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--></style><title>This Little Card Can Change The Future For
Thousands - Act</title></head><body>
<div>From: "mary trotochaud"
<mtrotochaud@earthlink.net></div>
<div>To: "mtrotochaud"
<mtrotochaud@earthlink.net></div>
<div><br></div>
<div align="center"><font face="Times New Roman"><b>THIS LITTLE CARD
CAN CHANGE THE FUTURE FOR THOUSANDS</b></font><br>
</div>
<div align="center"><font face="Times New Roman"><b>ACT TODAY TO BAN
CLUSTER BOMBS</b></font><br>
</div>
<div align="center"><img
src="cid:p06240808c384677671ea@[192.168.1.50].1.0" border="1"><font
face="Times New Roman"><b> </b></font><br>
</div>
<div align="center"><font face="Times New Roman"><b>As you send out
cards of peace during this holiday season, take the time to send this
card of hope to your senators and representatives asking them to
cosponsor S.594/H.R.1755</b></font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman"><b> </b></font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman"><b>1. </b>
Print out this holiday postcard:</font> <a
href="http://www.fcnl.org/pdfs/weapons/clusters-holiday-card-2007.pdf"
><font face="Times New Roman"
color="#0000FF"><b
>http://www.fcnl.org/pdfs/weapons/clusters-holiday-card-2007.pdf</b></font
></a><font face="Times New Roman"> on card stock, which you can find
at any copy shop. You'll need to print the cards double sided. Cut the
cards apart; there are 4 on every sheet.</font> (We will print copies
at the Peace & Justice Center in Bangor , if you want us to send
you some, please let us know)</div>
<div><br></div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman"><b>2. </b>
Sign the postcard, including your return address, or insert it into
one of your own holiday greeting cards. Add a sentence or two of your
own to personalize the message.</font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman"><b>3. </b>
Find the district office addresses of your senators and
representatives: Addresses below or at </font> <a
href="http://capwiz.com/fconl/directory/congdir.tt"><font
face="Times New Roman"
color="#0000FF">http://capwiz.com/fconl/directory/congdir.tt</font></a
><font face="Times New Roman"> (We recommend sending to the district
offices since senators will be home for the holidays.)</font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman"><b>4. </b>
Make extra cards to distribute to your family, friends, faith
community, peace vigil and organizations and ask them to send them to
their senators and representatives as well.</font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman"><b> </b></font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman"><b>Thanks to your calls, Cluster
Bombs are an issue to our members of congress.</b></font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman">Over the past month, our Maine
congressional delegation has heard the calls you have made.
Mainers placed the highest number of calls per capita during last
monthís national call in. In recent visits to their offices,
congressional staffers told us that S.594/H.R.1755 is definitely on
their desks for consideration. But our senators and
representatives have not stepped forward to take leadership on this
issue by cosponsoring S.594/HR. 1755</font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman"> </font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman"><b>Now is the time to keep the
pressure on ñ Send a card ñ for the children.</b></font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman">December is a perfect time to
continue this effort and to encourage more people to take one small
step to eliminate this most inhumane of weapons. Along with Friends
Committee on National Legislation, the Maine Campaign to Ban Cluster
Bombs has organized a holiday card campaign, highlighting the impact
of cluster bombs on children. Building on the success we had with the
recent call-in day, we believe that this holiday card campaign will
help humanize this issue for senators, representatives and their
staffs. Simply copy the double-sided template on cardstock,
distribute at your church or meeting, and ask people to mail as a
holiday postcard or Christmas card enclosure to their senators. Go
to</font> <a href="http://www.banclusterbombs.org/"><font
face="Times New Roman"
color="#0000FF">www.banclusterbombs.org</font></a><font
face="Times New Roman"> for an electronic template and for more
information. For an organizing packet of cards and information
on this campaign, contact Mary Trotochaud at 207-342-2251 or</font> <a
href="mailto:mtrotochaud@earthlink.net"><font face="Times New Roman"
color="#0000FF">mtrotochaud@earthlink.net</font></a><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman"><b>Background Update</b></font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman">Representatives of 130 countries met
in Vienna from December 5-8 to negotiate a global ban on cluster
bombs. With two thirds of the worldís nations in attendance,
this was the largest of several international gatherings which are
part of a Norwegian initiative launched in February when states agreed
to conclude a new international ban treaty to be signed by 2008.
Eighty three have committed to an international treaty to ban cluster
bombs; this effort is globally fast tracked.</font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman">Before this conference began, U.N.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said: "I have on several
occasions made known my views that the inhumane impact of these
weapons requires urgent action. I have urged Member States to prohibit
cluster munitions that cause unacceptable harm to civilians, and to
take domestic measures to freeze the use and transfer of all cluster
munitions until a new legal instrument is adopted ... These are high
humanitarian, human rights and developmental stakes.î
</font></div>
<div><br></div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman"><b>The United States is not
participating in this process, but the US Congress can do something to
put US policy in line with the rest of the world by passing The
Cluster Munitions Civilian Protection Act of 2007, S.594 and
H.R.1755.</b></font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman"> </font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman">The U.S. is the worldís leading
manufacturer, exporter and user of cluster bombs. The U.S.
military stockpiles an estimated one billion cluster sub munitions.
Our military has used these weapons three times in the last 10
yearsókilling civilians in each instance. Bombs the U.S.
dropped on Laos 40 years ago are still killing today. ìAs a
people, as a country, we are so much better than this,î said Lynn
Bradach referring to the United States use and sale of cluster bombs.
ìPlease help me celebrate my sonís life by saving others.î
Her son Travis was killed in July 2003 while clearing
unexploded U.S. cluster sub munitions from an Iraqi
battlefield.</font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman"> </font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman">Our best avenue to restrict and
eventually eliminate cluster bomb production, use and export is S. 594
and its companion bill in the House, H.R. 1755 - the Cluster Munitions
Civilian Protection Act. While the bill is not an outright ban,
it would function as a de facto ban. The bill would prohibit the
use of cluster bombs in civilian-populated areas. If they are to
be used or exported for use in a combat zone, a key condition must be
met: they must have a functioning rate of 99% or higher, so that
they donít leave a minefield of deadly ëdudsí waiting for future
generations of farmers, travelers, and children. None of the
U.S. stockpile meets this functioning requirement; most U.S. cluster
bombs have dud rates between 5-15%, far above the would-be maximum of
1%.</font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman"> </font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman">The main opposition to S. 594
focuses on the potential military utility of cluster bombs. However,
this opposition is expressed almost exclusively in vague claims of
military necessity, and doesnít account for changes in the style of
warfare since World War II. These weapons were originally
designed for large troop and vehicle formations, which we rarely see
today. Cluster bombs can actually be counter-productive to military
goals. Unexploded remnants cause deep and long lasting resentment
among local populations which can undermine efforts to quell
counter-insurgencies.</font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman"> </font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman"> </font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman"><b>TAKE ACTION</b></font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman"> </font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman">1. During the
month of December, join our holiday postcard campaign. Send a
message of hope and action for the children. Bring this campaign
to your family, friends, co workers, faith community and community
organizations. Go to</font> <a
href="http://www.banclusterbombs.org/"><font face="Times New Roman"
color="#0000FF">www.banclusterbombs.org</font></a><font
face="Times New Roman"> for more information. Or contact:
Mary Trotochaud at: 207-342-2251,
mtrotochaud@earthlink.net</font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman"> </font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman">2. <b> Educate your
community</b>. Organize a community showing of ìBombiesî a
documentary about the devastating long term effects the US use of
cluster bombs during the Vietnam War has had on the population of Laos
over the past 40 years. For more information: </font> <a
href="http://www.mcc.org/clusterbombs/bombies/"><font
face="Times New Roman"
color="#0000FF">http://www.mcc.org/clusterbombs/bombies/</font></a><br
>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman"> </font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman">3. <b> Be a peace
lobbyist!</b> Make an appointment to meet with Senators Collins
and Snowe, Representatives Allen and Michaud during the holiday recess
when they are likely to be in Maine. Remember: YOU are what a
lobbyist looks like! For lobbying tips: </font> <a
href="http://www.fcnl.org/action/toolkit.htm"><font
face="Times New Roman"
color="#0000FF">http://www.fcnl.org/action/toolkit.htm</font></a><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman"> </font><br>
</div>
<div><br></div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman">Senator Susan Collins</font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman">202 Harlow St., #204</font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman">Bangor, ME 04402</font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman">Phone: (207) 945-0417</font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman">Fax: (207) 990-4604</font><br>
</div>
<div> <br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman">Senator Olympia Snowe</font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman">Three Canal Plz., #601</font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman">Portland, ME 04112</font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman">Phone: (207) 874-0883</font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman">Fax: (207) 874-7631</font><br>
</div>
<div> <br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman">Rep. Michael Michaud</font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman">23 Water St., Ste. 205</font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman">Bangor, ME 04401</font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman">Phone: (207) 942-6935</font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman">Fax: (207) 942-5907</font><br>
</div>
<div> <br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman">Rep. Tom Allen</font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman">57 Exchange St., Ste. 302</font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman">Portland, ME 04101</font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman">Phone: (207) 774-5019</font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman">Fax: (207) 871-0720</font><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Times New Roman"> </font><br>
</div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Mary Trotochaud</div>
<div><a
href="mailto:mtrotochaud@earthlink.net">mtrotochaud@earthlink.net</a></div
>
<div>207-342-2251</div>
<div> <br>
</div>
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<div>The Peace & Justice Center of Eastern Maine</div>
<div>170 Park Street<br>
Bangor ME 04401<br>
(207) 942-9343<br>
fax 992-2288<br>
email: info@peacectr.org<br>
check our website:
<http://www.peacectr.org/>www.peacectr.org</div>
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