Children, this is the way you will be saved from a nuclear attack. At the sound of the bell you will scramble as fast as you can under your desk and into a kneeling position facing downward toward the floor with your head resting on your arms. You will keep your eyes squeezed tightly closed, not opening them or looking up until you hear me say “All clear.”This is the way you will be saved from shards of glass and other objects traveling at speeds of hundreds of miles per hour. And from the flash of white light that could melt your eyeballs. And from the explosion that could scramble your brains and the rest of your organs. And this is the way you will be saved from the fire that may incinerate you, leaving you all shriveled, charred and lifeless. This is not what we want for our children.

And this is the way you will be saved from the radiation that will cause your gums to bleed, your hair to fall out, leukemia to form in your blood, and lead to either a slow and painful death or to a more rapid and painful death. Pay close attention to the directions so that you will get it right the first time.

David Krieger is President of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation (www.wagingpeace.org). Please send comments to him at “dkrieger@napf.org”.