Last November VFP member and pastor Jerry Pederson spoke out against war based on his personal experience at the end of WWII:
Sacramento area veterans, including many appearing in uniform or military garb with ribbons and medals, spoke out against wars that they said only benefit the 1 percent during a news conference held by Occupy Sacramento at Cesar Chavez Park on Veterans Day, 2011.Regardless of your stand on war and peace all Gainesville area veterans are invited to speak out about their own experiences and points of view this Wednesday at Santa Fe Community College. The public is invited to attend and learn from our veterans.
Jerry Pedersen, a Lutheran minister, was only 17 when he was drafted to serve in the US. Army in the Pacific during World War II. He was a member of the honor guard that served at the surrender of the Japanese army aboard USS Missouri on September 2, 1945.
“I was standing only 30 feet away from where the table where General Douglas MacArthur and officials of the allies and Japanese government met,” said Pederson. “McCarthur said to the crowd, ‘We preserve in peace what we won in war.’”
“Out of my experience that day, I made my committment to work for peace – and decided that the best way to do that was as a pastor,” he said. “As a member of Veterans for Peace, I am working for our veterans to be treated honorably when they come home from war – and for the government to make a real commitment to slow down the war and violence business.”
Gainesville Veterans Speak Out this Wednesday Evening
WHEN: Wednesday: March 28, 6:30-9:00 pm.
WHERE: Santa Fe College, Northwest Gainesville Campus, Room WA-104, Bldg WA
[bldg WA is just west of bldg W].
WHO: SFC student groups, in conjunction with Community Coalition Against War & Terrorism and Veterans for Peace.
WHAT: All veterans, of all opinions, are invited to tell their stories, speak their minds, and answer questions from the public.
Contact: Pierce Butler: pbutler@igc.org, 352-377-4601
1 comment:
You're heart's in the right place, but it's not going to be easy civilizing a violent, predatory species.
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