The Golden Rule, sailing for a nuclear-free world, successfully began her epic Pacific Northwest voyage in June. After sailing for seven days and nights from Humboldt Bay in northern California, along the rugged beauty of the Oregon coast, and up the Columbia River to the Willamette River, the Golden Rule and her intrepid crew arrived in Portland, Oregon on June 7, for five days of action and public meetings. Highlights included a highly visible presence on the water during the Fleet Week parade of Navy war ships. The bright red sails of the Golden Rule, emblazoned with a giant peace symbol and VFP logo, provided a welcome contrast to the glorification of the killing machines of war.
On shore they passed out flyers while proclaiming, “See that boat out there on the water? It is the historic Golden Rule, the world’s first ‘peace boat,’ which tried to sail into the Marshall Islands in 1958 to stop U.S. nuclear bomb tests in the atmosphere!”
They were well received and we enjoyed some good conversations with sailors, who were remarkably receptive to the Golden Rule’s mission of sailing for a nuclear-free world.
Portland was the first stop on a four-month voyage that will take the Golden Rule to thirty ports in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia. Reaching way beyond the choir, the Golden Rule will participate in four wooden boat shows reaching out to many groups of faith, mariners, historians, indigenous, Marshallese and Japanese people, as well as sailing clubs, among others.
Continuing the Golden Rule’s tradition of nonviolent opposition to nuclear weapons, she will lead “peace flotillas” to the Indian Island Munitions Depot near Port Townsend, to Bangor Trident Submarine Base, a large concentration of nuclear weapons 25 miles from Seattle. The Golden Rule and her crew are also connecting with climate justice “kayaktavists” and communities who are resisting oil, coal and natural gas infrastructure, which present great environmental dangers, locally and globally.
“Yes, we are sailing for a nuclear-free world,” says Helen Jaccard, VFP Golden Rule Project Manager. “But we are also sailing for a peaceful, sustainable future for all.”
Many people and organizations are contributing to the voyage of the Golden Rule. Physicians for Social Responsibility is assisting with organizing in both Washington and Oregon. The Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action has donated $1,000 for the Golden Rule’s visit to the Puget Sound. Humboldt Bay Veterans For Peace recently donated over $3,000 to purchase a 6-person inflatable lifeboat for the Golden Rule. Education Without Borders donated $500 toward the Portland visit. Veterans For Peace chapters in Portland and Seattle have made substantial contributions, as have VFP chapters as far away as San Diego and Ohio, who are challenging other VFP chapter to become Golden Rule sustainers.
Follow the Golden Rule this summer on the website at vfpgoldenruleproject.org, on Facebook “VFP Golden Rule Project.”
You can track the Golden Rule’s progress as she sails at www.share.delorme.com/GoldenRule.
Sheila Richardson
Sheila Richardson is the Director of Customer Relations for Xanthus Communications LLC and PR for People.