Summary
Brig sat down with nuclear proliferation organiser Elysia McCabe to talk about weapons, internships, and the secret to getting involed in campaigning.
My first impression of Elysia McCabe is a bright green jumper hovering at the edge of my vision. She smiles as I turn to look, and asks if she can sit down. “I brought you some leaflets,” she says, placing them carefully on the table. My second impression is of the United Nations globe against shiny white card, on top of a neat blue print that makes Elysia’s cause clear.
‘Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.’
‘The United Kingdom is one of the few nuclear states in the world,’ Elysia begins, shifting her chair closer so she can be heard over the people crowding the cafe. ‘All the UK nuclear missiles are housed in Scotland, or on a submarine that docks here when going round the Channel. A lot of Scottish citizens don’t want them here. They pose a massive risk to human life, and the environment. Scotland would be at the forefront if something were to go wrong.’
Growing up in Lincolnshire, Elysia’s interest in nuclear weaponry started early. ‘My dad is a chemist, and a history buff,’ she says, smiling softly. ‘He taught me details of how a nuclear bomb works, and what they’ve done. That stuck with me all the way through school, all the way through my History degree. I talked to people here about it, and they were terrified. But they kept saying that they hoped that, when it started, that somebody else got attacked before us, or they hoped they were in the epicentre, so their skin wouldn’t melt off.
‘All I could think was “why do people have to consider that? Why is fear the only option?”‘
Now, Elysia works with Parliamentarians for Non-Nuclear Proliferation and Disarmament, and has interned with Glasgow MSP Bill Kidd, all while she gets her Masters degree in Human Rights and Diplomacy at the University of Stirling.
‘For my course, we do an internship or a dissertation, and I was not doing a dissertation!’ Elysia laughs a little. However, it becomes clear that this is more than a requirement.
‘The threat of nuclear weapons links to every social justice issue I can think of,’ Elysia says. ‘It links to environmentalism, colonialism, even feminism.’
Indeed, the nuclear disarmament movement among young people across Africa has been growing. Materials for nuclear weapons are mined across the continent and significant parts of the Middle East, in life-threatening conditions. Research has even shown that women are disproportionately affected by the ionizing radiation nuclear blasts generate – women living in the fallout of Hiroshima and Nagasaki experienced a greater risk of cancer, blood-borne diseases, and pregnancy complications. Elysia learned about this visiting Japan – and has also travelled to several different countries in Europe, as well as Oman, the Philippines and the USA.
‘Everywhere, I have been noticing young people becoming more politically engaged, and that’s amazing. But they don’t know how to approach older protesters. The old methods of demonstrating don’t work anymore. They’ve got all this drive, and they need to channel it constructively. It’s a real exercise in sharing knowledge and learning how to campaign effectively.’
To this end, Elysia has been working on organising meetings between young Scottish activists and veteran members of nuclear disarmament groups, to share their experiences and knowledge and to build some networks. Outreach towards young people has been particularly geared around how nuclear fallout affects the environment – as more and more young people engage with climate issues.
‘We’ve been doing outreach at universities, starting at Stirling, to spread awareness of the issue and give practical skills in how to protest.’
‘Campaigning is a skill we all need to learn. There are times when I have gotten very, very angry, and refused to listen to other views,’ she says, focusing back on the table. ‘But I now see I can’t fall into that trap. You have to understand where viewpoints you don’t agree stem from.’
‘Noow, I have my internship, I’m working with UN House Scotland, the Scottish Government, ICAN [The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons],’ she says, counting them off on manicured nails. ‘We’re figuring out the best ways for this generation to protest against nuclear weapon developers. I’ve attended a fair few demonstrations, and met amazing people. Young people are afraid to take the leap,’ she finishes, glancing down at the table and straightening the leaflets. ‘But we have to. We deserve more than waiting for the end.’
I ask if she was ever afraid. She pauses. Looks at the ceiling. Thinks.
‘If you had asked me this five years ago, I would’ve been absolutely terrified. I had terrible anxiety,’ she says, eyes dropping to the floor. ‘As a child there were days when I couldn’t even get out of bed. But doing all this work, I have realised that you can’t afford to let emotion consume you. You have to put your shoulders back, your eyes up, keep your voice clear, and keep strong.’
She looks straight into my eyes. ‘It’s the only way we can win.’
Feature Image Credit: Elysia McCabe
