The Rebirth of “Ban the Bomb” in an Era of an increase of the Danger of Nuclear War

During a recent visit to a hospital, where I had the chance to speak extensively with Doctors and Staff members, I heard a number of them state that they were worried and apprehensive about the increasing danger of Nuclear War, and the rise of warfare in general.

I think that the once powerful cry of “Ban the Bomb,” so often sung or chanted in the 1960s during the years of John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson and also during the 1970s and ’80s, could well roar back into force.

I think the clear threat of Nuclear War is on the dangerous rise, thanks to various war-like elements in the East and West, and the explosion of violence and strife throughout the World.

Back in the 1970s, I used to sing a tune I wrote, fervently and fearfully hopeful for Nuclear Disarmament, in reading after reading:

BAN THE BOMB

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh Ban the Bomb Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh Ban the Bomb

The True “Satanic Mills”
grind out the neutron bomb!
and the barrels of waste in the roiling sea poison the trawler’s net

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh Ban the Bomb Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh Ban the Bomb

What we need in the world today is a Total Nuke-Free zone—

no missiles here
no waste drop here no shipments here no reactors here

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh Ban the Bomb Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh Ban the Bomb

Ah, what can we do, what can we do, what can we do?

Oh, time-tithe, time-tithe, time-tithe— to work each month
a little bit of time

against dirty, filthy, evil, disastrous, poisonous & murderous nukes!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh Ban the Bomb Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh Ban the Bomb

May all you singers find
fresh and brilliant ways
to sing ban the bomb, ban the bomb, ban the bomb

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh Ban the Bomb Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh Ban the Bomb

—Ed Sanders,
Woodstock, NY,
Used to sing it all the time
in the 1970s— time to bring it Back!!!!