In the mountains of western Maine, the U.S. government is planning to take an area the size of a small town and fill it with Interceptor missiles. Part of the “Star Wars” missile defense system that still doesn’t work, even in tests in which scientists know exactly where the desired target will be, this Interceptor base is being sold to Maine as a source of jobs when jobs are hard to come by. But with $40 billion spent so far, it’s fair to ask how else that money might have been spent if not on missiles that miss. What else could $40 billion do?
I’m not the only one asking this question. From October 11 to October 20 of 2014, Maine Veterans for Peace is carrying out a protest walk from Rangeley, the proposed site of the Interceptor installation, to North Berwick, a site of ongoing military construction work in southern Maine. The goal of this group is to take the questions “why this?” and “what else is possible?” to the heart of communities that rely on war for their bread.
You’re invited to come along, too. If you’d like more information, contact Maine Veterans for Peace at vfpmaine.org.