Ventura, CA: "Empire vs. Veterans, Who Pays and Who Benefits From Global Wars," 4/17 at 7 PM, Pierpont Inn

Empire, Veterans and the Road Home to Peace

Col. Ann Wright, Michael Parenti, and Marjorie Cohn Join Forces for Vets and Families

VENTURA, CA. - March 17, 2010 - On Saturday, April 17th at 7 PM the California Conference of Veterans and Military Families are welcoming the community to join them in a special event to be held at the beautiful Pierpont Inn located at 550 San Jon Road, Ventura, CA.

The event will feature Dr. Michael Parenti speaking on “Empire vs Veterans, Who Pays and Who Benefits from Global Wars,” Col. Ann Wright speaking on “Sexual Abuse in the Military,” and Marjorie Cohn on “Rules of Disengagement.” Each of the three speakers are internationally recognized and accomplished individuals.

Dr. Michael Parenti is one of the nation’s leading progressive political analysts renowned for his thought provoking and accessible style. A charismatic speaker, and a regular guest on radio and television talk shows. His highly informative and entertaining books and talks have reached a wide range of audiences in North America and abroad. Raised in a working class family,

Parenti earned his PhD in Political Science at Yale. He is an award winning historian, author, and lecturer with a profound grasp of diverse topics including economics, the media, social and political issues. Various articles and books of his have been translated into at least twenty languages. Among his many books are God and His Demons (just published this month); Contrary Notions; The Culture Struggle; Superpatriotism; The Terrorism Trap: September 11 and Beyond; History as Mystery; America Besieged; Dirty Truths; Against Empire; Inventing Reality: The Politics of the News Media.

Col. Ann Wright is a retired from the U.S. Army and Wright, who holds a Masters in National Security Affairs from the U.S. Naval War College, resigned in direct protest of the March 2003 invasion of Iraq. Her resignation letter cited her reasons as being the decision to invade Iraq without the approval of the U.N. Security Council, the lack of effort in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, the lack of policy in regard to North Korea and the curtailment of civil liberties within the United States. Active in the peace movement since that time, Col. Wright will be addressing the intolerable level of sexual assault in the military, largely hidden, inadequately investigated, and often without consequences for perpetrators now experienced by one in three women and one in ten men.

Professor Marjorie Cohn is immediate past president of the National Lawyers Guild. She lectures throughout the world on international human rights and U.S. foreign policy. A news consultant for CBS News, and a legal analyst for Court TV, she also provides legal and political
commentary on BBC, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, NPR, Air America and Pacifica Radio. Professor Cohn’s topic for the evening is also the title of her latest book, Rules of Disengagement: The Politics and Honor of Military Dissent (with Kathleen Gilberd), and her forthcoming anthology, The United States and Torture: Interrogation, Incarceration and Abuse, will be published in fall 2010 by NYU Press. Her articles have appeared in numerous journals and her weekly columns appear on AlterNet, Counterpunch, CommonDreams, HuffingtonPost, OpedNews, AtlanticFreePress, AfterDowningStreet, ZNet, and GlobalResearch, and are archived at http://www.marjoriecohn.com/.

A suggested donation of $20. will be requested at the door.

The sponsoring group, California Conference of Veterans and Military Families, is a recently formed regional coalition of Veterans for Peace, Vietnam Veterans for Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Military Families Speak Out, and Gold Star Families for Peace. This Saturday evening event is part of this larger conference. The Conference, as a whole, is open only to active duty military, veterans, and their families. They can get further information and register for the full conference by calling 805-388-1542 or emailing: softails.togo@verizon.net.

To arrange interviews with any of the above speakers prior to the event please contact Cindy Piester (info below).

California Conference of Veterans and Military Families

Cindy Piester, 805-407-7997

177 Jordan Ave., Ventura, Ca. 93001

work4peacenow@gmail.com