Half Life: 30 Years of Nuclear Disarmament
Sunday, February 10th 2013  5:00pm
Oakland, CA

http://www.wslfweb.org

Western States Legal Foundation (WSLF) will be hosting its 30th anniversary gala, “Half Life: Celebrating 30 Years of Working for Peace and Disarmament,” with special guests: retiring Congressman Dennis Kucinich; “Pentagon Papers” whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg; journalist and San Francisco radio host Rose Aguilar; and invited guest Representative Barbara Lee, on February 10, 2013, at Oakland’s First Congregational Church. Opening Reception "A Taste of Oakland" 5-6:30pm Local restaurants will be offering appetizers and samples from their menus. Wine will be offered and you will get a chance to mingle with our Special Guests. Music provided by Duo Andino (Andean flutes). Half Life Main Event 7-9pm Hear keynote speeches by Representative Kucinich and Daniel Ellsberg followed by a panel discussion on "Reframing the Nuclear Discourse in the Current Geopolitical Climate." The evening will be moderated by Rose Aguilar. Special Guests Congressman Dennis Kucinich has been in Congress for 18 years working as a tireless advocate for peace and for worker rights, civil rights and human rights. He has brought a strong progressive voice to the national scene through his service in Congress and campaigns for public office, raising the visibility of real alternatives to an economy and politics dominated by giant corporations and the military-industrial complex. Congressman Kucinich has written and co-sponsored legislation to create a national health care system, preserve Social Security, lower the costs of prescription drugs, provide economic development through infrastructure improvements, abolish the death penalty, provide universal prekindergarten to all 3, 4, and 5 year olds, create a Department of Peace, regulate genetically engineered foods, repeal the USA PATRIOT Act, and provide tax relief to working class families. He also has served as UN representative for Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament. This will be his first speaking engagement after leaving Congress Daniel Ellsberg is best known for having worked on the top secret study of U.S. Decision-making in Vietnam , known as the Pentagon Papers, and for releasing them to the public. His trial, on twelve felony counts posing a possible sentence of 115 years was dismissed in 1973 on grounds of governmental misconduct against him, which led to the convictions of several White House aides and figured in the impeachment proceedings against President Nixon. Less well known is his work for the Rand Corporation and as a consultant to the Defense Department and the White House, specializing in problems of the command and control of nuclear weapons, nuclear war plans, and crisis decision-making. Since the end of the Vietnam War, Ellsberg has been a lecturer, writer and activist of the nuclear era, wrongful U.S. interventions and the urgent need for patriotic whistleblowing. In December 2006 he was awarded the 2006 Right Livelihood Award, known as the “Alternative Nobel Prize,” in Stockholm, Sweden, “…for putting peace and truth first, at considerable personal risk, and dedicating his life to inspiring others to follow his example.” He is the author of three books: Papers on the War (1971), Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers (2002), and Risk, Ambiguity and Decision (2001), and is at work on an account of his experience in the world of nuclear weapons and war planning. Congresswoman Barbara Lee (invited guest) is a forceful and progressive voice in Congress, dedicated to social and economic justice, international peace, and civil and human rights. First elected in 1998 to represent California’s 9th Congressional District, the Democratic lawmaker has established a reputation for principled and independent stands, unafraid to take on the tough issues and speak her mind for her constituents, for a more just America, and for a safer world. In 2001, Lee was the only vote in Congress against the war, just days after 9/11. An early and outspoken opponent of the Iraq War, the congresswoman repeatedly proposed legislation seeking early U.S. troop withdrawal. In 2007, she successfully blocked funds from being used to establish permanent military bases in Iraq. Her 2008 amendment requiring that any U.S. agreement to defend Iraq be expressly authorized by Congress or be included in a Senate approved treaty was stripped from a defense bill under the threat of a veto by President Bush. Rose Aguilar is the host of KPFK’s Your Call and author of the book Red Highways: A Journey into the Heartland. In addition to hosting Your Call, Rose provides a weekly commentary about undercover activism for KPFK's Uprising, and writes about politics and social issues for Truthout and Al Jazeera English. Before joining KALW, Rose was a reporter and weekend host for CNET Radio where she covered technology's impact on society.

Location:
1st Congregational Church
2501 Harrison Street
Oakland, CA