Counter-Recruiting newsletter

OMNI COUNTER-RECRUITING NEWSLETTER #1, WE, THE PEOPLE BUILDING A CULTURE OF PEACE, JUNE 13, 2008, Compiled by Dick Bennett

SENATOR LINCOLN (202) 224-4843 Fax: (202) 228-1371.
Fayetteville office: 251-1380

Senator Mark Pryor: Phone: (202) 224-2353 Fax: (202) 228-0908

CONGRESSMAN Boozman: Lowell office: 479-725-0400.

DC address: 1708 Longworth House Office Bldng., Washington, DC 20515; 202-225-4301.

"I believe the best chance we have of keeping the current wars from eclipsing the 10-year length of Vietnam would be if groups put much more emphasis on cutting off the flow of human resources, i.e., through counter-recruitment work and school demilitarization work." Rick Jahnkow, Coord., Project on Youth and Non-Military Opportunities (YANO). Read his essay:

http://www.projectyano.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=40&Itemid=1
CONTENTS

Counter-recruiting Network and Rick Jahnkow

Youth Against War and Racism

Song: “Halliburton Boardroom Massacre”

Article on Counter-Recruiting

Films v. Recruiting: Winter Soldier, Redacted, The Valley of Elah, Stop Loss

Guide to Alternatives After High School

Berkeley City Council v. Marine Recruiting (Code Pink)

GI Rights Hotline
NETWORK FOR COUNTER-RECRUITING

Project on Youth and Non-Military Opportunities (YANO)(1984)(org).

PO Box 230157, Encinitas 92023; 760-634-3604; projyano@aol.com; www.projectyano.org

Offers youths in San Diego County a contrasting view on military enlistment, informs them about non-military alternatives for skills training and college financial aid, and promotes careers in peacemaking and social change. Many pubs., request resource list. Rick Jahnkow, Prog. Coord. (See: War Resisters League.) For a list of counter-recruiting orgs., go to www.nnomy.org and click on Counter Recruitment Orgs in the left menu.
Six key groups, besides Project YANO and NNOMY, would be:

AFSC Youth and Militarism, Philadelphia

http://www.afsc.org/youthmil/default.htm

Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors, Philadelphia/Oakland

http://www.objector.org/
Coalition Against Militarism in Our Schools, Los Angeles

http://www.militaryfreeschools.org/
Committee Opposed to Militarism and the Draft, San Diego

http://comdsd.org/

War Resisters League, Youth and Militarism Program, NYC

http://www.warresisters.org/youth/

Youth Activists / Youth Allies Network NYC

http://www.yayanetwork.org/

Rick Jahnkow on long-range counter-recruiting, impeding the flow to the imperial legions: “The problems that have minimized the effectiveness of the peace movement as a whole are many, including U.S. cultural and economic class factors. But to me, the bottom line is that the groups and individuals in the peace movement largely fail to think long-term and miss the bigger picture that would lead to more strategic thinking. I haven't read the Nation article, but long-term strategic thinking means that to prevent the invasion of Iraq, the peace movement should have acted over the preceding two decades to "combat" the resurgence of militarism. It especially would have made a difference to put more resources into preventing the militarization of schools, since the 20- and 30-year-olds who are acting as cannon fodder today were indoctrinated via that militarization. I believe the best chance we have of keeping the current wars from eclipsing the 10-year length of Vietnam would be if groups refocussed and put much more emphasis on cutting off the flow of human resources, i.e., through counter-recruitment work and school demilitarization work. That's something that the media, Congress and the next president would not be able to ignore the way they have ignored antiwar marches and demonstrations.
Rick
P.S. If you haven't already seen it, you might be interested in a piece I wrote on this that was picked up by Znet and a few other publications: http://www.projectyano.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=40&Itemid=1

Activists seek to counter military recruiters on L.A. campuses (from Lyell T)

“Group will ask school officials for access to high school facilities. But some say their message is controversial.”

By Seema Mehta Los Angeles Times, June 9 2008

Troubled by military recruiting at Los Angeles high schools, activists are seeking equal access to students on campus to provide what they say is unvarnished information about the armed forces and information about nonmilitary careers.

The complete article can be viewed at:

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-recruit9-2008jun09,0,7576883.story

Youth Against War and Racism

16th walkout of 125 students against the Iraq war and military recruitment ... Youth Against War and Racism is a growing national network of youth activists ...
www.yawr.org/ - 15k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this

Youth Against War and Racism

If we build antiwar groups like Youth Against War and Racism in thousands ... consciously targeting poor and working-class youth for military recruitment. ...
www.yawr.org/nov2/milout-povdraft.htm - 13k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
More results from www.yawr.org »

MySpace.com - YOUTH AGAINST WAR & RACISM - MN - 20 - Male ...

Youth in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area interested in fighting back against the occupation of Iraq and against military recruitment in our schools! ...
profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=67164433 - 161k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this

For an international mobilization of workers and youth against the ...

Jan 22, 2007 ... In Iraq itself, most people not only want an end to the military ..... people and youth against the entire political establishment and the ...
www.wsws.org/articles/2007/jan2007/war-j22.shtml - 39k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this

Keep Building Youth Against War and Racism

Youth Against War and Racism began in the fall of 2004 when three high school members of Socialist Alternative started to organize against military ...
www.socialistalternative.org/news/article13.php?id=32 - 19k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this

On the Fringe » Blog Archive » Youth Against War and Racism ...

Youth Against War and Racism is a counter-recruitment organization in ... board to place meaningful limits on the access of military recruiters to schools. ...
kvrx.org/onthefringe/?p=34 - 12k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this

MANIFESTO AGAINST CONSCRIPTION AND THE MILITARY SYSTEM

(2) Against Conscription and the Military Training of Youth 1930, signed among others by Jane Addams, Paul Birukoff und Valentin Bulgakoff (secretaries of ...
www.peace.ca/manifestoagainstconscription.htm - 5k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
DAVID ROVICS’ “HALLIBURTON BOARDROOM”

(last night Peace Train played during CAT Message Board, instead of KXUA's audio. A couple of my favorites played, “Baghdad Suite”, and David Rovics’ “Halliburton Boardroom Massacre.” Jim Hale )

I joined the army when high school was through I didn’t know what else to do
Thought I’d take care of that traveling jones Then maybe take out some student loans
They sent me away to the land of the dead Where I didn’t know a word that they said
I got shot at a lot, I was nearly toast But its the ones that I killed that hurts the most Most
of the time I didnt know what was going on The rest of the time I knew there was something
going wrong Every reason we were there turned out to be a lie I thought of that each time I
saw another person die I was supposed to stay for a year, they kept me for four By the time
I got back home no one knew me anymore Of the man I once was there didnt seem to be a
trace And when I looked me in the mirror I didnt recognize my face I wasnt home too long
before the time that I fell ill It was like the air was thick as mud and I ached enough to kill I
didnt know Id been fighting in a nuclear war DU was in my blood and I was knocking on
deaths door I cant tell you how it felt to be betrayed at every turn Like the earth was spinning
backwards, like my heart began to burn Like I had to do something while I still had the strength
to stand While I still could run with a machine gun in my hand I thought of Halliburton and the
military brass And the things they get away with all for their ruling class But Im not a pawn and
I cant just let it be And if Im gonna die, Im gonna take some of them fuc*ers with me Ill spare
you the details, I did what I had to do Theres a boardroom blown to hell and soon I will be, too
You can say I lost it, you can say that Im insane But may no one ever say that my death was
in vain I joined the army when high school was through I didnt know what else to do.


ARTICLE ON COUNTER-RECRUITING

Here's a good article about countering military recruitment:
http://www.lewrockwell.com/chartier/chartier103.html
NEW FILMS INSPIRING REFLECTION ABOUT JOINING UP FOR WAR
If young folks saw the testimonials of returning soldiers like this:
http://ivaw.org/wintersoldier/testimony/rules-engagement-part-2/jon-turner/video)
they might think twice about joining.
The movie "Redacted" would also be good to show to youngsters considering joining up.
(Article and films from Bill O.)
Also see “The Valley of Elah” and “Stop Loss.”
BERKELEY CITY COUNCIL VERSUS MARINE RECRUITING STATION

February 14, 2008

Dear Dick,
Watch veterans and youth speak out in our video, and sign our petition!

In the early hours of yesterday morning, we witnessed a historical moment in the anti-war struggle. The Berkeley City Council withstood thousands of hate-filled emails, threats to cut off state and federal funds, hundreds of irate pro-war activists descending on their town insisting they were anti-troops. They stood firm in their opposition to a Marine Recruiting Station in the heart of their peace-loving city. Yesterday as we gathered to celebrate, the City Council expressed their gratitude of the resolve and tenacity of CODEPINK. Finally people in power modeling for Congress how to choose peace, instead of trembling in fear as the right hurls insults and threats.
Help us spread this campaign and sign our pledge of resistance to military recruiting and war and watch the video of youth and veterans speaking out for peace in Berkeley!
Today, CODEPINKers and friends are holding "kiss-ins" at recruiting centers around the country with the message, "Don't Enlist, Stay and Kiss (”That Way Everyone Makes Out!" Of course, these actions are energized by the recent landmark actions in Berkeley. We are using the creative power of love to combat the destructive power of war. How better to celebrate Valentine's Day?!
Standing strong, with hearts wide open,
Dana, Desiree, Farida, Gael, Gayle, Jodie, Liz, Medea, Nancy and Rae

Sign our pledge of resistance to military recruiting and the war!

“IT’S MY LIFE! A GUIDE TO ALTERNATIVES AFTER HIGH SCHOOL”, from the AFSC for young people who aren’t ready to make a decision about their future. Chapters on training and apprenticeships, travel, national service, social activism, “green” careers, paying for college, and more. 89pp. $9.95. www.afsc.org/store; www.afsc.org/itsmylife

GI Rights Hotline website is www.girightshotline.org . The
phone numbers are 877-447-4487, and in Alaska 888-554-2822 or
907-374-2822. It is a network of non-profit, nongovernmental agencies
which provides information to members of the military about
conscientious objection, discharges, grievance and complaint procedures
and other civil rights; and information for people in the Delayed
Enlistment Program.
CONTACT THE PRINCIPAL OF YOUR HIGH SCHOOL. FORM A GROUP OF PARENTS TO EXPOSE RECRUTING PRACTICES. COUNTER-RECRUITING SHOULD BE AN IMPORTANT PART OF OMNI’S COMPREHENSIVE ANTI-WAR STRATEGY.
OMNI NEEDS A COUNTER-RECRUITING COORDINATOR. Contact Gladys Tiffany.

END OF OMNI’S NEWSLETTER #1 ON COUNTER-RECRUITING
6-13-08

Dick Bennett
jbennet@uark.edu