Armistice Day program features speakers on veterans health care, nuclear disarmament

An award-winning author on veterans’ health care and the national president of Veterans for peace will headline Milwaukee’s 12^th annual Armistice Day program at 7 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 11, sponsored by a coalition of peace and justice organizations.

Speaking will be Suzanne Gordon, journalist and author, whose latest book is, “Wounds of War: How the VA Delivers Health, Healing, and Hope to the Nation’s Veterans,” and Gerry Condon, national board president of Veterans For Peace, a longtime peace activist.

The event, at Central United Methodist Church, 25^th and Wisconsin Avenue, is a reminder that Nov. 11 — now a day to honor veterans – was established as a day to promote world peace at the end of World War I, the “war to end all wars,” in 1918.

Suzanne Gordon is the author, co-author or editor of 19 books including Life Support: Three Nurses on the Front Lines, and The Battle for Veterans’ Healthcare. She is an outspoken opponent of attempts to privatize veterans’ health care.

Gerry Condon, a Vietnam era veteran and war resister who has long been active in the peace movement, will speak on, “Sailing for Nuclear Disarmament: The Voyage of the Golden Rule.”

The Golden Rule, a project of Veterans For Peace, aims to advance opposition to nuclear weapons and war in a dramatic fashion. The Golden Rule is the original peace ship, that set sail in 1958 to stop nuclear testing in the atmosphere, and which inspired many peace makers and peace ships that followed. The reborn and restored Golden Rule is sailing again, and is currently in Hawaii.  The Golden Rule crew spreads the word about the continuing dangers of nuclear power, and the poisoning of the air, water and soil from the entire nuclear cycle, from uranium mining to the disposal of nuclear waste.

The Pardee Boys, an acoustic folk music trio, will perform beginning at 6:30 pm. The event is free and open to the public.

Co-sponsors of the event are Veterans for Peace,: Peace Action of Wisconsin, Milwaukee Area Labor Council, Milwaukee DSA, 1st Unitarian Society of Milwaukee, Wis. Federation of Nurses & Health Professionals Local 5000, Greater Milwaukee Green Party, Wis. Bail Out The People Movement, United Nations Association of Greater Milwaukee, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, Central United Methodist Church, Milwaukee Turners, Inc., Wis, Network for Peace, Justice and Sustainability, Milwaukee Muslim Women’s Coalition, Milwaukee National Lawyers Guild, Wis. Coalition to Normalize Relations with Cuba, Milwaukee County Progressives No Palestine Exception and Nukewatch.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.