Talking Drones & Navy Airshow in Brunswick

A US military drone visited 'Brunswick Landing' several years ago.  There have long been rumors that drones might some day be a key part of the operation at the former Navy base in Brunswick, Maine

Report on PeaceWorks/VFP Meeting with MRRA about Upcoming Airshow September 5-6

On July 8 three members of PeaceWorks and Maine Veterans for Peace- VFP (Rosie Tyler Paul, Dan Ellis & Bruce Gagnon) met with three representatives from the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority (MRRA)  – the quasi-government agency empowered to turn the former Brunswick Naval Air Station into “Brunswick Landing: Maine’s Center for Innovation”’.

Meeting with us from the MRRA were Steve Levesque, Executive Director; Marty McMahon, Aviation Services Director; and Ben Sturtevant, Communications Coordinator.

The purpose of the meeting (requested by the peace groups) was to find out more about military/aerospace production either currently underway or planned at Brunswick Landing.  In addition we wished to speak out strongly against the planned Navy Blue Angels airshow scheduled for September 5-6.

Rosie began the meeting asking about the MRRA vision for the “Center for Innovation”.  Levesque outlined their present plan to develop renewable energy, create “Tech Place”, composites, bio-research, conservation areas, and whatever else they can attract including more aerospace/military production.

Levesque said they presently have 72 companies doing business at Brunswick Landing – and acknowledged that two of these companies - Tempus Jets and Maine Tool & Machine currently have some level of military contracts.  He refused to elaborate on what they actually do for the military.

Upon questioning about drone technology being a possibility at Brunswick Landing Levesque stated that they would love to have drone development going on there.  “Our board is not putting blockage on any military project – drones may in the future be developed here,” Levesque said. (He also mentioned that one of the companies now at Brunswick Landing was starting to work on drone technology which could be used for either civilian or military purposes but did not say any more than that.)

The Bangor Daily News has in the past quoted Levesque on this subject of military production:

He added that along with projects that include a tentative $1 billion contract announced by Pratt & Whitney in August to build engines for war planes [in Berwick] for the Department of Defense, “Maine is really starting to show itself in respect to being a good place for the aerospace industry. It’s good for us at Brunswick Landing, but this is great for Maine because there are going to be huge spin-offs in the supply chain. There’s going to be a need for people who do interior work, customization, machine shops. All those folks are going to benefit from having this kind of company here.”

I found nothing while searching the Internet about what military projects Tempus Jets and Maine Tool & Machine are currently doing at Brunswick Landing.  (Tempus Jets has entered a Joint Venture Agreement with the Kingdom of Bahrain which may or may not be of interest.  Tempus Jets operates an expansive aircraft maintenance, modification and interior completion facility in Brunswick.)  An Internet search did though turn up an interesting series of reviews about the company at http://www.indeed.com/cmp/Tempus-Jets/reviews

Next in the meeting we talked about the upcoming airshow with Rosalie reminding the MRRA representatives that we firmly believe these airshows are ultimately expensive and highly polluting military recruiting gimmicks.  Without hesitation Levesque admitted that “Recruiting was the primary purpose” of the airshows.  “I think you are right.  The Blue Angels are a recruitment tool for the Navy and Marine Corps.  We are OK with recruitment.  Some of us feel we need a strong military to protect your right to protest,” he said.

We asked about the front-page local newspaper photo three years ago where burning napalm was shown being simulated along the flight line during the airshow.  We made the point that this had nothing to do with the “celebration of aviation”’ that he had earlier referred to and was indeed a gross example of war and violence promotion.  Levesque went on to correct us, saying that the photo was misreported in the local newspaper – it was not napalm being simulated but was in fact simulating exploding bombs.

At this point in the meeting Dan asked if either of the other two men in the meeting would comment on this but they both refused after Levesque reminded us that “They both work for me.”

We made the point that airshows are a terrible noise maker that many in the community don’t like. Fundamentally these airshows are terribly polluting – especially bad during this time as we reflect on what our local communities can do to help deal with the coming ravages of climate change.  We reminded the MRRA representatives that the Pentagon is the largest polluter on the planet. 

The meeting concluded with us reminding the MRRA that VFP and PeaceWorks will be organizing a protest during the September 5-6 airshow.

DRONE PUBLIC HEARING IN MAINE

Click on the photo for better view

Some of the folks gather outside the hearing room after a successful day at the capital

Peter Woodruff and I drove to the state capital in Augusta today to attend the drone hearing before the combined Senate and House Judiciary Committee.  The drone bill was last on their agenda so we met artist-activists Natasha Mayers and Suzanna Lasker in the Hall of Flags where we held signs opposing the drone surveillance state.  Natasha was dressed in her black garb with a drone state license plate around her neck.  She got lots of looks.

With some time to waste, and recognizing it could be a long day, we walked down to the capital basement cafeteria to get a bite to eat.  As we entered the packed dining area all eyes were on Natasha.

We next made our way up to the 4th floor hearing room and when we entered Natasha again captured all the attention.  She sat down in the front row - with stovepipe hat still on her head and drone state license plate still around her neck.  The chair of the hearing, with a smile on her face, told Natasha that she would have to take off her costume.  So Natasha took off the hat, put it on the floor in front of her and was then told to take the "sign" from around her neck as well.

After the drone bill was presented the audience was invited to speak.  First to the podium to speak in favor of the bill was Shenna Bellows from the ACLU who made a strong case against drones and then suggested that Maine follow the lead of the Virginia state legislature which recently passed a two-year moratorium on drone operations.

I was next up and read my prepared statement.  After I finished one of the conservatives on the committee asked me if I supported weapons on drones.  I said no because they were immoral and illegal and I then proceeded to tell how the United Nations and a journalistic investigatory body had delivered conclusive evidence that hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of civilians have been killed by US drones in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Yemen.  I talked about how the drone strikes had hit funerals and weddings.  The conservative senator shot back at me with the question, "You mean the military is doing that?"  Yes, I said, the military and the CIA.

Others in the audience also gave excellent testimony.  One young man talked about how you can now buy a computer hacking program for $26 that allows a person to download the surveillance footage that the police are getting from their snooping drones.  That really got the attention of the committee members.

Next up were those who opposed the drone regulation bill - land surveyors, state police, a drone maker and the Attorney General's office.  But most of them agreed that a one year moratorium would be useful and necessary if the state was going to get a handle on the coming surge of drones flying over our heads and the resultant public outrage.

The Judiciary Committee co-chairs Sen. Valentino (Saco) and Rep. Charles Priest (Brunswick) declared that another hearing would be necessary before making any decision.  On March 7 at 2:30 pm the committee and the public will continue this drone debate.  More people will be needed in the audience and it would be helpful if Mainers would contact their state legislative delegations in support of "An Act to Protect the Privacy of Citizens from Domestic Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Use" - LD 236 (SP 72).

I intend to be there that day. Hope you join us.

DRONE BILL STALEMATED IN MAINE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE

Maine Legislature & the Debate Over Drone Surveillance Warrants
 
Maine's Joint Judiciary Committee had their work session on LD 236 "An Act To Protect the Privacy of Citizens from Domestic Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Use" yesterday in our capital city of Augusta.  After a long debate between the Attorney General and the ACLU the assembled committee members voted unanimously to kick the drone bill can down the road - they decided to postpone any decision for another two weeks.

The session began an hour late so four of us stood outside the hearing room and held signs opposing drones.  In another hearing room next door a packed crowd was debating the merits of gun control and many Tea Party members were there.  They were very interested in our anti-drone signs and we found most agreed with our concerns about drone surveillance without warrants.

One of the gun-rights supporters showed us a bumper sticker that had a drone on it and the words "Protect our 2nd amendment rights to shoot down drones."  It was heartening to have discussions with these Tea Party folks about an issue that we could agree on and felt good to have a civil exchange for once. In that moment we could see each other’s humanity and agree that the power structure often keeps us divided against one another.  So it was good to hear they were thinking along those lines like we are. I intend to follow up with some of their leaders to see if we can work together on the drone bill.

Once the hearing began it was clear that Maine's Attorney General (AG) Janet Mills (former V-P of Maine Democratic Party) was hardly in a mood to negotiate with the ACLU over the fundamental question: Should law enforcement in Maine be required to have a warrant before they can use a drone for surveillance of citizens?

AG Mills made the following case:
·    We have a serious disagreement with the ACLU on several points
·    It's a burden on law enforcement to get warrants - you can't always find a judge to authorize them
·    The bill contains too many cumbersome procedures for law enforcement
·    The ACLU bill weighs the scales against law enforcement
 
Instead AG Mills proposed a temporary moratorium until July 1, 2014 to allow a consortium of law enforcement agencies to come up with "minimum standards" that would include prior authorization by "some official" before drones could be used for surveillance. She didn't specify who the official should be - hopefully someone that is not too difficult to reach on weekends like those hidden judges. 

Most important for me though was her last point, sort of slipped into the conversation almost as an after thought.  But this one had clearly been thought out.  AG Mills said that the drone bill should in no way impede the possibility of a drone test center in northern Maine.  Bingo!

I am convinced that the leadership of the Democratic Party in Augusta is under intense pressure these days on the drone bill.  They are hearing strong support from the grassroots who obviously understand the fundamental importance of protecting our tattered civil liberties against coming unwarranted drone surveillance. But the Democrats, who now control the Maine legislature, but not the governorship, also have their eyes on that big prize.  In 2014 the Democrats want to win the governorship again.  And they want the support of the police, the growing aerospace industry interests in Maine, the fledgling drone manufacturing folks in our state, and the citizens up north surrounding the now closed Loring AFB who think a drone test center and a missile defense base located there would be a big job creator.
 
The Democrats understand that the federal government's national jobs policy these days is military production and endless war.  They've seen the writing on the wall that declares military projects are the priority of the corporate dominated government we live under.  The Democrats think that if they want to win the governorship they have to throw a bone to folks around Loring and to the aerospace industry. 
 
The fact is that 37 states are now in full capitalist-competition for the six drone testing sites around the US that Obama has announced will ultimately bring 30,000 drones into our skies.  It will become a bidding war, and sweeteners will have to be thrown at the feet of the Pentagon to entice them to come to a particular community.  One such piece of candy could be the promise that the Maine state legislature will not require drone operators to have a warrant before they do surveillance on citizens across our state.
 
I came away from the Judiciary Committee work session on LD 236 seeing the deadly connection between the bill's key element - protecting our civil liberties - and the proposed drone test base in Maine. 
 
For those wondering if drones will ever come to Maine, the question has been answered.  They are here now and we'd better look up before it is too late. 

JOINT STANDING COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY

Committee Clerk: Susan Pinette

Policy Analysts: Margaret Reinsch, Susan Johannesman

Fiscal Analyst: Alexandra Avore

Hearing Room: Room 438, State House - phone (207) 287-1327

Chairs' Office: Room 433, State House

Audio Broadcast Page: http://www.maine.gov/legis/audio/judiciary_cmte.html

Mailing Address:

Committee on Judiciary
c/o Legislative Information
100 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333

Link to List of Committee Jurisdictions

MEMBERS:

Senator Linda M. Valentino (D-York), Chair

District No. 5 
Linda M. Valentino
Boom Road
Saco, Maine 04072
(207) 282-5227 residence
1-800-423-6900

State Capitol Address
Senate Chamber
3 State House Station 
Augusta, ME 04333
(207) 287-1540
(800) 423-6900
Legislative Web Site

Senator John L. Tuttle, Jr. (D-York)

home: (207) 838-3013

office: call his legislative aide, Marc Malon, @ (207) 287-1515

email: john.tuttle@legislature.maine.gov

street: 176 Cottage St., Sanford, ME 04073

Senator David C. Burns (R-Washington)

home: (207) 733-8856

office: (207) 287-1505

email: senatorburns@myfairpoint.net

street:

159 Dodge Rd.

Whiting ME 04691

Representative Charles R. Priest (D-Brunswick), Chair

Address: 9 Bowker Street, Brunswick, ME 04011

Home Telephone: (207) 725-5439

Business Telephone: (207) 622-3789

Fax: (207) 622-3792

Home E-Mail: cpriest1@comcast.net

State House E-Mail: RepCharles.Priest@legislature.maine.gov

Legislative Web Site: www.maine.gov/legis/housedems/priestc/index.html
(Additional information, news, etc., from the House Democratic Office)

State House Message Phone: (800) 423-2900

State House TTY Line: (207) 287-4469

Representative Kimberly J. Monaghan-Derrig (D-Cape Elizabeth)

Address: 6 Russet Lane, Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107

Cell Phone: (207) 749-9443

Home E-Mail: kmderrig@maine.rr.com

State House E-Mail: RepKim.Monaghan-Derrig@legislature.maine.gov

Legislative Web Site: www.maine.gov/legis/housedems/monaghan-derrigk/index.html
(Additional information, news, etc., from the House Democratic Office)

Personal Web Site: Facebook: Kim Monaghan-Derrig
(This link is outside the Maine Legislature web site)

State House Message Phone: (800) 423-2900

State House TTY Line: (207) 287-4469

Representative Jennifer DeChant (D-Bath)

Address: 1008 Middle Street, Bath, ME 04530

Home Telephone: (207) 442-8486

Home E-Mail: dechantforbath@gmail.com

State House E-Mail: RepJennifer.DeChant@legislature.maine.gov

Legislative Web Site: www.maine.gov/legis/housedems/dechantj/index.html
(Additional information, news, etc., from the House Democratic Office)

State House Message Phone: (800) 423-2900

State House TTY Line: (207) 287-4469

Representative Matthew W. Moonen (D-Portland)

Address: 17 Pine Street #2, Portland, ME 04102

Cell Phone: (207) 332-7823

Home E-Mail: matt.moonen@gmail.com

State House E-Mail: RepMatt.Moonen@legislature.maine.gov

Legislative Web Site: www.maine.gov/legis/housedems/moonenm/index.html
(Additional information, news, etc., from the House Democratic Office)

Personal Web Site: www.mattmoonen.com
(This link is outside the Maine Legislature web site)

State House Message Phone: (800) 423-2900

State House TTY Line: (207) 287-4469

Representative Stephen W. Moriarty (D-Cumberland)

Address: 34 Blanchard Road, Cumberland, ME 04021

Home Telephone: (207) 829-5095

Business Telephone: (207) 774-7000

Cell Phone: (207) 318-3238

Home E-Mail: smoriarty108@aol.com

State House E-Mail: repsteve.moriarty@legislature.maine.gov

Legislative Web Site: www.maine.gov/legis/housedems/moriartys/index.html
(Additional information, news, etc., from the House Democratic Office)

State House Message Phone: (800) 423-2900

State House TTY Line: (207) 287-4469

Representative Lisa Renee Villa (D-Harrison)

Address: P. O. Box 427, Harrison, ME 04040

Cell Phone: (207) 712-5222

Home E-Mail: Villa98staterep@gmail.com

State House E-Mail: RepLisa.Villa@legislature.maine.gov

Legislative Web Site: www.maine.gov/legis/housedems/villal/index.html
(Additional information, news, etc., from the House Democratic Office)

State House Message Phone: (800) 423-2900

State House TTY Line: (207) 287-4469

Representative Jarrod S. Crockett (R-Bethel)*

Address: P. O. Box 701, Bethel, ME 04217

Home Telephone: (207) 875-5075

Business Telephone: (207) 824-0717

Cell Phone: (207) 739-9971

Home E-Mail: jarrodscrockett@gmail.com

State House E-Mail: RepJarrod.Crockett@legislature.maine.gov

Legislative Web Site: www.maine.gov/legis/house_gop/_reps/rep.php?rep=crockett
(Additional information, news, etc., from the House Republican Office)

State House Message Phone: (800) 423-2900

State House TTY Line: (207) 287-4469

Representative Michael G. Beaulieu (R-Auburn)

Address: 27 Sherman Avenue, Auburn, ME 04210

Home Telephone: (207) 784-0036

Cell Phone: (207) 577-6962

Home E-Mail: mike@mikeformaine.org

State House E-Mail: RepMike.Beaulieu@legislature.maine.gov

Legislative Web Site: www.maine.gov/legis/house_gop/_reps/rep.php?rep=beaulieu
(Additional information, news, etc., from the House Republican Office)

Personal Web Site: mikeformaine.org
(This link is outside the Maine Legislature web site)

State House Message Phone: (800) 423-2900

State House TTY Line: (207) 287-4469

Representative Anita Peavey Haskell (R-Milford)

Address: 17 Pine Street, Milford, ME 04461

Business Telephone: (207) 827-7296

State House E-Mail: RepAnita.Peaveyhaskell@legislature.maine.gov

Legislative Web Site: www.maine.gov/legis/house_gop/_reps/rep.php?rep=haskell
(Additional information, news, etc., from the House Republican Office)

State House Message Phone: (800) 423-2900

State House TTY Line: (207) 287-4469

Representative Stacey K. Guerin (R-Glenburn)

Address: 79 Phillips Road, Glenburn, ME 04401

Home Telephone: (207) 884-7118

Cell Phone: (207) 249-0472

Home E-Mail: repguerin@gmail.com

State House E-Mail: RepStacey.Guerin@legislature.maine.gov

Legislative Web Site: www.maine.gov/legis/house_gop/_reps/rep.php?rep=guerin
(Additional information, news, etc., from the House Republican Office)

Personal Web Site: Facebook Representative Stacey Guerin
(This link is outside the Maine Legislature web site)

State House Message Phone: (800) 423-2900

State House TTY Line: (207) 287-4469

Representative Wayne T. Mitchell (Penobscot Nation)

Address: 14 Oak Hill Street, Penobscot Nation, Indian Island, ME 04468

Home Telephone: (207) 827-0392

Business Telephone: (207) 817-7300

Tribal Telephone: (207) 817-7300

Home E-Mail: waymitch10@hotmail.com

Alternate E-Mail: Wayne.Mitchell@penobscotnation.org

State House E-Mail: RepWayne.Mitchell@legislature.maine.gov

State House Message Phone: (800) 423-2900

State House TTY Line: (207) 287-4469

SEN. KING - DRONES ARE NOT HUMANE!

I sent a Letter to the Editor of the Brunswick Times Record yesterday about our newly elected Sen. Angus King's comment that drones are a "humane weapon."  King lives in Brunswick and my hope is that many who voted for him, thinking that he'd be a moderate Independent, will feel compelled to get him to change his harsh thinking about drones.

It would be good if fellow Mainers, and others from around the world, would send Sen. King messages to help him see his remarks are wrong and hurtful.  You can reach Sen. King here
   

Dear Editor:

Predator and Reaper drones are not humane.  The Pentagon calls them "efficient Hunter-Killer platforms".

The Senate Intelligence Committee confirmation hearings for President Obama's new CIA director, John Brennan, unleashed a fire storm of criticism about the killer drone program.

Sadly the day following the February 7 public hearing I heard Maine's new Sen. Angus King interviewed on MSNBC where he called drones a "very smart artillery shell....a more humane weapon." 

Sen. King is an intelligent man which is likely one reason he was appointed to the Senate Intelligence Committee that was in charge of holding the Brennan confirmation hearings.  Unfortunately the Senate Intel Committee appears to be more concerned with protecting the administration's drone war than getting to the bottom of the truth.

The drones, with their "Hellfire missiles" on-board, have been used over Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bosnia, Serbia, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, and Somalia.  Reports have been surfacing for years that legions of civilians are being killed by the unmanned drones which are flown by pilots sitting in front of computer screens back in the US using military satellites to guide them.  Global outrage against these unforgiving weapons has grown so strong that the UN has begun an investigation into the legality and casualties of drone strikes.

A new study from Columbia Law School’s Human Rights Institute finds that the number of Pakistani civilians killed in drone strikes are “significantly and consistently underestimated” by the US government.  The Bureau of Investigative Journalism issued a report detailing how the CIA is deliberately targeting those who show up after a drone attack - rescuers and even mourners at funerals.

So far a minimum 2,629 people appear to have died in CIA drone strikes in Pakistan. The Bureau’s work suggests 475 of them were likely to have been civilians.  We are making new enemies with every drone strike.  Obama's CIA designate Brennan claims that no civilians have been killed.

I call on Sen. King to retract his statement that drones are a "humane weapon" and believe that he should apologize to the citizens of Maine and to the civilian victims of US strikes.  I would urge those who voted for Sen. King, thinking he was a moderate alternative, join me in asking him to change his thinking on drones.

Bruce K. Gagnon
Coordinator
Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space
Bath

Signers of Support Statement for Lisa Savage U.S. Senate

Dear Friends,

We, the undersigned, are writing to you in support of Lisa Savage’s US Senate campaign in Maine against Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME).  The November election in Maine for that seat will be a Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) race.  There will be no ‘spoiler effect’ this time.

Lisa is running as an Independent Green. In her long-time peace and climate change activism, she has specialized in linking the Pentagon’s carbon footprint and our climate crisis. She founded the Maine Natural Guard to do just that important work.  As an educator, Lisa has experience as a public school teacher and former union negotiator.

In Maine, Lisa has also led efforts to convert the Bath Iron Works shipyard away from constructing lethal Naval Destroyers and toward creating sustainable technologies that help us deal with climate crisis.   Lisa advocates converting to commuter rail, tidal power and other much needed systems.  Studies show that such a transformation would create more jobs for people in Maine.   Imagine having a national voice in the U.S. Senate calling for the entire military industrial complex to be converted – unless we do so quickly we will not succeed in dealing with our greatest threat, the threat of what we’re doing to our own environment.

Of course Lisa also strongly supports Medicare4All, erasing student debt, a $15 minimum wage and many other issues that are vital to the survival of working and poor people across the country.  She’s lately spoken out against the recent massive bailouts for Wall Street under the guise of virus relief while many people have yet to receive their promised $1,200 check.

Speaking about the recent murder of George Floyd by police in Minnesota, Lisa said, “People are fed up with unaccountable policing that targets Black men, women, and children and deals out injury, death, humiliation, and destruction of lives without meaningful consequences. Hundreds of thousands have rightly taken to the streets in all 50 states, including here throughout Maine. We have seen countless examples of militarized police forces instigating violence as these crowds of frustrated and angry citizens seek to peacefully assemble and express themselves, as is protected in the very first amendment to the U.S. Constitution.”

We hope you will join us in doing what you can to help support Lisa’s important campaign.  Rarely do we see such a vital opportunity to impact the national debate as Maine’s Senate race will be one of the most watched in the nation.

You can learn more about Lisa at her web site www.lisaformaine.org.  Many of us have donated to her campaign.  We hope you will share this letter widely across your community so that others who share our deep concerns may learn more about Lisa. Twitter: @LisaforMaine  Facebook: LisaforMaine

We are at a crucial moment in world history.  We must work in every possible way to bring these issues to the public.  We are grateful for Lisa and her team for their good work on all our behalf.

For people, planet and peace,

(Organizations listed for identification purposes only) 

 Signers of Statement of Support

• Dawn Neptune Adams (Penobscot activist) Bangor, Maine
• Peggy Akers (Nurse practitioner, VFP Maine) Portland, Maine
• Nathan Albright (Writer, Maryhouse Catholic Worker) New York, New York
• Doug Allen (Professor, peace and justice scholar, and activist) Orono, Maine
• Jim Allen (Alabama Veteran for Peace) Lanett, Alabama
• Nancy Allen (Activist, Green Party member) Brooksville, Maine
• Ashley Bahlkow (Currently nurturing family, working on land access & food justice initiatives and sharing garden space) North Yarmouth, Maine
• Ajamu Baraka (National Organizer, Black Alliance for Peace) New York, New York
• Ellen Barfield (Phil Berrigan Memorial VFP chapter) Baltimore, Maryland
• Elizabeth Barger (Freedom Press publisher, artist, poet, CODEPINK activist) Summertown, Tennessee 
• Medea Benjamin (Author and codirector of CODEPINK) Washington DC
• Frida Berrigan (2019 Green Party Mayoral Candidate & author of ‘It Runs In The Family: On Being Raised By Radicals and Growing Into Rebellious Motherhood’) New London, Connecticut
• Justin Beth (Green Party of the U.S. Co-Chair, MGIP SC Member, PGIC Co-Chair) Portland, Maine
• Toby Blome (Drone resistance organizer) El Cerrito, California
• Commander (Ret) Leah Bolger (President World BEYOND War, past president Veterans For Peace) Corvallis, Oregon
• Francis A. Boyle (Professor of international law at the University of Illinois, College of Law) Champaign, Illinois
• Meredith Bruskin (FNP, Peace & Justice Group of Waldo County) Swanville, Maine
• Chris Buchanan (Owner, CBC Carpentry) Searsport, Maine
• Dr. Helen Caldicott (Anti-nuclear advocate) New South Wales, Australia
• Jonathan Carter (Director, Forest Ecology Network) Lexington Twp, Maine
• Ralph Chapman (Retired Applied Physicist & recent member of Maine's Legislature, the only Green Independent party member during his last term) Brooksville, Maine
• Judy Collins (Peace-justice advocate/singer/songwriter, Vine & Fig Tree Community) Lanett, Alabama
• Gerry Condon (Veterans For Peace) Clearlake, California
• Priti Gulati Cox (Artist, activist) Salina, Kansas
• Stan Cox (Scientist, writer) Salina, Kansas
• Bob Dale (VFP Maine, PeaceWorks) Brunswick, Maine
• Barry Dana (Native educator, past chief Penobscot Nation) Solon, Maine
• Ellen Davidson (Activist & photojournalist) New York, New York
• Joseph de Rivera (Senior Research Scholar, Clark University) Brunswick, Maine
• Christine A. DeTroy (PeaceWorks) Brunswick, Maine
• Jacqui Deveneau (Chair of the Maine Green Women's Caucus) Portland, Maine
• Denise Dreher (Catholic Peace & Justice activist) Biddeford, Maine
• Reginald A. Dunton (Grassroots activist) Freeport, Maine
• Leonard Eiger (Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action) North Bend, Washington
• Pat Elder (Military Poisons Project) St. Mary’s City, Maryland
• Daniel Ellsberg (Pentagon papers, Senior Fellow PERI, UMass Amherst) Kensington, California
• Catherine Erdman (Peace activist) Temple, Maine
• Jodie Evans (Co-founder, CodePink) Venice, California
• Margaret Flowers (Co-director Popular Resistance) Baltimore, Maryland
• Bruce K. Gagnon (Peace & justice activist) Brunswick, Maine
• Manuel Garcia, Jr. (Climate blogger & retired physicist) Oakland, California
• Ann Garrison (Independent Journalist) Oakland, California
• Betsy Garrold (Retired Nurse Midwife, former Maine Green Independent Party Co-Chair, President of Food for Maine’s Future, homesteader, lobbyist, Mother) Knox, Maine
• Carol Gilbert, OP (ICAN) Washington, DC
• Starr C. Gilmartin (Licensed Clinical Social worker) Trenton, Maine
• Holly Graham (Singer/songwriter, activist) Olympia, Washington
• Chris Hedges (Pulitzer-prize winning journalist and author) Princeton, New Jersey
• Susan Hellewell (Artist and retired science teacher) Bingham, Maine
• Dud Hendrick (VFP Maine) Deer Isle, Maine
• Eric Herter (Filmmaker, VFP Maine) Brunswick, Maine
• Matthew Hoh (Marine Corps Iraq war veteran, 100% disabled veteran, Senior Fellow at Center for International Policy) Raleigh, North Carolina
• Fred Horch (Green Independent Candidate for Representative to the Legislature) Brunswick, Maine
• Tamara Hunt (Family & Child Welfare Advocate, Public Policy USM Graduate Student) Portland, Maine
• Connie Jenkins (Catholic peace and justice activist) East Blue Hill, Maine
• Ken Jones (Retired USM educator) Swannanoa, North Carolina
• Kyle Kajihiro (Board Member, Hawaiʻi Peace and Justice) Honolulu, Hawaiʻi
• Tarak Kauff (Editor in Chief of Peace & Planet News) Woodstock, New York
• Kathy Kelly (Co-coordinator, Voices for Creative Nonviolence) Chicago, Illinois
• Lynn Kelley (Retired physician) Mankato, Minnesota
• Ed Kinane (Upstate Drone Action, anti-militarism activist) Syracuse, New York
• Thomas Kircher (Interfaith Chaplain) Biddeford, Maine
• John Kiriakou (Former CIA Counterterrorism Officer & Former Senior Investigator, US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations) Washington DC
• Pat LaMarche (Former Maine gubernatorial candidate & 2004 candidate for V-P) Carlisle, Pennsylvania
• Nydia Leaf (Granny Peace Brigade) New York, New York
• Debbie Leighton (PeaceWorks) West Bath, Maine
• Richard Brown Lethem (Artist, VFP) Brunswick, Maine
• Sass Linneken (Community organizer) Bangor, Maine
• Stan Lofchie (VFP Maine) Brunswick, Maine
• Alfred L. Marder (US Peace Council) New Haven, Connecticut
• Betsy Marsano (Working to overthrow the duopoly for over 30 years) Belfast, Maine
• Kenneth E. Mayers (Major USMCR ret’d, VFP) Santa Fe, New Mexico
• Natasha Mayers (Editor in chief of Maine Arts Journal: UMVA Quarterly, Union of Maine Visual Artists) Whitefield, Maine
• Kelly Merrill (Activist, journalist, organizer) Portland, Maine
• Karl Meyer (Coordinator Greenlands Catholic Worker community) Nashville, Tennessee
• Peter S. Morgan Jr. (VFP Maine) Raymond, Maine
• John Morris (Retired teacher, VFP Maine) New Gloucester, Maine
• Chris Nelson (Chico Peace Endeavor) Chico, California
• Tom Neilson (Singer, songwriter) Greenfield, Massachusetts
• K. J. Noh (Scholar, Journalist, Peace Activist) San Francisco, California
• Jon Olsen (Former co-chair MGIP) Jefferson, Maine
• Koohan Paik-Mander (Coordinator, Just Transition Hawaii Coalition) Hanokaa, Hawaii 
• Mike Michalski (Former Marine opposed to war) South Portland, Maine
• Rosalie Paul (Peaceworks) Brunswick, Maine
• Ilze Petersons (Peace & justice organizer and activist) Orono, Maine
• Sam Pfeifle (Vice-Chair, MSAD 15 School Board) Gray, Maine
• Cecile Pineda (Author) Berkeley, California
• Ron Placone (Comedian & YouTube host) Pasadena, California
• Ardeth Platte, OP (ICAN) Washington, DC
• Doug Rawlings (President of VFP Maine chapter) Chesterville, Maine
• John Rensenbrink (Professor of Government Emeritus, Bowdoin College, co-founder Maine Green Independent Party & US Green Party) Topsham, Maine
• Richard Rhames (Family farmer, Public access TV activist) Biddeford, Maine
• Kim Rich (Water District Trustee) Portland, Maine
• Judy Robbins (Let Cuba Live), Sedgwick, Maine
• Coleen Rowley (Retired FBI Agent, former Minneapolis Division Legal Counsel and Whistleblower) Apple Valley, Minnesota
• Robert Schaible (Chairperson, Maine Voices for Palestinian Rights) Portland, Maine
• Gladys Schmitz, SSND (Retired RN and Retired teacher) Mankato, Minnesota
• Ginny Schneider (Maine WTR Resource Center) South Portland, Maine
• John & Carrie Schuchardt (House of Peace, Ch. 45 Veterans for Peace) Ipswich, Massachusetts
• Alice Slater (Board, Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space) New York, New York
• Ursula L. Slavick (Deering High teacher, former Portland Teachers’ Association president, Haiti School fundraiser), Portland, Maine
• William H. Slavick (Professor, retired Pax Christi Maine coordinator; 2006 Senate candidate; social justice, Palestinian rights activist), Portland, Maine
• Gar Smith (Author, editor, and cofounder of Environmentalists Against War) Berkeley, California
• Robert Shetterly (Americans Who Tell the Truth) Brooksville, Maine
• Dr. Jill Stein (Two-time Green Party presidential candidate) Lexington, Massachusetts
• Herschel Sternlieb (Peace activist) Washington DC
• Mary Beth Sullivan (Social worker) Brunswick, Maine
• David Swanson (Author & peace activist) Charlottesville, Virginia
• Pat Taub (Blogger, writer, teacher, peace & justice worker) Portland, Maine
• Ann Tiffany (Upstate Drone Action, anti-militarism activist) Syracuse, New York
• Dwayne Tomah (Passamoquoddy language keeper) Perry, Maine
• Jesse Ventura (Former Independent governor of Minnesota) Dellwood, Minnesota
• Karen Wainberg (PeaceWorks) Brunswick, Maine
• Morgana Warner-Evans (Workers' rights advocate & mental health professional) Portland, Maine
• Janet Weil (Activist, climate & militarism) Portland, Oregon
• Steven Welzer (Co-editor, Green Horizon Magazine) East Windsor, New Jersey
• Barbara West (Women's International League for Peace & Freedom) Bath, Maine
• Tom Whitney (Let Cuba Live) South Paris, Maine
• Russell Wray (Citizens Opposing Active Sonar Threats - COAST) Hancock, Maine
• Colonel (Ret) Ann Wright (Former US diplomat) Honolulu, Hawaii
• Kevin Zeese (Co-director Popular Resistance) Baltimore, Maryland   
• Violet Rose Zitola (former National Co-Chair, Green Party of the US) Cambridge, Massachusetts
• Johnny Zokovitch (Catholic peace and justice activist) St. Louis, Missouri