SWOPblogger

MAY 8 - 11 (THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY): 3:45, 6:00, 8:15

This new documentary is a poetic glance at a community’s creative response to a series of teacher firings, taking place in the context of police brutality and restrictive free speech zones - a nation at war abroad and with its people. When the bombs began to fall on Iraq in 2003, Albuquerque Youth Poetry Slam Team Coach, Bill Nevins, was suspended and later fired from his teaching job, while his outspoken High School Poetry Team was silenced. Nevins was the last of seven area educators removed by fearful administrations seeking to quell debate and expression by students. Days after Nevins’ removal, brutal police tactics on anti-war protesters emerged as the latest attempt at silencing these voices. Yet out of this fire arose a committed community of courageous poets, and musicians. They came together across the country and was dubbed Poetic Justice.  It defied the fear tactics of the day to support and model freedom of speech and stand with the fired teacher. The voices from Poetic Justice, and the resulting film, stand as a testament to our creative spirit and an affirmation of the power of our words - a path toward transformation and hope in these troubling times.

THE GUILD CINEMA, 3405 Central NE (Tulane Dr)

Thanks to Charles for the heads up on this one. And thanks to Bill Nevins and the young poets for doing what they do...

Labels: Civic Engagement, Civil Rights, Intel, Iraq, POP Culture, war

Caracas, March 4, 2008 (venezuelanalysis.com) - A diplomatic stand-off between Colombia and its neighbors Ecuador and Venezuela, triggered by Colombia's military attack on the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in Ecuadorian territory, (which resulted in the deaths of 16 guerrillas, among them Raúl Reyes, the FARC second in command), intensified Tuesday as Venezuela closed its border with Colombia in response to Colombia's accusations that the Venezuelan government had funded the FARC.

Colombian National Police director Oscar Naranjo, claimed yesterday that documents allegedly found in three computers seized during Colombia's raid, show that the Venezuelan government has provided $300 million to the FARC and that the guerrilla group has acquired 50 kilograms of uranium. The Colombian government also claims that documents show links between Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa and the FARC.

Both Ecuador and Venezuela dismissed the claims as "absolute lies" and have sent thousands of troops to their borders with Colombia and expelled Bogotá's ambassadors out of their countries. Venezuelan Agriculture Minister Elías Jaua, announced today that Venezuela has also taken measures to close its border with Colombia.

In an extraordinary session of the Organization of American States (OAS), today Venezuelan representative Jorge Valero said, "The Colombian government has lied blatantly. All of the accusations the Colombian government has made against Venezuela and Ecuador are false, totally false."

"They are trying to confuse international opinion in order to evade their own responsibility," he added.

Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, whose government receives $600 million a year in military aid from the U.S. insisted today he was going to take Chavez to the International Criminal Court for "sponsoring and financing genocide" by allegedly providing money to the guerrillas.

Retired Venezuelan General, Alberto Müller Rojas described Colombia's "evidence" as an "exercise in falsification" and pointed out that "the only foreign government that finances the conflict in Colombia is the United States."

You gotta keep reading to see what Bush says, it's just awful.

Labels: Bush, bush sucks, Colombia, Ecuador, Oil, Venezuela, war

For Immediate Release:
Contact: Rodrigo Rodriguez 505-620-1476
SWOP Office 505-247-8832

Press Advisory-May 2, 2007

Community challenges APS as a pipeline to the military

School Board scheduled to report on whether students have access to organizations that are providing alternatives to the military.

What: The Albuquerque School Board Policy Committee will be reporting the results of an equal access study that was done by the principals of our public high schools. The study was requested to investigate whether equal access is being provided to organizations that are working to provide alternatives to the military.

Where: 6400 Uptown Blvd NE DeLayo Martin Community Room

When: 5:00pm Thursday May 3rd, 2007

30 dead and counting, New Mexico is paying the price of war with our lives. Fewer New Mexican high school students are enrolling at the University of New Mexico, and after enticing war propaganda and in house military recruiters on high school campuses, military enlistment goals have been met. Organizations like the SouthWest Organizing Project and Another Side have been working to outreach to students to educate them about the harsh reality of the military and alternatives for career and higher education.

APS administrations have consistently denied students the opportunity to hear another side of military enlistment. We have pushed for a study to be done on whether students have access to organizations that are providing information about alternatives. Scheduled to be reported back in January, the study results have been delayed for four months. After SWOP and Another Side demanded the results be heard immediately, the School Board moved the meeting to Thursday, May 3rd.

What people are saying:

* “I feel bombarded with all the info the military pushes on me, even when I don’t put my information out there they still find me,” Says Lucia Martinez, incoming Freshman at Albuquerque High School.

* “The APS High School administrations give us the run around when trying to access students and teachers are scared to let us present alternative perspectives to the military. Now they are looking to arm APS school guards again. Our public schools are run by fear and the perpetuation of violence and that is no place for young people to develop.” Mónica Córdova, Youth Coordinator at the SouthWest Organizing Project.

* “Our students are being recruited and shipped off to fight in a war half a world away and the school board is sitting by idly doing nothing. Our students deserve to be able to make well informed decisions about their futures, especially when it comes to something as life altering as military enlistment.” Rodrigo Rodriguez, SouthWest Organizing Project member and CNM student.

Labels: APS, Iraq, military recruitment, war, youth

What happened at Virgina Tech, is truly tragic. Questions will swarm about why, and how. I can't say that I would know either, but what I do know is that our youth need alternatives.

It's not about a question of security or getting the call out early enough, it's about what is the infrastructure that is in place to support our youth to make healthy and well informed decisions. There are too many economic pressures, emotional pressures, identity issues that live within our young people.

Today in the journal there is an article on the draft. Why is there even talk about a draft? Bush needs to fill the death quota.

These are the types of pressures and decisions we want our young people to make. I can't even fathom at my age making that decision let alone when I was 18. And then we wonder why young people snap.

The SWOP youth group have been organizing around the heightened military recruitment for the war in Iraq. Our youth need alternatives to live successful lives, not perish unjustly and highly misinformed.

Check out what high school students have to say about a draft.
*************************************
WOULD YOU ANSWER THE CALL?
Teens divided over need for draft, whether they’d register
Journal Wire Report

Today’s teens weren’t around for the military draft of the ’60s and ’70s. Still, many express strong views about bringing back the draft during the war in Iraq. “If they were to reinstate it I would probably move to Canada, because I don’t like war and I think it’s pointless and ineffective, and it would ruin the economy and a lot of people would be (angry),” says Dan Wehr, a junior at Manzano High School.

Others teens have equally strong views.

“It would be foolish to do such a thing,” says Raphael Ramos, a sophomore at Modesto High School in Modesto, Calif. “The reasons keep changing for why we are in Iraq. I don’t see why there should be a draft for a war that doesn’t have a clear purpose.”

Resurrecting the draft, which would require young people of a certain age to register to serve in the military, has been in the news since Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., reintroduced the possibility of a draft.

The lawmaker says his goal is to force others to think more about the human cost of going to battle and to spread the burden of service more fairly across the population.

Some teens were strongly against it.

“The United States Constitution is a contract between the people of the United States and the government. To ask citizens to suffer severe psychological trauma, lose limbs and die for a cause that they may not even believe in is a violation of that contract,” says Paul von Soosten, an Eldorado High School junior.
Some teenagers say a draft should be used in only dire circumstances. Aaron Stigers, a senior at Modesto’s Johansen High School, thinks “a draft would be an appropriate measure if America is at war or when our freedom is in danger.”
Other teens say it isn’t needed.

“There are enough people willing to join the armed forces that a draft is not necessary,” says Felipe Linares, a graduate of Downey High School in Downey, Calif., who completed Marine Corps boot camp.

“I saw hundreds of people come in to boot camp while I was there,” he says. “Also, it was obvious who wanted to be there and who didn’t by the effort that people put in. A drafted military would not be as effective as our current all-volunteer forces.”

But some still think a draft would be necessary at times.

“I think it’s kind of scary, but I think that if the government thinks that it’s
the right thing to do for the country, that would be OK to reinstate the draft,” says Lauren Denman, a sophomore at Albuquerque Academy.

“But at the same time I realize that it’s hard for families to have to send their children and brothers and sisters to war,” Denman says.

Some teens remain undecided.

“Well, I respect it but I wouldn’t be all for it, and I would have to decide if I wanted to consciously object or just do it,” says Gabe Zambello, an Albuquerque High junior.

Kaitlyn Wakefield, a junior at Eldorado High School, contributed to this report. Read what more local teens have to say. www.abqjournal.com/yes

Labels: Draft, virginia tech, war, youth