03/16/2008
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Morning Sentinel staff photofrom the Kennebec Journal
Rep. Pingree hears varied proposals for health-care solutions
HALLOWELL Fire that cut communications labeled arson
MONMOUTH Police defended after slim budget rejection
State's schools chief to parley
Wasser will lead newsrooms at KJ, Sentinel and in Portland
BRIEFS
Hockey still in picture for Harrington
Portland boxer to face legend's son
All of today's:
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from the Kennebec Journal
from the Morning Sentinel
$1.3 MILLION FOR HEALTHREACH
Families Matter grows to meet special needs
Chellie Pingree listens to ideas on health care reform
FARMINGTON Rain alters plans for 4th of July
District regroups after budget failure
Vote on county budget hits snag
Burnham driver wins checkered flag at 2 tracks on same day
Maine boxer gets unique opportunity
All of today's:
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from the Morning Sentinel
One of them, at a rally at the Empire Grill, said the nation's leader has done such a poor job with Iraq that he shouldn't be quoted by news organizations any more.
War protester Michael Vernon also said that news organizations are failing to cover the war adequately. This year marks the fifth anniversary of the war.
"There's a responsibility on the part of veterans to speak against this war and all wars," said Vernon. He said the war was "nothing but an excuse to exploit cheap labor" in a quest to secure more foreign oil.
A war protest also was held Saturday in Augusta at the Memorial Bridge.
Vernon was selected by peace group Waterville Area Bridges for Peace and Justice to speak at the demonstration in Skowhegan.
While Vernon spoke, a screen behind him showed footage of Iraq veterans who were discussing their experiences in the war. Their testimonies had been "censored from the American public about the true human cost of these occupations," according to pamphlets supplied by the Iraq Veterans Against the War. That organization helped sponsor Saturday's rally in Skowhegan, which was linked to similar events across the country. The events were coordinated by Every Village Green, an organization calling for the end of the war in Iraq.
Vernon also said that he doesn't feel the U.S. government is doing an adequate job in supporting soldiers' families. He said he has a son in the U.S. Army who just returned from Afghanistan.
Identified as a Vietnam veteran by Bridges for Peace member Lisa Savage, Vernon declined to say where he lived. He ripped the news media for not publishing more articles about Iraq. Last month, he said, "only" 7 percent of news reports from mainstream media focused on Iraq.
Others at the rally spoke of anti-war demonstrations elsewhere in the country.
"What better way to honor (veterans who are testifying) than to listen to them as they bring their message to Washington, D.C.," Savage said.
"The war is such an awful thing," Brian Richmond of East Madison said. "It's important to witness against it."
Another East Madison resident, Evan Lebrun, said, "I think it's important, regardless of how effective these things are, it's still important to do them."
Joel Elliott -- 861-9252
jelliott@centralmaine.com
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