An Open Letter to Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway

Dear Mayor Satya,

Thank you for your response below.

I understand that many may feel that the question of the  F-35A’s at Truax is not a City of Madison decision and that may be true. All the same, I believe that it is important that you, the highest elected  leader of our city, make a very public statement expressing your opposition to the F-35A’s in Madison and why you are opposed.

As I’ve expressed, I’m against the F-35A’s for moral as well as very practical reasons. The last thing that humanity needs at this time is to wastefully spend billions of dollars on an obsolete weapon of mass destruction. Having nuclear first-strike offensive weaponry based in the City of Madison does not make anyone safer and it is unacceptable. We need to be very clear about our collective need to put all possible resources into transitioning to a just, peaceful, and sustainable world.

Bringing more pollution and environmental stress to the communities in the vicinity of Truax ANG base amounts to environmental racism, reckless economic injustice, and continued life-threatening run-away militarism and war-profiteering.

Though you might not be in a position to stop this, as our mayor, and one of the public servants that I have most supported and celebrated, I urge you to do the right thing for Madison. If that is not to publicly and powerfully oppose the F-35A’s at Truax, I would love to get an explanation as to why it isn’t. Telling me that you are concerned is not enough. Providing us with good information is not enough. I realize that you need to be careful not to come across as denouncing  the US Air Force or the people who serve at Truax ANG Base, but I know that you can express your support for both and oppose the dangerous and damaging move to put F-35A’s in our community. 

I also urge you to use your leadership to urge Senator Baldwin, Governor Evers, and any other appropriate elected or non-elected community leaders to join you in adding their names to the list of leaders opposing the F-35A’s at Truax.

Again, thank you for all that you do for our beautiful city and for your work towards a just and sustainable world. I remain hopeful that you will come out strong and clear in your opposition to basing the F-35A’s at Truax ANG Base.

You are certainly free to call me anytime if you’d like to discuss this with me.

In solidarity for justice and a sustainable world,

Tim Cordon