By Joyce Rothermel

The Stop Banking the Bomb Campaign wants YOU! The Stop Banking the Bomb (SBTB) Campaign is a PNC Bank nuclear weapons divestment project supported by the Thomas Merton Center and many other organizations around the country that support a ban of nuclear weapons world-wide.

The SBTB Campaign against PNC Bank is one part of an international strategy to get the U.S. government to listen to its people. In an updated report we just learned that PNC Bank loans (funds made available) to six corporations (BWX Technologies, General Dynamics, Huntington Ingalls, Orbital ATK, Aecom, and Northrop Grumman) that manufacture nuclear weapons have now exceeded one billion dollars. As the 7th largest bank in the U.S., we believe if PNC Bank divests of these immoral loans, they will send a powerful message to the U.S. government and the world.

Since the beginning of the campaign, when we met with PNC officials, our two demands have remained the same; first, divest of their financial commitments to the six corporations involved in the manufacture of nuclear weapons; and second, adopt a corporate policy never to loan money to or in any way financially support corporations involved in the manufacture of or sale of nuclear weapons. As recently as the PNC shareholders meeting this spring, PNC has declined these petitions from those of us who are shareholders.

For two years we have been picketing and leafleting outside PNC headquarters in downtown Pittsburgh and local branches here and other parts of the country. Will you join us? We need YOU!

Here is our upcoming schedule. We have the posters, banner, and leaflets. We want PNC to see our campaign is growing and not going away until our demands are met. Please consider joining us: Saturday, July 27 at 11 AM at PNC in Lawrenceville Friday, August 9, Friday, 11:30 AM at PNC headquarters.

Watch the TMC eblast calendars for future actions.

If you can’t physically be with us and are a PNC customer, consider moving your money until they agree to divest. Alternatives include: credit unions (culookup.com) or a Community Development Credit Union (cdcu. coop). On average, credit unions offer higher savings interest rates and lower loan interest rates than regular banks. They also usually charge lower fees and require lower deposit balances. Or fund a community bank near you (icba.org). Community banks help drive local economies and create local jobs. They make more than 50% of small business loans.

Stay in touch by visiting www. stopbankingthebomb.org or by emailing us at stopbankingthebomb@ gmail.com

Joyce Rothermel is a member of the Stop Banking the Bomb Campaign in Pittsburgh