Clamshell Reunion

[jaqeboy]

For you anti-nuke libertarians, the Clamshell Alliance is having a reunion this weekend in Conway. If you're not familiar with the Clams, here's the Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clamshell_Alliance

The Clamshell Alliance is an anti-nuclear organization co-founded by Paul Gunter in 1976, which conducted non-violent demonstrations against nuclear power in New England in the late 1970s and 1980s. In April, 1977 over 2,000 Clamshell protestors occupied the Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant construction site. 1,414 of these activists were arrested and held in jails and National Guard armories for up to two weeks after refusing bail.[1] In 2007, veterans of the Clamshell Alliance marked the 30th anniversary of its founding with the creation of a website called, "To the Village Square: Nukes, Clams and Democracy", which relates the story of the Clamshell Alliance and why it matters today.[2] The Clamshell Alliance opposes all nuclear power in New England.

I'll try to get more details on location and time.

[ReverendRyan]

Oh, that evil, evil, cheap, clean energy! It must be stopped!

[jaqeboy]

Clams have been recent advocates of the "Right of Revolution", esp. Guy Chichester - see further in the Wikipedia article [emphasis added]:

Activities

The alliance conducted non-violent demonstrations in the late 1970s and 1980s. On August 1, 1976, 18 New Hampshire residents were arrested for Criminal Trespass and Disorderly Conduct in Clamshell's first civil disobedience action on the Seabrook site. Three weeks later, a second occupation involved 180 New England residents who were arrested and held in a local armory overnight. In April, 1977 over 2,000 protestors occupied the Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant construction site. 1,414 of these activists were arrested and held in jails and National Guard armories for up to two weeks after refusing bail. Clamshell activists used this detention for training and networking, and long considered the detention a blunder on the part of Republican Governor Meldrim Thomson, Jr.[1]

Richard Asinof wrote:

    The overwhelming success of the Clamshell Alliance's occupation can be attributed to three factors; the planning and leadership of the Clamshell Alliance itself; the strength of the affinity group and the spirit and discipline of the occupiers; and the strong impact that women in key leadership roles exerted on the events. [1]

In later years, New Hampshire authorities minimized the impact of mass civil disobedience at the Seabrook plant by treating activist trespass as a violation, and allowing community service in lieu of fine. Actions were still media events capable of swaying public opinion, but their larger impact was limited. Clamshell Alliance members attempted to have their actions taken more seriously by the courts, and began staging sit-ins of the office of Republican Governor Judd Gregg. While this action resulted in jail time for criminal trespass, the local courts would not rule on the question of "competing harms" or the "Right of Revolution" granted by the New Hampshire Constitution. Rye, New Hampshire activist Guy Chichester eventually sawed down a Seabrook Station emergency warning siren pole, resulting in charges of "criminal mischief", a Class B felony. Although there was no doubt that he had cut down the pole, Chichester was acquitted. In his appeal Chichester's lawyer Patrick Fleming argued that according to article 10 of the N.H. state constitution, any citizen has a right to act to protect his or herself when the state fails to do so, which is known as the Right of Revolution:

    [Art.] 10. [Right of Revolution.] Government being instituted for the common benefit, protection, and security, of the whole community, and not for the private interest or emolument of any one man, family, or class of men; therefore, whenever the ends of government are perverted, and public liberty manifestly endangered, and all other means of redress are ineffectual, the people may, and of right ought to reform the old, or establish a new government. The doctrine of nonresistance against arbitrary power, and oppression, is absurd, slavish, and destructive of the good and happiness of mankind.

The Clamshell Alliance was an inspiration to other communities who wished to organize opposition to nuclear power plants. Hundreds of groups with similar names, such as the Abalone Alliance in California, adopted similar non-violent organizing techniques to oppose nuclear power and nuclear weapons around the country and internationally.

[jaqeboy]

Here's the Clams' site: http://www.clamshell-tvs.org/

They're an inspiration to all New Hampshire activists and some of their process should be emulated for other actions.

[jaqeboy]

From the site, some process hints:

The Clamshell Alliance was the model for a movement that forced the nuclear industry to shelve its plans for new nuclear plants for 30 years. Some say its success was just a matter of the right people, time, place and issue. Others say the key to success was Clamshell's structure — highly organized, but extremely democratic and decentralized to the point of anarchy. What can not be debated is that the Clamshell Alliance fulfilled Albert Einstein's plea to take the issue of atomic energy to the village square.Petitions, town referendums, workshops, lectures, brochures all helped people realize this was important. And music, buttons, posters and massive, nonviolent citizens' occupations of the Seabrook, NH, nuclear plant site gave color and drama to that debate.

[ReverendRyan]

The Clamshell Alliance was the model for a movement that forced the nuclear industry to keep energy prices, pollution, and dependence on foreign oil high for 30 years. Some say its success was just a matter of the right people, time, place and issue. Others say the key to success was Clamshell's structure — highly organized, but extremely democratic and decentralized to the point of anarchy. What can not be debated is that the Clamshell Alliance fulfilled Albert Einstein's plea to take the issue of atomic energy to the village square.Petitions, town referendums, workshops, lectures, brochures all helped decieve the public about the safety and benefits of nuclear energy. And music, buttons, posters and massive, nonviolent citizens' occupations of the Seabrook, NH, nuclear plant site gave color and drama to that debate.

FTFY.

[J’raxis 270145]

From their website, the Clamshell Alliance seems to be a very, very statist organization: Their first point against nuclear energy is that it's too easy for a new plant to be licensed:—

Easy licensing.

The feds have Severely curtailed state and community involvement in the licensing of new nuclear power plants. (Public interventions in licensing may no longer raise security issues, even for new sites and reactor designs. Nor can the design of a reactor be challenged. An early site permit process focuses narrowly on environmental impacts. Construction and operating licenses are now combined into a single proceeding, eliminating any chance of challenging any construction-related issues. In addition, federally-supported state deregulation of electricity markets means the need for more electricity is no longer a factor in building new nukes.)

They go on to complain about government subsidies and the large corporations that own the plants, which is great, but doesn't make up for the fact that they're explicitly begging the government to use aggression to stop the building of new plants.

Fear of nuclear energy is largely unfounded. And these guys unfortunately seem to be a good example of someone using Constitutional protections for some very bad purposes.

[Pat McCotter]

I'm sorry, Jack, but nuclear power is the safest, cleanest, most dense form of power energy known to man at this time.

That is from the ground to the outlet in comparison with other energy sources in 1000MW plants. The Health Hazards of Not Going Nuclear by Petr Beckman. Yes it is a 1977 book but the physics still apply.

Also, France derives about 75-80% of its electric power from nuclear. They started the drive toward nuclear in 1973. How many people have died as a result of this?

[Pat McCotter]

OK, I posted that as a knee-jerk reaction to the content of their message.

If you are pointing them out as a successful way to do civil disobediance then I see your point.

[John Edward Mercier]

Successful in what manner?
Seabrook currently has a nuclear power plant and produces a significant amount electricity.

[Free libertarian]

I'm sorry, Jack, but nuclear power is the safest, cleanest, most dense form of power energy known to man at this time.

That is from the ground to the outlet in comparison with other energy sources in 1000MW plants. The Health Hazards of Not Going Nuclear by Petr Beckman. Yes it is a 1977 book but the physics still apply.

Also, France derives about 75-80% of its electric power from nuclear. They started the drive toward nuclear in 1973. How many people have died as a result of this?

I wonder how the people in Chernobyl feel about that? 

I'll confess I don't know the complete safety rating of Nuclear and the waste products, but it seems that Solar, Wind etc. are potentially safer than Nuclear.  Whether those sources can generate as much electricity as Nuclear may be a good question.
I'm of the opinion that smaller more decentralized electrical generation as well as conservation might be a good thing.
W

[Free libertarian]

The previous post went astray on me...that  "W'" on the end? Means nothing, it is a figment of your collective imaginations.

[John Edward Mercier]

Other than nuclear, all sources of energy are solar or gravitational based.
It is much more likely that individuals will pursue options within their means, but that shouldn't require limits or restrictions being placed on others.

[David]

The Clamshell Alliance was the model for a movement that forced the nuclear industry to keep energy prices, pollution, and dependence on foreign oil high for 30 years. Some say its success was just a matter of the right people, time, place and issue. Others say the key to success was Clamshell's structure — highly organized, but extremely democratic and decentralized to the point of anarchy. What can not be debated is that the Clamshell Alliance fulfilled Albert Einstein's plea to take the issue of atomic energy to the village square.Petitions, town referendums, workshops, lectures, brochures all helped decieve the public about the safety and benefits of nuclear energy. And music, buttons, posters and massive, nonviolent citizens' occupations of the Seabrook, NH, nuclear plant site gave color and drama to that debate.

FTFY.

Chernobyl is a fantastic example of what could happen.  There is a reason the feds issure all nuclear power plants after the first 60 million dollars of liability.  (hint, it is because private insurance companies wouldn't, and undoubtably the nuclear industry trying to pawn off expensive liability onto the taxpayers.)

[J’raxis 270145]

The Clamshell Alliance was the model for a movement that forced the nuclear industry to keep energy prices, pollution, and dependence on foreign oil high for 30 years. Some say its success was just a matter of the right people, time, place and issue. Others say the key to success was Clamshell's structure — highly organized, but extremely democratic and decentralized to the point of anarchy. What can not be debated is that the Clamshell Alliance fulfilled Albert Einstein's plea to take the issue of atomic energy to the village square.Petitions, town referendums, workshops, lectures, brochures all helped decieve the public about the safety and benefits of nuclear energy. And music, buttons, posters and massive, nonviolent citizens' occupations of the Seabrook, NH, nuclear plant site gave color and drama to that debate.

FTFY.

Chernobyl is a fantastic example of what could happen.  There is a reason the feds issure all nuclear power plants after the first 60 million dollars of liability.  (hint, it is because private insurance companies wouldn't, and undoubtably the nuclear industry trying to pawn off expensive liability onto the taxpayers.)

Chernobyl is an excellent example of the workmanship the Communist model produces. They pretend to pay us; we pretend to work.