I’m writing to invite you to come to a meeting on Saturday, June 21st from 10-1 at the Peace & Justice Center of Eastern Maine, 170 Park Street, Bangor. The purpose of the meeting would be to discuss a large (we hope) peace rally in Bangor on Saturday, September 13th.
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 in Eastern Maine 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.
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 the rally will by itself exert such a pressure, but we hope it will affirm our unified power, invite broad based participation, 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 and that it will also attract the many others who are opposed to the Iraq War.
On July 4th the Veterans for Peace groups in Maine are hoping for a large peace contingent in the Brewer to Bangor Parade. We encourage everyone to attend and invite those who wish to the Center after the parade for pizza and sharing of what various groups are planning in their communities and regions.
Please let us know if you can join us on June 21st and/or July 4th. We will send you the agenda and questions to consider prior to the meeting and look forward to your input.
Ilze Petersons
Program Coordinator
The Peace & Justice Center of Eastern Maine
170 Park Street
Bangor ME 04401
(207) 942-9343
fax 992-2288
email: info [at] peacectr [dot] org
check our website: www.peacectr.org
