Maine Veterans For Peace announces the Tom Lewis Presente! Action. A gathering at Bath Iron Works to protest another christening of a weapon of mass destruction.

Maine Veterans For Peace; Smilin’ Trees Disarmament Farm; Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space; Pax Christi Maine, and other activist groups and individuals will gather at Bath Iron Works to protest the christening of another billion dollar war ship, a weapon of mass destruction.

This action will be dedicated to our good friend, fellow activist and artist Tom Lewis who died suddenly April 4th. Tom Lewis participated in two Plowshare actions at Bath Iron Works, the Aegis Plowshares Action in 1991 and the Prince of Peace Plowshares Action in 1997. Tom has been present at many of the Advent, Lenten and launch gatherings over the years. His physical presence will be missed however his spirit will be with us on the 10th .

WHERE: BATH IRON WORKS, Washington Street, Bath, in front of the administration building.

DATE: MAY 10, 2008

TIME: Begin gathering at 9:30 AM

We will gather in front of the Bath Iron Works administration building, Washington Street, Bath. Some of us, or all of us, will walk down to the public admission gate about ½ mile down Washington Street.

History: Begun with the USS Arleigh Burke, DDG 51, this will be the 55th Aegis destroyer built for the US Navy, approximately 1/2 of them at Bath Iron Works. This warship, costing somewhere between $900 million to $1.1 billion, carries 56 of the nuclear capable (200 KT warhead) Tomahawk missiles; depleted uranium penetrators in the Phalanx 20mm close-in SA system; the ASROC vertical launch system using the Mk-45 nuclear capable (20 KT or less) torpedo; the Boeing Harpoon surface to surface missile and the Standard SM-3 kinetic warhead missile used in the Ballistic Missile Defense System.

Contact: Jack Bussell, Maine Veterans For Peace, 207-772-1442 FMI

Latin Dance Band, Primo Cubano

On Saturday, May 10th at 8:00 PM the Latin dance band, Primo Cubano, will be on stage at Watts Hall in Thomaston.

PRIMO CUBANO is a new local band playing old Cuban music (Son style as featured in the film and CD “Buena Vista Social Club”) using the traditional acoustic instrumentation of tres, upright bass, guitar, and trumpet with the rich percussion of congas, bongos, maracas, guiro and claves. The songs’ Spanish lyrics are sung in the rhythmic call and response style of Son that’s easy to join in on. With their combination of talent, experience, and energy, PRIMO CUBANO creates smooth grooves that make you want to dance.

The proceeds from this event will be used to help purchase a school bus that will be sent to Cuba with the US / Cuba Friendshipment Caravan in July.

Admission is 10$ per person at the door 50/50 raffle Refreshments

Sponsored by Let Cuba Live.
For more infromation call 273-3247 or 743-2183

Sunday, May 11, 12 noon

Meet on the Woolwich side of the Carlton Bridge Walk to Waterfront Park in Bath

Honor Maria Holt, longtime community activist

Park in post office parking lot in Woolwich or near park in Bath. Rides available back to Woolwich following ceremony

Bring signs demanding dollars for healthcare, education and jobs

Sponsored by PeaceWorks and the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom

FMI: 371-2077

TOM NEILSON, the “Jon Stewart of folk music” who is doing a benefit performance so we can send a bus filled with humanitarian supplies to Cuba. A small bus will leave Portland on June 14 to break the cruel, illegal U.S. blockade against the island nation. Tom Neilson has performed in concert halls and clubs, at political protests, and on picket lines.

This time he’ll be at:

Peace Action Maine, 644 Congress Street, Portland,4 P.M. Sunday, May 11

Some explanation: Ken Jones of Westbrook found the bus. He and a few others will take it to Cuba as part of the “19th Pastors for Peace Friendshipment Caravan” traveling there against the rules.

We need to pay for the bus. If you want to hear Tom—and enjoy Cuban food—we’re asking for a $15 donation. If you can’t join us, we are still asking for your help. Please mail to: Ken Jones, 55 Union St, Westbrook, ME 04092. Make checks out to “IFCO/ Pastors for Peace.” Mark “Maine Bus” on the memo line.

For more information: Call Tom at (207) 743-2183 or Stephanie at (207) 782-0680.

WHAT: Peace Action Maine event: RECLAIM MAINE PRISONS

WHO: Retired ATF and INTERPOL agent and author, James P. Moore.

WHERE: The Meg Perry Center, 644 Congress Street, Portland, Maine

WHEN: Friday May 16, 2008 from 7:30-9:30 PM

Peace Action Maine is proud to bring this hard nosed former cop to The Meg Perry Center. Since retirement in Maine James Moore has written freelance for several periodicals, including, Newsweek. Mr. Moore has written a suspense thriller, Official Secrets, and a history of ATF, Very Special Agents.

The two books Human Sacrifice and State Secrets are the result of Moore’s determination and dedication to find the truth in a most disturbing case of law enforcement mishandling and cover-ups. This discussion will not be an easy one for those who believe in the assumption of innocence until proven guilty.

For more information please contact Peace Action Maine at 772-0680. To learn more about Human Sacrifice and State Secrets: www.trialanderrordennis.org
For more on the event write to Sue: rodepast [at] msn [dot] com

“The bride is beautiful but she’s taken.”
In 1897, who said that about what?

Israel celebrates its 6oth anniversary: what is missing from the picture?

What happened to the 800,000 Palestinians who lived there before 1947-48?

Joel Kovel (Overcoming Zionism: Creating a Single Democratic State in Israel/Palestine)

Samy Qarmout (Bates College Palestinian refugee)

Eric Hooglund (Bates College)

William Slavick (USM retired)

Saturday, May 17, 6:30 p.m. (films, 5 p.m.),
Sunday, May 18, 12:30 p.m.-3:45 p.m. (films, 11 a.m.)
302 Payson-Smith Hall, USM, 96 Falmouth St., Portland Books for sale. Contributions welcomed.

Maine Peace and Justice in Israel/Palestine
For more information, call 774-1110 or 773-6562

Saturday, June 7, 9:00 am to 4:30 pm, The Hannaford Lecture Hall at the University of Southern Maine’s Abromson Center, Portland Campus.

About the Speakers, their Topics and their Professional Backgrounds

Penny Coleman—“Soldiers’ Heart: Old News and Disingenuous Surprise”

Penny Coleman is the widow of a Vietnam veteran who took his own life after coming home. 25 years later, she published “Flashback: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Suicide and the Lessons of War” (Beacon, 2006). She has continued to write, mostly as a columnist for AlterNet, and to speak about war and combat-related suicides. In December, she was asked to testify before the House Veterans Affairs Committee about the issue.

Coleman has co-authored a play, also called “Flashback,” based on interviews she did for the book.

She is a documentary photographer and taught photography at SUNY and the International Center for Photography in New York City until recently. In 2000, she published “Village Elders”, a book of photographic and written portraits of the oldest members of New York’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender/Transsexual community.

Coleman currently lives with her partner in upstate New York.

Tod Ensign, J.D.

“Legal and Political Issues Facing Soldiers and Veterans with War-Related Mental Illness”

Tod Ensign, a lawyer, is Director of Citizen Soldier, a GI and veterans rights advocacy organization based in New York City. CS is co-sponsor of the “Different Drummer Internet Cafe” near Ft Drum, N.Y. which is the first soldier-rights coffeehouse of the Afghan and Iraq wars. Ensign has represented several Iraq war veterans who’ve been denied effective treatment for their mental health problems by the US military. He also recently filed a request for an official Court of Inquiry to be appointed by the Secretary of the Army. It would be empowered to conduct a comprehensive investigation of Army policies which have led to the denial of mental health treatment for thousands of soldiers and their families.

Ensign is author of “America’s Military Today: The Challenge of Militarism”, (New Press, 2005), “Military Life: The Insider’s Guide” (Prentice-Hall, 1991) and co-author, “GI Guinea Pigs” (Playboy Press 1980).

Rosemary Masters, J.D., L.C.S.W.

Member, Doctors of the World, “Stress, Trauma, and the Brain: What is PTSD? How do we recognize it and what can help?”

Rosemary Masters is the Director of the Trauma Studies Center of the Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy.

She also has a private practice of psychotherapy. Her areas of advanced expertise include treatment of trauma survivors, individual and family therapy with a focus on the impact of trauma on relationships and individual functioning. In the early 1990’s she ran a support group for people with AIDS. During the same period she worked with survivors of rape and childhood sexual abuse. Following Hurricane Katrina, she was part of a group of volunteer therapists who provided Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing therapy to a large group of state employees who had participated in rescue efforts in flooded areas of New Orleans. Currently she provides assessments and assistance to asylum petitioners who have endured persecution and torture in their home countries.

Who would benefit from attending the Symposium on PTSD: The Hidden Costs of War?

*Health care professionals from a wide spectrum of disciplines.

*Servicemen and women currently serving in the armed forces.

*Military veterans of past wars.

*Loved ones of servicemen, servicewomen, and of veterans.

*Individuals working in a war zone or anyone subject to violence of any kind.

*Peace and social justice advocates.

*Any and all with a special concern for the physical and emotional well-being of our military veterans

Schedule:

9:00 am—Welcome

9:15 am—Opening Remarks from Dr. Michael Uhl

9:30 am—Penny Coleman: “Soldiers’ Heart”

10:30 am—Tod Ensign: “Legal and Political Issues Facing Soldiers and Veterans with War-Related Mental Illness”

11:30 am—Rosemary Masters: “Stress, Trauma, and the Brain”

12:30 pm—Panel of Speakers to answer questions

1:00 pm—Lunch

2:00 pm—Concurrent Workshops:

Penny Coleman: “A Conversation About Posttraumatic Stress Injuries”

Tod Ensign: “In the Trenches: A Conversation About Legal and Political Issues of PTSD”

Rosemary Masters: “Living with PTSD: Coping Strategies for Survivors, Their Families, and Their Friends”

3:30 pm—Closing Remarks

Registering for the Symposium:

Registration will begin at 8:30 am. Sessions will run from 9 am to 4:30 pm with a one-hour break for lunch.

The registration fee for veterans and for individual family members for the all-day program is $25 recommended. Sliding scale $15-25 available.

Registration fee for health care professionals is $50 (CEU’s Available).

Both fees include lunch.

For advance registration, send check ($25 or $50 per person) with names of those attending, address and phone number to:

Dud Hendrick, President
Maine Veterans for Peace #001
P.O. Box 10
Deer Isle, ME 04627
email: dudhe [at] verizon [dot] net
Phone: 1-207-409-7432

Presented by:

Veterans for Peace, Maine Chapter 001

Co-sponsored by:

USM Sociology Department

Thursday, June 26, 2008 6-11:00 PM, Show at 8:00, All ages

BENEFIT at The Meg Perry Center

Donation at the door

Marissa Nadler
Glenn Jones
Arborea
Bird Microphone