NJ PEACE ACTION’S 54th Annual Soup Luncheon Move the Money: Stop the War Machine Featuring Phyllis Bennis and Judith LeBlanc

Phyllis Bennis and Judith LeBlanc will be the keynote speakers at NJ Peace Action’s 54th Annual Soup Luncheon at Bloomfield High School, 160 Broad St., Bloomfield, on Saturday, November 12th.  Doors open at 11:45 a.m. for the Silent Auction and socializing; lunch, which will be homemade soups, bread, and desserts, is served at 12:45 p.m.

Phyllis Bennis is a Fellow of the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, DC, where she directs the New Internationalism Project.  She is also a fellow of the Transnational Institute in Amsterdam.  She works on U.S. foreign policy issues, particularly regarding Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran and Palestine, as well as United Nations issues, especially regarding democratization of the UN and the challenge of U.S. domination of the UN.  Her most recent book is ENDING THE US WAR IN AFGHANISTAN: A PRIMER (with David Wildman).

Judith LeBlanc, Field Director of Peace Action, coordinates efforts on campaigns to cut military spending, nuclear abolition and to oppose the war in Afghanistan.  She works closely with Peace Action’s affiliates on grassroots organizing efforts.  She helps coordinate the efforts of the New Priorities Network, a national network supporting grassroots organizing to “move the money from wars and weapons to fund human needs”.  From 2003-2009, she worked with United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ) coordinating national outreach efforts and served two terms as UFPJ National Co-Chair.  She is a member of the Caddo Tribe of Oklahoma and lives in Harlem, NY.

“This program is particularly timely,” said Madelyn Hoffman, Executive Director of NJ Peace Action. “During this time of economic turmoil, thousands of people have taken to the streets from Wall Street to Washington, D.C. and throughout the rest of the country and the world. The people are standing up to corporate powers that have taken far too much control of our political system. We believe hat the majority of Americans understand that part of the reason for our economic crisis is that billions of dollars are being spent on two protracted wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, with no end in sight. Our demands to end the wars and bring the troops and the dollars home is right in line with those occupying Wall Street. This is the time to make such a change in national priorities!”

For more information contact Madelyn Hoffman, Executive Director of NJ Peace Action, 973-259-1126 (office), 973-876-1023 (cell), email director@njpeaceaction.org, or write to NJ Peace Action, 673 Bloomfield Ave., Bloomfield, NJ 07003.