Page 6 RAIN May 1982 PEACE & WAR "The Case Against Nuclear Energy," special cartoon issue of the New Internationalist, August 1981, $1.75 per copy, $25.00 for orders of 25 copies, from: New Internationalist 113 Atlantic Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11201 Have you ever been disgusted by contact with one of those "friendly atom" comic books so generously distributed by your local utility in the interest of public education? Here is an effective counter-attack from our side! The attractive format and clearly presented facts (drawn from such sources as Amory Lovins' Soft Energy Paths and Anna Gyorgy's No Nukes) make this an excellent introduction to the implications of a nuclear society for adult readers as well as children. It is also an excellent introduction to the New Internationalist, which regularly provides some of the most provocative and stimulating information available anywhere on such world development topics as resource exploitation in Third World countries, arms control, food distribution, the changing roles of women and the skewed relationships between rich nations and poor. —John Ferrell Makers of the Nuclear Holocaust: A Guide to the Nuclear Weapons Complex ^ and Citizen Action, by the Nuclear Weapons Facilities Task Force, American Friends Service Committee and Fellowship of Reconciliation, 1981,25 pp., $1.25 (inquire for bulk prices) from: Fellowship of Reconciliation Box 271 Nyack, NY 10960 or American Friends Service Committee 1660 Lafayette Denver, CO 80218 Compiled by over 40 citizen groups across the country. Makers of the Nuclear Holocaust brings reality to an element of American life made abstract by political jargon and largely veiled from public view. Informative descriptions on every conceivable dimension of the nuclear arms program are given, from design to deployment. Organizing tips for investigating the presence of nuclear stockpiles, flow charts on weapon production systems, and graphs depicting world military and social expenditures add texture and depth to this important, fact-filled booklet. Moving beyond the usual arguments for ACCESS global peace and stressing the increasing health risks of nuclear weapons plants, the authors underline the need for local economic conversion planning as part of the campaign to halve production of nuclear weapons. A study by the California Department of Labor found that almost all nuclear weapons manufacturing jobs examined could be shifted to peaceful applications. More studies on the conversion potential of nuclear weapons facilities to non-nuclear uses are needed, however. William Winpisinger of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers emphasizes the point: "Until the fears of the nation's 2.5 million defense production workers in private industry can be constructively alleviated and their employment security assured, it may well be impossible to consider arms and military control measures and the defense budget on their merits." This essential and practical handbook closes with a listing of active weapons facilities conversion groups across the country. Information on the Nuclear Weapons Facilities Task Force, a network of organizations and individuals working locally and nationally on disarmament, is available from the Fellowship of Reconciliation and the American Friends Service Committee. —Laura Stuchinsky "Conversion Organizing," WIN Special Issue/Reprint, July 1,1981, $1.00 each, $.50 for 10 or more (add 20% for p&h), from: WIN Magazine 326 Livingston St. Brooklyn, NY 11217 If you know in your heart that the Administration's military build-up threatens economic (as well as national) security, but you still find yourself sucked into buttered gun arguments because you don't have a peaceful, prosperous alternative to propose, send for a stack of this special issue on conversion organizing. Converting the workplaces and communities that depend upon sometimes lucrative but often unstable military contracts to economically resilient, sustainable, non-military production is an essential element of any effort to free us from the roller coaster of destruction. The highlight of this publication is a listing of resources for organizers compiled by Dave McFadden of the Mid-Peninsula Conversion Project [seeRAIN VI:6). Along with articles on working with labor (an obvious key to successful conversion strategies) and national conversion organizing, there are stories of local conversion work in Missouri, Massachusetts, Colorado, California, Washington and the United Kingdom. Conversion organizing is some of the most important work that needs doing these days. If you're interested in helping out in your community, also get in touch with the Conversion Information Center, Council on Economic Priorities, 84 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10011, 212/691-8550. Californians should contact: Democrats for Peace Conversion, 372 W. Bay Ave., Suite A-201, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, 714/642-7721. —Mark Roseland Fear Into Action Interhelp 330 Ellis Street, Rm. 505 San Francisco, CA 94102 415/673-5433 The psychological impact of nuclear issues has been put on the agenda. A network of activists, spanning the country and extending abroad, is actively conducting workshops, offering guest speakers, and publishing literature. Th^e basic premise rests on the idea that the constant barrage of disaster-impending news and daily violence in our lives immobilizes people. By acknowledging and expressing the depths of those feelings— fear, despair, rage, and pain—people can begin to move beyond feelings of powerlessness and numbness into action. Organized two years ago. Interhelp uses nuclear issues to reach out to a broad spectrum of the population: school children, religious leaders, organized labor, low-income organizations, and universities. Without advocating a specific political approach. Interhelp leaders support the formation of affinity groups, train leaders, and help individuals move from hopelessness to helpfulness. The national office is in the midst of launching a new newsletter (its name as yet undetermined) to serve as a vehicle for internal debate, information sharing on techniques and exercises, and updates on the nuclear movement at-large. The first issue will be free and can be obtained through Myra Levy at the national office. A regional journal, entitled Evolutionary Blues, is also in the making. The first issue of the fledgling /'quarterly," 60 pages long, was published in the fall of 1981. The second installment is due sometime this spring. Individual copies of both issues are available for $4.00 each from Evolutionary Blues, do David Hoffman, 1027 De Haro, San Francisco, CA 94107. —Laura Stuchinsky
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