Youth Activists Leave For D.C. To Convince U.S. Leaders To End Nuclear Arms

The youth have a vested interest in the future of the world, since they are the ones who will be here long after the elders have passed on. So naturally, they would like the government to take steps to keep from blowing the world up before they get a chance to live in it.  This week, Kylie Allen, a Chicago-based activist for the international Global Zero movement for a world without nuclear weapons, will travel to Washington, D.C. this week as world leaders gather for President Obama’s fourth and final Nuclear Security Summit, which seeks to prevent acts of nuclear terrorism by securing nuclear material.  But Global Zero argues that just securing nuclear material is not enough. Kylie, a 21 year old peace activist, will be part of an international effort urging world leaders to eliminate nuclear weapons globally.  Today, there are more than 15,000 nuclear weapons in the world, many of which are kept on “hair-trigger alert” and ready to launch instantly. They are vulnerable to theft, cyber attack, as well as accidental, mistaken or unauthorized launch. While in DC, Global Zero activists will host a large public demonstration featuring a life-sized, four-story nuclear weapon in downtown Washington, just minutes away from the Nuclear Security Summit. The activists will then Meet with Members of Congress on Capitol Hill to educate them on urgent threat posed by nuclear weapons. During these meetings, Global Zero activists will urge members to oppose President Obama’s proposed $1 trillion spending spree on a new generation of nuclear weapons and block plans for a new nuclear-tipped cruise missile in the upcoming FY-2017 budget. Can the youth make an impact on the nuclear arms race? Kylie Allen joins us today to discuss her hopes for the meeting in D.C.