Jon Letman

Hawaii

Journalist, Editor at Freelance

Hawaii-based independent journalist covering human rights, the environment, and the impact of US foreign policy in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.

Articles

No Time for Nuclear War

3 weeks ago | inkstickmedia.com | Jon Letman

Doomsday "Scenario" illustrates the speed of events in a nuclear attack. Nuclear Weapons Reporting Pictures: Hilary Jones Date: June 5, 2025 At its heart, Nuclear War: A Scenario is a book about time, or rather, a lack of time.
National Tropical Botanical Garden

2 months ago | ntbg.org | Jon Letman

A Kupu intern measures Pritchardia perlmanii leaves in the Upper Limahuli Preserve. Photo by Susan Fawcett. By Jon Letman, Bulletin EditorClose your eyes and think of the Hawaiian Islands. What do you see? Perhaps a coconut palm swaying in the breeze? Coconut palms in Hawai‘i are so common, they almost go unnoticed, even as their towering arched figures evoke images of tropical paradise—pacific, serene, and abundant.
‘Never forget’: Pacific countries remember nuclear test legacy as weapons ban treaty debated

Mar 20, 2025 | theguardian.com | Jon Letman

Growing up in the Pacific nation of Kiribati, Oemwa Johnson heard her grandfather’s stories about nuclear explosions he witnessed in the 1950s. The blasts gave off ferocious heat and blinding light. He told her people were not consulted or given protective gear against bombs detonated by the US and UK at Kiritimati Island, now part of Kiribati, decades ago.
The Power of Land

Feb 25, 2025 | inkstickmedia.com | Jon Letman

From its statements on Gaza to the creation of AI datacenters and unequal access to resources, the Trump administration is ushering in a new era in our relationship with the land. ClimateGlobal Security Reporting Pictures: William S. Prettyman Date: February 25, 2025 No matter who you are, where you live, or what you do, your life is controlled by land.
The Light Eaters: An interview with author Zoë Schlanger

Jan 28, 2025 | ntbg.org | Jon Letman |Zoë Schlanger

Zoë Schlanger. Photo by Yael MalkaBy Jon LetmanEnvironmental journalist Zoë Schlanger, a staff writer for The Atlantic, had been covering the climate crisis for several years when she became aware of a creeping sense of doom. Seeking an escape from the onslaught of heavy news stories, she started spending her lunch breaks reading botany journals.
Trump Just Inherited Sole Authority to Launch Nuclear Weapons on a Whim

Jan 20, 2025 | truthout.org | Jon Letman

The global security landscape has changed dramatically since Donald Trump’s first term, but one thing that remains constant is U.S. presidential authority to use nuclear weapons. From the moment he takes the oath of office until the moment his successor assumes the presidency, Trump has the authority and the means to order a nuclear attack at any moment and for any reason if he chooses to do so.
Unhidden: Author Michele Norris on Race, Identity, and Elections

Oct 31, 2024 | inkstickmedia.com | Jon Letman

Having grown up on the south side of Minneapolis as the daughter of postal workers, journalist Michele Norris knows the power of a postcard. In 2010, when she decided to take the pulse of Americans’ views on race and identity, she went to her local FedEx Kinko’s print shop, made a stack of postcards and began to scatter them in public places — coffee shops, the seatback pockets of airplanes, hotel rooms, and elsewhere. Printed on those cards was one simple request: Race. Your thoughts. 6 words.
‘Weather magic’ and wind lore: the push to preserve ancient knowledge in Vanuatu

Sep 6, 2024 | theguardian.com | Jon Letman

Joe Natuman watches for falling leaves and new shoots on trees as a sign it’s time to garden. Then, when a southern wind begins to blow in his small village in Vanuatu’s Tafea province, he is the first to plant yams. Soon, others will follow his lead. Like his forefathers, Natuman is a tupunus, meaning he was born into a lineage that is trained to develop an understanding of how natural forces impact agriculture and wellbeing.
As Tensions Rise Globally, Experts Call for More Nuclear Transparency

Aug 9, 2024 | znetwork.org | Jon Letman

In the world of nuclear weapons, there are many secrets; warhead designs, infrastructure security details, historical vulnerabilities and mishaps, and the locations of nuclear-armed submarines are all highly classified. But what is not secret — at least not in the United States — is the total number of weapons that make up the country’s nuclear stockpile.
As Tensions Rise Globally, Experts Call for More Nuclear Transparency

Aug 8, 2024 | truthout.org | Jon Letman

In the world of nuclear weapons, there are many secrets; warhead designs, infrastructure security details, historical vulnerabilities and mishaps, and the locations of nuclear-armed submarines are all highly classified. But what is not secret — at least not in the United States — is the total number of weapons that make up the country’s nuclear stockpile.