Typical, Rural, Small Town

June 14, 2007

Dear Friend of Common Dreams,

Last night, residents of the small, Maine coastal town Arrowsic came together for their annual town meeting. Among other town business, they voted 71-17 in favor of a resolution asking President Bush and Congress to immediately stop all war funding, to end American occupation in Iraq and to bring the troops home now.

No equivocating there.

Arrowsic is just across Casco Bay, about 30 miles from our offices in the Old Port neighborhood in Portland. I know Arrowsic. And believe me, it's a typical, rural small town.

And yet.

No mention of 'benchmarks'. No 'we broke it, we have to stay and fix it'. No 'we have to keep funding flowing for the troops.'

The mainstream media doesn't tell you the hundreds of other similar stories from towns all over the USA. We rarely hear the voices of ordinary Americans, the voices of people just like those in Arrowsic.

Instead you hear from the John McCains. The Joe Liebermans. The retired General Talking-Heads who provide 'commentary' while on the payroll of the biggest military contractors.

Arrowsic's town meeting vote is the kind of news that we seek out. Thinking locally - acting globally. Inspiring. Lighting sparks that keep our progressive movement growing.

We are making a difference but we need your help.

First, if you hear of a local news story that you think we should share with our CommonDreams.org community, please e-mail the link to me at editor@commondreams.org.

Second, over the next couple of weeks, CommonDreams.org needs to raise $75,000 to keep us going another few months. Can you pitch in to keep the CommonDreams.org site up and running?

CommonDreams.org doesn't accept advertising or corporate sponsorships -- because we don't want to have to answer to anyone except you.

But that means we have to rely on you - our readers - for 100% of our funding.

Please help us harness the power of the independent media!

You can make your secure, tax-deductible online donation right now here. Or, you can print our donation form and mail it back to us with a check here.

Thanks so much. We can't do it without you.

Gratefully,

Craig Brown
Executive Director
for the whole CommonDreams.org team

P.S.
Our readers are our only source of funding. We'll send everyone who pitches in a free "Out of Iraq NOW!" bumpersticker.

Thanks!