CounterRecruiter

Not Your Soldier Day of Action

A press release from the National Youth and Student Peace Coalition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:            
November 17, 2005   

Contact:
Lovella Calica, 989-621-1934
Emily Pollack, 908-499-1350                        

Not Your Soldier Day of Action erupts on over 40 campuses nationwide Students across the country to protest military recruitment in schools, call for end of war on Iraq

New York, NY - With a growing majority of the American public opposing the war on Iraq and President George Bush's approval rating hitting an all time low, students and young people are joining forces with veterans, military families, clergy, and others for a national day of protest on International Students Day, November 17.

The Not Your Soldier Day of Action is the first nationally coordinated mobilization by young people against military recruitment in our schools. From New York to Los Angeles, Milwaukee to Austin, students are holding rallies, teach-ins, marches and walk outs with the theme of "Books Not
Bombs" to protest military recruitment practices and the war on Iraq. There will also be events in Puerto Rico, Mexico and Colombia. 

"This war is having a devastating impact on our generation and our education," said Emily Pollack, a student at Rutgers University in New Jersey. "The occupation is costing $7 billion per month while the House of Representatives votes next week on the largest cut to student loans in the history of these federal programs, over $14 billion!" The Not Your Soldier Day of Action will amplify the voices of the millennium generation who are saying no military recruiters in schools. At Hicksville High School in New York students will walkout during lunch.  Washington, DC- area students will reach rush-hour federal employees with the message of "Stop the Assault on Youth."  On Friday, in Colorado Springs, CO, Iraq Veterans Against the War will march to a recruiting center. "This day of action is calling attention to the predatory recruitment of low-income youth and youth of color by the US military," said Camilo Mejia, a conscientious objector and member of Iraq Veterans Against the War.  "While it is people like me, who want job training and education, who have risked our lives in Iraq, it is Bush's
cronies at Bechtel and Halliburton who profit every day from our service in this unfounded war."

A list of Not Your Soldier Day of Action events is online at: www.nyspc.net.  The Not Your Soldier Day of Action is organized by the National Youth and Student Peace Coalition (NYSPC) and the Not Your Soldier Project. NYSPC is organizing around the country to take back our future and build the Books Not Bombs agenda for youth and students.

USCS Students Confront Recruiters

Students at the University of California Santa Cruz disrupted Marine recruitment at a campus job fair on October 18. The protest was organized by Students Against War. A "queer kiss-in" protesting the military's don't-ask-don't-tell policy effectively blocked the Marines' access to the students at the fair. It was the first return of recruiters to UCSC since students kicked them off campus in April.

Counterrecruiting Freestyle Contest

New York Veterans Speak Out (VVAW and Veterans For Peace) is sponsoring a youth contest based on rhymes written by high school students in the theme of the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) flyer... "10 Things You Need To Know Before You Talk To A Recruiter". The student with the best rhyme wins $500.  Visit Veterans Speak Out for more info.

Fresno Marches Against Military Recruiters

A march in Fresno. Coverage on the Indybay.org website:

A march and rally of around 50 was held in downtown Fresno today (September 10, 2005) to encourage students to "opt-out" of being contacted by military recruiters. Organizers for the march said that under The No Child Left Behind Act public schools are obligated to furnish the contact information of students to the federal government for use by military recruiters. At the rally in front of the Navy recruiting center, participants were told that many students and parents may not know they have the legal option of opting out by signing a form requesting that the school administration not supply their personal contact information for military recruitment purposes. Schools are not financially penalized for informing students and parents that they have the right to opt out from being contacted by military recruiters. Pictures and full report here.

"They Can Taser Us, Beat Us, Shower Us With Pepper-spray, and Seize Police Dogs On Us, But They Will Not Stop Us"

The Pittsburgh Organizing Group has announced plans to hold another protest at the Oakland military recruiting station, the scene of last week's demonstration that made national headlines. Last week police arrested at least five protesters and shot Taser stun guns at two people. A 68-year-old woman was hospitalized after being bitten by a police dog. [See CounterRecruiter.net coverage].

Pittsburgh City Councilor Doug Shields and State Senator Jim Ferlo have both called for a investigation into police conduct at last week's protest.

"They can Taser us, beat us, shower us with pepper-spray, and seize police dogs on us, but they will not stop us from protesting the lies about military recruitment and the war in Iraq," said Marie Skoczylas, a POG member. "We are undeterred by last week's unprovoked attack."

Saturday's protest is scheduled for 11:15 a.m. outside the the Oakland military recruiting station.

8/27 Update: Pittsburgh Indymedia reports: Today, Saturday, August 27, the Pittsburgh Organizing Group (POG) held a non-violent picket at Oakland's military recruiting station... By noon, about 100 people lined the sidewalk on Forbes between Atwood St. and Oakland Ave. There was a sizeable presence of police in the vicinity -- including Pittsburgh Police Chief McNally -- but unlike last week, the police did not attack the crowd and the protest ended without incident.

Pittsburgh Police Use Tasers At Counter-Recruiting Demo

Pittsburgh Indymedia has more coverage on the protests including video of the shooting. At least five protesters were arrested and two were hospitalized. One woman was bit by a police dog. A second woman suffered injuries after being shot with a 50,000-volt Taser stun gun.

Bronx Students Force Military Recruiters Off Campus For A Third Time

For the third time in recent weeks students protesters at Bronx Community College drove military recruiters off campus. Targeted so far have been recruiters from the Army, Air Force National Guard, and most recently -- on Wednesday -- the Marines. Here is a report w/ photos from one of the earlier anti-recruiter actions in the Bronx. The protests appear to be largely organized by a group called The Revolutionary Reconstruction Club.

University of California-Santa Cruz Students Kick Military Recruiters Off Campus

From Santa Cruz Indymedia: On April 5, about 300 UC Santa Cruz students led by Students Against War (SAW) kicked Army, Navy and Marine Corps recruiters out of the annual Career Center Job Fair, marking yet another success for the nation-wide counter-military recruitment campaign. (Call to Action!)... As the march began, a small group of students infiltrated the Job Fair and surrounded recruiter’s tables, chanting and linking arms. This small group was soon joined by more students from the march who pushed their way through front and side doors, chanting, “Whose Campus? Our Campus!” as Job Fair administrations attempted to literally shove them out the door. Ultimately, 100 students were able to surround recruiters’ tables while the remaining 200 marchers stayed outside the Event Center, blocking the entrances and chanting in support of those on the inside.

CIA Taps Marketing Students at NYU & U. of Texas to Help Improve the Agency's Recruiting Efforts

On Thursday the Central Intelligence Agency cancelled a planned event at New York University after activists with the Campus Antiwar Network announced plans to stage a protest.

The CIA is involved in a little-known marketing program at NYU and the University of Texas-Pan American (UTPA). The Agency is funding a program where business students develop a marketing plan to help improve the CIA's success in on-campus recruiting. On this pilot project, the CIA is also working the private marketing company EdVenture Partners which has previously worked with the National Security Agency and State Department.

"The Collegiate Marketing Program is designed to give students hands-on training about the fundamentals of marketing," reported the Pan American, the student newspaper at the University of Texas. "The idea is that students recruit students for the CIA."

In Texas, the program generated controversy because the marketing students had asked professors -- primarily in the departments of Middle Eastern studies and Asian studies -- to use class time to survey students about their attitudes toward the CIA.

In a recent report, the Austin Chronicle pointed out that the EdVenture Partners' Web site makes it clear that education is not its only goal: "Students receive an unparalleled educational experience they will put in their resumes, and you leave with what every marketer dreams of ... Results – developed by the target audience for the target audience."

Students at both schools have protested the CIA project.

"This CIA recruitment in the guise of a class represents a campaign of sorts on the part of the government to pull as many as they can into the military machine." said Sam Pipp, a sophomore at NYU and member of the Campus Antiwar Network.

Fellow CAN member, Elizabeth Wrigley-Field, added "We believe they're testing the waters to see how brazenly they can recruit on campuses without encountering student opposition, before spreading programs like this to colleges across the country."

March 31: National Day of Action Against the Draft

On Thursday the group NoDraftNoWay.org staged several demonstrations around the country in what it billed a National Day Of Action Against the Draft. In New York demonstrators took to the steps of city's Board of Education. The group drafted a letter to School Chancellor Joel Klein demanding:

That schools educate students about the threat of the draft.

That military recruiters be kept out of our schools.

That JROTC programs be cancelled and replaced with real electives and after school programs for youth in this city.

That all parents be notified of their right to prohibit their child's information from being submitted to military recruiters under the No Child Left Behind Act.

The NoDraftNoWay.org website chronicles other actions around the country:

Boston: Antidraft activists, trade unionists, and youth organizers rallied in front of the military recruiting station in downtown Boston. They were joined by students who walked out of class and Carl Webb, a member of the Army National Guard who has refused to deploy to Iraq.

Worcester, MA: 60 Methacton High School students walked out of class voicing their opposition to the war and a potential draft reinstatement.

Bloomington, IN: More than 50 people turned for a spirited protest against the draft and military recruiting at newly-opened office of the Indiana National Guard.

Raleigh, NC: Activists picketed in front of the Army Recruiting Station and blocked the entrance for the duration of their protest.

Posted by MikeBurke on April 1, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBack