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January 16, 2013
Kids Killing Kids - Right Here in Maine
By Bruce K. Gagnon
Local youth in Brunswick, Maine using public spaces to make violent videos. Videos even shown in local high school.
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Mr. Levesque,
I found it rather interesting to read your quote in the Times Record yesterday about the sad story of kids using Brunswick Landing (and other public places) to make their violent videos.Your quote in the paper was good where you said, "We have to deal with this...Guns were one thing, but we have an issue in our society where we are desensitizing our youth to violence such as this. That's a concern that I have personally."Where my confusion comes in is that you don't seem able (or willing) to connect the dots. Late last summer your authority had the Air Force Thunderbirds headline the air show at the former base. Included in that air show was a "spectacular" simulated bombing with napalm on the runway that made the front page of the Forecaster. My mind immediately flashed back to the Vietnam war and the little girl running down a road as her body was on fire from the napalm.Have you ever stopped to wonder if your promotion of war and violence at these air shows do in fact directly contribute to this "desensitizing our youth to violence"?We all have to take responsibility for helping to normalize this growing culture of violence and militarism in America. The fact that you are eagerly scheduling another air show for 2013 only makes my sadness more acute.In peace,Bruce K. Gagnon
Coordinator
Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space
The parents of the kids see no problem with the videos. In fact the lead boy's father quite often participates. (Why not just go play checkers with the kids?) But the most troubling was the news in the article that teachers at the school often play the videos for the students. The reporter noted one kid saying:Hi Bruce,Thanks for your note on this issue. I personally believe that there is a clear distinction between the promotion of youth gun violence for the sport of it and military activities to defend our country.For the record, Napalm was not used at the airshow.Steve LevesqueExecutive DirectorMidcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority
"Sometimes in class, when we have study halls or free periods at the end of the day, some of my teachers have actually played the videos on projectors."
Bruce Gagnon is the Coordinator of the Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space.
Between 1983 "1998 Bruce was the State Coordinator of the Florida Coalition for Peace & Justice.
He was the organizer of the Cancel Cassini Campaign (launched 72 pounds of plutonium into space in 1997) that was featured on the TV program 60 Minutes.
Bruce has been featured by artist Robert Shetterly in his collection of portraits and quotes entitled Americans Who Tell The Truth. In 2006 he was the recipient of the Dr. Benjamin Spock Peacemaker Award.
In 2003 Bruce co-produced a popular video entitled Arsenal of Hypocrisy that spells out U.S. plans for space domination. His latest video, shot in 2006, is entitled The Necessity of the Conversion of the Military Industrial Complex.
In 1968 Bruce was Vice-chair of the Okaloosa County (Florida) Young Republican Club while working on the Nixon campaign for president.
Bruce is a Vietnam-era veteran and began his career by working for the United Farm Workers Union in Florida organizing fruit pickers.