by Mary Hladky, PeaceWorks Kansas City, VP Co-Chair and member of the United for Peace and Justice, Coordinating Committee
The Kansas City Nuclear Bomb Plant, officially named the Kansas City Security Campus, is of vital importance in the making of nuclear weapons. This facility is an integral part of the manufacturing chain, producing and procuring over 85% of the non-nuclear parts for US nuclear weapons. Without these parts, nuclear weapons production would cease.
“The US has embarked on the largest and most expensive nuclear build-out ever,” according to an article in the December Scientific American. In its deadly pursuit of the most dangerous weapons on earth, the U.S. Government will double the size of this already massive bomb plant beginning in 2024. With little public notice, the land has been purchased, zoning granted and earth movers are preparing the land for building. Expansion includes 2.5 million square feet of new office, manufacturing and support space as well as adding an additional 1,000 employees to its current 7,800 employees. So much time, energy and trillions of taxpayer dollars invested to kill and destroy life.
The U.S. Government possesses an overflow of nuclear weapons capable of destroying life on earth many times over. There are nine nuclear armed nations, many of whom have already threatened the use of nuclear weapons during conflicts. Due to human error and misunderstandings, the United States & Russia, along with others, have experienced numerous nuclear close calls. We are tempting fate. One of these days “luck” won’t be on our side.
The entire nuclear production system has contaminated, sickened and killed untold numbers of U.S. citizens – men, women, children and babies. The same has happened all over the world, which has led to the new Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
This madness must stop.
Instead of paying people to produce/procure parts that build killer bombs, let these same employees use their knowledge and expertise to reduce global warming. The plant should transition to green energy solutions providing employees with good paying jobs that build a sustainable, more liveable society. Warheads to Windmills has an informative website addressing the climate catastrophe and nuclear war, the two existential threats facing the world.
WE MUST RESIST. Plan to attend the Catholic Workers Resist Nuclear Weapons events April 12-15 here in Kansas City. For those who can attend, April 12-14 are set aside for planning, nonviolence training as well as fellowship. It will conclude on Monday, April 15 with a Day of Action at the plant, alongside PeaceWorks KC, a local affiliate of Peace Action, numerous non-profits, and the people of KC. Details are being finalized and will be posted at www.peaceworkskc.org In the meantime, write a Letter to the Editor, contact your elected officials, and let them know you want your taxpayer dollars spent on improving the living conditions in the U.S. instead of the evil of nuclear weapons.
For further information on the plant’s expansion read the recent Kansas City Business Journal article here.
