CATCHING UP AGAIN

The coast along Gangjeong village on Jeju Island. This is the area the Navy wants to pour concrete over the rocks to build piers to port Aegis destroyers made here in Maine

* Back home after a great weekend in Madawaska. Had a real beautiful drive on country roads about half of the way home from the north. Some great scenery along the way with Mt. Katahdin and beautiful rivers and lakes. Did not see a moose. About two hours south we stopped at a roadside "clam shack" and immediately ran into two more of our Gagnon "cousins" from the reunion. They are all over the place!

* This morning I got a confirmation from our local newspaper that they will run my op-ed piece about my recent visit to the Gangjeong village on Jeju Island in Korea. In the piece I suggest that it is time for people in Maine to think about where these Aegis destroyers, that are built here at Bath Iron Works, go when they leave Maine. I also said that the folks in Maine would never allow our rocky coast to be covered with cement by the Navy to build piers to port these warships. Looks like the op-ed will run in the Friday edition with a photo from the island. Will post it once it appears in the paper.

* I have the responsibility to organize one of the plenary panel discussions at the national Veterans for Peace convention that will be held in Portland, Maine on August 26-29. The panel will be called "Strengthening Our Movement: Linking War and the Economic Crisis at Home" and will feature Jo Comerford from the National Priorities Project and a couple other speakers. Still got a few details to work out on the panel. I am also responsible for the final march and rally through the streets of Portland on Sunday, August 29 from 9:00-11:00 am. (Hope you can attend this finale demo.)

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Veterans for Peace which was actually founded here in Maine. Should be a wonderful event - great music, speakers, lobster bake on nearby Peak's Island, and banquet featuring Noel Paul Stookey, of the revered group, Peter, Paul and Mary along with keynote speech by Chris Hedges.