P.O. Box 81, Swarthmore, PA, 19081-- brandywine@juno.com (610) 544-1818

On April 23, 2009, Lockheed Martin convened its annual shareholders meeting in Philadelphia.  It lasted exactly one hour. 

Beginning more than 90 minutes before people started arriving for the shareholders meeting, the Brandywine Peace Community, along with BuxMont Coalition for Peace Action, Catholic Peace Fellowship, and Phila. Jews for a Just Peace, held a demonstration in Philadelphia to protest and bring to Lockheed Martin shareholders and, more importantly, its management and CEO, Robert Stevens (often called the defacto secretary of defense), the "deadly consequences and economic dead-end of Lockheed Martin's war and weapons profits here and around the world." 

The demonstration actually began with a rush-hour vigil featuring large banners and signs on the west side of Phila. City Hall that was followed by a short, three block, walk lead by a large coffin with a coffin cloth reading "War" and "Poverty".  Throughout the opening vigil and walk to the Double Tree Hotel, site of the shareholders meeting, we were trailed by Lockheed Martin security personnel from Valley Forge, the site of repeated demonstrations and civil disobedience throughout the year as part of Brandywine's campaign of nonviolent resistance to Lockheed Martin. 

At the Double Tree Hotel, an eight foot inflatable purple gorilla, representing the "800 pound gorilla in the room" of the day's economic meltdown", and labeled "LOCK-MAR: the Lockheed Martin War Corp. Beast" stood along with a large wooden sign reading: "Lockheed Martin: We're making a Killing!".  We would eventually realize that CEO Stevens and other management people were brought into the hotel through a rear entrance - guess the sight of "LOCK-MAR" would be just too much for Lockheed Martin's chief "warheads".  We would also find out and see bomb-sniffing dogs that were around the hotel during the demonstration. 

Our day's flyer began: "Lockheed Martin profits from war...Lockheed Martin receives more of our tax dollars than any U.S. weapons corporation, $42.7 billion, in 2008.  Nearly 90 percent of the company's income comes from war and producing weapons of unimaginable horror..." and ended with: "Beyond Lockheed Martin, beyond war: a new day and a new economy is possible!" . 

We have a ways to go before that new day.