Activists disrobe to draw attention to Y2K nuke dangers

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Now that's dedication! - Judy

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/examiner/hotnews/stories /04/naked.dtl

Activists reveal naked truth about nuclear catastrophes

By Ray Delgado OF THE EXAMINER STAFF

Monday, October 4, 1999

50 people march nude on Van Ness to draw attention to Y2K dangers

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Some activists get arrested to draw attention to their cause. Others scream and rant in hopes that people will listen.

Some nuclear activists, on the other hand -- well, they get naked.

About 50 people who gathered Sunday night near City Hall for a conference on the potential dangers of Y2K-induced nuclear catastrophes ended the session with a mass nude demonstration along a block of Van Ness Avenue. Desperate for press attention for their cause, they opted to get covered by uncovering.

The nude march was led by Patch Adams, an activist and doctor who inspired the movie based on his lifetime of unconventional approaches to adversity.

"Non-violent people like us really have so few tools to face a capitalist system," Adams told the crowd as they uncomfortably disrobed outside Herbst Theater in the War Memorial Building. "All we really have are ourselves and our ideas. Our ideas have not done the job."

With those words, the crowd whooped and hollered their way out of the building and onto Van Ness for a quick stroll down the street, chanting, "Disrobe for disarmament," and, "News, not nukes."

Along Van Ness Avenue, some cars slowed to gawk and others honked at the protesters, who cheered in response.

The night air was chilly enough to have a noticeable effect on some participants, but there was no shortage of enthusiasm among the participants.

"I'm glad to be a part of a community that is as passionate as I am," said Palo Alto resident Carol Brouillet, a 42-year-old mother of three who has written books on nuclear issues. "I'm glad my husband's not here. He wouldn't do this, but we have different world views."

The conference, titled Creating a Culture of Peace for the 21st Century, was well-attended by interested participants but generated little media interest until Adams and prominent activist Dr. Helen Caldicott called for the nude demonstration. Although many ideas were discussed at the forum, the main thrust of the meeting was the dangers of nuclear accidents occuring on Jan. 1, 2000, if computer systems in countries around the world crash because they are not prepared to handle the date change.

Caldicott warned that some countries are unprepared for the Y2K problem, and she said too little attention is being paid to the dangers and consequences of nuclear fallout. Shedding her own clothes was not easy, she said, but was worth it to call attention to the problem. "To be scared of doing something like this, which is a little thing compared to what's facing us, is just silly," Caldicott said. "It just shows that people are desperate for this cause and will do whatever it takes."

------------------------------------------------------------------------ )1999 San Francisco Examiner

-- Anonymous, October 05, 1999

Answers

Chilly, my foot. It's in the low 30's at night here in the southern lower peninsula in Michigan, and we just turned the furnace on this morning. We have several nukes in our state that aren't "ready" yet. If they're so dedicated, why aren't they having their demonstration here?! ;-D

-- Anonymous, October 05, 1999

"It just shows that people are desperate for this cause and will do whatever it takes."

That's not all it shows. ;-)

-- Anonymous, October 05, 1999


.jpg's. C'mon, we want .jpg's.

Seriously, Ms. Caldicott is very passionate about her cause, and has been for many, many, years. I applaud personal passion about any issue, because that's what makes us human - our true, personal beliefs.

Unfortunately, the intersection between anti-nuclear activism and Y2K issues is only being used to further the cause of anti-nuclear activism, not vice versa. If there were the same passionate beliefs about Y2K on the part of high profile personalities like Helen, Y2K would have been properly dealt with years ago. We wouldn't be sparring about

-- Anonymous, October 05, 1999


That last line should read...

"...wouldn't be sparring about it now".

-- Anonymous, October 05, 1999


"Activists disrobe to draw attention......"

Yep, that oughtta do it.

-- Anonymous, October 05, 1999



There's a difference between getting media attention and actually forwarding the cause you promote. To achieve any success, you need to accomplish both. I think this was an ill-conceived and short- sighted plan and I personally would have expected better from the leaders of this group. Instead of forwarding any rational arguments, I think it only made the group appear to be irrational nutzos to most of those reading the reports, and likely did more damage to the issue than good.

They did get the attention, but I don't think they forwarded their cause.

-- Anonymous, October 07, 1999


Bonne, I wondered about that, too. It certainly wouldn't impress the people who are already concerned and trying to get their concerns taken seriously, but maybe it made a few previously unconcerned people do a mental double-take. I mentioned this event to a DWGI co-worker who isn't easily shocked, and could see that he was shocked, momentarily at least. Unfortunately, these folks probably will be perceived by many as nutzos, as you say, but I admire their courage. - Judy

-- Anonymous, October 07, 1999

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