Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility

The work of Oregon PSR’s Peace Program to ensure healthy communities free from the injustice of war, militarism, racism, and nuclear weapons has rarely felt more urgent. In this time of global pandemic, as our interconnectedness across the planet becomes apparent, the folly of spending exorbitant amounts of money on nuclear weapons rather than meeting basic human needs is starkly visible. Our partners at International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) have created the useful infographic above illustrating the disproportionate spending on nuclear weapons in contrast to the urgent health needs to address the pandemic.

With the submission deadline for our 2020 Greenfield Peace Writing Scholarship having passed, we're delighted to announce the members of this year's judging team and the Keynote Speaker for the April 25th Awards Ceremony. 

Due to the potential health risks posed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this year's awards ceremony is being transitioned into an online virtual event. Please RSVP to receive the login information.

We hope that you will join us, the high school student winners of our 2020 Greenfield Peace Writing Scholarship, and our Keynote Speaker, Wendi Garcia, for an online event reflecting on the intersections of climate justice and immigrant justice. Thank you to the 80 Oregon high school 11th and 12th-grade students who responded to the question "How would an effective movement for climate justice benefit immigrant communities" this year. The student winners will be notified by mid-April.

This online event is free and open to the public and will feature readings of the winning entries and keynote remarks by environmental activist and political asylee Wendi Garcia.

Learn more about this year’s judges and our awards ceremony keynote speaker.

Thank you to our event co-sponsors and endorsers!

                            


Please register in advance for this event. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

We hope that you will join us online on Saturday, April 25^th!

Left to right: Oregon PSR's Dr. Catherine Thomasson, along with Dr. Kambiz GhaneaBassiri, and Sahar Yarjani Muranovic testify in support of a resolution encouraging diplomacy with Iran at Portland City Hall last November (photo by Mike Hastie).

As health professionals and public health advocates, we know that war is never healthy for children or other living things. War between the United States and Iran would be a humanitarian catastrophe, so we must act now to prevent further escalation and save lives.

The Trump administration unilaterally withdrew the US from the Iran Nuclear Deal, which was working as planned to effectively and verifiably prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. The assassination of Suleimani will likely bolster the arguments of those in Iran who advocate for Iran to work harder and more quickly to obtain them. At this moment, we're not just risking potential regional conflict, we're also risking potential nuclear conflict.

As tensions rise, now is the time to raise our voices to say NO to war and YES to diplomacy. 

Call Congress now: Congress must act to prevent another catastrophic war in the Middle East. Oregon Senators Wyden and Merkley have both made statements opposing escalation and insisting on Congressional war powers, as have Congresspeople Blumenauer, Bonamici, and DeFazio. Call and thank them for doing everything they can to prevent war. Unfortunately, Congresspeople Schrader and Walden have been silent. If you live in their districts, call and insist that they speak up for peace, diplomacy, and the Constitution, which gives Congress, not the President, the power to decide to go to war. Even if your congressperson votes for peace, it helps for them to hear from their constituents that we support them as they are hearing from pro-war lobbyists in DC all the time. Congressional switchboard: (202) 224-3131

Update 1/30/20: Two important bills passed the House of Representatives today, largely on party line votes. Oregon Congresspeople Blumenauer, Bonamici, DeFazio and Schrader voted for both while Congressman Walden voted against. Call your congressperson and let them know what you think of their vote.

1. H.R. 2356 - “a bill by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) to repeal the 2002 Authorization to Use Military Force (AUMF), which has been used by administrations of both parties to cover combat in Somalia, Yemen and Iran.” Oregon Congresspeople Blumenauer, Bonamici, DeFazio and Schrader are all cosponsors. 
2. H.R. 5543 - “measure to be offered by Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) is H.R. 5543, a bill with 79 co-sponsors to prohibit US military action against Iran without prior congressional approval.” Oregon Congresspeople Blumenauer, Bonamici, and DeFazio are all cosponsors. 

On November 7th, National PSR hosted the Visionary Leaders Awards Reception and Symposium in Washington, DC. The awards recognize individuals and organizations for their exemplary efforts in advancing nuclear weapons abolition and addressing environmental risks to human health, including the catastrophic consequences caused by climate change, through collaborations that strengthen PSR’s mission.

Among this year’s honorees were Kelly Campbell, Executive Director of Oregon PSR, and Regna Merritt, our recently retired Healthy Climate Program Director. Kelly was also a panelist at an afternoon symposium of Women Leaders on Nuclear Disarmament and Climate Disruption.

On November 13th, 2019, Portland City Council adopted two resolutions in support of peace and diplomacy. Introduced by Commissioner Amanda Fritz, the first resolution puts Portland on record supporting the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and the second one supports diplomacy, not war, with Iran. The resolutions were led by Oregon PSR and the American Iranian Friendship Council and supported by a broad coalition of community organizations.

“Today, we are sending the message to our representatives in Washington, and the national and international community, that the City of Portland is committed to the protection and health of human life and the environment,” explained Commissioner Amanda Fritz, the sponsor of both resolutions. “These resolutions serve as a platform for our community members to see themselves reflected in our values and priorities as a City.”

Dear Oregon PSR Supporter,

This has been a year of transition, growth, and transformative partnerships for Oregon PSR. When I look back at the past year, I am proud to see how we’ve strengthened authentic partnership with communities most impacted by the injustices of climate chaos and nuclear weapons. At the same time, we’ve had more elected officials reaching out to us for our input on policy, as well as more health professionals finding a home for their activism within Oregon PSR. In the face of the overwhelming challenges of our times, I am convinced that Oregon PSR has a critical role to play in building movements for a healthy future.

It is with great pleasure that Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility announces our twelfth annual Greenfield Peace Writing Scholarship. Any 11th or 12th grade Oregon high school student may enter by submitting an original essay, poem, or narrative work (maximum 600 words) in response to the following question: "How would an effective movement for climate justice benefit immigrant communities?"

Oregon PSR expresses our sincere appreciation to everyone who joined us on the evening of Tuesday, August 6th at the Japanese American Historical Plaza for the annual Portland-area Hiroshima and Nagasaki memorial event. This year's event, The Unequal Impacts of Nuclear Weapons: Hiroshima & Nagasaki Memorial 2019, explored the disproportionate impacts that nuclear weapons have had, and continue to have, on women, children, indigenous communities, and communities of color around the world.