Four speakers featured at 10th annual Peacestock

“Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.”

This bit of wisdom from Albert Einstein is a common thought for Red Wing Veterans for Peace members and the goal behind Peacestock. Peacestock (formerly known as Pigstock) is a day dedicated to public education about the true price of war, and the overwhelming need for peace.

The 10th annual Peacestock begins at 9 a.m. Saturday July 14 at Windbeam farm in Hager City.

“We are trying to show that achieving peace through the strength of fighting and violence doesn’t work,” said David Harris, an active Veterans for Peace member

To show a different route for achieving peace, the event has four keynote speakers throughout the day. All of these men are known for their work with people and for the global peace that is the long-term goal of Peacestock.

The speakers are: Father Roy Bourgeois, the Rev. Duane Kamrath, Josh Ruebner, and David Swanson.

Bourgeois is a Navy veteran and an ordained Catholic priest. He is mostly known for his work against the School of Americas located in Ft. Benning Ga., and for founding the human rights group School of the Americas Watch.

Kamrath is a military veteran and a retired Lutheran minister. Kamrath has devoted his career to the areas of peace and social justice.

Ruebner is the national advocacy director of the U.S campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, an organization that protests the U.S support of Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian West Ban, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. Ruebner also provides commentary on U.S. policy toward the Middle East for major media outlets.

Swanson is a nationally known radio host, author, peace activist, and speaker. He has written many books including “War is a lie” and “The Military Industrial Complex at 50.”

Besides the speakers, whom Harris considers “top-notch,” there will be other workshops, a noon lunch wagon, an evening supper that is included in the admission fee, gardens to tour, free camping, live music by the bands Bonnie and the Clydes and String Beans, Chick Peas and Garbanzo, plus a bonfire. There is also a Sunday morning breakfast for those who want to camp overnight.

Peacestock will be held at Windbeam Farm in Hager City.

The admission fee is $30 for adults, $50 for a couple, and $10 for students. No one will be refused entry for inability to pay. For more information, go to www.peacestockvfp.org.

“This whole day is about teaching people about a different kind of freedom,” Harris said, “not just freedom from oppression — freedom from fighting and war all together.”

Peacestock 2012 activities include:

Friday July 13

5 p.m. — grounds open for setting up tents and recreational vehicles

7 p.m. — view the farm

9 p.m. — campfire

Saturday July 14 (main activities)

9 a.m. — opening announcements

10 a.m. — The Rev. Duane Kamrath presents “Wisdom about War and Violence”

10:45 a.m. — Josh Ruebner presents “U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation”

1 p.m. — Mike Reid, executive director of National Veterans for Peace, speaks

1:15 p.m. — Sami Rasouli, who recently returned from Iraq, reviews conditions there

1:30 p.m. — Father Roy Bourgeois presents “War and the Church”

3 p.m. — David Swanson presents “Abolishing War: One Last Step to Take”

4:15 p.m. — music

5 p.m. — supper

6 p.m. — music jam

Sunday July 15

Noon — Peacestock officially ends

Tags: lifestyle, religion, wisconsin