Veterans for Peace Radio Hour

Danny Sjursen, self-described, "leftist military veteran," along with nationally known author, speaker, professor, podcaster brings his wit and wisdom to our radio show. Danny, the author of Patriotic Dissent and Ghost Riders of Baghdad, speaks on Biden's foreign policy team, our recent saber-rattling with China, American Exceptionalism, our previous expeditionary blunders and more.

t was 50 years ago when Vietnam Veterans Against the War put together the Winter Soldier Investigation to bring to light the realities and atrocities of the American War on Vietnam.  In this show, we will remember a little bit of that effort along with the Winter Soldier of 2008 which was presented by Iraq Veterans Against the War. We also try to reflect on and update the impact or lack of im...

The Golden Rule is a sailboat for PEACE.  After describing the history of the Golden Rule, the VFP sailing icon for peace, and the end of nuclear weapons, Helen Jaccard and Gerry Condon relate the latest project for this sailboat for peace. Beginning late this year they will sail the Golden Rule throughout the United States from the Mississippi to the east coast, from the Gulf of Mexico to th...

Mark Reese has been a Government Contractor, Translator, and Whistleblower. Mark served as a translator in Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and other parts of Central Asia, Mark was truly on the front lines and brings a direct perspective into our never-ending wars and the good that we could do while highlighting the problems that we have created.

This is the full interview with Mark Reese, Government Contractor, Translator and Whistleblower. We interviewed Mark for our one hour radio show and so some of the interview full on the cutting room floor. In this you will hear his story of service to this country in central Asia and his reflections on defense contracting, translating, our missions in the middle east and central Asia and how we ne...

Regional activist Amber Sherman talks to us about last year's occupation of Nashville in response to the George Flood and Breona Taylor murders. She then updates us on the Memphis Pipeline. Yes there is a pipeline controversy in Memphis. Then an update from Louisville where authorities refuse to tackle their racial issues. We then turn to reparations where Amber has some unique thoughts about acti...

From Charleston, S.C. Harvey conducts an interview with local activist Jason Jones and adds clips from a local lady who is trying to uncover the hidden history of Charleston to help healing but how can a plaque help the healing of a 400-year-old wound. Thus Harvey includes clips from the conference From Enslavement to Reparations: A 400 Year Journey for Justice and provides the case for reparation...

Kwame Leo Lillard, Freedom Rider, Civil Rights Icon, Activist, Community  Leader in Nashville recently passed away.  Kwame was a friend of our radio show and appeared multiple times.  Today, with his words and the  words of one of his many friends, Gary Burke, we remember Kwame.  We remember his commitment, his courage, his organization, from being there  for John Lew...

We begin by talking about the VA and their reluctance to acknowledge the disaster of burn pits. We share an article by Suzanne Gordon on the disaster of VA privatization. We commend the new Defense Secretary on his initial push to identify sexual misconduct in the military. Then we discuss Biden's missteps with regard to Russia and linking the new Start Treaty with allegations of Russian interfere...

After Will York explains the serious charges that the white insurrectionists should be charged with, we discuss Biden's speech. We highlight the surprising call out of white supremacists and racism along. Harvey discusses the unusual visit to Arlington while Tom shares a clip where Biden demands respect from his new staff. We share the most powerful words from Amanda Gorman and we finish up with o...

In the wake of the invasion of the Capital, we host a panel discussion with three activists who have faced the hate from the same white insurrectionists that stormed the Capital. We have Beth Foster who was there at Charlottesville and Montgomery Bell Tennessee State Park protesting the American Renaissance Conference, Benny Overton who was also at Montgomery Bell and downtown Nashville, and Daryl...

This is part two of our reflection of five years of radio shows. We do get this accomplished after a quick discussion on the insanity instigated by trump and performed by white supremacists at the capital on Wednesday. From remembering Hector Black, covering the struggle for civil rights, a flawed legal system, dealing with sexual trauma, realizing that climate change is here, and privatizing the...

After five years of shows, 260 shows, over 15,000 minutes we decided we would try to remember where we have been in this part one of our milestone shows. We start out at the beginning and remember AVP with Trina Baum. We then reflect on Vietnam, Black History Month, Civil Rights, Dr. King, Militarism, and Nuclear Holocaust. We finish up with a very appropriate song by Mary Gautier.

This is the best Christmas show outside of the original story of Christmas. The Christmas truce demonstrated how the humanity of the Christmas Season (Peace on Earth Good Will to All)can actually happen when we collectively say no to the establishment, to the authorities, to the generals. Let's try to remember those brave young men who had the nerve for just one Christmas to say no to killing, no...

We listen to and discuss a talk given by Jessica Katzenstein for a Twenty Years of War Project.  She discusses the costs of blood and treasure related to the entanglement of the military and policing and how this entanglement has led to military tactics used during war being implemented on our own citizenry.

On todays show we start by remembering the Four Church Women murdered in El Salvador in 1980 with US complicity. Then we reflect on the MORE ACT and marijuana decriminalization.  Then Rory Fanning's article on how white supremacy has infiltrated policing. Finally we have to discuss some of Biden's "picks" for his cabinet and staff. We finish up with a song by Jason Moon which pretty much sums...

Today on the Veterans for Peace Radio Hour, we talk about the great work of Government employees with the help of a clip from Krystal Ball, the dilemma of front line workers and the poor with the help of Reverend Barber, and the prospects of a positive foreign policy with the help of Lawrence Wilkerson. We finish with a great song from Stevie Nicks asking God to Show Them the Way.

Today's special guest is Dr. Steven Feldman who was a dentist for the VA and is very familiar with why privatization of the VA is a terrible idea not just for the veteran but for the public also. We are also playing a new song from Christine Moad (MissChristine) called Truth in Song. It is a wonderful song in search of truth.

Biden won, apparently, so what now. How do we try to talk to Trump supporters. How do we approach foreign policy, domestic challenges with health care, climate and justice? What can we expect from a Biden administration. David Swanson, Executive Director of World Without War weighed in while speaking to the Iowa Chapter of Veterans for Peace on Armistice Day.

After a quick update on the election process, we delve into reclaiming  the spirit of Armistice Day.  Armistice Day was established to honor and  encourage peace, but after WWII it was changed to Veterans day but it  has devolved into a day, a week a month to celebrate militarism.

Using several clips from several sources, we try to reflect on the election so far. What happened to the possible Biden landslide? Which demographics did the DNC ignore again? What might Trump do if a loss is at hand? We provide some information if not some answers.

In this show co host Tom Grose shares a clip about white supremacy and women, it is more disturbing than you thought. The co-host Harvey Bennett shares a clip from Rising with Daniel Allot about what is behind people voting for trump again. Finally Jim shares a clip from a Ted Talk by researcher Mindy Romero on why young people don't vote. It is not their fault.

Warren Duzak writer and contributor to the World Socialist Web Site, wsws.org is the special guest. Warren talks about the need for unification and then uprising of workers to address the challenges of this country and the world. He talks about Trotsky and has a controversial perspective on BLM. Harvey responds.

This show reflects the state of the county, chaotic and rambling. We start with a clip from the Thom Hartman show featuring Richard Wolff saying that capitalism is the virus. After some discussion Harvey shares a clip of Michael Moore's Rumble about the Michigan Militia and how he knows these people. Then we finish up discussing movies, economics, Biden and the democrats. Yep we were rambling. So...

In this episode we each pick out clips of great thinkers such as Howard Zinn, Chris Hedges, Michael Moore, Al Franken and others to share and discuss. We also discuss trump's visit to Walter Reed with covid and finish appropriately with John Lennon's "Instant Karma."