I applaud the women and their supporters who blocked two driveways into Northampton’s hometown weapons manufacturer, temporarily stopping employees from entering the building [”Protesters take aim at city defense contractor L3 Technologies,” Gazette, Oct. 12]. Among their demands “Convert to Peace Work” speaks to the question that those of us who abhor war (the majority of U.S. citizens) have: How could our country ever move away from an economy rooted in the military-industrial complex to one that addresses the threats of environmental collapse and massive income inequality that have been features of our past and current history? Though making the switch from ongoing war-involved, highly profitable technological innovation may seem impossible, it is absolutely necessary. As one of the protesters, Paki Wieland said, people who work at L3Harris, our neighbors, could “convert and use all this brilliance they have, all this great technology for the planet and for the people.”

Laura Kaye

Northfield