The regular Thursday series at the University of Maine featured a panel discussion, “The Iraq War: Lessons Three Years after the U.S. Invasion and Occupation'’. The podcast is in two parts:
PANEL PRESENTATIONS (43 min; 10 MB; 32kbps/24kHz mp3)
DISCUSSION (32 min; 8 MB; 32kbps/24kHz mp3)
Panel members include Ilze Petersons, Coordinator, Peace & Justice Center of Eastern Maine; Michael Howard, philosophy, University of Maine; Alex Grab, history, University of Maine; and Doug Allen, philosophy, University of Maine.
My favorite part of this panel is where Ilze recounts the amazing array of peace and justice work that is done by thousands of people day-in, day-out, every day all over the state of Maine:
“But those of us who remember the many years it took to build the movement to end the war in Vietnam, to gain women’s suffrage, to enact civil rights legislation, are heartened by the strength of the growing peace & justice movement. More than ten weekly peace vigils have been held in communities around the state for the past four years–in Presque Isle, in Houlton, in Harrington, …, Deer Isle, Brunwick, Waterville, Farmington, Portland, and every Tuesday in front of the Federal Building in Bangor [at 5 pm]….
“New organizations have sprung up in local communities across the nation… And following the lead of Cindy Sheehan, is the organization Military Families Speak Out, which will be sponsoring the event at [the talk by US Senator Susan Collins in Orono] today….
“And as we all know, there’s been a steady stream of articulate letters to the editor, opeds, many have signed petitions, called and visited Congressional offices, held readings of Iraq war dead, planted flags on lawns, travelled to Augusta, New York, and Washington DC, held Chains of Concern, formed Bridges of Peace, attended town meetings, held hearings.
“One of the most effective, successful collaborations was the statewide response was when the University of Maine had planned a conference on doing business in Iraq, and people from around the state got together, and stopped it. And it just shows the power that we have when we unite.'’