On October 30, 2009, forty people braved the rain at the intersection of M-61 and US-23 before regrouping at the Catholic Church in Standish, MI.  A total of 65 people listened to speakers discuss the transfer of Guantanamo Bay detainees.  Dave Hertzberg, Supervisor of Lincoln Township, where StandishMax is located, said his message to Washington about the Gitmo detainees is “Do not send them to America, to Michigan, to Arenac County or Lincoln Township.”  Lincoln Township previously had a close working relationship with the City of Standish, but that changed when the city council voted to receive over 200 Islamic extremists captured in Iraq and Afghanistan and accused of terrorism.

When businessman Dave Munson testified in Washington DC before the Intelligence committee, Anna Eshoo from San Francisco, CA treated him like he was from the sticks and said it was a local issue and not relevant to their meeting.  The government has not released information where detainees may be housed, but breaking news revealed some detainees may be sent to Charleston Naval Base in South Carolina to await trial.

Debra Burlingame is the Founder of 9/11 Families for a Safe and Strong America and sister of Chic Bulingame, the pilot of American Airlines Flight 77, which was commandeered and crashed into the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.  Burlingame said, “We are their bosses in Washington DC.  When they get that they are scared!”  The prison at Guantanamo Bay is in a remote location with a 90 mile perimeter, including water and with land mines.  StandishMax is surrounded by trees with 26 homes including a day care.  Detainees must be held in a Military facility and will become the next ground zero terrorist target.  Terrorists admire the Washington sniper that randomly killed ten people, and take an interest in shopping malls, parking ramps, and anything with the word “Federal” on it.  Standish will be descended on by the national media, American Civil Liberties Union, Human Rights First and Code Pink protestors.

Former Arenac County Commissioner Kelly Kimball said to tell everyone you meet about the danger.  People can make a difference by calling their congressmen and writing letters.

Statewide concern about Michigan safety attracted participants not only from Standish but also Brighton, Saginaw, Vassar, Eastpointe, and Rochester, Michigan.  Mainstream media did not cover the rally but coverage was provided by Keep America Safe.  Standish Residents will rally every Friday at 4:00 pm until the issue is resolved.

Click to see photos of the event.