Golden Rule Update August 2025

2025 VOYAGE

GOLDEN RULE THANK YOU

From the Helm: Dream Crew Dispatch

A Love Letter to the Golden Rule Dream Team

By Michelle KanoeLehua Marsonette

Some say it takes a village. I say it takes a dream crew with magical powers, superhuman patience, and at least one spare bilge pump.

As we sail from Humboldt Bay to San Francisco Bay this month, I want to offer a true and tender thank-you to the people who keep this dream alive, not just afloat, but thriving, laughing, painting, sanding, filming, navigating, and occasionally remembering where we parked the van.

You’ve helped sail a movement, not just a boat. You are the reason this 66-year-old vessel still ripples with the spirit of peace and nonviolence. You are the storytellers, the spreadsheet whisperers, the late-night problem-solvers, the early-risers with thermoses and to-do lists. And you are my people.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Leroy Zerlang and his foreman, Breckin Van Velduizen, at Zerlang & Zerlang Boatyard for the exquisite care they gave the Golden Rule during her hull-out this year. Their expert guidance, patience, and craftsmanship were invaluable, not only in preserving this historic vessel, but also in helping me grow into my role as liaison to the Golden Rule Committee’s Repairs, Upgrades, and Maintenance (RUM) Subcommittee. It was truly a gift to learn from professionals who approach boat work with such precision, respect, and heart.

Deep thanks to Chris Grimes for crafting a beautiful new mahogany binnacle box to house our chart plotter. Complete with a sliding lid and built with care, it’s a perfect blend of function and artistry, made not just of wood, but of love. We’re so grateful for this thoughtful upgrade at the helm. It fits the Golden Rule’s spirit perfectly.

To the crew: Steve, Tamar, Zoe, Mike, Ren, Bridge, Derek, Mary Ann, you show up with your full selves, again and again. You work miracles in the dark, and somehow you still crack jokes while tying reef knots. I see your effort. I see your love. I see the paint on your pants.

To Helen Jaccard and Gerry Condon, you trusted me when I was still learning how to pronounce “gunwale” (that’s “gunnel,” for the landlubbers reading this). You hired me into my dream job and supported me through every storm. You didn’t just hand me a rudder, you handed me the story of a boat that refused to be silenced.

To Kiko, Malinda, and Nolan, companions on my first voyage on the Golden Rule, crossing the Pacific in 2021. With you three, I learned what it means to sail with spirit. That crossing, and the film that followed, lit the path that brings me to this work now, with a heart full of family, purpose, and the mastery of the wind.

To our committee and supporters, known and unknown, who’ve fed us (literally and spiritually), filled our tanks, and filled our inboxes with encouragement, you are golden. You keep us going when the logistics get weird and the tide is against us. You believe in what this little boat can do.

I especially want to thank Veterans For Peace, not just our national committee, but the local chapters in Oregon, Humboldt Bay, and the San Francisco Bay Area. You show up, suit up, and remind me that we’re not just working against war, we’re working for something. Dignity. Planetary healing. A future our grandchildren can live with.

And finally, to all of you reading this, thank you for carrying this story forward. If you’ve ever folded a peace crane, held a banner, brought snacks to a meeting, or just said, “Hey, I love what you’re doing”, we feel it. The boat feels it. The world needs it.

To all the veterans and allies reading this: join us. If you’re not a member yet, become one. If you’ve been unsure how to plug in, reach out. The Golden Rule sails with you in mind. We are living proof that resistance can float, and that love can steer.

This voyage isn’t just about where we go. It’s about how we go, together, with courage, with kindness, with salty hair and starlight in our eyes. Let’s keep sailing. Let’s keep dreaming.

NO NUKES AT VFP NATIONAL CONVENTION

While the Golden Rule crew charts a bold course south from Humboldt Bay to San Francisco this week, Veterans For Peace is also sailing strong, on land and online, at the 2025 National Convention. This hybrid gathering (in-person at the University of Nevada Las Vegas and virtually around the world) brings together anti-war veterans, allies, and community leaders to deepen our shared commitment to peace, justice, and nuclear abolition.

Friday, July 25, 2025 | 1:30 – 2:45pm PT

New Colonialism: First Nations & the Nuclear Weapons Industry

Veterans For Peace Board Member and Golden Rule Committee Chair, Gerry Condon, joins a powerful panel organized by Ellen Barfield and Greg Corning. Together, they spotlight the enduring frontline resistance of Indigenous communities bearing the brunt of U.S. nuclear weapons production, testing, and waste.

Featured Panelists:

• Kathy Wan Povi Sanchez (San Ildefonso Pueblo, NM): A spirit-rooted social activist and educator with Tewa Women United, Kathy speaks on the impacts of colonialism and radiation, especially on women and children, and her work to heal trauma through culture and community.
• Ian Zabarte (Shoshone Nation, Duckwater community): A seasoned nuclear justice advocate, Ian has spent four decades defending Western Shoshone lands, including fierce opposition to nuclear testing and the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste site.
• Gerry Condon will speak from his perspective as a Vietnam-era war resister and leader of the Golden Rule Project, sharing how the historic anti-nuclear sailboat continues to amplify Indigenous voices, challenge U.S. militarism, and awaken new generations to the realities of nuclear colonialism.

With threats of nuclear war growing alongside ever-expanding militarization, this panel offers both a reckoning and a call to action. If you're not aboard the Golden Rule, consider tuning in virtually to this important conversation. Register here: VFP 2025 National Convention

And wherever you are on land or sea, let’s keep working together to end war and end nuclear weapons before they end us.

Ten Year Anniversary Celebrated

The night was anchored by a special presentation from longtime Project Manager Helen Jaccard, who shared a decade’s worth of activism, adventures, and impact in a slideshow of photos spanning the boat’s rebirth to today. As part of the evening, Helen performed a heartfelt rendition of the ballad written by Mike Stern, commemorating the intertwined journeys of the Phoenix of Hiroshima and the Golden Rule, two boats that dared to confront nuclear nuclear weapons testing head-on:

Ballad of the Phoenix and the Golden Rule

By Mike Stern

I didn’t know when we set sail

In ‘58 we’d all end up in jail

And I’ve been called worse than “fool”

for sailing on the Golden Rule.

From San Pedro we headed west

On waves of a peaceful protest

Trimmed our sails to the wind

And prayed the bomb would not be used again

The Golden Rule, Golden Rule,

Words that we had learned in Sunday School

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

And the Phoenix crew, ‘bout half way thru

Both our ships moored in Honolulu

We agreed to do our best

And try to stop the nuclear tests

Neither ship did give way

But trials then kept us at bay

We made it just part way thru

So now the rest is up to you

It’s up to me

It’s up to you

Do unto as you have them do

Do unto others as you

Would have them do unto you

I didn’t know when we set sail

In ‘58 we’d all end up in jail

And I’ve been called worse than “fool”

for sailing on the Phoenix and on Golden Rule.

It’s up to me

It’s up to you

Do unto as you have them do

Do unto others as you

Would have them do unto you

Do unto others as you

Would have them do unto you

On Saturday afternoon, the Golden Rule crew and supporters joined the “No Kings” national rally at Madaket Square, a creative protest rooted in anti-authoritarian tradition. Participants marched through the streets of Eureka to the courthouse, linking the boat’s anti-nuclear legacy to present-day struggles for justice and people power.

The weekend closed with Father’s Day sails aboard the Golden Rule, offering VIP guests an unforgettable opportunity to experience the message of peace while underway. Against the backdrop of Humboldt Bay, stories were shared, toasts were made, and the sails rose once again for a better world.

Sailing and Earth Flag Gift – June 15, 2025, Eureka, CA. Golden Rule Skippers Bridge Randall and Steve Buck with VIP Guests BG Tackett, Evan Edgar, Bob Cherwinski, and Steve Sandeen.

FILM FEATURE

Golden Rule The Journey for Peace, Directed by Nolan Anderson

In May 2021, a crew of dreamers set sail from Oʻahu to California aboard the Golden Rule, retracing the wake of a historic anti-nuclear voyage. On board: Captain Kiko Johnston-Kitazawa, Captain Malinda Anderson, and Michelle KanoeLehua Marsonette, now the Project Manager of the Golden Rule. The young filmmaker Nolan Anderson, himself a member of the crew, brought his camera and a vision: to document not just the miles, but the mission.

Anderson’s The Journey for Peace is the result, a stunning, soul-stirring record of resilience, culture, and commitment, beautifully shot and boldly told.

Powerful Journey of the Golden Rule Boat: Passionate Living, Directed by Cat Miller

From the Great Loop to your screen, this special episode of Passionate Living showcases Captain Kiko’s reflections on what it means to sail for peace. Filmed during the 2023 voyage in Buffalo, NY, Cat Miller weaves story, history, and heart into a vivid portrait of a captain committed to the long game of global disarmament. This film was selected as a “Best Of” episode for the season, no surprise to those who’ve had the honor of sailing or organizing with Kiko.

RETIREMENT

Honoring Helen Jaccard:

A Decade of Dedication to Peace

After nearly ten years of tireless service, Helen Jaccard is stepping down as Project Manager of the Veterans For Peace Golden Rule Project. Helen's leadership, tenacity, and deep commitment to peace and nuclear abolition have made a lasting mark, not only on this historic sailboat but also on movements for justice around the world.

Since 2015, Helen has been at the heart of the Golden Rule’s relaunch, voyage coordination, educational outreach, and crew logistics. She has organized more than 300 public talks, edited dozens of newsletters and reports, and steered the ship through storms both literal and political. Helen has always believed in the power of "Hope through Action", and she has done just that through speeches, writing, and interviews around the globe.

Helen’s activism is rooted in listening to frontline communities. She has traveled with delegations to Guatemala, Cuba, Japan, Puerto Rico, Sardinia, and other regions, amplifying testimonies of nuclear survivors, mine-impacted villagers, and Indigenous land defenders. From Fukushima evacuees to residents of Vieques Island, Helen has brought their stories home with integrity, clarity, and care.

As a co-founder of Veterans For Peace’s Nuclear Abolition Working Group, she has helped advance the movement through legislative efforts, public education, and science-based advocacy. Her writing has appeared in Peace & Planet News, Global Research, WILPF publications, and in books such as War and the Environment Reader and Making the Unseen Visible.

Whether hauling lines, repairing sails, or guiding volunteers on deck, Helen has embodied the spirit of peace in motion. She understands that abolition work does not stop at the microphone. It continues with every carefully logged donation, every deck scrubbed before a port arrival, and every conversation shared with a stranger at a dock.

Helen will remain involved as a trusted advisor, volunteer, and elder within Veterans For Peace. She will continue to share insights from the sea and from her many peace journeys. The Golden Rule crew, committee, and community thank her with all our hearts for her years of passionate service.

Please join us in celebrating Helen’s incredible legacy.

Do you have a memory or photo with Helen?

Email us at vfpgoldenruleproject@gmail.com and we may include it in our next issue!

"DEAR GOLDEN RULE"

Dear Golden Rule: Surfing Gold Near a Nuclear Timebomb

QUESTION: “How do we justify surfing events at the 2028 Olympics when San Onofre’s radioactive waste still sits 100 feet from the waves? Shouldn’t organizers speak up?”

ANSWER: We say, "Surfing should be powered by waves, not silenced by nuclear risk."

Lower Trestles, the Olympic venue, lies just miles from San Onofre, where 3.6 million pounds of high‑level nuclear waste are stored in thin-walled canisters, buried near the ocean edge, and already showing signs of corrosion. Experts warn that earthquakes, tsunamis, rising seas, or a dropped canister could lead to a catastrophic release of radioactivity.

The Samuel Lawrence Foundation and environmental groups document these risks and call for immediate federal action and safer storage. Surfrider Foundation, San Onofre Safety, Sierra Club, and San Clemente Green have long demanded that the waste be removed from this unstable shoreline.

A popular documentary, SOS: The San Onofre Syndrome, highlights both the danger and decades of advocacy. So yes, the LA28 organizers, the International Olympic Committee, and public officials must speak up. We need transparency, accountability, and relocation of this waste.

 Have a question for the Golden Rule Crew?

• Send us your "Dear Golden Rule" questions about peace, nuclear issues, nonviolent resistance, or the history of our beloved protest sailboat, and we might feature it in an upcoming edition of Dear Golden Rule! Write to us at vfpgoldenruleproject@gmail.com, and sail into deeper waters with us.

FUNDING

Sailor’s Call: Anchor Us in Peace

We’ve battened the hatches, we’ve weathered the tide,

Now south from Humboldt, we’re ready to glide.

But wind alone won’t carry the crew,

We need your help to see this through.

The bilge is clean, the rigging tight,

Our message bold, our sails a sight,

Tanbark red with doves in flight,

And “Nuclear Disarmament” stitched in white.

Yet fuel and fees and engine strain,

Still tie us down like anchor chain.

So toss a coin into the sea,

Not for luck but liberty.

Each gift you send, both large and small,

Lifts this old boat to heed the call.

A peace ship sails proud, fierce, and free,

Because of folks like you and me.

Send a check to: VFP Golden Rule Project

PO Box 87

Samoa, CA 95564

Credit/Debit Card: Call Michelle, 541-971-9077

https://vfpgoldenruleproject.org

VFP Golden Rule Project | PO Box 87 | Samoa, CA 95564 US