MPJEN

Upcoming Actions

Announcements:

Join Hands to End the War

Join Hands to End the War, Build the Peace and Rebuild Our Economy

September 13, 1:00 p.m. Paul Bunyan Park, Bangor
2:30 p.m. Walk for Peace to…

3:00 p.m. Talk with Democracy Now!’s AMY GOODMAN
at the Hammond Street Church

Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! will appear at the Hammond Street Church in conjunction with our peace event and the 20th Anniversary of WERU Community Radio!!

Many people are focusing on the next election with the hope that a new administration will end the occupation of Iraq and use diplomacy to negotiate with Iran. We look forward to that possibility, but also want to make sure we continue to build a multi-faceted peace movement that can support and/or challenge the next administration to promote cooperation and diplomacy, reparations for the people of Iraq, support for Veterans of this war and federal budget priorities that serve the needs of people and not primarily military contractors and large corporations.

According to the National Priorities Project, taxpayers in Maine will pay $364.5 million for the President’s request for additional Iraq war spending in FY2008 and FY2009. For the same amount of money, the following could have been provided:

* 114,740 People with Health Care for One Year OR
* 559,655 Homes with Renewable Electricity for One Year OR
* 9,290 Public Safety Officers for One year OR
* 6,874 Elementary School Teachers for One Year

Without a strong peace movement the military industrial complex with its well-funded lobbyists will continue to exert strong pressure to maintain the status quo on whichever candidates are elected. We don’t believe this rally will, by itself, exert such a pressure, but we hope it will affirm our unified power, demonstrate to the candidates there is a peace movement to which they will be held accountable, and help fuel on-going local organizing.

We hope the rally will bring together peace & justice activists from Eastern and Northern Maine who have been doing the most important work of sustaining weekly vigils and building grassroots organizations in their own communities.

Join us to show how you and the people you serve are being impacted by current budget priorities and policies that support the war in Iraq and neglect our communities. Here are some ways you can help.

* Have your group listed as a co-sponsor of the event
* Promote the event to your members through announcements, newsletters, etc. (We will provide posters and postcards to help you do this)
* Write letters to the editor expressing your concerns
* Bring members to the event with signs expressing their concerns
* Sign on to a signature ad to appear on September 11th in the Bangor Daily News and encourage your members to sign on

Please download the pdf flyer available HERE

Posted on 8/28/08 by Peace & Justice Center of Eastern Maine

Orono Passes Resolution Opposing War in Iran

WHEREAS, the Iraq war and occupation have had tremendous costs physically, emotionally, and financially on the United States. With the costs to U.S. taxpayers for the Iraq war and occupation now over $500 billion and increasing, cities and states have faced a severe budget crisis, and local communities have been deprived of much-needed funds for healthcare, education, fuel-assistance, safety, and other services and for infrastructure repairs. We now face the prospect that the human and financial costs of a war with Iran may exceed Iraq costs and will divert desperately-needed resources from the critical human needs and real security of our community; and

WHEREAS, according to the National Priorities Project (www.nationalpriorities.org), taxpayers in Orono, Maine will pay $2.1 million for the President's request for additional Iraq war spending in FY2008 and FY2009. For the same amount of money, the following could have been provided:

• 674 People with Health Care for One Year, or
• 3,289 Homes with Renewable Electricity for One Year, or
• 55 Public Safety Officers for One year, or
• 37 Music and Arts Teachers for One Year, or
• 287 Scholarships for University Students for One Year, or
• 17 Affordable Housing Units, or
• 647 Children with Health Care for One Year, or
• 307 Head Start Places for Children for One Year, or
• 40 Elementary School Teachers for One Year

NOW, THEREFORE, Be It Resolved by the Orono Town Council that;

The Town of Orono opposes preemptive military action by the United States against the Islamic Republic of Iran without adequate Congressional hearings and deliberations and urges Congress to prohibit the use of funds to carry out preemptive military action against Iran without clear explicit Congressional authorization; and that

The Town of Orono supports and urges the U.S. to work diplomatically and cooperatively with other nations and through the United Nations to pursue diplomatic engagement with Iran in order to reduce tensions and security concerns.

Be it further resolved, that the Orono Town Clerk shall forward copies of this resolution to President George W. Bush and members of the Maine Congressional delegation.

Posted on 10/3/08 by Orono Peace Group (Maine Chapter of Citizens for Global Solutions)

Occupation Project Update - Jury Acquits Bangor Peace Activists

Standing in front of the Penobscot County Courthouse while the jury deliberated their fate are, from left to right, Doug Rawlings, Henry Braun, Jimmy Freeman, Dud Hendrick, Rob Shetterly and Jonathan Kreps.
More photos available at: http://paxchristimaine.org

Occupation Project Update - Jury Acquits Bangor Peace Activists
By V. Kelly Bellis

Bangor, Maine - Wednesday, April 30, 2008 - Six peace activists were found not guilty of criminal trespass after a two-day jury trial in Penobscot County Superior Court. They have been referred to as the "Bangor Six" by some in context with this particular moment, some nearly fourteen months after their alleged crime. However, this precedent-setting case for peace activists here in Maine, and likely beyond, should be placed in an expanded context beginning with the fact that these 6 courageous souls that spoke to the jury with great heart, conviction and eloquence were accompanied by 6 others on March 7, 2007 who together were also arrested, pleaded no contest and paid fines. And these 12 arrests made in March of 2007 are part of a wider image, both locally and nationally, and a series of local peace actions dating back to mid-2002 when the Bush Administration's puffed-up bleatings of preemption began. In total there have been 25 peace activists arrested at Senator Collins' Bangor office and 36 peace activists arrested at Senator Snowe's Bangor office since the beginning of the war on March 19, 2003. Out of those combined 61 arrests, 7 individuals have been arrested twice and four others arrested three times.

Read the complete article here: http://paxchristimaine.org

Posted on 5/1/08 by

Jury Finds Six Peace Activists Not Guilty

Jury acquits six in protest
By Judy Harrison
Thursday, May 01, 2008 - Bangor Daily News

BANGOR, Maine - Six longtime anti-war activists arrested last year for refusing to leave the Federal Building when it closed for the day were found not guilty Wednesday of criminal trespass.

A Penobscot County Superior Court jury deliberated for 2Â½ hours after a two-day trial.

Read Ms. Harrison complete article at the BDN.