Bruce Gagnon’s Background and Activism

Bruce Gagnon is the Coordinator of the Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space.  He was a co-founder of the Global Network when it was created in 1992.

Between 1983–1998 he was the State Coordinator of the Florida Coalition for Peace & Justice and has worked on space issues for over 40 years.  In 1987 he organized the largest peace protest in Florida history when over 5,000 people marched on Cape Canaveral in opposition to the first flight test of the Trident II nuclear missile. Bruce was the organizer of the Cancel Cassini Campaign (NASA launched 72 pounds of plutonium into space in 1997) that drew enormous support and media coverage around the world and was featured on the TV program 60 Minutes.

Bruce has traveled to and spoken in England, Germany, Mexico, Canada, France, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Japan, Australia, Scotland, Wales, Greece, India, Brazil, Portugal, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Czech Republic, South Korea, Sicily, Ukraine, Russia, Nepal and throughout the U.S.

He has also spoken on many college campuses including: Loyola University, Drake University, Syracuse University, Cornell University, University of Michigan, Cal Poly State University, University of Pittsburgh, California Institute of Technology, University of Oregon, University of Alaska Anchorage, Marquette University, Brown University, University of Florida, Dalhousie University (Nova Scotia), University of London, Bradford University (UK), and the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (India).

Project Censored (from Sonoma State University, CA) named a story on space weaponization by Bruce as the 8^th  Most Censored story in 1999.  Again in 2005, Project Censored picked an article on space issues by Bruce as the 16^th most censored story of the year and in 2015 his piece on endless war was listed as the 13^th most censored story.

Bruce has been featured by artist Robert Shetterly in his collection of portraits and quotes entitled Americans Who Tell the Truth.  In 2006 he was the recipient of the Dr. Benjamin Spock Peacemaker Award.

He initiated the Maine Campaign to Bring Our War $$ Home in 2009 that spread to other New England states and beyond.  This campaign makes the important connections between endless war spending and fiscal crisis throughout the U.S.

In 2013 he helped organize the passage of a drone bill in the Maine state legislature that requires police to obtain warrants before they can spy on the public. The bill was vetoed by the governor.

His articles have appeared in publications like: Earth Island Journal, National Catholic Reporter, Asia Times, Le Monde Diplomatique, Sekai Journal (Japan), CounterPunch, Space News, Z Magazine, Ryukyu Shimpo (Okinawa) and Canadian Dimension.  Bruce published a new version of his book in 2008 called Come Together Right Now: Organizing Stories from a Fading Empire.  He also has a blog called Organizing Notes.

In 2003 Bruce co-produced a popular documentary video entitled Arsenal of Hypocrisy that spelled out U.S. plans for space domination.  In 2010 he was extensively featured in the award-winning documentary called Pax Americana and the Weaponization of Space.  In 2013 he was featured in the documentary video called The Ghosts of Jeju about the South Korean village fighting against construction of a Navy base.  He has worked to help build support for the Jeju Island issue for many years.

From 2003-2020 Bruce hosted a public access TV show called This Issue that ran in 17 Maine communities.  The covid epidemic cancelled the show.

In 1968 Bruce was Vice-chair of the Okaloosa County (Florida) Young Republican Club while working on the Nixon campaign for president. He grew up in a military family and attended military run schools on Air Force bases.

Bruce is a Vietnam-era Air Force veteran and became a peace activist while in the military. He began his organizing career by working for the United Farm Workers Union in Florida organizing fruit pickers.