Peace Action Maine Speaker Condemns Hamas & Is Booed Off The Stage

On Wednesday I was at a rally organized by the Maine Coalition for Palestine and DSA Maine in downtown Portland. It drew about 150 people and received some coverage from local tv channel WGME, including this comment from my friend Mary Beth Sullivan: 

So, we say one thing and do another. That doesn't represent the American people. The American people do not want this genocide to continue.

"Say one thing" referred to the Democratic Party convention hearing lie after lie from the current administration claiming they want a ceasefire while meanwhile shipping an additional $20 billion worth of weapons to Israel.

The program for the rally was varied and included speakers from several organizations that are part of the Maine Coalition for Palestine. There was a dabke dance led by Palestinian-Americans, a plea for humanitarian donations to help a family in Gaza, and a speech sharing the history of the British empire's intention to create a foothold in Asia via a Zionist homeland in Palestine even prior to WWI. 

One Jewish Voice for Peace member wore a baby carrier with the message "Jewish baby against killing Palestinian babies" and another spoke saying:

Zionism doesn't protect Jews. It never has, and it never will.

From the beginning, Zionism was dreamed up by European Christian white supremacists who intended to use Jews as a glove.. while their hands were dirty extracting resources and profits from Palestine.

A problem arose when a speaker from Peace Action Maine, attorney Seth Berner, stepped to the mic. After identifying himself and his organization (which is part of the Maine Coalition for Palestine) he opened his remarks with a reference to war crimes allegedly committed by Hamas on October 7. 

From the audience one of our group responded with, "Resistance to occupation is justified!" Berner was visibly irritated and asked if he should just stop speaking. I wanted to be sure that I had heard him correctly so I called out, "Did you say that Hamas committed war crimes on October 7th, Seth?"

"Yes, I did," he replied.

"Then I'm out," I said, and walked away from the rally to go sit in my car. As an attendee but not an organizer I didn't feel I could stop him from speaking, but I could register my disagreement and discomfort by leaving rather than standing by while such a claim was made.

As I departed Monument Square I could hear more comments being made from the audience, but not very clearly. According to Jessie Mathieson of Maine Labor for Palestine, the crowd began chanting, "When people are occupied / resistance is justified" led by coalition organizers. Berner stood down and did not deliver his remarks after all.

Mathieson commented further:

I think if he had gotten up there and started talking about the "Not Another Bomb" campaign or other electoral strategies -- that many of us know are wasted energy, but are still within the wheelhouse of organizers in the movement -- people would have let him speak. 

He was stopped from speaking because he was repeating the Zionist rhetoric about October 7th.

And we cannot let someone get away with that. He was emphasizing children being murdered and placing the blame for this escalation in genocide on what happened on October 7th.

Personally, I was not surprised that Berner took this approach. His organization has been dead wrong in their analysis of the proxy war NATO is waging on Russia via Ukraine since 2014. Also, in 2022, Peace Action Maine endorsed Democratic Congresswoman Chellie Pingree despite her repeated votes to spend billions on weapons of mass destruction. (Pingree excels at making nice words come out of her mouth while funding violence against civilians.)

I believe based on years of observation that Peace Action Maine is completely in thrall to the Democratic Party. This puts them in a tricky situation as Dems now own the Gaza genocide. As a pro-imperialism party, Democrats are going to be wrong on their characterization of world events and I believe they are going to try and sneak those messages in when they see an opportunity.

Good on the people of Portland for calling this out.

Statewide Coalition Demands No More $$ For Israel's Crimes

Our monthly antiwar coalition protests have now been seen at big intersection all across Maine. Yesterday was Waterville, next month Saturday  June 8 will be in Wells -- our first foray into conservative, populous York County. Previously we've been seen in Belfast, Topsham, Ellsworth, Skowhegan, Portland, Brunswick, Freeport, and probably a few other places I can't recall at the moment. Since I write a blog post reporting on each one, my archive here will tell the tale.

Yesterday was a strong turnout with about 10% new people including several who saw/heard us marching on Maine Street and joined in. A reporter for the Waterville Morning Sentinel did a great job of covering the full spectrum of opinion and took some good photos which made the front page: "Protesters hold pro-Palestine rally in downtown Waterville."

I was most pleased with the rich commentary in our final circle where we passed the mic and explained why we had joined the protest. New participant River shared that they had researched Israel's treatment of Palestinians during 2021 as a school assignment and then been told by their teacher, "You cannot share this with the class." This experience radicalized them (my description) and created incentive to raise their voice louder, in public.

Able leadership from our Maine Party for Socialism and Liberation coalition members included leading the march and chanting, providing signs for participants to borrow, and bringing a portable sound system. Zach and Ash do this work at risk of their ability to earn their living as teachers in the area, and I have great respect for their dedication and courage.

A heckler who drove around us at the intersection of Maine Street and College Avenue screaming, among other things, "What Jew would rape women?" waited until we marched and then cut down the iconic banner created by the Maine Union of Visual Artists AART! group back in 2014. 

Iconic banner displayed in Skowhegan earlier this year provides evidence that attempted genoicide in Gaza did not begin on October 8, 2023 as many in the U.S. seem to believe.

When the thief stopped to talk with the reporter, our intrepid Mary Beth said, "This is our property. I'm taking it back now," so thankfully I will not have to explain to Natasha Mayers how I had lost it. 

Join us in Wells next month if you're able! Saturday June 8 intersection of Routes 1 & 9, at 1:30pm.

House Minority Leader Still Slinging S**t (As In Bulls**t)

Here's my second post on yesterday's action in the Maine capitol building (first post is here) with an update on our interaction with a legislator who I did not recognize at the time.

(Sorry, I won't be sharing how we got the banner, t-shirts, or "bloody" sheets through security. Because: security.)

But, I can now share the awesome flyers we distributed.

And I can share my observation that Rep. Billy Bob Faulkingham, a Republican from Winter Harbor who is House Minority Leader, shouted a couple of times at us, "Do you support Israel's right to exist?" and was ignored. Then a solitary voice answered "No." (I'm unsure if this was one of the die-in folks, one of our supporters, or just someone in the considerable crowd that had gathered to watch.)

This gave him the perfect opening to shout: "That's genocide! That's genocide!" as he stormed off. (I caught just this portion on video which you can see here.)

It's unclear whether Faulkingham had seen our flyers. Since he didn't address any of the fiscal points raised (e.g. $200 million in tax breaks General Dynamics has received from Maine over the years) I'm going to assume not. Instead he recited some AIPAC talking points for a reporter who interviewed him after the fact.

All photos courtesy of Jim Anderberg

Coalition organizers and media crew have clapped back with a statement addressing his misinformation. An excerpt:

“Nothing could be further from the truth,” said Lisa Savage, an organizer with the coalition, who is a long-time anti-war activist and former candidate for U.S. Senate. “The people of Maine are ill-served by legislative leaders who cloak themselves in purposeful ignorance.”

Reporter Corey Bouchard subsequently interviewed Faulkingham, who expanded on his misconceptions. After viewing the interview, Savage pointed out, “‘From the river to the sea’ is actually a Zionist slogan used to push for displacing indigenous Arab — that is, Palestinian — people from the area between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea.

“Also, Jerusalem is the site of the al-Aqsa mosque, where apartheid policies of the occupation have been in full force, with resistance mounting over the years.”

I suspect the Israel lobby, which for years has falsely claimed to speak for all Jews worldwide, has contributed to Faulkingham’s misunderstanding of this key point. Maine deserves better from its elected officials.”

Paige Milligan, an activist who has lived in Palestine and holds a PhD in Arabic literature, commented: “Israel as a state and Zionism as a political project and ideology are fascist, genocidal, racist, and Jewish supremacist. Rep. Faulkingham’s claim that any call to dismantle Israel is ‘genocidal’ shows his ignorance and his own racism, as it conflates the settler-colonial apartheid ethno-state of Israel with all of Judaism's many, diverse cultural traditions and histories, and all Jewish people. This is deeply offensive. 

Judaism, taken as a religion, a culture, a history, and/or an ethnicity that one is born into, is part of one's identity. Zionism, a supremacist, racist, settler-colonial ideology with roots in 19th century European anti-Semitism and colonialism, is not an identity. It's a cult.”

Faulkingham is a well-known Trump (or maybe LePage?) wannabe whose fish stories were deconstructed here, and who the record shows pleaded guilty to throwing human shit on people in 2003. 

Now, I have a new research project: exactly how much AIPAC money has he taken?

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Finally, here is media coverage from two tv channels and that seems to be about it. The Portland Press Herald was there and interviewed me, but published nothing. Someone else who was with us as a photographer noted that Maine Public (aka NPR) didn't cover the event despite being in the state house covering legislation. But participant Kristen Salvatore advises that she will be interviewed by the Maine Morning Star about yesterday's action. Yay!

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/palestinian-rights-activists-hold-rally-inside-state-house-and-demand-a-ceasefire/ar-BB1iJwX5

https://www.foxbangor.com/news/state/protester-hold-die-in-at-state-house/article_6fa5530c-d1d8-11ee-93f0-6f0ccd5753e2.html

https://wgme.com/newsletter-daily/palestinian-rights-activists-stage-protest-inside-state-house-maine-gaza-israel-hamas

If Gaza Were In Maine...

Graphic created & shared by Will, Maine Coalition for Palestine (corrected Jan 23 to more accurately compare Gaza’s population with Maine’s)

While noting the incredible outpouring of support for Palestine globally I've heard several friends ask, How can people in the U.S. go about their business with genocide ongoing in Gaza?

Probably because it's far away and the mainstream news/analysis they rely on deliberately fails to bring the facts to their attention.

But what if it weren't far away?

If Gaza were in Maine, Israel would have eliminated more than half of our working journalists (200 as of May 2022 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics).

If Gaza were in Maine, these hospitals would have been bombed beyond usefulness: Maine Medical Center (Portland), Northern Light Mercy Hospital (Portland), New England Rehabilitation Hospital (Portland), and Spring Harbor Hospital (Westbrook).

https://twitter.com/farrukh_shamsi/status/1748601140705407187

If Gaza were in Maine, the Portland campuses of these universities would already be bombed to rubble: University of Southern Maine, University of Maine School of Law, USM Muskie School of Public Service, and the University of New England College of Dental Medicine. Also UNE's Westbrook College of Health Professions.

https://twitter.com/leftiblog/status/1748013361588224500

Or suppose the routine testing of experimental weapons on the people of Gaza moved instead to NYC?

https://x.com/ColumbiaSJP/status/1748729253770698944?s=20

It may be hard for people in Maine to see the suffering of Gaza, but it shouldn't be hard for them to figure out who's paying for it via "military aid" to Israel, one of the wealthiest nations on the planet.

Perhaps best perceived as what $11 million a year isn't paying for in Maine: universal health care, free public education K-grad school, or bridge and road repairs.

Join us in Farmington next Saturday January 27 at 1:30pm to protest these bad spending priorities. We'll be at the intersection of Main Street and Broadway standing with UMaine Farmington students who helped create our event poster:

Co-sponsored by: Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space, Maine Natural Guard, PeaceWorks of Greater Brunswick, Communist Party of Maine, Maine Green Independent Party, Citizens Opposing Active Sonar Threats (COAST), Party for Socialism & Liberation Maine, Libertarian Party of Maine, People’s Party of Maine, Peace & Justice Center of Eastern Maine, Veterans for Peace - National, United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC), and Maine Voices for Palestinian Rights (MVPR). 

Bomb Factory Across From A School Sees Protest Of Its Role In Gaza Genocide

Photo credit: Maine Voices for Palestinian Rights on Twitter

An eclectic two dozen protesters shut down the main entrance to General Dynamics' bomb factory in Saco, Maine yesterday before dawn and continued into the morning. 

Photo credit: Tanvi

The disruption was scheduled by organizers to coincide with the start time of workers' first shift, but incidentally coincided with the arrival of school students of all ages, their parents, and several bus drivers -- including one who honked while the kids on the bus cheered.

One person who showed up later was from Saco and said she had seen social media posts grousing that elementary school kids were being kept indoors for morning recess because of our presence in view of their playground. One person who showed up later came in response to my emailing the press release for our action at the same time it began (pasted in below).

Others came because they have a history of risking arrest to oppose GD's war shipyard in Bath, including an elder recovering from shoulder surgery. But most of the protesters were connected to the Maine Coalition for Palestine, including six members of one amazing family!

 

Energy remained high through 9am (see video above) even though we had convened in the parking lot of a nearby business before 6am. The business owner, Saco Sports & Fitness, called the police on us and officers were waiting when we arrived at the bomb factory. Since they had already blockaded the second entrance to the factory's driveway with two cruisers, we scrapped our camping strategy and instead blocked Route 112 with a big STOP ARMING GENOCIDE banner created by the Coalition for this ongoing campaign. 

Police ordered us out of the roadway several times but made no moves to arrest anyone, and once they had blockaded the highway at both ends of the factory entrance, we moved to the entrance itself. The police retreated to observe, ignoring several people who were at times actually on GD "private" property.

Photo credit: Maine Voices for Palestinian Rights on Twitter

How private is a bomb factory entirely funded by U.S. taxpayers? Oh, of course, the profits are private but the risk is public. Because isn't that how capitalism works?

We did get some reporters on the scene: WMTW Channel 8 out of Portland was first and ran a video report several times throughout the day quoting me (a limited version is available here). WGME was next and their report featured an interview with Yusuf Ebrahim, a resident physician at a local hospital and member of Healthcare Workers for Palestine, who said: "This factory is a subsidiary of Ordinance and Tactical Systems and it's a manufacturing plant for components of the 500-pound MK-82 bomb. They've been dropped on hospitals, bakeries, schools, places of worship." WGME's report in particular offered context of the overall campaign which included a shut down of the street in front of GD's Bath Iron Works shipyard last month at a rally that drew 200 people on a Friday afternoon.

Common Dreams also ran an article based on our press release, and WERU Community Radio recorded a short interview with me which ran today on Amy Browne's Around Town (available at their archive soon). The Maine Wire -- sometimes described as "one guy with a website" -- ran a critical piece claiming to side with blue collar workers, but they couldn't even get the name of their union right (probably because they are actually far right wing and anti-organized labor.)

If I missed some media coverage would you let me know in the comments?

Below, the press release that went out one minute before our action started. There are references linked at the end to research offering evidence of the connection between GD and the carpet bombing of Gaza.

I hope you'll consider joining us next time if you're distraught over U.S. support for Israel's genocide in Palestine.

------

For Immediate Release

PRESS CONTACT:

Sam Pfeifle

207-749-0298

sam@westgraycreative.com

Maine Coalition for Palestine action at bomb factory in Saco to demand STOP ARMING GENOCIDE

The statewide Maine Coalition for Palestine will be joined by students, peace groups, and concerned citizens in Saco on Wednesday January 3 starting at 6am. They will hold a camp-out to demand that General Dynamics stop arming Israel’s genocide in Gaza. To date, more than 29,000 people have died, including 11,422 children, in carpet bombings plus sniper fire in civilian residential areas, hospitals, and schools.

Organizer Lisa Savage of Solon said, “Genocide in Gaza is currently supported by General Dynamics. It supplies Israel with the artillery ammunition and bombs used to kill and maim civilians and children in Gaza – which is illegal collective punishment.”

According to research by the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), General Dynamics is the only company in the U.S. that makes the metal bodies of the MK-80 bomb series, the primary weapon type that Israel uses to bomb Gaza. 

Yusuf Ebrahim, an Iraqi-American resident physician at Maine Medical Center, said, "Since October, more than 5,000 of the 500-lb Mk-82 bombs -- some made in Saco -- have been given to Israel by the U.S.. These munitions play a particularly direct role in the ongoing criminal genocide of Palestinians by the IDF, targeting densely populated areas such as the Jabalia Refugee Camp. Why do we tolerate this massive bomb factory here in Maine, exploiting the toils of local workers to aid with the intentional mass murder and displacement of innocent children and families in Palestine? Meanwhile, many local community members suffer from hunger and housing insecurity and cannot afford medical care."

GD is also the only company in the U.S. that makes 155mm caliber artillery shells, which have been used extensively to bomb Gazans. The international aid organization Oxfam has described use of these munitions as “virtually assured to be indiscriminate, unlawful, and devastating to civilians in Gaza.”

GD Chief Financial Officer Jason Aiken told investors on a call October 25, “I think if you look at the incremental demand potential coming out of [the attacks on Gaza], the biggest one to highlight and that really sticks out is probably on the artillery side.”

Protesters against GD involvement in supporting Israel will gather in Saco at General Dynamics Weapons Systems at 291 North Street. They will hold a camp-out protest in honor of the 2 million people displaced by bombings in Gaza, where tent cities have sprung up in the rubble. Supporters are urged to mask for COVID and to bring camp chairs, sleeping bags, tents, and homemade signs and banners or use those provided by the coalition.

Organizations in the Maine Coalition for Palestine include Healthcare Workers for Palestine, Maine Voices for Palestinian Rights, Students for Justice in Palestine from various college campuses in the state, the Maine Party for Socialism & Liberation, Portland CONFRONT, and the Maine Natural Guard. Members of the coalition will be available for interviews prior to and during the camp-out.

##

References:

Death Toll from Gaza Genocide Exceeds 29,000: Euro-Med Monitor, teleSUR, December 29, 2023

"Shrouded in Secrecy": The Companies Profiting from Israel’s 2023 Attack on Gaza, American Friends Service Committee article in Global Research, December 26, 2023

US sends ‘bunker buster’ bombs to Israel for war on Gaza, report says, Aljazeera, December 2, 2023 

Coast To Coast Support For Gaza: Travis AFB To Yankee Stadium To Maine Colleges

Photo of Travis AFB in California gate closure from IndyBay.org

So much going on every single day demanding an end to genocide in Palestine that I just can't stop sharing. Send me your reports!

PEACE ACTIVISTS DEMONSTRATE at MAIN GATES of TRAVIS AFB THURSDAY, PROTEST U.S. SENDING WEAPONS to AID ISRAEL GAZA GENOCIDE

* UPDATE * UPDATE * UPDATE *

As of 9:30 a.m. Thursday, at least a dozen peace activists were arrested after blocking gates to Travis AFB, starting at 6 a.m. All four gates were eventually closed to all traffic entering the base. Misdemeanor charges allegedly are "unlawful assembly" and those arrested taken to Solano County Jail in Fairfield. More information to come.

FAIRFIELD, CA – Dozens of activists representing a diverse solidarity coalition from SF Bay Area to Sacramento and the Foothills supporting the people of Palestine will arrive at the main gates to Travis AFB Thursday, Dec. 28 in the early morning hour of 6 a.m., to demand Travis AFB stop sending U.S weapons to Israel, aiding a near 3 month long ongoing genocide.

Activists will use chants/banners like “STOP TRAVIS, NO US WEAPONS for GENOCIDE!” and “SEND FOOD to GAZA, NO WEAPONS TO ISRAEL!”

Members of Youth4Palestine-Sacramento, SF Bay Area CODEPINK, Nevada County Peace & Justice Center, Veterans For Peace, and many other organizations are expected to participate. List of Sponsors and Endorsers HERE

Where:  Main Gate, Travis Air Force Base,  Air Base Parkway, Fairfield, CA
What/When:  PROTEST/RALLY: 6:00 am - 9:00am
What:  Bannering & Signs, Street theater, Chants and Song and other diverse tactics will be used.

Some people may choose nonviolent resistance to impede 'business as usual’ to express their strong grievances for the US government's complicity in the unspeakable crimes and devastation being committed in Gaza.

At a time when 70% of Americans polled, including 80% of Democrats, support a ceasefire resolution, it is appalling  that the vast majority of Congress and our Democratic president are inhibiting a ceasefire, and continuing to send military aid to Israel.  

Experts on genocide have been claiming that Israel’s actions are a textbook case of genocide and ethnic cleansing.  “We have very few choices left, but to call on our own military to act out of conscience, and stand up for basic human rights of the Palestinian people,” says Toby Blomé, one of the organizers.  

"We’re pleased that so many people are planning to join us at Travis on Dec. 28, to express our united support of Palestine and our opposition to sending more weapons to Israel,” says co-organizer, Eleanor Levine.

Background:  Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, CA, is the largest transport AF base in the U.S. and is actively sending military supplies directly to Israel, to aid and abet in Israel's ceaseless bombing of Gaza.  Travis is complicit in genocide.

Over 20,000 Palestinians have been killed, including 8,000+ children. 1/2 to 1/3 of homes in Gaza have been destroyed. Hospitals, as well as ambulances, hospital workers and patients, many in critical condition, have all been targeted. Healthcare services for survivors with serious wounds are almost non-existent, due to severe shortages of essential medical supplies and medical workers.  In addition, mass displacement of Palestinians amidst severe shortages of food, water, fuel, and shelter is aggravating an already dire situation.

Press Contacts:
Noor Hariz, Youth4Palestinians-Sacramento:  (916) 502-2900
Toby Blomé, Bay Area CODEPINK, 510-501-5412 Toby4Peace@sonic.net <Toby4Peace@sonic.net>
Jeffrey Gottesman, Nevada County Peace & Justice Center, (510) 414-0196

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Last night (December 29) the Bronx Anti War Coalition projected messages in solidarity with Palestine at Yankee Stadium and Bronx County Civil Court on 161st street.

 

https://twitter.com/BXAntiWar/status/1740914656565432792

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Maine Students for Palestine (in occupied Wabanakiya) is forming statewide and just published this statement on their new social media accounts.

What's next? Find an action near you!

Shut It Down For Palestine Roundup

I was able to attend two of the many, many actions in solidarity with Palestine in my state this week.

On Friday evening I joined 150 at a demonstration held outside the state capitol building fence, sponsored by the newly minted Maine Coalition for Palestine (which I've now joined). Truly excellent speeches by well-informed activists were interspersed with chants like "Free, free Palestine" and a whole lot of honking from passing motorists. The crowd assembled was quite different from the group I stood with about a month ago at a same time, same place demo. Not nearly as many people of color or Arabic-speaking college students this time. Maybe they have peeled off to join demos nearer to them in our sprawling, sparsely populated state? The crowd last Friday had more oldsters but was predominately white 20 and 30 somethings from coalition organizations like the PSL* and Student for Justice in Palestine.

One of my old friends who has done social work with children in Palestine told another friend who was there of her desire to get arrested opposing Israel's genocide, and to spend Christmas Day in jail. We'll see where that goes.

All Topsham Nov 18 photos by Mary Beth Sullivan

On Saturday we had our regular monthly antiwar meetup with a statewide coalition that now includes the Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space, Maine Natural Guard, PeaceWorks of Greater Brunswick, Communist Party of Maine, Maine Green Independent Party, Citizens Opposing Active Sonar Threats (COAST), *Party for Socialism & Liberation Maine, Libertarian Party of Maine, People’s Party of Maine, Peace & Justice Center of Eastern Maine, Veterans for Peace - National, and United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC). 

We began the monthly event over a year ago with a focus on objecting to funding a proxy war on Russia, but soon expanded to include a robust set of demands mostly borrowed from UNAC.

I'm glad we did that and especially that we held on to the demand about Israel (when I was on the Jimmy Dore Show in April he read out our demands and commented, "Strong words!" about that one). 

https://youtu.be/v3NQmgnp-EM?si=SNeQSSAfZnNqNyjL&t=98

I'm glad because our monthly gathering on Saturday had clearly morphed into a Palestine solidarity demonstration with flags, kufiyahs, and messaging around stopping the genocide in Gaza. There were 30 of us if you count Beans the dog, who is a regular, and ages ranged from 90+ years to 17 months. Our chanting wasn't as loud as the Augusta group's but it was just as passionate. With an anti-imperialist perspective, it's possible to oppose all the empire's wars without the contradictions that the two corporate parties run into when they brand each war as D or R depending on who's in the White House.

Shared on @pslmaine's Insta feed with other photos from Nov 17 Shut it down event in Augusta

One of the best signs I saw in Augusta called out all of Maine's congressional delegation which includes two Democrats (Jared Golden and Chellie Pingree), a Republican (Susan Collins), and an Independent (Angus King). All are supporting Israel's genocide in Gaza with our tax dollars and Mainers are pissed. All have failed both at representing their constituents and at being decent human beings.

Stay tuned for lots more actions in the days to come!

Can't get out to a demo? Maybe do some boycotting of these brands doing business with Israeli occupiers.