Last week, in Sagadahoc County District Court, four people stood to account for their action to disrupt the “christening” of another death machine built at Bath Iron Works.

In a rare moment of hope during this period of political decay, the Maine Judicial Branch reminded us why our Constitution established checks and balances. Judge Joseph Field quoted President Eisenhower (who knew the ravages of war) and spoke to the dangers of the military-industrial complex: “Every warship launched … signifies … a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone.” These protesters decided to say “no” to this “world in arms” and I appreciate it, since neither our mainstream media nor politicians will say “no” to this death march.

We must envision the future we want to create. For me that includes workers in Bath developing clean-energy technology, and other state-of-the-art advances to infrastructure.

That these proceedings were not covered by the Press Herald, or any major news outlet, speaks to the political decay and corporate overreach of our times. In the face of endless wars and climate crisis, how will people hold hope if there’s no coverage of uplifting courage and alternatives to this path of a “world in arms”? Action is contagious, and, as Judge Field said to the protesters as he removed the state-imposed fine, “Go ye hence and continue to do good work (and keep it nonviolent).”

May we all inspire each other!

Dan Marks

North Yarmouth

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