[Imc-newsroom] Let's Go! Nuke-Bomb Lab Recruiting at UIUC

[Barbara Dyskant]

Hi folks,

Here is something I think is extremely newsworthy and timely.  (I was
interviewed for the WEFT show on this subject  last year)

Would anyone like to help us with this, by writing articles, doing video,
interviews, and making a very visible presence?  I've been talking with
local peace groups (I am both in AWARE and Prairiegreens, and am contacting
other orgs like the PSC, etc.  Depending on the number of people who would
like to come out-- I'm sure we can make a presence.  For one thing, just
leafletting and talking with students as they go in and out will be
productive (and there are other things we can add).  I'll keep you folks
posted as the scenario unfolds.  

In the meantime, any preliminary articles, etc.,  would help for building
this up -- just sharing the information.

Here's the story.

__________________________________________________________________

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory will be recruiting and interviewing
students at  UIUC on February 14th.  This will give  us an EXCELLENT chance to
reach and inform students, get some publicity out about the war machine,
and let the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (which designs and tests
nuclear weapons) know they can't hide from their evil deeds, not even in
Illinois.

I just got a call from a co-member of Tri-Valley Citizens Against
a Radioactive Environment (Tri-Valley CARES) in Livermore, CA, letting me
know about this. Tri-Valley CARES is well known bythe Lab as its nemesis in
Livermore -- --- but I'm sure it won't occur
to them that people OUT HERE know about them and are "on their case".

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is one of the three national
laboraties with the mission of designing and testing nuclear weapons.  It
is a huge place, founded by Edward Teller, "father" of the hydrogen bomb
(he's still there).  They are still pursuing design of new nuclear weapons
(technically forbidden by treaty) under the guise of "stockpile
stewardship" and maintenance, and are pioneering the expensive National
Ignition Facility "NIF", a football-field-sized project ostensibly to
investigate fusion, but that is very usable for nuclear weapons and is
funded by the Department of Defense.  Pollution and radioactive
contamination have been rampant -- and money flows freely to them from the
US government when obviously it's more needed elsewhere.  Under the guise
of "security", information is routinely hidden, although we've gotten a lot
released.

About a year ago, a lively and very brilliant young scientist named Isaac
Trotts resigned from the Lab because he found out that he had been lied to.
He was told his work was to be used only for safety, but after he went to
work there he found that instead his work was being used for bomb-building.
He quit his $85,000 a year job at the Lab (he was about 24) and went on
the stump, talking worldwide to young people, including at college
recruitment events, as to why to avoid working for the war machine.   I met
him when we all were in Washington.  

I've worked with Tri-Valley CARES for about 11 years -- we moved here from
near Livermore..  My son Erek interns at Tri-Valley CARES for 2 to 3 months
every year and we go to the Alliance for Nuclear Accountability  DC Days
each spring.  What I'm saying is -- this issue is
very, very dear to my heart, and obviously is familiar to me.

I'm expecting my friend from Livermore to send me some current literature
aimed at students who are thinking of careers at places like the "Lab", and
more
info on the latest misdeeds of the Lab ---  and of course detailings of our
successes as well.  It should be here in a few days. 

So-- is anyone interested?  

Ready to roll,
Barbara