There is a growing peace movement in Maine. Each week more than 18 peace vigils are held around the state and last week 250 people gathered in Rockland for a peace march. On Oct. 26 approximately 3,000 Mainers from around the state gathered on a rainy, cold day in Augusta to say “no” to war on Iraq. This gathering was held on the same day that an estimated 100,000 people gathered in Washington D.C. and thousands more rallied around the world.

Saturday, Dec. 7, the anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, members of the peace and justice community invite the public to join in a remembrance for those who died at Pearl Harbor and for all those who have died in past wars along with a re-dedication to working for real security while protecting our democracy. We believe we can honor those who died at Pearl Harbor and all those who have died in World War II and other wars by expressing our freedom to dissent. We believe our government is leading our country on a disastrous path which will drain our financial resources, threaten our civil liberties, cost innocent civilians their lives and still not protect us from terrorist attacks.

Each day President Bush and his administration reinforce the call for a war on Iraq despite the lack of clear evidence linking Iraq and al-Qaida and despite lack of support from most of our allies. By keeping the focus on Saddam Hussein, the Bush Administration has deflected attention from the real pressing concerns facing Mainers and other Americans. The cries for war have drowned out the insecurities of those who have lost their jobs. They have silenced the calls for affordable housing, healthcare, education, a clean environment, security for the elderly, and the prosecution of billion-dollar corporate criminals.

Just last week the Bangor Daily News carried stories about the Maine state deficit which promises to be greater than any time since World War II. There were stories about growing lines at food banks because of unemployment and shrinking resources to meet the need. The Bangor Area Homeless Shelter has lost funding and the Eastern Maine Aids Network faces cuts. There was a story about a growing backlog of 5800 veterans needing health care. And now we are on the road to create more veterans needing services, when we can’t provide for those who have already served.

President Bush’s chief economic adviser, Laurence Lindbergh, estimates the cost of the war on Iraq would be $100 billion to $200 billion. And this figure does not include the anticipated rising costs of oil.

The National Priorities Project has pointed out that $100 billion is three times what the federal government currently spends on K-12 education or enough to provide health care for all uninsured children in the U.S. for five years. Maine’s share of this cost would be an estimated $267 million, according to the National Priorities Project. For our portion, the people of Maine could cover the $240 million hole in the state’s projected revenue. The Eastern Maine Aids Network has estimated $267 million could provide housing for 55,625 people paying $400 rent each month for a year.

While the financial costs of war to the people of Maine are likely to be daunting at this time of fiscal crisis, the greatest cost would be borne by our armed forces who would be in harms way and by the innocent civilians who would be the victims of an attack. Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War has estimated 48,000 to 260,000 deaths just during the first three months of war on Iraq with another 200,000 dying from the aftermath of war.

As the anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7 approaches, it seems fitting to broaden the discussion about national security and patriotism. We can honor the sacrifices of all those who have lost their lives in past wars by raising questions about the necessity of such tremendous sacrifices from the people of Maine and Iraq.

The Patriotic Remembrance for Peace will be held at 1 p.m. in Davenport Park on Main Street in Bangor across the street from the Bangor Area Homeless Shelter. It will be followed by a march to the Peace & Justice Center of Eastern Maine, 170 Park St., where refreshments will be served. There will be an opportunity to continue the discussion about how we can work together for peaceful resolutions to conflict and for spending priorities to meet human needs. Join us to honor the sacrifices of those who have died in past wars by patriotically supporting the right to freedom of speech which so many fought to protect.

Ilze Petersons is a member of the Peace & Justice Center of Eastern Maine.