VFP Golden Rule Project

Meet & Greet the crew in Minneapolis
2022-09-23 18:00 - 20:30 UTC | CA
Fri Sep 23 22 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Building where the VFP / WAMM Office is located
4200 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis MN 55407
Join the crew, Veterans For Peace and Women Against Military Madness.
From 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm meet and visit with the crew!
Social time and pizza dinner: Bring a salad or dessert to share if you’d like.
Presentations from 7 pm to 8:30 pm
Film: Making Waves: Rebirth of the Golden Rule, followed by a discussion with Helen Jaccard, Golden Rule Project Manager and crew members
Also featuring John LaForge of Nukewatch
Music by indigenous flutist Darren Thompson.
Masks requested, social distancing by choice.
For more information, contact Dave Logsdon, 612-203-9768 or dlvfp27@gmail.com

NEW TIME!! Bon Voyage from Twin Cities, Peace in the Park, A Family Day
2022-09-25 13:00 - 17:00 UTC | CA
Golden Rule will have an Open Boat and potluck picnic in the park – all are invited
Sunday Sept 25 from NEW TIME!!! 11:30 am to 2:30 pm
Crosby Farms Regional Park
2595 Crosby Farm Rd., Saint Paul, MN 55116
AND See the Golden Rule!!
a 5-minute walk away, Watergate Marina (where Golden Rule will be docked)
2500 Crosby Farm Rd, Saint Paul, MN 55116
In the park:
Learn about the story and mission of the Golden Rule
Music by Larry Long and by The String Beans!
Indigenous drumming by Tony Frank!
CHILDREN’S ACTIVITIES!
“Soar Against War”
Enjoy family time assembling, decorating and flying kites and paper airplanes
Draw pictures and color
Please bring chairs or blankets and picnic food or join in the finger-food potluck. (no alcohol allowed in public parks)
The following day Golden Rule sails towards Red Wing.

Red Wing, MN Welcome and Press Conference
2022-09-29 18:00 - 19:00 UTC | CA
Welcome the Golden Rule and crew to Red Wing and see the Golden Rule!
Thu Sep 29 22 from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Levee Park, Red Wing MN 55066
For more information, contact Bill Habedank 651-764-1866 or whabedank@yahoo.com

Peacestock!
2022-09-30 15:00 - 19:00 UTC | CA
Golden Rule crew and speakers will be part of the Peacestock event in Red Wing, MN this year.
Meet the crew and learn about nuclear disarmament and peace.
Fri Sep 30 22 from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Central Park
Downtown Red Wing
Red Wing, MN 55066
For information, contact Bill Habedank 651-764-1866 or whabedank@yahoo.com

Meet the crew, see the boat in Winona, MN
2022-10-03 13:00 - 18:00 UTC | CA
The Golden Rule has just arrived in Levee Park – come visit and get a boat tour!
Levee Park, Winona, MN, 1 to 6 pm

La Crosse
2022-10-05 10:30 - 19:00 UTC | CA
The public is invited to see this historic peace boat, to hear about nuclear issues today, and to learn how we can stop the possibility of nuclear war!

SCHEDULE of EVENTS for October 5, 2022:
10:30-noon, Riverside Park Levee (west end of State Street, near the eagle)
Meet the crew

12:30-1:30, Riverside Park Levee (west end of State Street, near the eagle)
Welcome the Peace Boat, Proclamation by Mayor Mitch Reynolds, presentation by the crew about the boat’s mission and the dangers of nuclear war.

5:30-7:00 pm, Pearl Street Books, 323 Pearl St.
Presentation on the history of the boat, the dangers of nuclear war, and what we can do to stop it.
La Crosse Golden Rule poster-press release

Unity Center in Cedar Rapids
2022-10-06 19:00 - 21:00 UTC | CA
VFP Golden Rule-CR talk 2
The historic rebuilt Golden Rule sailboat has been on missions promoting peace and abolition of nuclear weapons since 2015 and now sails for a nuclear-free world and sustainable future.
The crew is currently traveling down the Mississippi River as part of the Great Loop Voyage with several stops along the way.
Come for this educational session about the current activities and learn what can be done to stop the possibility of nuclear war.
Unity Center of Cedar Rapids, Iowa
3791 Blairs FerryRoad NE
10-6-22 at 7:00 pm

Welcome to Dubuque, Press Opportunities!
2022-10-09 15:00 - 19:00 UTC | CA
Sunday October 9 3:00 to 7:00 pm
(Outdoors at River’s Edge Plaza, enter at far eastern end of River Museum)
3:00 pm: Dubuque Sailing Club flotilla escorts Golden Rule from Lock and Dam #11 to Ice Harbor.
4:00 pm: Golden Rule docks in Ice Harbor to a traditional Marshallese welcome in the plaza between the River Museum and the Ice Harbor. Open Boat until 7 pm (Visit the boat, meet the crew, hear the Golden Rule story)

Open Boat and Children's Activities in Dubuque
2022-10-10 09:00 - 12:00 UTC | CA
Open Boat and Children’s Activities
Monday October 10 9:00 am to 2:00 pm
(Outdoors at River’s Edge Plaza, enter at far eastern end of River Museum)
Open Boat 9 am to 2 pm (Visit the boat, meet the crew, hear the Golden Rule story)
Special children’s activities from 10 am to 12 noon

Celebration of Golden Rule and Dubuque's Marshall Islands Community!
2022-10-10 14:00 - 19:00 UTC | CA
Monday October 10 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm
(Outdoors at River’s Edge Plaza, enter at far eastern end of River Museum)
2:00 to 4:30 Official Program
• Welcome from Mayor Brad Cavanaugh
• Greetings from Marshallese leaders
• Land acknowledgement
• Acknowledgement of Marshallese leaders, Quaker representatives, Dubuque Sailing Club members, Veterans for Peace representatives, National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium leadership, Golden Rule crew, and public officials
• Marshallese music and dance program 1
• The Golden Rule Story (Helen Jaccard)
• Testimony by Marshallese leaders and nuclear test survivors
• Marshallese music and dance program 2
• Solemn remembrance of the original Golden Rule crew members: Albert Bigelow, George Willoughby, William Huntington, David Gale, Jim Peck, and Orion Sherwood (Dubuque Quakers and Sally Willowbee –daughter of George Willoughby, and family members of David Gale) with a Veterans for Peace 11-bell salute.
5:00 to 7:00: Celebration- food and music! Party like it’s 1958 (when Golden Rule tried to visit the Marshall Islands.)

An Evening with Captain Kiko
2022-10-10 19:00 - 21:00 UTC | CA
An Evening With Captain Kiko
Monday October 10 7:00 to 9:00 pm
(Indoors in the Journey Theater, inside the west entrance of the River Museum near the big paddlewheel.)
National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium theater hosts Golden Rule’s Captain Kiko Johnston-Kitazawa, sharing his “Tales of the Golden Rule”. This live event will be of interest to sailors, peace lovers, Golden Rule fans, boat builders, and adventurers of all ages.
Iokwe and Komool Tata! (Greetings and Thank You!)

Bon Voyage, Golden Rule
2022-10-11 08:00 - 08:30 UTC | CA
Tuesday October 11 before 9 am
Get up early and wish the Golden Rule on her way as she continues her 15 month Great Loop cruise!

Clinton Forum
2022-10-12 19:00 - 21:00 UTC | CA
The Golden Rule Project is one of several organizations tabling at the Clinton Community Safety and Education Forum
Oct 12 – doors open at 6:30 PM with panel presentation starting at 7:00 PM

Clinton Community College Auditorium
Clinton Forum

Rogalski Center, Ambrose University, Davenport, IA
2022-10-16 17:30 - 19:00 UTC | CA
Join us at the Gottlieb Room at the Rogalski Center on the St. Ambrose University campus reserved for 5:30-7PM Sunday, Oct 16. Refreshments will be provided.
Meet the crew and the daughter of one of the original 1958 crew of the Golden Rule!

Muscatine Musser Public Library
2022-10-18 19:00 UTC | CA
Join us at Muscatine Musser Public Library
408 E. 2nd St. Muscatine, IA 52761
Tuesday October 18 at 7 pm
Meet the crew and learn about the Golden Rule peace boat, a project of Veterans For Peace!

See the film, “Making Waves, Rebirth of the Golden Rule”

Captain Kiko Johnston-Kitazawa, First Mate Steve Buck, Mary Ann Van Cura and Gina Miranda will talk about their travels on the Golden Rule.

Veterans For Peace will talk about nuclear issues today and how you can help stop the possibility of nuclear war.

Sally Willowbee, whose father was part of the 1958 crew attempting to sail to the Marshall Islands to stop nuclear weapons tests, will talk about how that voyage inspires people to take bold action today.

Keokuk Community Events
2022-10-21 17:00 - 2022-10-22 19:00 UTC | CA
Oct. 21

5 pm Arrival into Keokuk Yacht Club
Welcome!

Oct 22
10 am-4 pm Tours of the boat at the Keokuk Yacht Club

5-8 pm, Potluck at Trinity United Methodist Church, 2330 Plank Road, Keokuk
Veterans Honor Guard, Boy Scouts and Mayor Kathie Mahoney Welcome Golden Rule to Keokuk
Meet & Greet the crew
Film “Making Waves: Rebirth of the Golden rule”
Golden Rule update
Songs by Voices of Worship
Songs by Chuck Mitchell
Discussion: Nuclear Issues Today
Songs by Living Water Ministry Choir
Drumming by Hailstone Society

Ethical Society of St Louis
2022-10-30 15:00 - 17:00 UTC | CA
Celebrate the Arrival of the
“Golden Rule” Anti-Nuclear Sailboat
Now sailing down the Mississippi River
Veterans for Peace is sailing in its campaign for a Nuclear-Free World!
October 30, 2022, 3:00 to 5:00 pm
Ethical Society of St. Louis, Becker Room
9001 Clayton Road, St. Louis, MO 63105
Watch a film about the ship’s mission and its advocacy for a world without nuclear weapons. There will be a pop-up Nuclear Abolition Folk Art exhibit and a panel discussion.
Sponsored by Veterans for Peace & Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom.

Gerry Condon, President of the Golden Rule Committee of Veterans for Peace writes:
I am happy to be sailing for a Nuclear-Free World at a time when people are waking up to the dangers posed by these weapons of mass destruction.
By taking action today to support a negotiated end to the war in Ukraine and the reduction and ultimate elimination of nuclear weapons, we can stop the possibility of nuclear annihilation for good.
The commitment of Veterans for Peace and others to the success of the Golden Rule’s mission is enormous. Hundreds of supporters have planned events, hosted the crew and donated on the upper Mississippi River. We are thankful for these efforts!
Admission is free, but donations will be appreciated!

Warheads to Windmills: addressing the threats of climate and nuclear weapons before it's too late
2024-02-29 16:00 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | CA
Join Veterans For Peace Nuclear Abolition Working Group for a presentation by Dr. Ivana Nikolic Hughes and Timmon Wallis

Thursday Feb 29, 7 pm EST, 6 pm CST, 5 pm MST, 4 pm PST
REGISTER at bit.ly/VFP-Feb-29

Ivana Hughes will speak for 20 minutes or so about climate and nuclear weapons and why both must be addressed with equal urgency.
Timmon Wallis will then speak for 20 minutes or so about building the mass movement that can put an end to these threats.
Followed by questions and discussion.
Dr. Ivana Nikolić Hughes is President of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation and a Senior Lecturer in the Discipline of Chemistry at Columbia University. Dr. Hughes holds a BS with Honors from Caltech, where she studied chemical engineering. Dr. Hughes obtained her PhD from Stanford University, where she was an American Heart Association Pre-doctoral Fellow. She has been a faculty member at Columbia University since 2008 and was awarded the Lenfest Distinguished Columbia Faculty Award for 2020. Her work on ascertaining the radiological conditions in the Marshall Islands has been covered widely. Dr. Hughes currently serves as a member of the Scientific Advisory Group to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
Dr. Timmon Wallis is Executive Director of NuclearBan.US and coordinator of the national Warheads to Windmills Coalition. He has a BA in Human Ecology and a PhD in Peace Studies, and has been writing, teaching and campaigning on the issues of climate and nuclear weapons for many years. His book, Disarming the Nuclear Argument contributed to the negotiations which led to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and earned ICAN its Nobel Peace Prize in 2017. His most recent book, Warheads to Windmills: Preventing Climate Catastrophe and Nuclear War was published in December 2023.

THREE-FOR-CHAPTER PROGRAM WITH 3 ACTIVISTS FOR A NUCLEAR FREE WORLD
2024-07-21 18:30 - 20:00 UTC | CA
THREE-FOR-CHAPTER PROGRAM WITH 3 ACTIVISTS FOR A NUCLEAR FREE WORLD
Fellowship of Reconciliation Seattle, Tacoma, and Olympia, chapters are pleased to present:
“The Golden Rule – Sailing for a Nuclear-Free World and a Peaceful, Sustainable Future,” a presentation by 3 of the activists with the Veterans for Peace Golden Rule project.
ZOOM CONNECTION LINK
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87371368515?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 873 7136 8515, Passcode: [REDACTED]

The Golden Rule peace boat, now a Project of Veterans for Peace, was sailed in 1958 by four Quaker activists who wanted to interfere with US nuclear weapons tests in the Marshall Islands. Arrest of the crew brought about a huge outcry, leading to the Limited Test Ban Treaty of 1963.
The Golden Rule sank in far northern California in 2010 and for 5 years was lovingly restored by Veterans for Peace. Since then, they have sailed from Mexico to Canada, all around the Hawaiian Islands, and around the entire eastern half of the US.
You’ll hear about the history of the Golden Rule, the increasing danger of nuclear war, and what you can do to prevent nuclear annihilation!
Helen Jaccard is co-manager of the Golden Rule Project, a crew member since 2015, and an anti-nuclear activist since 2006. She writes about the environmental cost of war and militarism.
Ms Kim A-Hyun (Shik-Cho) sailed aboard Jonah’s Whale, a Korean sailboat project inspired by the Golden Rule. They sailed for 107 days from Korea to Jeju Island, Okinawa and Taiwan.
Michelle KanoeLehua Marsonette sailed aboard the Golden Rule from Hawai`i to California, having learned about the boat from her uncle, Captain Kiko Johnston-Kitazawa, in 2019. She is now co-manager of the Golden Rule Project.
Info 206-789-5565 or wwfor@wwfor.org

Golden Rule Ambassadors Join Peace Fleet Activists at Seattle Seafair
2024-07-30 | Elliott Bay, Downtown Seattle, Seattle, WA, 98101, United States
Peace Activists to Meet U.S. Navy Fleet at Seafair; Tuesday, July 30, in Elliott Bay
Local activists will stage a water-based nonviolent protest against the glorification of war weapons at the Seattle Seafair festival. Peace activists will meet the U.S. Navy fleet in Elliott Bay. The entire Seafair Fleet Week, featuring militarism and weapons of war, is sponsored by the Boeing Company, the second largest military contractor in the U.S.
This year the Peace Fleet will be joined by the Golden Rule Ambassadors, Zoe Byrd and Michelle Marsonette. In 1958 activists sailed this little boat towards the Marshall Islands to stop nuclear weapons testing. Arrest of the crew in Honolulu sparked worldwide outrage, which helped President Kennedy decide to sign the Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 1963! The 1958 action inspired the founding of Greenpeace and the many peace ships that followed.
Other peace activists will meet on the Seattle waterfront, Pier 62 for a nonviolent demonstration against weapons of war and against environmental harm caused by the U.S. military during Seafair. See Seafair Climate Action, www.seaclimateaction.info.
What: Peace activists at Seafair
When: Tuesday, July 30, Noon, Peace Fleet in Elliott Bay.
Demonstration on land begin at 1 PM
Where: Elliott Bay and Pier 62
For the twenty-third year, peace activists will address the public display of warships and warplanes in our community.
The Golden Rule remains in transit from Eureka, CA since July 29th and expects to arrive in Seattle on Monday, August 4th. We will welcome her and the brave crew in Lake Union at the Center for Wooden Boats when she sails into the marina in her dramatic fashion.
For a tour of the boat, or to inquire about sailing, please contact:
Helen Jaccard, Project Manager
vfpgoldenruleproject@gmail.com
206-992-6364
Why would we demonstrate for peace at a Seattle maritime festival? Because the celebration of warships in our harbor helps bring about the normalcy of modern war.
The fleet arrival at Seafair is a public relations and recruiting event for the U.S. Navy. Previous years have brought Trident nuclear submarines complete with nuclear warheads and Navy warships used to launch Tomahawk cruise missiles. The fleet is displayed for four days in downtown Seattle at tremendous cost to taxpayers while crucial social services in education, health care, and transportation are being cut for lack of funds.
The Peace Fleet is an incarnation of earlier waterborne demonstrations: the People’s Blockade of U.S. Navy vessels carrying munitions during the Vietnam War; and the Peace Blockade near Hood Canal, demonstrating against the arrival of the first Trident submarine, the USS Ohio, at the Trident submarine base at Bangor in 1982.
The Peace Fleet began on August 2, 2000 when the Trident submarine, USS Alabama, arrived in downtown Seattle for Seafair, complete with up to 192 nuclear warheads.
The Peace Fleet this year, as in past years, will require no public funds or public resources.
Contact: Glen Milner (206) 365-7865
Mary Gleysteen (360) 265-1589
Day of the event (206) 979-8319
PR: Peace Fleet
Seafair Climate Action is an alliance of local groups with similar concerns: the need to stop burning fossil fuels that cause climate change, lowering noise pollution, and ending outdated practices glorifying the military. Seafair should instead focus on low carbon ways that represent Seattle’s commitment to clean air and water and a healthy environment for all.
Our effort is composed of members from groups such as South Seattle Climate Action Network, Veterans for Peace Seattle, Extinction Rebellion, 350 Seattle, and other climate and environmentally focused groups and individuals.

Endorsed by

People for Climate Action
Sunrise Movement – Seattle
Climate Action Families
Green Party of Seattle
FACT
Veterans for Peace, Seattle
Extinction Rebellion
South Seattle Climate Action Network
Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action
WA Physicians for Social Responsibility

And more signing on regularly!

Links to information on climate, air quality and health
Outdoor Air Pollution and Health Impacts – Washington Department of Health
https://doh.wa.gov/community-and-environment/air-quality/outdoor-air
Air Quality Targets – Washington Ecology Department
https://ecology.wa.gov/air-climate/air-quality/air-quality-targets
Washington’s air quality implementation plan
https://ecology.wa.gov/Regulations-Permits/Plans-policies/State-implementation-plans
Washington Environmental Health Disparities Map – Washington Department of Health
https://doh.wa.gov/community-and-environment/air-quality/outdoor-air
Seattle climate Goals See p. 139
https://www.seattle.gov/documents/Departments/OPCD/SeattlePlan/OneSeattlePlanDraftPlan2024.pdf
The King County 2020 Strategic Climate Action Plan
https://kingcounty.gov/en/legacy/services/environment/climate.aspx
Current KC Climate Plan actions are described at
https://kingcounty.gov/en/legacy/services/environment/climate/actions-strategies/strategic-climate-action-plan.aspx
Washington Environmental Health Disparities Map – Washington Department of Health
https://doh.wa.gov/community-and-environment/air-quality/outdoor-air
Goals of the Seafair Climate Action Campaign:

Exclude military fighter jet participation from the annual Seafair Air Show
Join with the people of King County to re-create a Seafair that celebrates the region’s community traditions, especially those that help build resilience in the face of the climate crisis
Collaborate with others around the country to call attention to the harmful waste of resources, pollution, and carbon emissions resulting from military airshows

VFP Golden Rule Sailboat Welcome to Seattle
2024-08-05 15:00 - 17:00 UTC | Center for Wooden Boats, 1010 Valley Street, Seattle, CA, 98109, United States
PNW Welcomes Veterans for Peace, Golden Rule Sailboat & Crew!
Captain & Crew are scheduled to arrive on the Golden Rule in Seattle’s Lake Union on Monday August 5, 2024. Golden Rule will be moored on the North wall at the Center for Wooden Boats through August 9th.
Please come out to the waterway or shore to greet the historical boat and welcome the brave crew. Along with the Sailboat, our Volunteers bring messages of Peace and are coming to support your community efforts with their commitment to a Nuclear-Free World and a Peaceful, Sustainable Future.
Follow Goldy around the Pacific Northwest from the water, on land, or with your favorite internet device from HERE!
WELCOME PROGRAM: 3PM
BE OUR GUESTS: August 7th, 8th, and 9th at the Center for Wooden Boats!
Veterans for Peace wants you to experience sailing on the Golden Rule! Register for Guest Sailing opportunities from the website: HERE!

Sign Letter to be Delivered to President Trump
2025-01-02 - 2025-01-22 | The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, 20500, United States
A letter initiated by Warheads to Windmills is circulating for signatures and will be delivered to President Donald Trump on January 22, 2025, on the 4th anniversary of the U.N. Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons entry into force. Signatures will be accepted through January 20, 2025. Please share widely!
ORGANIZATION SIGN ON
INDIVIDUAL SIGN ON
January 22, 2025
Dear President Trump,
You have many problems to address as you enter the White House, but according to the assessment you gave to Sean Hannity on December 3, 2024, “nuclear weapons are the biggest problem we have.”
NUCLEAR WEAPONS ARE TOO BIG A RISK
Your biggest problem includes the risk of an escalation to nuclear war at any moment in Europe, the Middle East, the Korean Peninsula, South Asia, or the South China Sea. It includes the ever-present risk of a full-scale nuclear exchange between the U.S. and Russia that could be triggered by simple human or computer error, a cyberattack, miscalculation or misunderstanding on either side.
Mr. President, so long as these weapons remain in the arsenals of any country, there is a steadily increasing risk that they will be used. And despite decades of research and billions of dollars of investment, there is no guaranteed way to protect America from even a single incoming nuclear missile.
NUCLEAR WEAPONS ARE RIDICULOUSLY EXPENSIVE
Nuclear weapons are also one of the most expensive items in the entire federal budget. As Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy pointed out in their November 20, 2024, article in the Wall Street Journal, the Pentagon is awash with cost overruns and failed audits. And one of the biggest expenditures within the Pentagon budget is for a whole new generation of nuclear weapons.
Of course, these costs are spread across a large number of line items, not only in the DOD budget but also in the DOE budget. Altogether, the current plan is to spend at least $1.7 trillion over the next 30 years to upgrade every element of the U.S. nuclear weapons arsenal. It is likely to end up costing significantly more than that. This is all for weapons that we would be better off without and cannot even use.
NUCLEAR WEAPONS CANNOT BE USED TO WIN WARS
Mr. President, you yourself asked the very important question during your first term: “Why do we have nuclear weapons if we can’t use them?” Well, the truth is, we can’t use them unless we want to risk an all-out nuclear war in which millions, if not billions, would die and no one would emerge victorious.
Even if nuclear weapons landed only on other countries, we here in the United States would still suffer the consequences. That’s because the radioactive debris from a nuclear blast rises into the upper atmosphere and can circulate the entire globe before coming down as radioactive fallout weeks or even months later. Even if winds did not carry the immediate fallout towards the U.S. or our troops in other parts of the world, the long-term fallout would certainly affect us here.
And on top of the radioactive fallout, the soot rising up from smouldering cities and military facilities is likely to create freezing temperatures in some of the key grain-growing regions of the world, including the Great Plains. This could lead to millions more Americans dying from starvation over subsequent years.
NUCLEAR WEAPONS ARE A GRAVE THREAT TO NATIONAL SECURITY
And despite what your national security experts may tell you, eliminating nuclear weapons would not damage the national security of the United States in any way. As you know very well, the United States has the most advanced, most powerful conventional (non-nuclear) armed forces in the world — by far.
None of our potential adversaries can come close to threatening the United States with their conventional forces. It is only their nuclear weapons that pose any threat at all to the United States. With nuclear weapons, even an extremely poor country like North Korea is capable of threatening the United States.
And the longer this problem goes unresolved, the more other countries are going to want nuclear weapons and are going to find a way to acquire them, making the United States increasingly more insecure as a result. With no nuclear weapons anywhere in the world, the United States would be significantly more secure than it is today.
NUCLEAR WEAPONS ARE NOT AN EFFECTIVE DETERRENT
Mr. President, the whole rationale for maintaining an arsenal of nuclear weapons is supposedly because they are the ultimate deterrent. And yet our possession of nuclear weapons clearly did not prevent the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. Nor has Russia’s possession of nuclear weapons prevented the United States from arming and supporting Ukraine.
Since 1945, the U.S. has fought wars in Korea, Vietnam, Lebanon, Libya, Kosovo, Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and elsewhere. Possession of nuclear weapons did not “deter” any of those wars, nor indeed did possession of nuclear weapons ensure that the US won any of those wars.
Threats to use nuclear weapons are meaningless unless they are carried out. And they are never carried out for the very simple reason that to do so would be an act of suicide and what political leader would make that choice?
NUCLEAR WEAPONS CAN BE ELIMINATED
The reality is that there is nothing technically standing in the way of eliminating all nuclear weapons from just nine countries that have them. Other weapons of mass destruction have been largely eliminated from the world’s arsenals already. But it requires initiative from the United States to make it happen. And that requires a President willing to show leadership on this issue.
You could, for instance, decide tomorrow to sign, on behalf of the United States, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW or “Nuclear Ban Treaty”), inviting the other eight nuclear-armed nations to join you in signing it.
The act of signing this treaty does not by itself commit the United States to anything other than the goal of eliminating nuclear weapons — a goal we have been committed to for over 50 years. Treaty obligations only kick in after ratification by the Senate, which leaves ample time to negotiate the details of a verifiable disarmament process with those other eight countries.
And yet, signing the Nuclear Ban Treaty would be the single most powerful thing you can do as President to kick-start the elimination of these weapons. Mr. President, you could win the Nobel Peace Prize for doing this, and the whole world would celebrate the lifting of this existential threat hanging over us all.
Mr. President, we, the undersigned organizations and individuals, urge you to address this, your biggest problem, as soon as possible. Please let us know how we can help you in this endeavor.
Sincerely yours,
ORGANIZATION SIGN ON
INDIVIDUAL SIGN ON

March 1: Nuclear Victims Remembrance Day
2025-03-01 10:00 - 18:00 UTC | Wharfinger Building, One Marina Way, Eureka, 95501, United States
Nuclear Victims Remembrance Day
Nuclear Victims Remembrance Day
📅 Saturday, March 1, 2025
⏰ 10:00 AM – Commemoration Speaker
📍 Wharfinger Building, 1 Marina Way, Eureka, CA
Balcony overlooking the Golden Rule on Marina’s A Dock
(If weather is too wet/cold, we’ll move to the Humboldt Yacht Club)
⏰ 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM Dockside Boat Tours and possibly sailing
📍 A dock, Eureka Public Marina, 1 Marina Way, Eureka, CA
After the commemoration, the Golden Rule will be open for tours! Come aboard and learn more about this iconic vessel’s history and mission.
As weather and space permits, we’ll also offer sailing opportunities throughout the day. Guests can register for available sailing times on our HERE
⏰ 5:00 PM – Cocktail hour at the Humboldt Yacht Club
📍 Wharfinger Building, 1 Marina Way, Eureka, CA
– Entrance door on 2nd floor, next to the Bay
We’re thrilled to invite you to the Humboldt Yacht Club’s private cocktail hour near the home port of the Golden Rule. This is a great opportunity to connect with fellow community members and boaters.
– Drink Donations: $5 (proceeds go to the Humboldt Yacht Club).
– Special Guests: You’re invited as our community guests!

Join us for a powerful and moving commemoration as we remember the victims of the Castle Bravo nuclear test on March 1, 1954 and all nuclear victims. This event marks the 71st anniversary of the largest nuclear weapon ever tested by the United States—a test that exposed the Marshall Islands to devastating radioactive fallout.

This nuclear bomb had a yield over twice what the scientists expected and the wind blew the fallout over populated Marshall Islands. The radiation left a population affected then and now by birth defects, cancers, and the inability to grow food and eat the fish.

Remembering All Nuclear Victims
On March 1 each year we remember the victims of radiation – from the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs, uranium mining/milling/processing, nuclear weapons testing and depleted uranium use.

The Golden Rule’s Connection
As the public became aware of the radiation caused by nuclear weapons testing, the Golden Rule’s original crew set sail in 1958 to interfere with the testing and raise public awareness.
As we gather on the balcony overlooking the Golden Rule in Humboldt Bay, we’ll reflect on the boat’s historic mission and its ongoing commitment to nuclear abolition.

March 2: Golden Rule Film Festival
2025-03-02 14:30 - 18:30 UTC | Humboldt Coastal Nature Center Friends of the Dunes, 220 Stamps Lane, Arcata, CA, 95521, United States
⏰ Doors Open at 2:30 PM | Films Begin at 3:00 PM
We’re thrilled to announce the very first Golden Rule Film Festival—a special event to celebrate the Golden Rule’s incredible voyages and it’s mission to abolish nuclear weapons and war.
Fifteen years ago, dozens of businesses and individuals in Humboldt County came together to restore the Golden Rule, both the physical boat and her anti-nuclear mission. We are forever grateful for your dedication and hard work. When the Golden Rule was re-launched ten years ago, we began the educational work that the restoration team envisioned.
Featured Films
🎥 WORLD PREMIERE: The Journey for Peace
Directed by Nolan Anderson, this film captures the Golden Rule’s historic 2021 ocean crossing from Ala Wai Harbor in Waikiki, Hawaii, to Berkley, California. Relive the challenges, triumphs, and breathtaking beauty of this epic voyage.
🎥 Powerful Journey of the Golden Rule Boat / Passionate Living S5 E18
Directed by Cat Miller, this film features an interview with Captain Kiko Kitazawa-Johnston and highlights the Golden Rule’s 2023 Great Loop Voyage.
🍿 Intermission
Enjoy complimentary beverages and snacks, generously provided by our community partners.
Live Presentation
🌊 Golden Rule 2024 Pacific Northwest Voyage
Hear firsthand stories and see stunning pictures from the crew as they share their experiences from this inspiring journey.
🤝 Connect with fellow peace advocates, sailors, and supporters of the Golden Rule’s mission.
Why Attend?
This event is more than just a film festival — it’s a celebration of the Golden Rule’s legacy and a call to action for a nuclear-free, peaceful world. Whether you’re a longtime supporter or new to the Golden Rule’s story, this is your chance to be part of something truly special.
Get Involved
🌟 Volunteer: Help us make this event a success!
🌟 Donate: Your support helps keep the Golden Rule sailing and spreading its message of peace.
❤️ Donate button at https://vfpgoldenruleproject.org
🌟 Spread the Word: Share this event with your friends and family!
📲 RSVP on Facebook and let us know you’re coming!
We can’t wait to see you there! 🌊⛵️☮️
Special Note – To See the Golden Rule Peace Sailboat on 3/2:
⛵️ 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM Dockside Boat Tours and/or Sailing [Dock A, Eureka City Marina]
As weather and space permits, we’ll offer tours of the boat and also offer sailing opportunities. Guests can register for available sailing times on our website: https://vfpgoldenruleproject.org/guest-crew/

Golden Rule 10-Year Anniversary!
2025-06-14 14:00 - 17:00 (Asia/Shanghai) | Eureka Theater, 612 F Street, Eureka, CA, 95501, United States
Sailing for a Nuclear-Free World Since 2015!
📣 IMPORTANT UPDATE: VENUE CHANGE
Due to a scheduling conflict at the boatyard, we are relocating the 10-Year Anniversary Celebration to the historic Eureka Theater (612 F Street, Eureka) — a beautiful, accessible downtown venue!
🕑 New Time & Location:
Saturday, June 14 | 2:00–6:00 PM
Eureka Theater – 612 F Street
🎟️ Still FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC – donations welcome!
🎉 Updated Program Includes:
2:00 PM — Doors Open
2:30 PM — Helen Jaccard: 10 Years Sailing for a Nuclear-Free World
2:45 PM — Raging Grannies perform
3:00 PM — The Golden Rule: The Journey for Peace film + Q&A
4:00 PM — Passionate Living TV Golden Rule episode + Q&A
5:00 PM — Live music by Anna and the Situation
6:00 PM — Doors Close (theater is flexible for cleanup)
🍰 Golden Rule-themed birthday cake
🍻 No-host bar with beer, wine, and cider
📢 Please share this update widely with anyone you know who’s planning to attend! Thank you for being part of this meaningful celebration.
Join Veterans For Peace in celebrating 10 years since the historic relaunch of the Golden Rule Peace Boat! Since her splashdown on June 20, 2015, the Golden Rule has sailed over 20,000 miles around North America and Hawai’i, carrying the message of a peaceful, sustainable, and nuclear-free future.
🌍 This year, our celebration aligns with global “No Kings Day” actions, where communities across the U.S. are rising in solidarity for democracy, peace, and human dignity. We honor all who stand for a future free of militarism and domination, on land and at sea.
🧭 The Golden Rule was rebuilt right here in Humboldt Bay (2010–2015) by a determined community of veterans and peace activists. Come celebrate the grassroots spirit that keeps her sailing strong!
📞 More Info: Michelle at (541) 971-9077

Veterans For Peace Golden Rule Sailboat Welcome to San Francisco Celebration
2025-08-05 10:00 - 12:00 UTC | PIER 39, The Embarcadero, San Francisco, 94133, United States
Join us at Pier 39 Marina on Monday, August 5 to welcome a living legend of the peace movement: the Golden Rule, a historic anti-nuclear sailboat owned by Veterans For Peace and crewed by volunteers, returns to San Francisco Bay to launch a month-long Peace Voyage for nuclear disarmament and justice across the region.
This Is a Call to Action:
The August 5 Welcome Ceremony is more than a photo-op. It’s a bold opportunity to show the world that San Francisco still stands for peace and for a nuclear-free future. Whether you’re a longtime activist, a first-time supporter, or someone moved by the legacy of resistance, we want you there to help us make this a high-energy, high-visibility launch to a historic Bay voyage.
The Golden Rule is a 34-foot wooden ketch with a global message: We can’t bomb our way to peace, especially not with nuclear weapons. She’s sailed over 22,000 miles in opposition to militarism, nuclear destruction, and environmental collapse. Now she returns to San Francisco, one of the nation’s most iconic centers of protest and possibility.
This ceremony is the kickoff to a month of public sails, film screenings, school visits, and peace actions throughout the Bay, all rooted in a clear message: No more nukes. No more war. The future is ours to reclaim.
Let’s show up strong and send this crew forward with the love, power, and people’s vision they deserve.

Whale Vigil to Memorialize Bay Area Whale Deaths, Demand Action
2025-08-18 11:00 - 17:00 UTC | Shorebird Park, 160 University Ave, Berkeley, CA, 94710
BERKELEY, Calif. – Conservation and peace groups will gather Monday with whale lovers to honor the many whales that have recently been killed in the Bay Area. They will also call attention to the ship strike, entanglement and climate risks whales face as a result of human activity.
“The Whale Vigil reminds us that peace is caring for each other, for the whales, and for the waters that sustain all life. Golden Rule sails to honor those bonds and to protect what is sacred.” ~ Michelle KanoeLehua Marsonette, Project Manager, Veterans For Peace Golden Rule Project
What: Rally and press conference calling attention to whale deaths. Speakers will commemorate the whales and call for action.
Visuals will include signs and banners, inflatable whales and gravestones on the beach to symbolize the whales that have died. The Golden Rule sailboat will be behind the speakers in the water, with a “Save Whales, Stop Ship Strikes” banner.
When: Rally and speakers at 11 a.m. Monday, Aug. 18. Opportunity to board the Golden Rule peace sailboat for a floating vigil and tour around the Bay at 12 p.m. Please R.S.V.P. specifically for the sailboat tour if interested.
Where: Shorebird Beach at Shorebird Park, Berkeley Marina, 160 University Ave., Berkeley, CA, 94710
Who: Speakers and attendees from Veterans for Peace, the Marine Mammal Project of Earth Island Institute, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Turtle Island Restoration Network, Resource Renewal Institute, Environment California and representatives from the offices of state and federal California legislators.
Background
At least 24 whales have washed up dead on Bay Area beaches in 2025 alone, and at least eight of those were likely killed by ship strikes. According to scientists, the actual number of whale ship strikes could be up to 20 times higher than those recorded, because many whales sink after being struck. Ship strikes threaten several whale species, and off California’s coast they are a leading cause of death for gray, blue, fin and humpback whales. One study estimated that about 80 whales are killed by ship strikes off the West Coast each year.
WHALE VIGIL MEMORIAL VOYAGE LIVE TOUR

Reach and Teach Film & Community Gathering
2025-08-26 19:00 - 20:30 UTC | Reach & Teach, 1179 San Carlos Ave, San Carlos, 94070-2417, United States
Join us for a special evening with the Golden Rule Peace Boat, a project of Veterans For Peace, as part of its San Francisco Bay voyage for peace, nuclear disarmament, and justice.
Program includes:
Screening of Golden Rule: The Journey for Peace (dir. Nolan Anderson) – a moving new documentary about the historic sailboat that helped spark the worldwide movement against nuclear weapons. (see trailer: Golden Rule YouTube Channel)
Guest Speakers:
Gerry Condon – Veterans For Peace, Golden Rule Committee Chair, raised in San Mateo and Dr. Dylan Spaulding – Senior Scientist, Global Security Program, Union of Concerned Scientists. Dylan will also help crew the Golden Rule back to Humboldt Bay at the end of August.
The Golden Rule has been sailing across the U.S. to raise awareness about the urgent need for nuclear disarmament, peace, and justice, from the 80th anniversaries of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, to the ongoing genocide in Gaza, to militarization in our own cities.
💬 “The Golden Rule carries a message for all generations: that peace, disarmament, and justice must be charted together.” – Michelle KanoeLehua Marsonette, Project Manager
Cost: Free · Donations welcome to support the voyage
👉 Don’t miss this powerful gathering of community, learning, and hope for a nuclear-free world.
Hosted by: Veterans For Peace Golden Rule Project, Peace Action of San Mateo County, and Reach & Teach

San Francisco Bon Voyage Celebration
2025-08-27 18:00 - 20:30 UTC | Veterans War Memorial Building, Room 221, 401 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, United States
Bon Voyage Celebration for the Golden Rule Peace Boat
Hosted by Veterans For Peace Golden Rule Project & VFP Chapter 69 (San Francisco)
📍 Location: Veterans War Memorial Building, Room 221
401 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco (next to Opera House, Civic Center)
Join us for a fitting farewell to the crew of the legendary Golden Rule Peace Boat after her powerful and successful voyage throughout the San Francisco Bay!
Over the past weeks, the Golden Rule has:
⛵ Held multiple events in San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, Richmond, San Mateo, and San Carlos
🤝 Sailed with community allies including Code Pink, Task Force on the Americas, Sonoma VFP 71, San Francisco VFP 69, the Center for Biological Diversity, the People’s Arms Embargo, the “Comfort Women” Justice Coalition, and the ANSWER Coalition
🌍 Made new friends and forged critical connections in the struggle for peace and justice
Evening Schedule
6 PM Potluck: bring food to share, build community!
Film Screening Golden Rule: The Journey for Peace (34 min) a beautiful new documentary about the boat’s inspiring mission. (see trailer: Golden Rule YouTube Channel)
Special Guest Speaker:
Jackie Cabasso (Western States Legal Foundation) reporting on her recent visit to Japan for the 80th anniversary commemorations of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Surprise Guest Speaker! (Who could it be? 👀)
Reflections from groups who sailed with the Golden Rule in the Bay this month.
We Sail for Peace – Abolish Nuclear Weapons and War – Stop U.S./Israeli Genocide in Gaza – No War on Iran or China – No ICE or Troops in Our Streets – Save the Whales – End Human Trafficking – Justice for and Liberation for all we stand in Solidarity with!
💸 Free Event – Donations Welcome!
Support the ongoing voyage of the Golden Rule Peace Boat and the mission of Veterans For Peace.
📞 More Info: Michelle at 541-971-9077
📧 vfpgoldenruleproject@gmail.com
✨ Come share food, solidarity, and vision. Let’s send the Golden Rule forward on her mission for peace with the collective love and power of San Francisco Bay! ✨
