(A six-step program for recovery from nuclear weapons ‘addiction’)

For Individuals

The Nuclear Ban Treaty outlaws and condemns everything to do with nuclear weapons. What does it mean for you or I to ‘comply’ with such a treaty? How can one person be in compliance (or not) with an international treaty that is between countries? And what have nuclear weapons got to do with you?

To completely eliminate nuclear weapons from the face of the earth, we must first come to terms with what that means

It means that companies which produce nuclear weapons or parts for nuclear weapons will need to produce other products if they want to survive. It means that the companies and contractors which supply those companies will need to find other customers to survive. It means that the workers in those companies will need to be re-skilled and re-deployed to stay in employment. It means that the banks and pension funds and other financial institutions and private investors will need to shift their funds out of those companies and into other non-nuclear weapons activities. It means that the communities which rely on these companies and on the federal funding which comes into those communities for nuclear weapons work will need to find other sources of income to survive.

Most importantly, what it means to eliminate nuclear weapons from the face of the earth is that all of us will need to think differently about our role in the world and how we relate to other countries and how we ‘defend’ ourselves against threats and dangers we may face as a country. As individuals, that is our first challenge.

It sounds simple and straightforward to renounce everything to do with nuclear weapons as an individual, since you probably do not consciously have anything to do with nuclear weapons unless you actually work in the nuclear weapons industry.

 

Of course, in one very important way, we are all complicit with the nuclear weapons industry.

If we pay federal income tax, since that is where the money comes from to build and maintain these weapons. Every family in the United States pays, on average, about $500 a year towards the US nuclear weapons program through their taxes.

A small number of very dedicated ‘war tax resisters’ refuse to pay this tax (or choose to live below the taxable level to avoid paying it). However, for most of us, that is not a viable option and is, in any case, illegal. For the purposes of complying with the Nuclear Ban Treaty, what we are required by law to pay in tax is considered part of what lies ‘outside our jurisdiction or control’ and therefore we are not addressing that right now.

But in what ways might we be supporting the nuclear weapons industry that are within our jurisdiction or control?

Do you personally have investments that might be going directly to companies involved in the nuclear weapons business? Do you keep your money in a bank or fund that might be investing or supporting any of those companies? Do you buy goods or services for your home or business that might be from any of those companies? 

 

The first step in Personal Treaty Compliance is to proclaim your intention to comply with the Treaty, as best you can, within what is under your legal ability to control. That part is easy – it is a matter of will, is this what you want to be doing or not?

To actually be ‘certified’ Personally Treaty Compliant requires going through a few more steps to determine whether you are already compliant, and if not, what you need to do to become compliant.

Step 1: Making a Personal Proclamation of Intent to comply with the Nuclear Ban Treaty:

This is the easy step and you can do this right now! It is also hugely important in itself, since it sends a message to others that we want to comply with this Treaty, even if in the end, we may be unable to.

Sample Proclamation: I, _______________________, hereby proclaim my intention to comply with the Nuclear Ban Treaty, so far as I am able legally and in relation to those things that are within my control. This is a commitment to go through the process of figuring out how to remove from my life everything that supports the continued existence of nuclear weapons.

Step 2: Joining a Treaty Compliance Campaign group to support you through the process of becoming Treaty compliant:

If a local campaign group does not exist near you, we can help you find the nearest one or help you set one up. Your group will learn together (we can recommend books, movies and websites). Your group will help each other through the rest of the process and be responsible for verifying each other as Treaty Compliant.

Step 3: Putting together a Personal Declaration of Non-Compliance which lists what you would have to change to be Treaty compliant:

This may be a fairly easy step or it may be more complicated, depending on your situation. Worksheets will help you check whether you have any connections to the companies which produce nuclear weapons or to the banks which finance them. This can be done with your group but can also be confidential.

Step 4: Producing a Personal Compliance Action Plan that spells out how you would make those changes:

Depending on what is in your Declaration, this step involves working out in detail when and how you would remove yourself from those investments or activities.

Step 5: Making a Personal Commitment to Implement the Plan:

This is where you make the commitment that is not required of you in Step 1 – are you ready to actually implement your Plan to become Treaty Compliant? This is where you take the steps to divest from certain companies, to inform companies you will not be doing business with them, to change your job if necessary, etc.

Step 6: Becoming Certified Personally Treaty Compliant:

If you make it this far and have implemented your Compliance Plan to the extent you are able, your group can verify that you are now ‘Treaty Compliant’ and you will receive your official Certificate of Treaty Compliance.

IMPORTANT: At any point in this process, you can help your business, workplace, school, faith community or other organizations go through the process of becoming Treaty Compliant. You can start or support the process at the town/city or state level. And you can help educate everyone through social media, local media and events.