Americans Who Tell the Truth
“Americans Who Tell the Truth,” an exhibit of 18 portraits, has been showing at the Meeting House Art Gallery here in Freeport for the past week. Maine artist Robert Shetterly has painted these masterful portraits of Americans who have spoken truth to power. Many of these Americans have spoken truth about the climate crisis we face.
“The crisis of climate change and environmental degradation is the greatest crisis humanity has ever confronted, and it is made many times harder because so many powerful institutions, governments, and corporations are invested in an economy of exploitation,” writes Shetterly.
L.L. Bean, with its reputation as a corporation that cares for the environment, has an opportunity to speak truth to power by encouraging Citibank, who services the L.L. Bean credit card, to stop financing new fossil fuel infrastructure. L.L. Bean could enhance its voice with Citibank by enlisting other large retailers such as Costco in a Coalition of Concerned Corporate Citizens. This coalition could then use their combined economic influence to speak truth to Citibank.
L.L. Bean could bolster its reputation of being good stewards of the environment. L.L .Bean could be a leader in speaking the truth about “the greatest crisis humanity has ever confronted.”
William Rixon,
Freeport
Time for gun regulation is now
If it isn’t time now, when will it be? On October 25 Maine has joined many other states whose citizens have felt the trauma and disruption of mass shootings. Do you feel that pain? Let’s do something today. How about a call for a legislative special session to take gun safety seriously? Let’s make the possession of assault weapons in Maine illegal. That’s the tool that can kill the most people in our towns and cities in just minutes before law enforcement can arrive on a scene. If we accomplish, just this, I think we can agree fewer lives will be lost to gun violence.
Stan Lourie,
Old Orchard Beach
Show up for gun control
I attended a gun control rally in Augusta this week. I learned that part of the reason that stricter gun laws have not passed in Maine, despite the fact that polls show that the majority of Mainer’s want tougher laws, is that not enough of us show up in Augusta when votes happen.
Not enough of us voice our wishes and concerns to our legislators. I am asking your readers, especially those who are retired and have some time on their hands, to do one or two things.
First is to email your legislators. It is so easy and fast to do this. I have challenged myself to send one email a day to one of my legislators (Vitelli, Pingree, King and Collins) for the rest of this year. It will literally take two minutes out of my day. The second thing is to sign up for the Show Up Network for gun safety (mainegunsafety.org/show-up-network). This will get you an email notice when your presence is needed in Augusta to help support a gun control bill.
Plenty of us waste time on Facebook or Instagram every day, lets us a few minutes a day or a few hours a year doing something to help prevent another mass shooting.
Peg Duhamel,
Woolwich
Nod to caregivers
November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month and National Family Caregivers Month, offering an important reminder to support caregivers. In Maine alone, there are more than 51,000 caregivers providing a total of 87 million hours of unpaid care.
The caregiving needs for someone living with Alzheimer’s are extensive and increase over time. Many family caregivers juggle competing priorities including work and other family responsibilities. Caregivers are often stretched thin. Many are overwhelmed. Most could use help.
As a caregiver myself and an Alzheimer’s Association board member, I understand the challenges Maine caregivers are facing.
I currently care for my wife Venus, who suffers from Alzheimer’s and is only 58 years old. Venus and I have had an amazing life together having been married for 33 years. This has been a devastating journey to our entire family, as I work from home a full time job, maintain our home, perform full time caregiving, which includes bathing, dressing, feeding and considerable interactions due to the progressive nature of this disease.
This November, I invite all Mainers to take time to support a caregiver you know. Run errands, help with a household chore, give caregivers a break by spending time with the person with dementia, and educate yourself about the disease – the more you know, the easier it will be to help. These small gestures can make a big difference and offer well-deserved support to those who give so much.
John E. Newby,
Harpswell
Send questions/comments to the editors.
