Friday, August 08, 2008
SWOP homepageABQ Youth: Plenty of Ways to "Be All You Can Be"
To hear the audio click here: Take_control_action.mp3
August 8, 2008
Albuquerque, NM - New Mexico youth organizers plan a surprise demonstration at the Coronado Mall Saturday to help high school graduates understand the options they have open to them - besides joining the military. The demonstrators argue that military recruiters too often target minority and low-income high school students, who fail to see the other avenues available to them.
Tracy Chacon recently graduated from Highland High, and she says it's a message that doesn't reach all students.
"Where I grew up, there really aren't a lot of people telling you that you have options and that you can go to college. You hear more about the military than you do about going to college."
Chacon says she considered enlisting, but when she read the fine print, she changed her mind.
"The military does have options for you go to college, but more and more my friends are getting sent to Iraq. I wondered how they are going to go to college in Iraq? I realized that's not what I want for my life."
The rally organizers say there are plenty of scholarship, loan and job training opportunities available to young people. Military officials deny targeting recruits by race or economic status.
The demonstration begins at 2:00 p.m. and will be followed by a press conference across the street at the offices of the Albuquerque Public Schools.
Eric Mack/Don Mathisen, Public News Service - NM
August 8, 2008Albuquerque, NM - New Mexico youth organizers plan a surprise demonstration at the Coronado Mall Saturday to help high school graduates understand the options they have open to them - besides joining the military. The demonstrators argue that military recruiters too often target minority and low-income high school students, who fail to see the other avenues available to them.
Tracy Chacon recently graduated from Highland High, and she says it's a message that doesn't reach all students.
"Where I grew up, there really aren't a lot of people telling you that you have options and that you can go to college. You hear more about the military than you do about going to college."
Chacon says she considered enlisting, but when she read the fine print, she changed her mind.
"The military does have options for you go to college, but more and more my friends are getting sent to Iraq. I wondered how they are going to go to college in Iraq? I realized that's not what I want for my life."
The rally organizers say there are plenty of scholarship, loan and job training opportunities available to young people. Military officials deny targeting recruits by race or economic status.
The demonstration begins at 2:00 p.m. and will be followed by a press conference across the street at the offices of the Albuquerque Public Schools.
Eric Mack/Don Mathisen, Public News Service - NM
Labels: counter recruitment, military recruitment, SWOP, SWOP youth
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Recruiters don't target poor kids or minorities.
Poor kids and minorities are less likely to be qualified to enlist.
Poor kids and minorities are less likely to be qualified to enlist.
# posted by 
: 8:00 AM
: 8:00 AM
Not only are low income people of color more likely to enlist but the military has out right said that it is apart of their recruitment strategy to get these types of people to join. They make it no secret either even having departments specific to minority marketing. What might get people confused about that is the fact that minorities are less likely to be recruited to high ranking jobs.
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# posted by : 8:28 AM
: 8:28 AM Links to this post:
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