What I’m thankful for this Thanksgiving

 What I’m thankful for this Thanksgiving

 

When I enjoy Thanksgiving dinner this Thursday, my 81st in a long and peaceful life, I'll be thankful the world has not stumbled into nuclear war.

 

Don't remember my first Thanksgiving, November 22, 1945, as I was only 8 months old. But on that day Japanese civilians were still dying, suffering horribly amid their  ruined cities from America’s unnecessary atomic bombings.

 

Learned about them in 1951 and have been haunted by their images ever since. We were warned by our government that nuclear war could break out any moment with new US arch enemy Soviet Russia. We practiced Duck and Cover in school, a well-intentioned but ludicrous exercise in futility.

 

Still remember the 13 days of Cuban Missile Crisis as a high school senior. Pondered if I’d get thru the school day without mushroom clouds appearing, and whether I’d awake the next morning.

 

Welcomed JFK’s pivot to peace and disarmament afterwards. Some progress with nuclear treaties followed. The Soviet Union dissolved. Both presaged less likelihood of nuclear Armageddon

 

But America squandered that momentum. Today, the risk of nuclear war may be greater than any time since that 1962 Missile Crisis. The US dumped 3 nuclear treaties with Russia and on the cusp of exiting the last one, New Start, next February. We’re at war with Russia in Ukraine for 4 years as well. Even tho Ukraine is doing all the dying, our near $200 billion in weapons and support keep the specter of it going nuclear every day it continues.

 

What’s changed since I listened to our government warn me about imminent nuclear war back in 1951? The saddest, most irresponsible thing of all….it’s no longer warned about; indeed not even mentioned.

 

So this Thanksgiving I’ll pause for just a moment amid the family camaraderie and give thinks we’ve dodged the nuclear bullet once again to enjoy another Thanksgiving.

 

Walt Zlotow, West Suburban Peace Coalition, Glen Ellyn IL