War and Peace in the Nuclear Age; Interview with Frances Farley, 1987
Description:
Frances Farley was a state senator in Utah in the 1970s, the first woman elected to the position. In this interview, she discusses her horrified reaction to the planned basing of MX missiles across the state, and the means by which she helped fight and ultimately overturn the idea. Drawing on information about the harmful environmental and financial impact of the plan, she and her fellow opponents set about educating the public and bringing to bear the influence of key individuals and institutions, notably the Mormon Church. She attributes some of their success to the missteps and condescension of military and Carter administration spokesmen. The main lessons she drew from the experience are that one cannot automatically trust the military or government to do what?s best, and that citizens need to be involved and to have good information in order to take on and win against such formidable adversaries.
