David Wylie (author)

David Wylie (born November 30, 1929) is the author of the book, City, Save Thyself! - Nuclear Terror and the Urban Ballot (Trueblood Publishing, 2009). He is also a practicing attorney in Boston, Massachusetts.

Wylie served as an officer in the United States Coast Guard at the Houston Port Security Station. Later, he worked on several political campaigns, once as an advance man in a presidential run. He went on to become a dedicated public servant himself, serving the City of Cambridge, Massachusetts for fourteen years, first on the Cambridge School Committee and eventually on City Council. As a city councilor, Wylie brought to light the inadequacy of the evacuation plan recommended by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts should Cambridge become a target of nuclear attack. This resulted in hearings on the topic and eventually the publication of a pamphlet titled "Cambridge and nuclear weapons: Is there a place to hide?" The pamphlet was so well received by the citizens of Cambridge that communities across the state and country requested copies and a reprint was ordered.^[1] Wylie was also instrumental in the establishment of the Cambridge Peace Commission through a city ordinance. His book is the product of these experiences plus decades of research and advocacy on the topics of nuclear disarmament, citizen activism, and global democracy. Wylie also maintains a blog called Idea Ransacker at http://thewylieblog.blogspot.com which he updates regularly with relevant news and commentary. He is also a regular contributor to Massachusetts newspapers, including the Cambridge Chronicle ^[2]

In his book, Wylie calls on the citizenry to act locally to build the global democracy needed to keep international peace. He recognizes the fact that the nuclear threat is difficult to make personal because most people feel that they are unable to effect change individually. According to Wylie though, tremendous power lies in our cities and towns; the trick is being heard. He offers a fresh and unique strategy to accomplish this: the establishment of a global congress of representatives from the world's major cities. The book was a finalist in the 2010 Next Generation Indie Book Awards in the categories of Current Events and Social Change.^[3]

"Wylie offers a powerful message: If you want to fix America, begin at the local level, but think globally and in the process revive our democracy." - Former US Senator Bill Bradley

Wylie holds a BA from the University of Chicago, an MA from Boston University, and an LLB from Georgetown Law School.

References

External links

• Idea Ransacker - David Wylie's blog
• City, Save Thyself! - The official website of David Wylie's book
• Cambridge Peace Commission