Lawmakers receive petitions for peace 75 demonstrators present signatures

BANGOR – Carrying signs and banners supporting their cause, 75 peace activists from around the state marched to the Margaret Chase Smith Federal Building on Friday to present petitions to members of Maine’s congressional delegation.

The group, led by Veterans for Peace as well as representatives from several Maine communities, delivered more than 1,000 signatures to the offices of Rep. Michael Michaud and Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe.

Organizers said Maine voters did not intend for the state’s delegation to hand over to President Bush its congressional duty to commit the United States to war.

The petition criticized the delegation for thus far “abdicating their constitutional responsibility,” and urged the delegation to only support a war backed by the U.S. Congress and the United Nations.

The demonstrators joined an international movement calling for the elimination of weapons of mass destruction through weapons inspections.

MoveOn.org expected to deliver 750,000 signatures from 200 countries to the United Nations Security Council.

Petitions also were presented to the congressional delegation by Tony Aman of Maine Win Without War Coalition.

The coalition in Maine represents more than 27 statewide and local organizations, including the Maine Council of Churches, Maine Lawyers Against War, NOW, PSR/Maine, SierraClub/Maine, and the United Nations Association in Maine.

Copies of signatures on both petitions also were delivered to the congressional offices in Portland on Friday.