Imagine a world where the existential threat of nuclear war is unopposed.
Imagine a world without protest.
Imagine a world without justice seekers.
Imagine a world where we accept war.
Imagine a world where we shrug at the destruction of our environment.
We don’t live in that world. Millions of people, across the planet, are working every day for an alternative. That’s the good news.
There is also plenty of bad news. Human-induced climate change continues. The deadly threat of nuclear weapons escalates. The slaughter of innocents has not stopped in Gaza or other wars. War and the threat of war has dominated the 21st Century, just as it did the 20th.
The famous trade unionist, Bob Crow, had a saying: “if you fight, you might lose. But if you don’t fight, you will definitely lose.” We stand with those who fight for what is right. Who see that it is worth trying. Worth trying to save our planet. And worth trying to build a peaceful world. We know the odds can feel like they are stacked in the opposite direction. But the only thing that can truly change things for the better is you, and I, and us, working together. People power is not an empty slogan or vague ideal. It is a means of progress throughout history.
We take our tradition from the civil rights movement, the anti-apartheid campaign, the struggle for the rights of women to vote and the wider peace movement. Our supporters were at Greenham Common in the 80s and 90s. They have blockaded the gates of Faslane.
Scottish CND, have utilised every instrument we can – parliamentary and extra parliamentary – to make our voices heard. The good news is, we have experience, vision, ideas and in a world of turmoil and crisis - we exist.
But our existence only happens because of the dedication of our activists, and support of our members. We are aware of the clichés. That we need your support “now more than ever.” That the world is on the precipice. The bad news is this is no cliché. Ask anyone you meet the simple questions: are things safer, or more dangerous? More secure, or precarious? Is our environment being protected, or endangered? Are leaders focussed on peace, or manufacturing arms and war-time rhetoric? Are people free from poverty, or is the cost-of-living crisis biting, while the money streams towards nuclear weapons?
Scottish CND is determined to make an impact – and to try to do so in the general election. Help our voice flourish and be heard across the country as it goes to the polls. Let us ensure that our issues shape debate. We are focussed on delivering the biggest possible campaigns this year and beyond.
We do not have the support of big business. But we do have you. Thousands of you, who know that our work matters. That is why we are asking for your support. For your activism, your ideas, and your energy. And, for your financial backing. There is no better investment, and you can be assured that every penny will be spent on making our movement stronger and more impactful.
In Scotland we have a special role to play. We can build a future where, as a nation, we can uphold the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. An independent Scotland would require the disarmament of the nuclear weapon system on the Clyde estuary at Faslane and Coulport. Without these bases, there would be nowhere else for the nuclear weapon systems to go. We can take the target off our backs - and prioritise our health, education, environment, and our children’s future.
No matter how big or how small your donation – it is valued and builds hope. Scotland can be part of a world movement of hope over fear if you feel that too. So, play your part, in whatever way you can. And let us build a century with more good news than bad.