the context of the other crises we face, especially the climate and related energy and economic crises.

We want to discuss, at least briefly, the fallacy that LANL "jobs" and related growth will benefit our communities, the fallacy that LANL can "diversify" its missions, and the danger of focusing public attention and concern on "LANL cleanup."

But above all we want to talk about what barriers each of us experiences, and what barriers we see around us that block "the next step" in leadership, in whatever form that may take for each of us.

We don't care how many people come to this particular meeting -- whether it is six or sixty. Our primary concern is how we can come to grips with the real situation we share. We need mature understanding and action, first and foremost from ourselves. How can we break through the denial and paralysis around us? What posture shall we take in the public square, what action? You each have insights, applicable specifically and in some measure generally. We are listening.

We cannot do this type of meeting virtually, and we won't be filming or recording it for those who can't come. There will be other opportunities.

Speaking of that, we intend to return to the Capitol or to another central and symbolic location approximately a week later, in greater numbers. For that we are going to ask for your help in outreach. Can you help? Write us now, and/or come on Thursday, if you can. What we do, and plan to do, depends on you.

A handful of friends came to our April 29 meeting, which was certainly safe in the large room we had! We used these highly abbreviated slides (typos included) for the first part of the discussion, which will give you an idea of the general drift of our thought.

There is a lot going on right now. The expansion of LANL is finally getting into the news in a more serious way, although few will have heard of it.

• https://www.abqjournal.com/2388532/lanls-move-to-santa-fe-means-jobs-and-controversy-ex-the-reality-is-that-its-vast-amounts-of-money-and-jobs-make-lanl-with-an-annual-budget-north-of-3-billion-an-irresistible-force.html
• https://www.abqjournal.com/2388567/nuclear-agency-set-sights-on-sf-midtown-campus.html
• https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/lanl-looking-for-100-000-square-feet-to-lease/article_614896d2-af4b-11eb-a840-ab407257b624.html
• https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/report-los-alamos-lab-packed-prohibited-metal-in-sparking-waste-drum/article_293da0dc-b1a5-11eb-9bb0-fba77ee68de6.html

Also, the Regional Coalition of LANL Communities (RCLC) is finally dying. As many of you know, Taos County, and then Santa Fe County, voted to get out, as did the Quality of Life Committee of the City of Santa Fe Governing Body. More shoes will drop soon enough. Many of you helped with that -- some did a great deal. Thank you!

We have just sent off another technical review of some pit production issues to executive branch leaders and congressional experts in Washington, DC. It is all we can do on that front before the detailed Biden budget appears on May 27.

Let's leave the rest for Thursday. Meanwhile please be encouraged, as we are.

Greg and Trish, for the Study Group