Sunday, October 5
4 p.m.
Morrell Room, Curtis Memorial Library
Brunswick, ME
Presented by PeaceWorks
FMI: 725-7675

With the importance of the upcoming elections in mind, PeaceWorks will present a panel discussion entitled “Reports from the Conventions: Is Peace on the Agenda?” on Sunday, October 5th at 4 p.m. in the Morrell Room of Curtis Memorial Library in Brunswick.

Questions that will be addressed include: Why do we know so little about the Democratic and Republican platforms and the issues that impact our lives and our communities? Why are the media treating the elections as an American Idol contest instead of dealing with the serious issues we face like the war, the failing economy, climate change, the energy crisis and the loss of our civil liberties? What can all of us do in these last few weeks before the election to put peace back on the agenda?

The panel participants include Rachel Talbot Ross, who was an Obama delegate to the Democratic Convention in Denver; Jill Duson, a Portland City Councilor and Obama delegate to the Convention; Danny Muller, executive director of Peace Action Maine, who was an observer at both the Democratic and Republican Conventions; Bruce Gagnon, coordinator of the Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space, who was in St. Paul to speak at an alternative meeting during the Republican Convention, and also attended the Green Convention in Chicago; and Anna Trevorrow, who participated in the Green Convention.

Jill Duson notes, “I strongly support Sen. Obama not because of what I think he will do for us but because of what he challenges us to do in our communities, our country and the world. Only together can we create an America that lives up to its promise.”

Having attended both the Republican and Green Conventions, Bruce Gagnon notes that “The Greens were talking about real solutions….The Republicans were too busy chanting USA USA and Drill Baby Drill to have much time to honestly deal with the challenges facing us today. Instead, the serious people were out on the streets by the thousands in largely peaceful protests that went virtually ignored by the corporate media.”

“The media attention paid to the Democratic and Republican presidential races mocks our political system by hamming it up to be something on par with the Super Bowl,” remarks Trevorrow. “Democracy does not have to be owned and exploited by corporations; we do have avenues for revitalizing American politics.”

PeaceWorks invites area residents who attended any of the conventions to add their insights to the discussion.