Thursday, September 2, 2021

Blue Angels Not Green: Air Shows Harm Climate


As we prepare to protest the Navy's Blue Angels pollution extravaganza at the Great Maine Air Show in Brunswick this Saturday, September 4 at 10am, I had occasion for a walk down memory lane. 

In 2012, we were at the same air show protesting the Air Force Thunderbirds.

We marched from the Bowdoin College campus out to the main gate of the Brunswick Naval Air Station (now Brunswick Landing).

Selma Sternlieb (6th row) Photo credit: Roger Leisner, Maine Paparazzi

 Bob Dale (with sign) Photo credit: Roger Leisner, Maine Paparazzi

These photos are especially poignant as a number of our peace loving stalwarts have left us in the interim. Selma Sternlieb, Bob Dale, Peter Woodruff, présente.

Peter Woodruff Photo credit: Roger Leisner, Maine Paparazzi

Marchers carried a banner remembering the late Tom Sturtevant, a Veterans for Peace organizer who concentrated on countering military recruiting efforts at high schools around the state (air shows are primarily recruitment events). 

Photo credit: Roger Leisner, Maine Paparazzi

Photo credit: Roger Leisner, Maine Paparazzi

I can't find my photo of Tom at an air show protest prior to 2012 but I do remember he carried a sign that said: 

BLUE ANGELS ARE NOT GREEN.

I had fun seeing many familiar faces including a couple who can't be with us this year like former Bowdoin student Kong Phui Yi and good friend Karen Wainberg. 


Photo credit: Roger Leisner, Maine Paparazzi

If you're around this weekend, I hope you will join us. 

Photo credit: Roger Leisner, Maine Paparazzi



Photo credit: Roger Leisner, Maine Paparazzi

Photo credit: Roger Leisner, Maine Paparazzi

Photo credit: Roger Leisner, Maine Paparazzi

Photo credit: Roger Leisner, Maine Paparazzi


If you're on Facebook, you can rsvp here.

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