A Day After

     Today, 64 years ago, the world got it's first glimpse of the aftermath left by the first nuclear weapon. It was horrifying.
     Yesterday was the 64th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima. A survivor, who was a 10 year old girl at school during the explosion, described it as "the end of the world." By all means that should be a glaring reminder of the evil unleashed on the world through nuclear proliferation and its very real possibilities. In an age where our weapons are hundreds of times more powerful and we have thousands more of them, we need to take this remembrance to heart. We are in the midst of a new Cold Era, though it is hot when considering Iraq (US use of depleted Uranium muntions) and the Taliban (actively seeking atomic weapons through the use of dirty bombs). Iran and other hostile middle eastern countries are dead set on obtaining nuclear weapons. Israel already has them, will not leave Gaza alone and is making every possible effort to take the hard line against its opponents. North Korea has just restarted it's nuclear program; they will soon have a new leader, with his own agenda, own politics and who knows what his temperament will be like. Needless to say, though Obama has called for a world without nuclear weapons, he is resigned to say it may be out of reach during our lifetime. 

     This time 64 years ago survivors were looking at the smoldering wreckage of what was once their homes, or at least what was left. Fires still burning. Buildings shattered or nonexistent. Shadows burned into the pavement, the last remnants of friends and family. Mutilated bodies lying scattered around their places of refuge. People still trapped in the rubble, protruding bones, skin sloughing off, screaming for help. Those that died in the blast were the lucky ones.

     Is this the world we wish to live in? Where atrocities like this are seen as victories, triumphs of modern science, justified as wartime necessities? The US is responsible for those first attacks. Though it was provoked, how much force can truly be justified? Over a 250,000 people died as a result of those two atomic attacks. Combined casualties from the initial blasts, resulting fire storms and radiation poisoning make a terrifying picture of atomic repercussions. The areas are still contaminated with radiation today. I never want to see this happen again. We need an COMPLETE END to ALL NUCLEAR WEAPONS, and we need it NOW! Conventional weapons are bad enough, but do we ever want to see another day after?