Washington Week: Student Voices (O)

U. Nebraska area commemorates victims of A-bomb
By: Nicole Snider
Daily Nebraskan (U. Nebraska)
08/07/2006

(U-WIRE) LINCOLN, Neb. — Some things will never be forgotten.

It's been 61 years since atomic bombs devastated Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and paper lanterns floating across Holmes Lake on Sunday marked the Lincoln, Neb., community's remembrance of the tragic event.

"It is to remember those that were lost and celebrate the hope of the future," said Paul A. Olson, the coordinator of the Japanese Lantern Float Ceremony, an active member of Nebraskans for Peace and a retiring University of Nebraska at Lincoln English professor.

The atomic bombs dropped on Japan by U.S. military forces on August 6 and 9, 1945, took the lives of hundreds of thousands individuals and forever changed the world's views on nuclear weapons.

Nebraskans for Peace worked along with other groups like the United Methodist Ministries of Lincoln, the United Nations Association of Lincoln and the Interchurch Ministries of Nebraska, to sponsor the commemoration ceremony that took place at Holmes Lake Park.

Despite the rain, the night's activities included the reading of poems written by survivors of the attacks and musical performances advocating peace and celebrating life.

The highlight of the ceremony was the floating of lit paper lanterns, made and brought by the attendees.

In Asian cultures, a floating paper lantern represents a soul that has died, a tradition commonly observed on this anniversary.

"Lantern ceremonies are a very great celebration in each Asian country," said Modesta Putla, executive director of the Lincoln Asian Community and Cultural Center. Putla said she is grateful for the commemoration of such an important event, which represents how Lincoln honors cultural diversity and the 8,000 Asians who live in the community.

Thoughts of peace and anti-war set an unmistakable tone for the ceremony.

Olson said the event was a solemn remembrance, but also a call for the worldwide disarmament of nuclear weapons and the hope of a future free from nuclear weapons.

"This is not a political event, or an attack on the Bush administration," he said.

Instead, Olson said the ceremony is more to remember the dangers of war and how nuclear weapons aid in destruction.

Marilyn Mecham, executive for the Interchurch Ministries of Nebraska, agreed with Olson.

"Our goal is that people would become more mindful and see that bombings aren't something we want to relive," she said.

Mecham has advocated for peace and justice on a national level through the Interchurch Ministries of Nebraska, and was contacted by Olson to share her work on a local level by speaking at the ceremony.

She said by remembering the destruction, people will begin to learn from their errors and see that no country should possess nuclear weapons.

"It's a giant step towards a world free of war," she said.

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