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The Maine Peace Action Committee Newsletter from the Fall of 2008
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Table of Contents Vol. 34, No. 1 • Fall 2008
Statement of Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
There is No “Good” War . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Hosain Aghamoosa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
The Family Occupation: Keeping Your Spirit Alive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sara Willett . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Impeach the President!Why Impeaching Bush and Cheney is Still an Option and Why Congress Must Act . . . . . . . .Adam Marletta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Airport (poem) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lisa Panepinto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Cultivating Solutions:How Community Gardening Can Benefit the Peace and Social Justice Movements . . . . . . . . . . .Jeff Hake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
My Introduction to the World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cassie Alley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
why is someone running (poem) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lisa Panepinto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
The Real Significance of the Presidential Election for Peace and Justice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Doug Allen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Maine Peace Action Committee
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
The Maine Peace Action Committee(MPAC) was founded in 1974 with aspecial focus on ending the war in
Indochina. MPAC has been concerned with oursociety’s violent and militaristic nature, which ismanifested in a lack of humane and progressivevalues and a tendency towards solving problemsvia destructive means.
Our general orientation takes the double focusof analyzing and opposing militarism, or theefforts to use nuclear weapons and other militarymeans to solve human problems, and imperialism,or the efforts by powerful nations to use economicand military means to impose their will upon lesspowerful peoples.
Our nation’s pursuit of these policies under-mines its ability to deal with the needs of its owncitizens and places us in greater danger of war.Our tax dollars are used to develop first strikecapable weapons and to support repressiveregimes abroad. Consequently, there are fewerdollars available for needed human services bothhere and abroad.
If we direct our energy and other resourcesinto weapons systems, there is little left forcreative solutions to problems such as the worldfood and fuel shortages which threaten oursurvival.
We have seen human needs are neglected byan existing government, and when that govern-ment represses groups attempting to meet thoseneeds, violent upheaval has resulted. Our govern-ment’s military economic support for such repres-sive regimes has embroiled us in armed conflictswhich have escalated to full scale war and couldmean inevitable global destruction.
We support efforts to deal with each of theseproblems since we see them as resulting andcontributing to an economic and political systemover which most of us have little control.
We in MPAC believe that while none of theseefforts by itself can bring about a completely justsociety, together we can work toward morecomprehensive solutions. We feel that we canbest contribute by challenging militarism and
imperialism and proposing alternatives to thesepolicies.
We find we can act effectively if we focus on alimited number of specific issues and campaigns.
We need projects which can:
1. unite people within our group
2. provide opportunities for action resulting inmeasurable achievement
3. link our efforts with national campaigns; and
4. demonstrate the dynamics of militarism andimperialism.
For our activities to be successful, we need toeducate ourselves about issues, analyze thecontributing factors, investigate alternative solu-tions, decide strategy for implementing alterna-tives, and share our understanding with thecommunity to enlist their support.
MPAC believes that people united and work-ing together can redefine our values and changeour approach to problems so that we shall be ableto live in a free and creative society; indeed, suchefforts are imperative if we are to survive.
THERE IS NO “GOOD WAR”
Page 2 MPAC Newsletter
Starting January 20th, 2009 the UnitedStates of America will have its newlyelected president Barack Obama, and while
there has been a lot of emphasis on “change,” hisforeign policy is all too familiar, especially inAfghanistan. The war in Afghanistan has beenlabeled both the “forgotten war” and the muchmore troubling the “good war” by many, includingObama himself. Whether the invasion was theappropriate response to September 11th is up fordebate, but the current strategy is definitelyflawed. The original purpose of unseating theTaliban, capturing Osama Bin Laden and destroy-ing Al Qaeda have all failed. Foreign militaryoccupation has only increased support for theTaliban, Osama Bin Laden is no where to befound and if the current administration is to bebelieved, Al Qaeda has only spread its influence.
To understand where US policy has failed a shortsummary of involvement in Afghanistan is neces-sary.
When the US invaded Afghanistan in 2001and overthrew the Taliban they were disposing ofthe same militant groups it had funded some 30years earlier to counteract Soviet influence. Afterthe Afghan revolution in 1978 in which the royalfamily was removed and a secular governmentcreated with the goals of land reform andimproved education, the United States found thenew government’s policies aligned too closelywith the Soviet Union and so began fundingMujahedeen to destabilize it. As insurrections inAfghanistan increased, with weapons and train-ing from the US government, the Soviet Unioneventually invaded to protect their interests, andplace a new regime in power that could hold ontopower. And so this began the 10 year Soviet Warin Afghanistan in which the US continued tofund the conservative Islamic militants. If youwatched Charlie Wilson’s War (2007) you mightthink that it was a fluke that the US was support-ing these groups during the Soviet War when infact it had already used them to wage a proxy waragainst the USSR. The result of two imperial
nations fighting for geopolitical influence onlyexacerbated ethnic and religious differencesamong Afghans. In the traditional imperial fash-ion Afghanistan was divided in order to beconquered. The US eventually accomplished itsgoal of weakening an Afghan government thatacted as a Soviet satellite, but at what cost? TheTaliban didn’t take power because the interna-tional community ignored Afghanistan; it was thedirect result of being played like pawns (on bothsides!) in a Cold War chess game. When onelooks at how Afghanistan has been used by impe-rial powers it’s no wonder that such a conserva-tive, xenophobic government took control andit’s no wonder that they sought to brutally repressdifferent ethnic groups and ideologies to maintainits position.
I don’t want to suggest that everything thathas happened in Afghanistan was planned out byeither the US or Russia. Rather they are bothresponsible for throwing Afghanistan into a stateof civil war for the past 40 years because of theirinterventions. The worst part about it now is thatwe’re watching Afghanistan being invaded anddestroyed once again so that a US friendlygovernment can be erected. This time though noamount of propaganda from the media or USgovernment can ever convince me that they’retrying to bring “Enduring Freedom” or democracyto Afghanistan because Afghans fought for theirfreedom from corrupt nobility and foreign interestin 60s and 70s and nearly achieved it. If it wasn’tfor the continuous unilateral interventionsAfghanistan would have “freedom” and “democ-racy.”
And what about the role that the media plays,why do we never hear about the permanent mili-tary bases being built in Afghanistan? Why hasthe Taliban reappeared and with more supportthan before? I suppose no one questions contin-ued US military presence in Afghanistan becauseit’s perceived as the “Good War” but surely it’snot any different now than the Soviet occupation
during the 80s. Just like the Soviets 20 years ago,the US is fighting to consolidate the new govern-ment for its own advantage. During the 80sRonald Regan famously described theMujahedeen as “freedom fighters.” It seems ironicthat they now represent the main oppositionwithin Afghanistan to operation EnduringFreedom. While American media no longerseems them in such a glorified light for othersthey represent Afghan nationalism. And that’swhy with every attack, especially against civilians,their cause is only strengthened and so I firmlybelieve there is no military solution. In fact thereis no military solution to “The War on Terror” atall.
It looks likely that Obama will represent somechange in foreign policy by withdrawing troopsfrom Iraq, but unless he adopts a similar approachin Afghanistan, the violence between regionalwarlords will continue to be justified by foreignoccupation. The war in Afghanistan will only getworse if the current strategy is continued into thenext administration. The way to counteractTaliban and other guerrilla recruitment is to with-draw ALL troops and focus on aiding the recon-struction of what we’ve destroyed and helpedothers destroy.
—Hosain Aghamoosa
PODCASTS AVAILABLE!Many University of Maine communitypeace and justice activities and programsare recorded and available to the publicon the Internet as free downloads. Formore information please visit:
http://peacecast.us
Visit also http://weru.org and listen toWERU Community Radio 89.9 FM BlueHill, 102.9 FM Bangor where many of ourprograms are broadcast.
THE FAMILY OCCUPATION:KEEPING YOUR SPIRIT ALIVE
Fall 2008 Page 3
The War in Iraq has forever changedour society in unconscionable ways.Americans now pay the heavy price
for decisions that have been made based ongreed and a desire for power. As the deathtoll rises, vital programs are being cut, citi-zens now face increasing economic hard-ships and the homeless rate grows. TheWar in Iraq has spread into the daily lives ofAmericans and even right into our homes.Despite the evidence around us, whichclearly shows that Americans are sufferingfrom these decisions in Washington, thereare some Americans who continue tosupport the War in Iraq, the Bush adminis-tration, and those who seek to follow in hisfootsteps.
This past year I decided that I wanted toparticipate in some of the events taking place inthe area, which protested the Bush ideology. Iwanted to voice my concerns about effects of thisneedless war. Growing up, I remember hearingsome of the sad stories my father, a VietnamVeteran, had to tell me. Today I hear my fathertalk about the similarities that he sees as aVeteran against war, between the Vietnam Warand Iraq War. This March, I stood out on the
bridge in Orono during the Every Village Greencampaign and then caravanned down to the rallyin Bangor. I was glad to be with others who hadthe same concerns. However I was not preparedfor the backlash. Being an activist and standingalong side those who are also activists is not theeasiest position to take, especially when you havepeople in your family who support the Iraq inva-sion.
Shortly after my known involvement with thisevent and MPAC I was inundated with forwardsfrom family members. These forwards consisted ofsoldiers defending the War in Iraq, criticizingthose who dare to protest, and belittled thoseindividuals, like myself, who fail to conform tothis line of thinking. Almost every day I would geta forward like this in my inbox. It disturbed megreatly. After seeing it so much, I finally askedmyself the following questions: Is it possible tosupport the troops while standing outside on thesidewalk holding a sign? Am I being unpatrioticfor letting my voice be heard? Am I wasting mytime?
So is it possible to support troops and still bean activist? This has been a widely debated issue,but I came to the conclusion that it can be done.I don’t support the War in Iraq, the thousands ofinnocent lives lost, the millions of dollars spent,or the horrifying effects that will last for decades
to come. It is true that I don’t support what themen and women in the military are told to do. Ican’t support that, since I am not for the war, butfor a peaceful resolution. However, I do supportthe man and the woman underneath the uniform.I support them in their need to come home to bewith their families, wondering when they will eversee the sunrise in America again. I support them.I support their energy and their hope to comehome alive. I can support that!
Ok, so the first question is answered, but am Ipatriotic? As young children we are told how wecan demonstrate patriotism. At an early age it isdefined by saying the pledge of allegiance andsinging the national anthem. As you get olderthat definition is expanded upon. Today and inpast times of war, patriotism revolves aroundmaking sacrifices for your country. However, if welook back in our history, patriotism would noteven be a word worth defining if not for the menand women who spoke up and dared to let theirvoices be heard. In addition to forgetting ourhistory, we have forgotten the fact that peace isalso patriotic. For many, the idea alone of peace isalmost taboo. It is a foreign concept that is taughton the playground but dismissed upon gradua-tion. I believe in peace, not war, just peace andstill I believe that I can be a patriotic citizen.
So having said all of this, was I wasting mytime? Do I continue to waste my time? Nothinghappens overnight, but if I failed to in my attemptto make my voice heard and drowned in silence,I would indeed be wasting my time. I would notonly waste my time, but I would fail to be true tomyself and what I believe our country shouldstand for.
Having answered those questions for myselfthis past year, my next obstacle has been learninghow to properly deal with members of my family
who were sending me these irritatingemails. Should I write back and tell themthat I think they are wrong? How should Iapproach them at the next family gather-ing? Should I just sever ties with them andestrange myself? I started to talk to friendswho had the same or similar beliefs as I do.Everyone had a different answer and at theend of the day I still didn’t know what to do.I respected everyone’s advice and I was gladto hear everyone’s stories, but what wouldwork for me? I did eventually find a solutionthat worked for me. I read a book thattalked about Mother Theresa and her prac-tice of peace during the Vietnam War. Thatprompted me to examine my belief in peaceagain. Instead of waging a war of words, I
decided to practice peace. I ignore the emailsnow. I simply don’t open them. If I am in myfamily’s company, I will defend my beliefs peace-fully, living up to what I know is right.
I know by now from talking to different folksthat most of us, if not all of us, either have some-one in our family or run across someone whoadamantly supports the Iraq occupation and can’tfigure out how we can think other wise. You maybe belittled or even get a look at the next familygathering. I encourage you though to look deeplyat your beliefs and why you believe the way youdo. Being an activist is hard work and it isn’t easywhen other individuals are ready to put you downas being just another Joe Schmoe with a sign, butyou’re not. You are not only practicing your rightto free speech, but you are taking a step and call-ing for change. It might not seem like a big step,but when you think about the number of peoplewho buy into the propaganda and do nothing, itis a huge step in the right direction.
—Sara Willett
So is it possible to support troops and still be an activist? Thishas been a widely debated issue, but I came to the conclusionthat it can be done.
IMPEACH THE PRESIDENT!WHY IMPEACHING BUSH AND CHENEY IS STILL AN OPTION AND WHY CONGRESS MUST ACT
Page 4 MPAC Newsletter
Whoever wins the 2008 presidential elec-tion—be it John McCain, or BarackObama—will inherit vast and
awesome authority no U.S. president was everintended to posses. That, I fear, is the grim real-ity Americans face in the wake of the past eightyears of the Bush administration’s blatant disre-gard for the Constitution and the rule-of-law.President George W. Bush and his associates havecommitted more war crimes, crimes againsthumanity and erosions of our civil liberties thanany U.S. president in modern history. Why heand Dick Cheney were not impeached long agoremains unfathomable to this writer.
The progressive website, afterdown-ingstreet.org has been advocating Bush andCheney’s impeachment since its development in2005, having taken its name from the infamous(though criminally under-exposed) “DowningStreet Memo.” The leaked contents of thisdocument, chronicle a secret, pre-war meeting
between British and U.S. intelligence officials,and confirms the Iraq War was, indeed a war ofchoice, based on evidence its architects knew tobe false from the beginning. While the websitecontains a link to the entire list of crimes carriedout by this rogue administration, allow me tobriefly highlight the major ones.
George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney, withthe cooperation of telecommunication companieslike AT&T and Verizon, implemented an illegalgovernment eavesdropping program, whichallowed telecoms to listen-in on Americans’ over-seas phone-calls and even intercept their emails.This program (which Barack Obama and theDemocratic Congress recently legalized, despitepromises to filibuster the bill) operates in direct
violation of the 1978 FISA (Foreign IntelligenceSurveillance Act) law.
Bush and Cheney have openly and withcomplete disregard for the Geneva Conventions,authorized the use of torture in CIA interrogationsituations. Methods such as sleep-deprivation,hooding, stress positions and “waterboarding,” (aform of simulated drowning) have been docu-mented in U.S. prison facilities such asGuantanamo Bay Prison in Cuba and Abu GhraibPrison in Iraq. Earlier this year, ABC Newsconfirmed that key members of the Bush admin-istration, including former Attorney GeneralJohn Ashcroft, signed-off on using torture tech-niques early on.
Members of the Bush administration (with,according to former White House Spokesman,Scott McClellan, in his book What Happened,permission from President Bush) leaked the iden-tity of a covert operative, Valerie Plame Wilson,to the press—an act of treason.
Bush and Cheney manipulated intelligenceindicating Iraq possessed “Weapons of MassDestruction,” and insisting Saddam Husseinmaintained an association with the Sept. 11,2001 hijackers in order to justify the invasion ofIraq. Over 4,000 U.S. soldiers have died in theIraq War and well over 100,000 Iraqi civiliansincluding women and children have perished(http://icasualties.org/oif/).
Unfortunately, these crimes constitute merelya snapshot of the Bush administration’s offenses.It is, indeed, further infuriating that, ten yearsago, President Clinton was nearly impeached forlying about an extramarital affair. Clinton’sactions, while certainly not condonable, proveridiculously unremarkable compared to Bush and
Cheney’s appalling assault on Constitutionalliberties.
Where then, one wonders, is the rage? Whyhaven’t George W. Bush and his associates beenheld accountable for these crimes?
You would need to ask Speaker of the House,Nancy Pelosi, such a question. After theDemocrats won majority positions in the Houseand Senate in the 2006 midterm elections, shepromptly announced that impeachment proceed-ings for Bush and Cheney were, “Off the table.”
While this was likely a calculated move toappear “bi-partisan,” what many people do notrealize is Pelosi does not actually posses theauthority to declare impeachment (or any part ofthe Constitution, for that matter) a non-option.She and her fellow Democratic Congressmen are,however, obligated by their Oath of Office toproceed with impeachment hearings if evidencesuggests the president is guilty of “high crimesand misdemeanors.” By choosing to ignore suchevidence, Speaker Pelosi and the DemocraticCongress are in direct violation of that oath.
While conventional wisdom suggestsAmericans, by 2006, were more focused onwinning the upcoming presidential election, andwere largely un-interested in pursuing Bush andCheney’s impeachment, an American ResearchGroup poll conducted in November 2007 found53% of American voters believed President Bushhad committed impeachable offenses warrantinghis removal from office, while 70% agree VicePresident Cheney has likewise abused his powers(http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/28680).
In June of this year, Congressman DennisKucinich (D-OH) spent over four hours on theHouse floor, issuing 35 carefully researched anddocumented articles of impeachment againstPresident Bush. The House responded bypromptly voting to refer the impeachment resolu-tion to the House Judiciary Committee, where itremains, un-acted upon. While Kucinichdisplayed commendable integrity and persever-ance in going against his own party on such anissue, the mainstream media, predictably grantedlittle attention to his efforts.
But, “so what?” you ask. Why ruminatebitterly over an epic, Watergate-style impeach-
See IMPEACH on Page 5
Where then, one wonders, is the rage? Why haven’t George W.Bush and his associates been held accountable for these crimes?
Fall 2008 Page 5
ment-that-might-have-been? The presidentialelection is one week away, Barack Obamacurrently holds a solid lead (if we are to believethe polls, that is) and George W. Bush only hastwo-and-a-half months remaining in office. Atthis point, is it not too late to bother impeachinganybody?
Absolutely not. Call me a stubborn tradition-alist, but as long as a criminal president sits in theOval Office, I feel members of Congress (bothDemocratic and Republican) remain bound bytheir oath to “support and defend theConstitution of the United States against allenemies foreign and domestic.” As long as ourcherished civil liberties—the very foundation ofour democracy—remain threatened, members ofthe House of Representatives are obligated todefend those rights. While many Americansrecall how the unwarranted, witch-hunt-styleimpeachment hearings for President Clintonproved an excessive, drawn-out affair, accordingto After Downing Street blogger and co-founder,David Swanson, there is enough evidence ofcriminal wrong-doing to have Bush and Cheneyimpeached in one day. Indeed, many politicalobservers speculate the Democrats have beenloath to pursue impeachment out of fear such aneffort could back-fire, and cost them the presi-dential election. Yet, with the election nearlybehind us (assuming, of course, Obama wins; I
cannot imagine a President John McCain allow-ing Bush or Cheney to be impeached foranything) that excuse has run its course for theDems.
Failure to impeach, or even bring criminalcharges against the current and former membersof this administration will have disastrous resultsfor our democracy. I fear it will signal to Bush’ssuccessor and all future presidents after him thatit is perfectly fine to wage a pre-emptive warbased on lies; to spy on Americans withoutwarrant or cause; to lock protestors up withoutreason, or due-process; and worst of all, tocondone the open use of torture against even themost heinous of criminals. Impeachment is not ameans of partisan revenge, but a crucial checkintended to maintain our democracy. Indeed, theFounding Fathers mention impeachment sixtimes in the Constitution.
The Democrats have wasted enough time. It’snot too late for the House Judiciary Committee tobring Kucinich’s impeachment resolution to avote and save our country. Even an impeach-ment hearing that ultimately fails to find Bushand Cheney guilty is better than doing nothing.And doing nothing is exactly what the Democratswill continue to do, unless we act.
Impeach ‘em now!
—Adam Marletta
Airport
It is so cold here. I’ve got to keeprunning, even in the wind thatmakes it 30 below. Even in thenight that pushes me towardsexhaustion. I’ve got to keeprunning because my insides are hotwith fury. I run to the airport alongthe river, to the boat landingwhere nightly I talk to God. Tenblack helicopters are circling theisles, landing and taking off. Thesound of choppers hot with furygrinds to pieces the night quiet,and the answers I need. I runbackwards towards the boat land-ing, watching as a helicopter headstowards me, just twenty feet abovethe ground, not rising. I dive andlay flat in the snow as it passesoverhead, whipping glassy iceagainst my face with its ferociouswind. It hovers above the frozenriver then turns, coming towardsme again. I run hard through deepcrusty snow that bruises my shins,sideways into bare river trees.Trying frantically with cold handsto put headphones in my ears andstart music, I yell at the hungryblack military snakes flying backand forth between the runway anda place in the northwestern stars,trying to burn out my flame in anapocalyptic nightscape.
In Bangor International Airportgroups of people organize to greetthe troops coming home. Theapplause is mad and hands shakeall around. Soldiers are dressed indesert colored fatigues, returnedfrom Iraq. One of them stands onthe escalator in front of me talkingon a cell phone: “Glad to be backhere, no more explosions andpeople shooting at us.” I smile atthem. I want them to feel safe.
—Lisa Panepinto
IMPEACH(continued from Page 4)
CULTIVATING SOLUTIONS:HOW COMMUNITY GARDENING CAN BENEFIT THE PEACE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE MOVEMENTS
Page 6 MPAC Newsletter
Critics of the peace and social justice move-ment often attack us by saying that we are“against” everything: anti-war, anti-corpo-
ration, anti-government. “All you people want toend war, but what other choice is there? Whereare your solutions?” While it is clear to us that weare actually quite positive people, being pro-peace, pro-community, etc., we often findourselves barely able to catch our collectivebreath as our government or a profit-hungrymultinational raises our ire with yet anothernefarious act, and thus the protest of such acts isusually the most we can muster. Still, we dobelieve in a better way, a way of peace andharmony that does not exist simply as a lack ofviolence, and so it appears that we may beapproaching things from the wrong angle. Lessoften is an activist or group of activists seen creat-ing something that cultivates peace and justicerather than simply reacting to violence and injus-tice. However, such creativity does exist, and itsmanifestations are quietly creating changearound the world.
As a student of horticulture and agriculturebut also as a firm believer in the peace and social
justice movement, my years at the University ofMaine slowly led me to find a fusion of these twoprofound parts of my life: community gardening.The American Community GardeningAssociation defines a “community garden” simplyas “any piece of land gardened by a group ofpeople”. This open-ended definition is necessarybecause the nature of these programs is continu-ing to evolve and to grow in complexity, and so“community garden” is a blanket term that coversa very wide variety of community-based garden-ing programs.
The most common kind of community gardenis the allotment-style garden, wherein communitymembers “rent” a small plot (usually between 100and 250 square feet) for around 15-20 dollars ayear and can then plant whatever they want in
their garden. These gardens are usually begun bycommunity members in urban areas for thepurpose of providing green space and allowingpeople to grow their own fresh food. However,these rules do not apply to every communitygarden. For instance, some are primarily horticul-tural in nature, with garden space given overmore to flowers and the purpose of having anurban “backyard”, and others, like the OronoCommunity Garden here in Maine, grows foodwith the substantial help of volunteers, which isthen donated to community members in need.Hundreds of other possibilities exist, and I hearabout innovative and unique new projects on analmost weekly basis.
Clearly, these gardens are not capable of stop-ping war, nor can they level the economic playingfield overnight. However, community gardens canand should play a significant role in the peace andsocial justice movement, because they can help tocreate real, organic change in both people andthe land they are cultivating. We all know thatmany of our society’s worst problems are theresult of a lack of social collusion, of apathy, of anemotional distance between people, and of a
physical and spiritual separation between theland and the people who depend on it. In truth,community gardens help to address these prob-lems, but they do not preach such a message, anddo not even need to intend such change. While itis misleading to consider community gardens as“magic”, they tend to quickly transcend theirprimary function of being “any piece of landgardened by a group of people”. Communitygardens feed the body, but also the mind and thesoul. When community gardeners must comeinto very close contact with other gardeners, theyare given both an intimacy that they may havenever before experienced with neighbors theyhave had for years, but also a common bondthrough their struggles and successes in trying tocreate something from the ground. From theseindividual interactions spring larger, neighbor-hood interactions, and usually, communitygardens become hotbeds for social networking,sharing of knowledge, and increased camaraderie.In addition to the increased interaction andunderstanding that these gardens can cultivate,the transformation of land, especially of unusedand dangerous empty blocks in urban areas, andthe growing of fresh and healthy food instigatesthe gardeners to see other possibilities in theirneighborhoods, and also to ask important ques-tions about the source of their foodstuffs. Thus,community gardens also often become the breed-ing ground for activism and alternative educa-tion, fueling progressive ideas and activities fromthe bottom up.
Many community gardens that started assingular, allotment-style projects have grown andevolved into multi-faceted garden networks. Thegardens in Portland, ME, initiated by the PortlandPolice Department as a means of getting kids offthe streets, has grown in thirteen years to fourdifferent garden sites serving over 100 families
with plans for many more, and extensive waitinglists keep track of local residents who have signedon to take the next plot available after someoneelse moves out of the garden site. Those gardens,managed by the city but with much of the powergiven over to local organizers, are also workingwith other Portland non-profits, includingCultivating Community and the CoastalEnterprise Institute, to create more, and morediverse, garden space within the city to meet thedemand. Similar trends are emerging across thecountry, and community gardens are also popularin many other countries around the world.
The greatest thing about these gardens for acommunity organizer is that, compared to mostother undertakings, they are fairly easy to start.Grants are readily available to provide start-upfunds for such projects, and with the correctfundraising and the receiving of plot fees fromgardeners, the gardens can be self-maintained. Ifone looks to create change in one’s neighbor-hood, and in the minds of those who will beparticipating, one should consider the establish-ment of a community garden. They are simpleand effective, and they cultivate long-termchange and progressive ideas, rather than simplyreact to negative events and policies. For moreinformation about the history of communitygardening, be sure to check out City Bountiful byLaura Lawson, and for information on gardens inyour area or how to start your own, check outwww.communitygardening.org (the officialwebsite of the American Community GardeningAssociation) or write to me [email protected] to receive an e-mail copy of my paper, “The Community Gardensand Community Garden Programs of NewEngland: A Survey of and Guide to Their History,Significance, and Potential for the Future”.
—Jeff Hake
Orono Community Garden grows food with the substantial help ofvolunteers, which is then donated to community members in need.
MY INTRODUCTION TO THE WORLD
Fall 2008 Page 7
When I was 17 years old, I went throughan experience that changed meprofoundly. On October 28th, 2006, I
became a citizen of the world, and began toassume the responsibilities that come with beinga member of a world community. For the previousyear, I had been a part of an organization inBangor, Maine, called Peace through Inter-American Community Action (PICA) throughtheir youth group, Youth Adelantando. PICA hadcome into existence in the 1980s, during the timeof the Salvadoran Civil War. PICA began as anorganization sistered with the community ofCarasque in the region of Chalatenango, ElSalvador. This sister relationship is made possiblethrough the organization called U.S.-El SalvadorSister Cities, which is comprised of 17 communityorganizations throughout the United States thathave sister communities in El Salvador. Thesesistering relationships are based on ideals of soli-darity and support rather than “helping” and“charity.” Our Salvadoran sisters communicatewith us about the problems they are facing onsocial and civil fronts in their country. Our job inthe relationship is to spread their stories to ourcommunities in the United States and urge ourgovernment not to intervene in El Salvador’spolitical scene. PICA sends at least one delega-tion of various community members every year toour sister community of Carasque. On October28th, 2006, our delegation of five adults and sixarea youth disembarked on our life-changingjourney to El Salvador where we would learn firsthand about the people’s suffering, endurance, andhope throughout the last few decades and intothe present.
To recount the experiences of those nine daysin El Salvador would take an entire book. I feel asif I could never relay the enormity of the experi-ence as a whole. At the same time, I could neverhave enough time to tell about all the little expe-riences that made up that whole. I think what Ican say, however, is how those days changed mysense of civil engagement and participation in theworld. In this country, we often only hear aboutthis country. Most citizens of the United Statesnever get a true picture of a place outside ourborders. The purpose of our delegation was tolearn. This is my diary from that nine-day trip.
OCTOBER 28, 2006
We arrived in El Salvador today. We are stay-ing in Pueblos a Pueblos guest house in San
Salvador. The trip was long, but I love all thepeople in our delegation group. The air heresmells like my Aunt Lynn’s greenhouse, like dampand fragrant soil, and the hills are beautiful. It ishot and humid, and I’m tired from the journey.
OCTOBER 29, 2006
Today we took a trip to the town of Cinquerato hear a local historian and community
elder, Don Pablo, tell us the story of El Salvador’sCivil War: Social and civil unrest throughout the1970s and ‘80s had led up to the breakout of civil
war that lasted from the early ‘80s until 1992. Bythe late ‘70s and ‘80s, the people of El Salvadorhad formed guerrilla groups to combat theextreme right, oppressive military “death squads”that were being dispatched by the Salvadorangovernment to squash their social movement.The government spread propaganda tellingpeople that their movement was communism andthat communism was evil and anti-Christian. InCinquera in the 1970s, a new priest was broughtinto the town. He helped the people of Cinqueraunderstand the Bible in light of their own livesand understand that, according to the Bible, theoppression they were experiencing at the hands ofthe government was unjust. These teachings werea part of a movement within the catholic churchand rural communities of El Salvador called“Liberation Theology,” and communities thattook part in that movement were called“Christian-Based Communities.” With the helpof these teachings, Cinquera became a realcommunity, helping each other with sickness andhunger. All of the community members becameeach other’s safety net in the times of oppressionthrough which they were fighting. When the mili-tary found out about Liberation Theology, theybegan to spread themselves throughout theregion, which had many towns just like Cinquerabeginning to come together against governmentoppression. This was a time when the govern-ment, with the assistance of the death squads,began to capture people and torture them forfollowing Liberation Theology. In 1979, a bishopfrom San Vicente was sent to investigate claims ofcommunism in the town of Cinquera. The bishopand members of ORDEN, a right-wing militaristicorganization connected with the Salvadorangovernment of the time, called the town to meetin the church. The bishop and the ORDENmembers excommunicated the priest and thepeople of Cinquera. One 17-year-old girl spokeup and said that the bishop from San Vicentespoke as if he were a rich oppressor, not a shep-herd of the people. The members of ORDEN, by
order of the priest, took the girl away into thewoods. They raped her for three days and threenights. They cut off her ears, her breasts, hernose, her tongue, and gauged out her eyes. Theythen killed her with two stakes driven up throughher body. This was the first murder of a memberof a Christian-Based Community. The peoplebegan to flee their communities after witnessingsuch atrocities, which tore apart towns that hadcome together so effectively. Guerrilla groupsbegan to form to fight against the governmentdeath squads and ORDEN. The United Statessent the Salvadoran government billions ofdollars in assistance to form these death squadsand build up the army that was shamelesslyoppressing, violating, and killing innocent towns-people all over El Salvador.
LATER
The people of this country have been throughso much pain and violence, yet they bear it so
well and understand the importance of keepingthe memories alive. After listening to Don Pablo’sstory, we went for a hike in the forest just outsidethe village. I was in a jungle! It was beautiful. Thenature here is incredible. Throughout the walk Ijust had to stop and appreciate the sounds, smellsand sights of the moment. After we had climbedup the mountain, walking between beautifulenormous green trees with bright colored insectsand birds all around, we stayed for a little while atthe wooden lookout post that had been built atthe summit. The view was absolutely incredible—lush, green, rolling mountains dotted with thebluest lakes, all spread over with a magnificentazure sky. When we walked down the mountain,we made a pit stop at a little waterfall. As I laidback in the water, getting the nape of my neckwet and floating on my back, I felt I must be inheaven. I feel so connected. Connected to thisEarth and the trees. Connected to the people inmy delegation. Connected to the people in thiscountry. Connected within myself to create thissort of inner completeness and peace. It’s baffling
Cassie Alley photo.
Page 8 MY INTRODUCTION TO THE WORLD MPAC Newsletter
to me that so much pain could have happened insuch a breathtaking place. The atmosphere ofthis country is so peaceful—how could horrorslike those they’ve lived through exist here? DonPablo cried. Five of his own children were killedin the civil war, yet he has such strength of bodyand mind and spirit, even after all of that. I havelived in such peace. Today was amazing. I feel likeI’m doing something important.
OCTOBER 30, 2006
Today we went to a meeting with the VicePresident of CRIPDES and a man from
MPR-12, two grassroots organizations that are atthe forefront of the Salvadoran social movement.It’s interesting that the same things are happen-ing all over the world: People just can’t do whatthey’ve always done anymore. It’s either a hugecorporate farm or no farm at all. The rich just getricher and everyone else just gets poorer. 1/5 of ElSalvador’s population is in “extreme poverty.”This is largely due to the free-trade agreements
that have devastated El Salvador‘s economy..After the meeting, we embarked on our four-hourtrip to Carasque. When we finally got to thevillage, every person was out to meet us! Theyhelped us bring our luggage and supplies into theguest house and hung around outside with usbefore we went to dinner. A woman named Juliacooked our meal for us in her house of cement-block walls and dirt floors. After dinner, weheaded up to the dance that the community hadorganized to welcome us to their village.
OCTOBER 31, 2006
Iwoke up this morning cold, but beautifullyrested.
This morning is gorgeous. I’m sitting herebetween the four walls of our guest house, whichconsists of a cement floor, painted cement-blockwalls, and a corrugated tin roof. The windows arejust holes in the walls with iron bars in them. Thewalls of the guest house are covered in postersand names. One hand-made sign says: “Enmemoria a nuestros Martires, iNuestros martiresviven en nuestro pueblo!” (In memory of our
martyrs. Our martyrs live in our people!) Anothersays: “El Salvador lucha por la verdadera inde-pencia” (El Salvador fights for true independ-ence.)
The sun is shining and I can hear a few peoplegoing about their work outside. I hear the streamtumbling down the hill, the bugs chirping in theforest, and roosters crowing, and I can smell thefresh, warm morning air in the mountains.
Every now and then some cows wander by inthe street. Sometimes a man is with them.
NOVEMBER 1, 2006
I’m hanging out with a couple other delegationmembers outside our guest house. All the
village children are here playing with us, talkingto us, marveling at our cameras. The children areso beautiful.
Last night a youth theater group, NuevasVidas Teatro (New Lives Theater), came from thetown of Guarjila, which is a few towns away, to
put on a show for us. Their play was about thehistory of El Salvador. It was light-hearted andspirited in showing the struggles that the peoplein the country have had to go through. It was funseeing the two communities come together and tobe there as a part of that solidarity.
NOVEMBER 2, 2006
Today has been an absolute blast! After lunchat Julia’s house, we went with all the kids
from the village and a few of their parents to theriver for a swim. I had a mud-fight with a littleboy named Ernesto, who taught me to skip rocksbetter than ever before using simply the words“bajo” (low) and “duro” (hard). We swam for acouple of hours. Today was also the Day of theDead, so the entire village came out together towalk to their graveyard, which is about two milesup the road from the center of town. All thetombs are so colorful! Blues, pinks, yellows, andgreens make it so death doesn’t seem so depress-ing. At the graveyard the community held a Dayof the Dead church service, singing special songsfor that day. On the walk back to the village from
the graveyard, Jeni, the little girl who gave me herlittle green bracelet, got her shoes stuck in themud and then the girl behind her, Nanci, did thesame thing! They were laughing so hard and wewere laughing even harder as we tried to get themout with their shoes on. It was silly and hilarious.I love this place so much. Tonight we had a good-bye dance. The first song they played was thesong “Sex on the Beach.” The people in thevillage had no idea what it meant and we were alljust laughing about it. They also played the themesong to Ghostbusters! I can’t believe I’m leavingCarasque tomorrow, and leaving El Salvador in 3days. I’ll miss the people and the air—the greenon the trees here is so refreshing. I’ll miss the chil-dren from the village so much. I don’t particularlywant to go home. It’s going to be ridiculous goingback to high school and college applications. Itwas weird earlier realizing that I had a life inMaine. I love Maine, but it’s so different fromhere… It has been an incredible experience herein Carasque.
NOVEMBER 3, 2006
Today we stopped in the town of San Jose LasFlores for lunch at their community restau-
rant. I was sitting at the table with my delegationeating my lunch and I completely zoned out, butat the same time it was like zoning in. I washumming the song “Loch Lomond” and thepeople around me were talking about how yester-day at the cemetery, a woman named Chepa,whose son had died in a bus bombing a few yearsago by right-wing fanatics in San Salvador, wasone of the only people crying. In my mind, Irecalled the scene of Chepa kneeling over herson’s flower-covered grave in the sunlight, asingle candle lit on top, crying for his lost life. Atthat moment, it all became real to me: everythingI’ve learned, seen, and felt in this last week justclicked into place. As I sat there with the delega-tion and a fried potato and coke, the hum ofdeep, painful, and hopeful conversation half-entered my ears and my hummed “Loch Lomond”framed the emotions crashing through me.
How do high school, college applications, andAmerican materialism exist, while at the sametime, all of this? It‘s as if it has been an entire life,this week. I have two different lives now. And I’mgoing to have to learn to live with that differenceinside me. Every time I hear “Loch Lomond,” I’llremember the moment when it all flooded in,connected inside me, and split me in half. I am intwo. How does it all fit? How am I these twocompletely different people all at once? It’s likeevery person, feeling, view, story, and thoughtthat has existed on this trip has completelyflipped me inside out. And I don’t know what todo about it. And I don’t want to go home.
NOVEMBER 4, 2006
Today we went to the beech to gatherourselves after the tumultuous emotional
journey we’ve all been through. We swam in theocean for hours, ate beautiful food, and laid onthe black volcanic sand. There were twohammocks stretched out between a few palmtrees in the courtyard of the restaurant we rented
Some of the village kids (Cassie Alley photo)
See INTRODUCTION on Page 9
Fall 2008 Page 9
for the day. I spent an amazing hour laying in thehammock in the sun. When I thought about leav-ing, I couldn’t handle myself. A wave crashedover me as the sun went down, and that was that.I don’t know what this emotion is, but it is strongand I kicked the water. Today was spectacular.How does it all end?
NOVEMBER 5, 2007
I’m on the plane waiting to take off into myother life. I feel weird inside. Flipped around,
confused, and dazed. But full. I keep remember-ing everything that happened and thinking,“WHAT?!” at the fact that I’m going back. I’mgoing back? Oh gosh. I am changed and nobodybut my delegation could possibly understand.
NOVEMBER 6, 2006
Idon’t really know how I feel about being homeyet. It’s rather a strange thing. I don’t know how
to cope. I need to keep everything alive. Oh dear,I think this is a hard process. I still have sand fromthe beech in my hair and I don’t want it to goaway. I need to keep the people and communitystrong within me. I need to remember the chick-ens in the streets, the vibrant flowers on vines,the banana trees, the moon over the palm trees atthe beech, the sunsets, the mountain views, theriver swims, and the lookout on top of the moun-tain. In reality, I would never be able to forget.I’m not going to school in the morning. I can’timagine facing so soon the fact that everyoneexists. The reality of letting everything go… it’shard.
BECOMING ACTIVE
An isolation from this life began the moment Ileft El Salvador behind and it took a good six
months for that feeling to dissipate. I keptwondering: “What is the point of this society?What are we DOING? We shop and we eat andwe study just to get grades and we always lookahead and never look around. Above all, we don’tlove or look out for each other enough . We areall about the individual.”
As a result of these thoughts and of the dele-gation trip, I became an involved citizen, partici-pating in social justice rallies and organizationsand taking part in PICA events, as well as themost recent U.S.-El Salvador Sister CitiesNational Gathering that took place on October11th and 12th, 2008. This involvement hasbecome a rewarding and fulfilling piece of my life.Without it, I would not be myself. I think it isimportant for people to count themselves as citi-zens of the world and to feel a responsibility forcontributing to the well-being off all their fellowhumans. The first step to achieving this is educa-tion, both about social and political matters, andtaking baby steps into social activism. Anybodycan get involved, and I would encourage every-body to do so. I know first hand that it can trans-form your life in ways you could never imagine.
—Cassie Alley
why is someone running
earlier in the night,blue rain poured over the pond, and the live oak from the backseat said, “Why is someone running?” afterseeing a man in blue hooded rain coat, run over the guard railinto snowy river bank
I see the same manon the bus, he is an Asianman, the bus driver ridesby him, until someone sayshey, there’s someone coming,few see
red birds and yellowbirds eating cold redberries from dampyellow winter grass, they don’t fly away as I walk, saying “spring is coming,yellow birds, spring iscoming, huh?”they laughas people talk by reading each other’s lipsfrom separate cars,driving away in separate directions,a man has been killed walking on the road
it is March, static dry air-frozen river behindthe bus stops- driver pulls up to the light and makesthe man run
Front seat passengerdown Gilman Falls AvenueI hear a singular phrase“It’s about survival,”and have the sensation of someonerunning out into the road
—Lisa Panepinto
INTRODUCTION(continued from Page 8)
THE REAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONFOR PEACE AND JUSTICE
Page 10 MPAC Newsletter
I’m completing this article in late October, twoweeks before the November elections. Sincethe primary process in the U.S. is so lengthy, I
found that the most common political question Ireceived from professors and students at UMaineand from citizens in the community was thefollowing: Whom are you supporting for presi-dent? Since the national candidates have beenselected, most of the political questions I havereceived have focused on polls numbers, trends,and support levels for Obama and McCain, aswell as alarm about Palin’s values and incompe-tence. The questions were predictable but myanswers usually seemed to surprise many of thequestioners. In terms of my research and serviceactivities, as well as my peace and justiceactivism, these questions, reflecting the focus ofthe establishment corporate media, are not myhighest priority.
For this article, I’ll only note, but not analyze,a very important concern: Why candidates, whohave the best peace-and-justice analysis andagenda, are given almost no exposure in themainstream corporate media, are not allowed bythe corporate parties and media to participate indebates, and are not a serious part of the presi-dential electoral process. Let me just assert myview that on peace and justice issues of the
bloated military budget, Iraq, Afghanistan,Pakistan, Iran, the Middle East, the economiccrisis, energy policies, big corporate power, etc.,independent candidate Ralph Nader is muchmore insightful and much more progressive thanObama or McCain. One could say the sameabout the Green Party agenda and its candidateCynthia McKinney. For the sake of this article, I’llfocus on the most common questions and mediapresentation focusing on Democrats versusRepublicans and especially Obama-Biden versusMcCain-Palin.
Elections Do Make a Difference
It’s not as if it makes no difference who iselected president. If Al Gore had become pres-
ident in January 2001, it is possible that the U.S.would not have invaded and occupied Iraq,would not have the biggest financial deficit inU.S. history, and the government might not havebeen so complicit with big oil corporate interestsand might have made some progress on theclimate change crisis. A new president can makesome difference in changing the present culturalclimate in which inequalities between haves andhave-nots have grown alarmingly; class and raceand other divisions have been exacerbated andcynically exploited; and the reputation of the U.S.throughout the world, even in friendly countries,is certainly at its lowest point during my lifetime.
Similarly, it does make a difference whetherJohn McCain or Barack Obama is elected presi-dent, even leaving aside the truly terrifyingprospect of a Palin presidency. Even during thedecades when the media gave maximum exposureand loved John McCain as a personable “straightshooter,” he, in his personal life and his policies,consistently represented the narrow interests ofthe wealthiest and most powerful. He was animpulsive, hotheaded, threatening super-mili-tarist, even before and throughout the Vietnam
War to the present. His rare disagreements withthis disastrous Bush-Cheney administration haveusually been that it was not sufficiently militaris-tic! The prospect of a McCain-Palin administra-tion aggressively pursuing militaristic policies ofviolence and war, removing women’s reproduc-tive rights and eroding our other constitutionalprotections, and continuing the deregulatedcorporate privatization that has producedeconomic disaster should rightfully concern thosewith a peace and justice agenda.
By way of relativist contrast, Barack Obama,both in his personal life and policies, is moreaware of and sympathetic to peace and justiceconcerns than is McCain-Palin. An Obamaadministration might seek more multilateraldiplomatic resolutions of conflict before engagingin unilateral militarism, and it might do relativelybetter on race, gender, class, and environmentalissues. So why should this not be the sole focus ofa peace and justice agenda during the electionprocess?
Key Issue for Peace and Justice Concerns
My position is that the most important reali-ties, even during an election year, do not
involve who is elected president, but ratherwhether we can create a new political andcultural climate with a change in relations ofpower. I say this because of lessons learnedthrough similar presidential choices and subse-quent consequences during almost five decades ofpresidential campaigns. We can participate in theelectoral process but with a different attitude andpolitical culture. We must get away from the top-down approach in which we become totallydependent on our president and other electedofficials to solve our political, economic, military,healthcare, energy, environmental, and otherproblems. When so dependent, we then becomedisappointed, cynical, and feel powerless whenelected politicians disappoint us and representthe interests of the wealthy and powerful. Wehave given the president and other politicians toomuch of our power.
I won’t give detailed examples of this in mylifetime. Suffice it to note Lyndon Johnson in1964 running as “the peace candidate” againstso-called reckless warmonger Barry Goldwaterand then immediately escalating the disastrousVietnam War after his election. Or Jimmy Carter,running in 1976 in the aftermath of the unpopu-lar Vietnam War, promoting the transformationfrom the bloated war economy with the promiseof a big “peace dividend.” Once elected, Cartersurrounded himself with militaristic and imperial-istic hawks and never provided any peace divi-dend. Or, to provide one other illustration, BillClinton running as a flashy populist, who could“feel the pain” of the people and had someprogressive agenda proposals. Once elected, he
We must get away from the top-down approach in which webecome totally dependent on our president and other electedofficials to solve our political, economic, military, healthcare,energy, environmental, and other problems.
Fall 2008 THE REAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE Page 11
surrounded himself with the same Wall Streetand corporate elite, pursued aggressive militaris-tic policies, backed away from his progressiveinitiatives, took over much of the Republicanagenda, and, indeed, became the most conserva-tive Democratic president of the twentiethcentury.
It’s easy to conclude that an Obama presi-dency, regardless of his personal history and someprogressive proposals, will continue this pattern ifpeace and justice citizens do not hold himaccountable. There are numerous signs of thisduring the campaign. For example, he hassurrounded himself with the same corporateadvisers from the past, he has received more WallStreet funding than the Republicans, and, whilemuch better on Iraq, he has backtracked and hasproposed dangerous militaristic polices towardAfghanistan and Pakistan. He has even outdonethe Republicans and past administrations with hishardline policy proposals regarding Israel and theMiddle East. Where does this leave those with apeace and justice commitment?
My proposal is that instead of giving our soleor major focus to who wins the election and thento top-down politics, we must create and furthera culture in which we educate ourselves, raiseconsciousness, and build a real democratic move-ment. In the electoral and other politicalprocesses, we must challenge fear mongering,misinformation, lies, rush to war, false patriotism,undermining of civil liberties, promoting torture,war-profiteering by corporations, planned occu-pation of Iraq with permanent military bases andcontrol of the oil, undermining of real science,and all of the other recent policies that are not inour real interests.
For me the key issue is this: It is only a broad-based and diverse movement, not defined bymoney and limits of electoral politics and thepower status quo, that can support progressivepoliticians and put pressure on those complicitwith economic and military power. Without sucha political culture we are left waiting for thesuperstar politician who will solve our problemsfor us, and that is not how history works.
The abolition of slavery, woman’s right to vote,the end of child labor, the 8-hour work day, civilrights, the end of the Vietnam War, environmen-tal legislation, and other really significant culturaland political changes were opposed by powerfuland privileged economic and political forces.Only when the people educated themselves,organized, resisted, struggled, and became apowerful political culture did the “leaders” at thetop have to listen. Only through real democraticempowerment can we support progressive candi-dates and then hold them accountable. And onlythrough real democratic involvement andempowerment can we create our own politicalculture and sense of community, take greatercontrol of our lives and develop our sense of self-determination, and live more meaningful andfulfilling lives more consistent with our peace andjustice values and priorities.
Postscript
As we complete this issue of the MPACNewsletter, Barack Obama has just been
elected the next President of the United States ofAmerica. I greeted the election returns with asense of celebration, but even more a deep senseof relief. A McCain-Palin victory would havebeen demoralizing, alarming, and dangerous andterrifying for the future of the U.S. and the rest ofthe world. It is important not to minimize orundermine the energy and hope for change andfor a better world generated among millions ofour citizens, especially the youth and minorities,by the Obama candidacy and victory. We mustwork to transform such hope and energy into realsocial, political, cultural, and economic change.
At the same time, in a predictable manner,Obama has surrounded himself with economic
and foreign policy advisors who represent the pastand the power elite. The priorities of these mostinfluential advisors are what we have analyzedand challenged in past decades as representingthe policies of U.S. empire, imperialism, bigcorporate domination, war, and domestic andglobal militarism. That is why we must work toavoid the repetition of a discouraging patternfrom the past: Years later millions of citizens havelooked back bewildered, demoralized, and cyni-cal, as they wonder what happened to theirearlier, enthusiastic hope for change. And that iswhy I continue to emphasize my key issue: Wemust organize and become a strong voice if we areto become a transformative force of resistance toviolence, war, and injustice and for new peaceand justice alternatives for meaningful change.
—Doug Allen
Judd Esty-Kendall, Lois Latour, and Larry Latour perform at the September 13 rally in Bangor
Vol
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34, N
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Fall
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Mai
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Plea
se re
turn
to:
Mai
ne P
eace
Act
ion
Com
mitt
ee, M
emor
ial U
nion
, Uni
vers
ity o
f Mai
ne, O
rono
, ME
044
69
MA
INE
PE
AC
E A
CTI
ON
CO
MM
ITTE
EP
RS
RT
STD
Mem
oria
l Uni
onU
.S. P
OS
TAG
E P
AID
Uni
vers
ity o
f Mai
neO
RO
NO
, ME
044
69O
rono
, ME
044
69 (
Cha
nge
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vice
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uest
ed)
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RM
IT N
O. 3
4
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Fund
ed in
par
t by
Uni
vers
ity o
f Mai
neSt
uden
t Gov
ernm
ent
Publ
icat
ion
serv
ices
by
Eric
T. O
lson
Univ
ersi
ty o
f Mai
ne s
tude
nt H
osai
n Ag
ham
oosa
spe
aks
to 4
50 p
eopl
e at
the
"End
the
War
, Bui
ld th
e Pe
ace,
Reb
uild
the
Econ
omy"
Ral
ly a
nd M
arch
" on
Sept
embe
r 13,
200
8 in
Ban
gor (
Phot
o by
Tam
my
Olso
n)
