Second Declaration of Ellen Thomas

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA


     William Thomas, et. al.       |          C.A. No. 94-2742
           Plaintiffs pro se,      |          Judge Charles R. Richey
                                   |
               v.                  |
                                   |
     The United States, et. al.    |
           Defendants.             |

DECLARATION OF ELLEN THOMAS
March 20, 1995

I, Ellen Thomas, hereby declare under penalty of perjury that the following is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge and recollection:

  1. Since 1987 I have spent most of my time and energy promoting what has become known as Proposition One, a grassroots voter initiative campaign to create binding laws that will lead to the elimination of nuclear weapons worldwide, and redirect the resources currently wasted on nuclear weapons to convert the nuclear weapons industries and provide for vital (and neglected) human needs, such as housing, health care, education, agriculture, and, perhaps most important, environmental restoration. Proposition One evolved as a result of thousands of conversations at our vigil signs, and hundreds of thousands of signatures on a petition collected since February 1987.


  2. In December 1990 we incorporated the Proposition One Committee in order to comply with Washington, D.C.'s election laws and bring the idea to the voters. See Exhibit 1, Articles of Incorporation.


  3. In September 1993, Proposition One won 56% of the vote as D.C. Initiative 37. As a result, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton introduced the idea into the House of Representatives in 1994 as "HR-3750, the Nuclear Disarmament and Economic Conversion
    1

    Act." See Exhibits 2 & 3 ("Proposition One Won!" and H.R. 3750.


  4. As a result of these successes, my husband and I are extremely busy both keeping the vigil going and responding to growing interest in Proposition One.


  5. For example, in early November, 1994, I traveled to Japan as a guest of Gensuikyo ("the Council Against A & H Bombs"), invited to speak about Initiative 37 and HR-3750 to thousands of peace activists from all over Japan. See Exhibit 4, "Japan Report."


  6. Nearly all volunteers who help with Proposition One initially met us at the vigil. One such volunteer was Wade Varner, an activist from Oregon (and the Nevada Test Site) who attended the signs every morning for several weeks during and after my trip to Japan. See "Declarations of Wade Varner," December 22, 1994 and February 14, 1995.


  7. My husband and I often feel overwhelmed by the tasks we have undertaken, and have no desire to complicate our lives further. Frankly, I'm dismayed that once again we have to spend so many hours in and preparing for Court, with so little hope for success. Nevertheless, as I have stated before, the issues involved here are much too important to ignore.


___________________________________
Ellen Thomas - Proposition One Committee &
Peace Park Antinuclear Vigil
POB 27217, DC 20038;
2817 11th Street NW #B
Washington, DC 20001
202-462-0757