Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility

In remembrance of the 75th anniversaries of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, below are some resources relative to the bombings, the effects of nuclear weapons development and testing, and the lasting legacy of 75 years of nuclear weapons.

Oregon PSR and our community partners are in the process of planning the annual Portland-area memorial to the victims of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which this year marks the 75th anniversary of this tragic and preventable loss of human life. Please mark your calendars and plan to join us on Thursday, August 6th beginning at 6:00 PM for 75 Years Later Is Now: Hiroshima, Nagasaki, & Ending the Nuclear Threat, an online event honoring the lives lost to nuclear weapons and exploring how we, together, can create a world free from the threat of nuclear weapons.

July 24th was Maria Landin's last day on staff for Oregon PSR. Maria served for the past 11 months as our Program Associate and Quaker Voluntary Service fellow, and in that short time she accomplished so much and became an integral part of our work for a more healthy, just, and peaceful world. We will miss Maria’s intelligence, passion, and dedication to our work here in Oregon, but we are excited to stay in touch and follow her progress as she engages in graduate studies at the Earlham School of Religion.

Maria's many accomplishments include taking the lead role in organizing our 2020 Greenfield Peace Writing Scholarship, working on immigrant rights as our representative on the One Oregon coalition, adding much-needed staff capacity to our Peace Program and Healthy Climate Program work, and working under difficult and unpredictable circumstances over the last year to further our justice-centered approach to some of the most pressing issues of our time.

Read about Maria’s call to activism, and please join us as we offer our sincere thanks to Maria for her amazing year of service!

Oregon PSR continues to stand in solidarity with the Movement for Black Lives. We want to let you know of some ways to support the huge momentum now to support the demands of the Black Lives Matter movement, and, here in Portland, to center Black Lives while also demanding that the paramilitary troops deployed by Trump immediately leave our city. 

Many actions are posted daily on PDX Black Lives Matter Calendar.

“I do not agree that we have systemic racism in our county. Period,” said Clark County Chair Eileen Quiring during a meeting with county councilors in the Southwest Washington county that encompasses the cities of Vancouver, Camas, Ridgefield, and more.

“A short drive from Portland, thousands of people, a rural health clinic, businesses, and senior housing are without safe tap water, while some places don’t have running water at all.”

That’s what Oregon Public Broadcasting recently reported from the Warm Springs Reservation. 19 new cases of COVID-19 were reported on the reservation last week, making the lack of water and low water pressure even more urgent. The latest shortage is partially attributed to a break near where a repair was made to address the Warm Springs water crisis in 2019, but infrastructure issues have persisted for many years.

In response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and in order to maintain appropriate physical distancing, Oregon PSR has closed our downtown Portland office effective June 25th, 2020.

In March 2020, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued an approval of the Jordan Cove LNG export terminal and Pacific Connector fracked gas pipeline. They did so on the condition that the project owner, Pembina, must get all necessary permits in order to move forward with the project. Thanks to your efforts, along with thousands of more who have followed the leadership of southern Oregonians opposed to the project, Oregon has not issued any of three essential permits for Jordan Cove LNG. Despite this, the federal government is trying to push the project through and threaten landowners with eminent domain.

On July 23rd, 2020, Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility offered this testimony on Police Accountability Legislative Concepts, with a focus on the health impacts of tear gas and flashbang or pressure grenades. We support the concerns raised in the joint testimony submitted by Unite Oregon, PAALF, Urban League, Rose City Justice, and other organizations.

The latest episodes of Prescription for Justice, hosted by Oregon PSR Advisory Board Member Dr. Martin Donohoe, are available online. Please check this page for future updates and episodes.