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Make Some Noise - Rattle Your Chains - Tribute to 97-Year-Old Activist Peg McIntire

Via NY Transfer News Collective  *  All the News that Doesn't Fit
 
sent by Bruce K. Gagnon - activ-l - Dec 11, 1007
http://www.space4peace.org

MAKE SOME NOISE - RATTLE YOUR CHAINS

While just in Florida we took a one-day side trip to St. Augustine
to visit our dear friend Peg McIntire. Peg just turned 97 and remains
active in the peace movement. 

[Caption of photo, not included: The photo above is her at this year's
School of the Americas demonstration at Fort Benning in Georgia.]

The day we visited Peg she had spent the morning surveying the
public in front of the public library on homeless issues. She told
us that a few days before she had gone north to Jacksonville to
speak at a rally and in October she had travelled to Orlando to
address a big anti-war event.

I've known Peg for at least 20 years and she has become like a
second mother to me. For many years she served as the Treasurer of
the Florida Coalition for Peace & Justice which I coordinated for
many years. She has been a loyal member and supporter of the Global
Network since its creation and has been arrested doing civil
disobedience at the space center in Florida numerous times.

Peg, in addition to all her other activities, still ably coordinates
her chapter of Grandparents for Peace.

As I write this the Congress is working on a new funding bill for
the Iraq occupation and the war in Afghanistan. Once again it is
likely that the Democrats will talk big about ending the occupation
and then in the end roll over and give Bush the money he wants.

The money that is being wasted on war making is just mind blowing.
Just days ago we heard that the Pentagon has lost $1 billion in
Iraq. How could that happen except for outright stealing or handing
the money over to the "enemy"

so they can buy more weapons on the black market thus giving the
U.S. a "good excuse" to stay in Iraq because it is such a mess.

Now a new story has come out saying that the Army is undertaking a
$200 billion modernization program (called Future Combat Systems)
to make all their forces "net-centric". According to an article in
the Washington Post, "The project involves creating a family of 14
weapons, drones, robots, sensors and hybrid-electric combat vehicles
connected by a wireless network. It has turned into the most ambitious
modernization of the Army since World War II and the most expensive
Army weapons program ever, military officials say."

In real terms double or triple that cost estimate and you get an
idea how much of your money will be thrown down the rat hole on
this one. What happened to all the fiscal conservatives? Hell, they
are getting rich off this stuff.

Today, the Army program involves more than 550 contractors and
subcontractors in 41 states and 220 congressional districts, a wide
dispersal of Department of War funds that generates political
subservience.

Ok, so what does Peg have to do with the Army's Future Combat Systems
program?

What is the connection?

First, I'd say that Peg's life indicates that we have to be committed
to our resistance work as a lifetime goal. We can't just dabble in
it as a sideline.

Age is not a ticket out of the struggle. Peg is in this for the
revolutionary change that is needed.

Secondly, we have to understand that just writing letters or showing
up a demonstrations is not enough. Sometimes we have to step across
the line at our non-violent actions and go to jail if need be. You
can imagine the attention she gets when she takes such a step and
gets arrested. In Florida she is a legend.

Lastly, I'd say we can learn from Peg that a sense of joy, hopeful
expectation, and wonder is important to maintain as we do our work.
She is never naive but is always ready to embrace the unexpected.
She reaches deep into people just by her own unwavering steadiness.
Peg, unlike me, does not preach. She just sets an example by her
actions and her life.

Zillions of people have told Peg "I want to be just like you when
I grow up."

I am one of those people.

Bruce K. Gagnon Coordinator 
Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear
Power in Space PO Box 652 Brunswick, ME 04011 (207) 443-9502
http://www.space4peace.org globalnet@mindspring.com
http://space4peace.blogspot.com (Blog)

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