Hello! Welcome to a southern summer in 2003,Let me introduce myself. I am a servant of the lord Jesus Christ and remnant of the "San Francisco Oracle" and the 1967 "Summer of Love".
I have been visiting with Jim Hickey in Atlanta, Georgia and learning about his vision for the "Southern Peoples Information Network." Jim believes in democracy and has been sharing his vision from an apartment on Briercliff Rd. in north east Atlanta. Nearby is a hip neighborhood known as Little 5 Points on the edge of the Martin Luther King Jr. historical district. We have established a link to the Atlanta Art World through danille roney
On the morning of August 6th 2003, Jim started a medicine walk of 50 miles a day for 3 days from Atlanta Georgia to Akin South Carolina as an effort to draw public attention to the nasty hydrogen bomb production facility that is polluting the Savannah river.
Please read the short play I have presented below to call attention to nuclear dangers.Repent! Make a changeATOM and EVEOne act play
by
Daniel Francis Eggink
3 actors: Eve a young research assistant,
Dr. Eric Stagner MD and Sister Charity a Catholic nun and nuclear scientistAny exposure to radiation carries some risk of genetic effects and birth defects.
Scene 1
The stage is very white to imply a nuclear research laboratory. Two walls extend from each side of the stage back to where they intersect at the rear. On one wall is a large sign lettered
" TOMEX NUCLEAR RESEARCH LAB" WARNING. The other wall has a door and window from which radiates a bright yellow light. In the front center stage is a white file cabinet, white table, white telephone and 3 white chairs.The background music includes the incessant click of a geiger counter raising, lowering and accelerating with the rhythm of the play.
As the light comes up we see a nun in black and white habit taking a stack of files from the table and arranging them in the file cabinet.
Eve in protective lab suit and Dr. Eric. Stagner enter from front side of stage left. Doctor Stagner gives the nun a hearty greeting.
Eric
Good morning Doctor. You are the early bird. Its not yet dawnCharity
Good morning to you Doctor Stagner. It looks as if you have kept my assistant up all night. I was hoping she would arrive here well rested an hour ago.Eric
Please! sister Charity forgive us both. I took her for a long ride into the Sangre de Christo mountains and lost track of time. Eve wanted to come back much earlier but I pulled rank and insisted she relax and enjoy our time together.Eve
I am ready to work Charity. I slept while Eric, I mean Dr Stagner was driving.Charity
I can recognize two love birds when I see them. You two have been spending a lot of time together. So far it hasn't effected Eves work but burning the candle at both ends is a dangerous practice.Eric
Your right sister Charity and I stand here chastened but for now I also have work to do. So if you will excuse me ladies, I will see you both later.Eric exits:
Eve
Sister Charity, something very strange has happened to me. I think I have fallen in love.Charity
Eve you have an impeccable record as a scientist but at the moment you don't sound like one.?Eve
Oh? Well what do you know about being in love?Charity
I haven't always been a nun.Eve
Now you've got me curious. Have you ever loved a man?Charity
Oh yes, and I even conceived a child with him
.
Eve
Okay, now I have to know. How did it happen and why did you become a nun?Charity
Well like yourself I finished high school at 15 with honors and high scores in advanced math. My parents lived in Pasadena so I started Summer session at Cal Tech. I wasn't there more than 3 weeks when I met who I thought was the most handsome irresistible brain in the world. Sure enough before the summer was over I was pregnant. Of course I didn't tell my parents or Mr. wonderful because I knew he didn't want any children to interfere with his career. He returned to his teaching position in England and I had an abortion across the border in Mexico.Eve
Charity! That must have been HorribleCharity
It was and I was like a zombie for the next two years. I didn't talk to anybody about anything unless I had to. I just kept my nose to the books and crunched numbers. But I couldn't stop feeling bad. I missed that baby and I didn't want to get involved with another man. So I decided to go into a convent. I believed in God and didn't want to be so easily tempted again. The sisters helped me and encouraged me to continue my studies. Now I'm here working with the most dangerous substance known to man.Eve
Well sister I am here with ya. And as you can see I am dressed for work. Eric gave me this new protective lab suit woven of the latest nano carbon filaments
.
Charity
Great that will work against anything except a criticality accident and there is no reason we should have one of those. But don't forget to pray we are playing with poison.
The chemical operator in the other room is setting up to introduce a dilute plutonium solution from one tank into another containing more plutonium in emulsion. He knows his stuff so you can stay in here and double check these equations I've been working on for the last week. Now I have got to get a few hours of sleep. Can you handle it until I get back?Eve
Count on me boss. Numbers is what I am all about. You mix the atoms and I'll do the math.The phone rings:
Charity
Okay! You take it. I'm out of here
.
Charity exits. Eve answers the phone:Eve
Yes Eric I am feeling great. Pause No I'm not too tired. Everything is okay.Boom! A bright blue light from the window fills the lab. The amplified voice of the chemical operator on the intercom is heard saying "God help! I am burning up!" sirens go off and the overhead lights start blinking
Eve
Eric something's gone wrong. I have got to go.Eve drops the phone and heads for the door to the test chamber. The lights go down and all is silent.
Scene 2
As the lights come up we again see sister Charity now clothed in a radioactive protection suit.
She is moving papers and folders from the file cabinet to the table.Eve enters from stage left in fashionable street clothes. She comes up behind Charity who doesn't see her enter.
Eve
Guess who?Charity turns suddenly and hugs Eve
Charity
Thank God! I didn't know if you were even on the face of the earth. Where have you been for the last 6 weeks?Eve
Bethesda, Maryland being carried for by the best and most silent doctors in the U.S. Navy.Charity
That figures. Even with my top secret clearance I couldn't find any information about you. Dr. Stagner couldn't do any better.Eve
Well I was real sick nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and totally exhausted. Oh and then there was the endless blood tests. They did tell me that if I lived for six weeks I would recover. Six weeks passed and they gave me a plane ride back here. But what about the chemical operator?Charity
He didn't make it. He was dead before anybody could take him anywhere.Eve
So tell me what did happen? Was it a criticality accident?Charity
Yes The chemical operator introduced what he believed to be a dilute plutonium solution from one tank into another known to contain more plutonium in emulsion.
Solids containing plutonium were probably washed from the bottom of the first tank with nitric acid and the resultant mixture of nitric acid and plutonium bearing solids was added to the tank containing the emulsion. A criticality excursion occurred immediately after starting the motor to a propeller type stirrer at the bottom of the second tank.The operator fell from the low stepladder on which he was standing. A second chemical operator in an adjoining room had seen a flash, which probably resulted from a short circuit when the motor to the stirrer started, and went to the man's assistance. You came into the room after that. You tried to help and passed out. The accident victim mumbled he felt as though he was burning up. Because of this, it was assumed that there had been a chemical accident with a probable acid or plutonium exposure. There was no realization that a criticality accident had occurred for a number of minutes. The quantity of plutonium which actually was present in the tank was about ten times more than was supposed to be there at any time during the procedure.
Eve
What about Eric? Has he been here?Eric enters from stage left and rushes to Eve seizing her shoulders.
Eric
Thank God! its you. I didn't know if I would ever see you again.Eve turns from charity to put her arms around Eric.
Eve
Eric! I have missed you so much. Just hold me.Charity
I think its time for me to make an exit.Eve
No Charity please stay. I have something very important to share with both of you.Eric pushes Eve to arms length.
Eric
Don't tell us you have to go away again.Eve
No, I am not going anywhere but I did find out in Bethesda that I am pregnant with your child.Charity and Eric together
Oh no!Eric
Why didn't they abort?Eve
Because I wouldn't give them permission. I just couldn't make a hasty decision about the life we conceived in me.Eric
Eve, you have to terminate this pregnancy. It will have no kind of a life after the radiation you received.Eve
IT? There's a baby forming inside me not an IT.Eric
Eve, be sensible I will give you the facts about why you should terminate this pregnancy.
You have been exposed to a high amount of radiation." The high rate of cell division and organ system development makes the fetus and embryo extremely sensitive to radiation exposure. Radiation exposure to a fertilized egg, embryo or fetus can cause death, birth defects, mental retardation, childhood or early life cancers and a host of other developmental problems."Eve
Okay that's the facts. What about you Charity? Do you agree with Eric's facts?Charity
He has some of the facts but not being a woman there's others he is missing. You know that before I became a nun I faced the same decision you are facing. And I had an abortion. It almost destroyed my spirit. The mercy of Jesus Christ has made it possible for me to live with myself but I could not recommend another woman to go through that trial.Eric
I cant stay here and listen to this mumbo jumbo from two people who are supposed to be scientistsEric abruptly turns and leaves the room the same way he came in.
Eve
I don't know what to do. Eric's right and your right. How do I decide?Charity
This is a test of faith. Pray for Gods guidance and then make a decision. Let love lead you.The lights dim and go dark the theater is silent.
Scene 3
The lights come up and again we find Sister Charity in her nuns habit working at the table and filing cabinet. A white folding screen has been added to the rear of the room
Eve enters from stage left carrying a bundle. Charity turns and sees her approach
.
Charity
So you you have brought the little cherub . Please let me hold her?Eve passes the bundle to Charity.
Eve
Charity, I love this little one so much. She is in no way retarded. when she was placed on my breast immediately after her birth she latched on and sucked as if she was an expert. And she is alert to every slight sound automatically turning in its direction.Charity
Lets hold on to the talking until Dr. Stagner arrives. You get behind that screen and wait until I receive him. I called him on his cell phone and he is close by.Eve follows Charity's instruction and Charity turns back to her files.
Eric enters from stage left.
Eric
Well doctor what's your important messageCharity
If you will please look to your left you will get the message.Eric turns and see Eve and her bundle step from behind the screen.
Eve
Do you want to see our little angel Eric?Eric and Eve approach each other slowly. He takes the bundle in his arms.
Eric
Boy or girl?Eve
Girl.Eric lifts the blanket and gazes at the little face.
Eric
She's beautiful and she is sleeping. Oh, Oh Me voice is waking her to see meEve
No Eric she She is blind. She cannot open her eyes because she has none.Eric
Oh, Eve. "Anophthalmos" no eyes, how can you bare it?Eve
Because I love her and she needs me.Eric holds the bundle closer and rocks it gently.
Eric
But What are you going to do?Eve
I am changing my career. I am going stop playing with poison and go back to school to get another doctorate. I want to help little Angelina and others to see. With Gods help I will find a way to give her eyes.Eric
Eve will you marry me. I don't have your kind of faith but I do have enough money to support you as you start your new career. I can provide for Angelinas care. I am ready for a career change also.Eve
Of course I will marry you Eric. Your Angilinas father.Charity
Praise the Lord! God works in strange waysThe lights dim and the stage goes dark.
Radiation Exposure from Depleted Uranium Weapons
How America Nukes Its Own Troops What 'Support Our Troops' Really MeansDeath By Slow Burn
By Amy Worthington - The Idaho Observer
Recent studies have identified 20 anophthalmos cases (babies born without eyes) out of a birth cohort of 4000 in Baghdad. The natural levels of occurrence of these tragic cases is 1 in 50 million. The rate is therefore some 250,000 times! the expected rate, De Sutter, 2001.
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