Two hundred and thirty-three years ago in 1773, after repeatedly petitioning the governor of Massachusetts for relief of disastrous taxes on tea, a large band of Bostonians seized three English ships full of tea and tossed it overboard. The Boston Tea Party was the first American Act of Civil Disobedience, and the spark that changed history for all of us.

Three years later, the American Revolution swept the British out of power. Since then, the American legacy of nonviolent civil disobedience has continued to change the

history of this country in ways that have benefitted every one of us alive today: think Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, Philip Berrigan and countless others whose courage to disobey the “law” brought peace, justice and equality to fruition when no other means proved effective.

Fast-forward to 2006: Sept. 21 is the deadline for Congress to respond to The Declaration of Peace, a nationally circulated pledge calling for the immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. If Congress does not act on a concrete, comprehensive and rapid withdrawal plan before they recess for fall elections, Declaration supporters will take to the streets in marches and rallies all over the country. Some, in the spirit of those who came before, will be led by conscience to engage in civil disobedience and risk arrest to signify their principled commitment to oppose this war of aggression.

These actions will continue throughout the week of Sept. 21-30.

There is little hope that the members of Congress will meet the deadline.

In cities and towns all over Maine, including Bangor, large bands of people will gather to protest congressional failure to respond to the majority of Americans who do not support the war. On Sept. 30, a march and rally will be held from 1 p.m to 3 p.m.

at the Waterfront Park in Bangor.

During the week, many who oppose Bush’s continued escalation of violence in Iraq, after three years of being ignored and denied an audience with Sen. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, will commit acts of conscience. Once again, people will be asking : Why

do people commit civil disobedience? Why do people choose to risk arrest, risk a criminal record, risk time from their lives and risk the consequences of conviction?

We put this question recently to a group of people who chose to commit acts of conscience on two recent occasions: first at the onset of the U.S. invasion of Iraq in March 2003, and again in December of last year. Some in this group are old enough to have been arrested during protests against the war in Vietnam, an opposition which ultimately brought about the end of the war, but not before more than 52,000 American and a million Vietnamese deaths, leaving a legacy of grief and regret.

Others are new to political activism. All are mature, reasonable people who hold positions of value in their communities: teachers, administrators, carpenters and builders, farmers, artists, parents and grandparents. Here are some of their thoughts about why they felt compelled, during these times, to commit civil disobedience:

. “The mass media aren’t covering the real costs of the war, nor the wide-spread opposition to it. We have to get the word out. The stakes keep rising and my anger with it. My fear is that where we go from here is even more frightening.”

. “I do it [civil disobedience] for my children and all children. To remain silent is to be complicit. We’ve tried every other means to reach our senators, without any meaningful response. It’s the last resort.”

. “Government is powerless against civil disobedience. It’s the best way I can think to show moral commitment, moral courage.”

. “I agree with the historian, Howard Zinn, that the problem is not ‘civil disobedience,’ but rather too much ‘civil obedience.’ Until a critical mass of people turn out in the streets and interrupt business as usual, no one will pay attention and things will just get worse.”

The week of Sept. 21-30 will offer an opportunity for everyone who believes in their heart that this war is wrong, that something must be done to stop it, to come out and let their feelings be known.

It is time to take a hard look at how ordinary people can influence history – or not.

Nancy Galland and Richard Stander live in Stockton Springs. E-mail messages may be sent to: rstander@fairpoint.net.