Summahs in Maine. Time to visit the lake, go camping, enjoy the beach, have a lobster bake. Every weekend there’s a wedding, and every beautiful weekday an excuse to play hooky.
It is also the season for the more politically active to get their march on.
Portland didn’t even wait for the official Memorial Day summer kick-off. Several days before, the We Are Maine march and rally brought hundreds to the City to protest the LePage Administration’s social policies.
We Are Maine march moves past City Hall, growing in numbers.
Then on the Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend there was the March Against Monsanto, a global day of action that has been popular among the activist crowd in Portland for the last four years, with the first March drawing over 700.
This year’s March Against Monsanto drew 250, and included a “bee die-in” to highlight the dangers of pesticides and herbicides to pollinators like bees and butterflies.
Bee die-in at Congress Square Park.
The March also took aim at GMOs, believing that genetically modified foods are dangerous to human health and impair efforts to grow organically. Genetically modified seeds can cross-pollinate neighboring farms that wish to remain GMO free. Also, GMO seeds are patent protected and do not reproduce. Organic farms depend upon heirloom seeds and natural seed sources that are not contaminated by genetically modified seeds.
March Against Monsanto moves down Spring St. The march drew 250 participants.
There are plenty more marches and rallies on the way. In June, there is the 10th Annual Dyke March on Friday, June 19th, and then there is the world famous Pride Parade on Saturday, June 20th.
To keep up on the marches and other political shenanigans this summer, click to TheWestEndNews.com for daily news and local political coverage.
Yes, the summer is about boating, biking and beer gardens. But, summer is also about bees, queers, and really any group or issue that can be marched with, for or against.
