SWOPblogger

Hello we are Cheyenne and Romilly. We are youth interns here at SWOP this summer and we have been learning a LOT about the military and wanted to share some of that information with you.

Do you know exactly how many people have died since the war? Well we do. Approximately 4,116 troops have died since the beginning of the war in Iraq (antiwar.com). Would you want to be that parent that gets a call at 2 o’ clock in the morning from your child’s commander saying that your child has just been killed in combat? We certainly wouldn’t want to hear that about someone we love nor would any other parent.


- Congress has decided to increase the total size of the army by 74,000 by 2010 but now they increased that number to 574,000 active duty reservists AND national guard.

- Roughly about 30,333 US soldiers have been wounded since the beginning of the war
(antiwar.com).

- The military doesn’t mention that 1 out of 8 soldiers suffer a long term health problem
called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

- The civilian deaths in Iraq are estimated to about 1,236,604 (antiwar.com)


In 2005, the pentagon announced in the federal registration the existence of the Joint Advertising Market Research Studies Database (JAMRS), a massive registry of 30 MILLION Americans between the ages of 16 and 25 for the military purposes. This branch is devoted to maximizing military recruitment efforts (nyclu.org)

Part of their campaign involves a database, which has information about millions of people over 17 years old or in the eleventh grade and contains their contact information. This can only be kept for 3 years, but that’s enough time for recruiters to contact hopeful soldiers. The JAMRS database can have your name, birth date, gender, mailing address, e-mail, race, ethnicity, telephone number, high school name, graduation date, grade point average, college intent, military interest, field of study, and the ASVAB Test score.

You can choose not to have your information used by opting out at the following links below or by talking to your school. As high school students, we are being targeted daily by recruiters. They come into schools giving presentations that glorify war and the military. This gives the impression that the military is the only way to go in order to avoid college loans. The ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) has recently released a report demanding the reduction of military recruitment of young people. They want to end the JAMRS and create an option of giving information to the military only if the individual wants to, instead of opting out. As youth we need to be protected and our information needs to be kept safe. Protect your children and tell your friends and family about opting out. TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR FUTURE, GET INFORMED!!

Links to OPT out:

http://milrec.nyclu.org/2a.html
www.militaryfreezoneorg/opt_out
www.leavemychildrenalone.org/emergency.html

Labels: counter recruitment, military recruitment, SWOP, SWOP internship, youth

See more from SWOPBlogger on military recruitment.

From IPS news:

WASHINGTON, May 13 (IPS) - Pressed by the demands of the "global war on terrorism", the United States is violating an international protocol that forbids the recruitment of children under the age of 18 for military service, according to a new report released Tuesday by a major civil rights group that charged that recruitment practices target children as young as 11 years old.

The 46-page report, "Soldiers of Misfortune", which was prepared by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) for submission to the U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child, also found that the U.S. military disproportionately targets poor and minority public school students.

Military recruiters, according to the report, use "exaggerated promises of financial rewards for enlistment, [which] undermines the voluntariness of their enlistment." In some cases documented by the report, recruiters used coercion, deception, and even sexual abuse in order to gain recruits. Perpetrators of such practices are only very rarely punished, the report found.

"The United States military's procedures for recruiting students plainly violate internationally accepted standards and fail to protect youth from abusive and aggressive recruitment tactics," said Jennifer Turner of the ACLU Human Rights Project.

Keep Reading

Labels: APS, Equal Access, military recruitment, No Child Left Behind Act, youth

We just recently came back from a trip to the Bay Area! It was hella fun! Mónica, Emma, and I went out there for the FCYO’s Convening of the ReGenerations-Environmental Justice Cohort. There we got to meet new people, organizations, and we also heard about environmental struggles across the nation. It ranged from air pollutants to not having a high school in their community.

One story was that in the San Joaquin Valley in California their water is highly contaminated. This contamination is due to fertilizers, animal factory waste, and leaky septic systems. All of these contain nitrate, which is the contaminant. The young women who were representing Community Water Center were telling us that they don’t even have water to drink at their schools. They are being denied something that all humans need to live. To me that is outrageous. This contamination doesn’t only deny the people drinking water, but also causes cancer in adults and can also cause the death of an infant. It was overwhelming hearing these heartbreaking stories, but the fact that we had all come together and the fact that we built the unity that we did, was very empowering and inspiring.

Also that we were in an intergenerational setting was great, because although we have our differences in age, we are all on the same page and are fighting for the same things. We did a workshop on working intergenerational. We talked about all the stereotypes each generation had about the others. For example, the group 18 & under thought that the older generations see them as immature and incapable of handling leadership roles, which wasn’t entirely true in the eyes of the older generations. Breaking down the stereotypes and seeing what everyone thinks you think of them really helped us work together more comfortably.

We also got to have a media training, presented by the Center for Media Justice, which was very useful. The most useful piece for me was when Karlos had a script you could follow if you were to be interviewed by a reporter. That’s a big help to me, because when it comes to being interviewed I have a real hard time saying exactly what I want to say. It always helps me when I have an outline to work with.

We all made new relationships. By the second day it felt like we were all one big family, because of the environment we were put in. We stayed at the CTWO mansion and shared rooms with 4 or 5 other people. We also had to share four showers with 30 people! It was a pain at times, but it only made it easier for us to get to know everyone in the house.

Overall it was a great experience and hopefully we'll all be able to keep in touch and continue to build relationships and movement we have created together.

Labels: Envirionmental Justice, youth

Good News for SWOP, NM Youth Organized and the many youth activists and organizations in ABQ

Organized Communities, Stronger Schools: A Preview of Research Findings

The Annenberg Institute this week released a preview of findings from a six-year study of the impact of community organizing on school improvement in seven urban communities.

The study found strong and consistent relationships between community organizing and school-level improvements, policy and resource decisions, and student academic outcomes and concluded that effective organizing helps expand the capacity of urban public schools to support student success.

> More information - http://www.annenberginstitute.org/Products/Mott.php
> Download Report at http://www.annenberginstitute.org/pdf/OrganizedCommunities.pdf

Labels: APS, Campaign for a Better New Mexico, Civic Engagement, community organizing, Criminalization of Young People, Highland High School, NM students least likely to succeed, youth

These past couple weeks SWOP has been door knocking and phone banking to talk to community members about issues that have been discussed in the legislature, such as APS wanting to create their own police force (not in this legislative term, but next year’s), health care for all, fair and ethical elections, open and honest government, and a healthy sustainable planet.

This is not my first experience door knocking. When I was younger I went door knocking with my parents, but I never had to talk to the people I was just there for the walk. So in a way it is new to me. It is very challenging for me to speak to people I’ve never met before, especially about such issues, because they seem to be very controversial. When I come to someone who is on one side of the issue and I’m on the other it is kind of discouraging, but it is a good experience. It helps me get over the fact that not everyone is on the same page on these issues, but at least we can talk about them.

Door knocking and informing community members have a great deal of importance, because some of the community members I talked to didn’t know about APS wanting to put together their own police force. Which to me, everyone should know about, because it affects us, the youth (A.K.A. The Future). It’s also important, because the issues we’ve been discussing will affect us all. We should all have a part in the decisions made that will impact us. Also, it assures that more people will vote based on what they know.

It’s also empowering as a young person to go out and do this, because it’s an educational experience. Along with the community members you’re speaking to you get to learn and understand the issues better. You also get to see all sides of the issues. While you may be for or against something, you get to hear the other side. Not only that, you can express to them, if they’re willing to listen, your side and why you feel the opposite. With this, I would encourage EVERYONE to get informed on issues that affect their communities and take part in the process in which these decisions will be made, whether that be by voting, door knocking, discussing them with neighbors, or even the people who represent you.

Labels: 2008 Legislature, door to door organizing, youth

Labels: APS, Equal Access, miltary recruitment, SWOP, youth

There are many that believe the negative stereotypes of our youth. Then there are young women like Shayna Lewis of Santa Fe that will stand in front of those people and tear apart the stereotypes. Shayna, a 19 year old native of Santa Fe, was appointed by Mayor David Coss and the Santa Fe City Councilors to the Planning Commission, which oversees real estate development projects and apply rules for land use on new developments. While she has attended her first couple of commission meetings, she has done so in the midst of controversy as some folks have questioned her background experience and asked for her removal from the commission.
This brings up the debate of experience on paper and experience on the ground. Shayna has plenty of field experience from growing up in communities of color and from her work with Youthworks, which is a non-profit organization that does river restoration and other services in and around Santa Fe. She has the experience and knowledge of understanding what is best for the COMMUNITY, and not what is best for profit. Her non-formal background should be labeled as a positive as she will bring forward new ideas from our states best resource, the community member. From that background, Shayna is a perfect candidate to sit on that seat and have her communities best interest and needs served.
Shayna continues to have support from Mayor Coss, but I am asking you and the rest of New Mexico to support her in her struggle and to continue to support the youth of color in this state, that are working toward a better New Mexico. Shayna has broken that barrier in Santa Fe, now we need the effect to trickle down I-25 to the Duke City where we need the youth voice to be heard!

Labels: Mayor Coss, Santa Fe Planning Commission, Shayna Lewis, youth

Labels: interns, youth, youth activities

Labels: after school programs, workshops, youth

Greetings from Beautiful HotLanta! Ground Zero of a history making event that is less than 19 days away, the FIRST EVER United States Social Forum.

This past week has been an adventure for 3 Swopistas, Monica Cordova, Juliana Lujan,
and Rodrigo Rodriguez(Me). Our first leg of our adventure was the National Planning Committee Meeting in Washington D.C. The NPC touched base one last time before the forum so that we could all go home with finalized plans of action and get ready to hit the ground running for the forum. We also attended a really good meeting with youth from the D.C. area(Pictured above) that are planning on attending the USSF. Almost 30 young people an representing 20+ youth groups were there and rocked it like always!!!

After the meeting we continued on to Atlanta to join the Atlanta Organizing Committee here at the home base.

SWOP has put a lot of resources into the USSF, the three of us are of course evidence of SWOP's commitment to the forum and social justice. We will be here through the forum, organizing the Youth Tent, the Youth Camp, the People's Freedom and Solidarity Tent, and plugging in wherever else the brothers and sisters here in the ATL need.
We will also be getting ready to welcome the SWOP delegates and everyone else coming in on the People's Freedom Caravan.

We will be meeting Saturday the 9th with the folks organizing the opening march, and on Monday we will be diving into the work head first!
We are all extremely excited and grateful to be here.

We've already been on the radio talking about SWOP's involvement in the USSF and will be on again on Monday, Tune in online to www.wrfg.org to peep it.
We'll be updating you guys again soon. LOVE/PEACE.
Swopistas Represent!
Rigo
Monica
Juliana

Labels: atlanta, SWOP, United States Social Forum, youth

I encourage you to read the entire article, it's amusing to read the JROTC instructors response throughout the entire thing.

I can just imagine him talking out the side of his mouth. If anyone has had an experience with military recruiters you KNOW what they are like. You KNOW deceptive sweet talk is a part of their repertoire.

He also contradicts himself saying that recruitment isn't targeted to poor young people. But then at the end of the article he states, that of course young people who have college paid for wouldn't think of going into the military. What's that percentage? And how many of them go to Rio Grande!

The SWOP youth and Another Side have taken on an intense battle to fight the structural racism here in Albuquerque around military recruitment. They will soon be on campuses exposing young people to various opportunities available to them. It's time for change, and they're making it happen!

Viva los jovenes!

***************
News Feature

Military Brats
Waging a war against recruitment at Albuquerque’s public high schools

By Kate Trainor

In Albuquerque’s high schools, students are more likely to sign up for military service than join the student senate. The armed forces are as popular as any school sport and, on many campuses, military recruiters and the JROTC are a more prominent presence than college or career scouts.

Since the beginning of the Iraq war, a group of Albuquerque-based activists has rallied for “balanced” representation of post-secondary opportunities in New Mexico’s public schools. The military, they say, is selling students on the service with sugarcoated stories and deceptive sweet talk.

Statistics indicate the sales pitch has been a success. Since 2005, military recruitment in New Mexico is up by 23 percent, reports the National Priorities Project. Conversely, college enrollment has stagnated. According to the 2005-2006 Report on the Condition of Higher Education, published by the New Mexico Department of Higher Education, “Enrollment at New Mexico’s public institutions of higher education is relatively flat … [and] will remain flat.”

Still, Sgt. Stephen Standifird, public affairs representative for Recruiting Albuquerque, denies any dishonesty in communication with students. “I don’t think there are a lot of blatant lies told to kids,” he says, though he acknowledges that “a recruiter has to gear their spiel to a particular kid.” Standifird says there is competition among the various military academies and that, occasionally, one will slander another to win a recruit. Otherwise, he says, recruiters are straightforward.

A year ago, the Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice partnered with the SouthWest Organizing Project (SWOP) to form Another Side, a campaign to lobby for the availability of “balanced” information about military service on APS campuses. Another Side contends that military recruiters are given preferential access to students over other groups, specifically those that advocate for peace. The group itself says it has had difficulty gaining access to the schools. By law, a school must allow military recruiters on its campus if it receives federal funds.

Casandra Stewart, now a youth intern with SWOP, graduated from West Mesa High School in 2003. Stewart recalls military recruiters calling her “at least once a week,” she says. “They would say that I needed to contact them. They were very manipulative, very knifing. I felt really targeted.” Stewart surmises that most students join the military for the promise of financial security. But, she says, “They need to know that alternatives exist.” While in school, Stewart says, she didn’t see any college or career recruiters, but felt the military was “always in [her] ear.”

To read the rest of the article click here: Weekly Alibi

Wanna Opt Out
The No Child Left Behind Act requires school districts to release student names and contact information to the military, though the law also stipulates that school districts notify students and their parents of their right to opt out of this information sharing. However, Another Side claims that students are seldom aware of this provision, as school districts fail to inform them of it. Rigo Chavez, director of communications for APS, says opt-out information is provided during student registration and through a variety of school communications, such as newsletters.

Students and parents who wish to withhold their information can download the opt-out form online at www.militaryfreezone.org/opt_out.

Labels: APS, Equal Access, military recruitment, youth

This is just awful. APS is functioning on the assumption that our Albuquerque youth are criminals, that we are expecting them to get a hold of guns, and kill other people.

Why? If you don't have faith that this educational system is doing their job in teaching, change the system and invest in youth.

If you don't have faith that parent's aren't instilling "proper" values, ask yourself why many parents work 2 jobs, or get laid off, or struggle daily to provide the basic necessities because of unstable working conditions.

We have a bigger problem to address that doesn't get solved by 43 more APS officers carrying weapons.

The other problem with this is that officers have an unfortunate history of becoming trigger happy. I ask all parents, who are operating and buying into this particular fear tactic, do you really want to send your kid where their might be a slight chance that not only is it scary to go to school with other kids their age, but the cops might kill them too.

In 2001 the last time APS was considering arming their Police Officers, SWOP fought against the policy and the officers managed to get approval for only carrying guns at night. I guess it's scarier at night. But at night there aren't any kids!

What's the message we're sending to our children?

"Don't be afraid of going to school because the police officers on campus are more afraid of you, than you are of them, that's why they carry guns. Just in case."

Home school is sounding much better at the moment.

I can support thinking about a security plan and emergency response that doesn't include guns, rather appropriate training for officers. This should be revisited on a regular basis not when something tragic happens because then its just reactionary. Prevention is key!


Board Asks for Ideas To Improve Security

BY AMY MILLER
Journal Staff Writer

The Albuquerque school board will reconsider its policy that prohibits school police from carrying guns during school hours, board members said Thursday.

“I think we have a duty,” said Martin Esquivel. Mayor Martin Chávez will work with the district to provide additional security, said Paul Broome, the mayor’s education adviser.

Chávez supports arming school police, Broome said, but he’ll help the district whether the board changes the policy or not. Several options are on the table.

“He recognizes it’s a very agonizing decision,” Broome said during the board’s policy committee meeting.

The school board began discussing the issue again after the recent shootings at Virginia Tech. It has come before the board twice, the last time in 2001 after much public debate.

At that time, some APS officers were allowed to carry guns but not during school hours unless given permission by the superintendent.

Board members on Thursday also talked about contracting with Albuquerque police and the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department to provide school security.

There are 70 APS police officers, and 33 are certified to carry guns, school officials told the board. At least one city or county police officer is also assigned to all the city’s high schools.
That’s not enough to serve the entire district, said Robert Lucero. But he said he doesn’t think arming more APS officers is the solution.

“Should we not look at a better safety plan than we have today?” Lucero said. “We need to have a true study and look at all the options.”

Lucero said he’s waiting to see if a pending report from the Council of the Great City Schools, an advisory group for public schools, offers any recommendations about contracting with local law enforcement agencies.

Parents and community members on both sides of the issue will have a chance to tell the board what they think about arming school police officers, although no date was set.

Board members also want school officials to give them detailed recommendations for what they think should be done to improve school security as soon as possible.

“I think the community is expecting us to act quickly,” said Gordon Rowe. “They do want us to show leadership.”

Board member Dolores Griego said crime prevention shouldn’t be overlooked in the discussion.

“How can we reinstill values, reinstill respect?” Griego said. “We can’t keep going in the direction we’re going.”

Labels: APS, guns on campuses, youth

APS POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING TODAY 5PM
6400 UPTOWN Blvd. NE (Next To Coronado Mall) DeLayo Martin Community Room


Is the APS school system only capable of producing criminals and soldiers? This is a question that needs to be posed to the school board of the Albuqueruqe Public School system.

Of course the answer from board will be NO, but then why do we need military recruiters and armed police officers on our campuses? The criminalization of our young people here in Burque needs to stop!

The tragedy at Virgina Tech was avoidable, as was Columbine. If the students involved had been reached out to instead of marginalized and made to feel like social outcasts these tragedies could have been nipped in the bud.

The Virginia Tech Shooter was institutionalized by authorities, and instead of taking steps to insure that he was integrated back into campus life he was ridiculed by his fellow students and virtually ignored by administration.

Would armed guards have prevented him from doing what he did? Violent reactions to threats only escalate the violence. It's time that we start investing in our young people.

The military is a way out of dire situations for many young people, especially young people of color from lower economic stratas.

Enlisting in the military is an important decision that should not be gone into without a clear understanding of the sacrifices and reprucussions that go along with it.

The young folks of the Land of Enchantment deserve to go to schools where they don't have to feel like their only options when they leave high school are Prison or War. Our kids deserve to go to college not combat, and it's time that the United States started dropping knowledge not bombs.

Labels: APS, Criminalization of Young People, Gun Control, military recruitment, youth

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

MAY 3 2007
5:00 pm
6400 Uptown Blvd NE
DeLayo–Martin Community Room

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR
YOUTH WHO WANT THE TRUTH

For More 411 Contact The SouthWest Organizing Project or Another Side
(505) 247-8832/(505) 268-9557 www.myspace.com/swopyouth

Thus far in the War on Terror 3335 American soliders have died, 29 from the Land of Enchantment. It is also estimated that over 600,000 Iraqi civilians have also died.

The Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has declared the War in Iraq to already be 'lost'. Dubya's approval ratings are at all time lows, the people in the U.S. are taking to the streets VietNAM style.

We're in the middle of an Iraqi Civil War and we're gambling with the highest stakes imaginable, the lives of our brave young men and women.

Congress just passed a bill that would require troop withdrawls to start no later than October 1st. This of course is headed for the inevitable showdown with the self proclaimed "Decider", and an even more inevitable Presidential Veto.

Public opinion including youth are now mostly against the war, but the administration refuses to listen. Since the first enlistment cycle in '03, recruitment goals had not been met. But after propaganda for the war pushes and "in house" military recruiters on high school campuses, enlistment goals were finally met in '05-'06.

According to the National Research Council the U.S. Department of Defense is the nation's largest employer, with 1.2 million active duty personnel and 675,000 civilian support employees.

The military enlists approx. 200,000 new recruits each year. With about 15,000 military recruiters on payroll, their sole purpose is to sniff out, find, recruit, (many times lie to) and enlist young people.

Military recruiters have stepped up their game, the effects of this increase in recruiting are the most visible in schools where the student body is made up of mostly people of color. With a recruitment budget of around $4 billion, young people are constantly being hit with a steady barrage of ads for military service.

The "No Child Left Behind" act allows recruiters access to school records of high school juniors and seniors and allows them access to campus' nationwide.

Recruiters are the salesmen for the military; misleading our youth with bribes of education and a chance to see the world in exchange for the ultimate risk- their lives.

Thats why the young folk over at SWOP have decided to stand against heightened military recruitment targeted at young low-income students of color.

We demand the opportunity for young people to make well-informed decisions about their future.

To ensure this, we demand APS provides access to alternative education to the military.

We might not be able to stop the death quota from being filled for this War OF TERROR, but at least we can make sure that our young people here in New Mexico have all the information they need to make an educated decision about their futures.

STOP SENDING OUR KIDS TO DIE!!!!!

Labels: APS, military recruitment, youth

This is a great example of popular education in action and a way to learn about globalization. Much thanks to the children and the innovatinve ways of the after school program of Tesuque Pueblo. This was in today's Journal Santa Fe Edition.

Tesuque after-school group sells sports bottles to buy rain gathering system

BY GINGER MCGUIRE Journal Staff Writer

TESUQUE PUEBLO — Being able to help people in Africa gives 11-year-old Lakeisha Moquino an warm feeling and a sense of accomplishment.

The fifth-grader said participants in Tesuque Pueblo’s afterschool program researched poor water conditions in the world and learned that the people of Africa are experiencing a shortage of clean drinking water.

“We saw that (the people of) Africa walk miles to get water,” she said.

Some 25 members of the after-school program, mainly elementary students, are participating in a leadership project called Tapping Water for the World. So far, by selling sport water bottles with the “Water for the World” logo, they’ve raised $1,700 to help build a rainwater harvesting system in Chad. The goal is to raise $2,500.

Robb Hirsch, director of the after-school program, said he is looking for donors to match the money collected. The total cost for a rainwater harvesting system is $5,000.

The money for the water project will be sent to Global Green USA, an affiliate of Green Cross International. Hirsch said the organization helps build school-based rainwater harvesting systems that capture, treat and recycle water.

A handful of the youth involved in the project made a presentation to Tesuque Pueblo Thursday, teaching their audience about the project and the importance of water conservation.
They hung posters with messages such as, “The world’s water needs are in our hands” and “Don’t waste water.”

Hirsch said the students involved had a big say in the type of project they would work on, and work on a new leadership project each school year.

Last year the students collected blankets and books for the homeless. The year before they worked on a “Be Alive, Don’t Drink and Drive” CD that was played on local radio stations.

While the youth in the afterschool program launched this year’s campaign, Hirsch said a number of organizations including the Tesuque education and environment department have been instrumental in the project.

The water bottles, which cost $5, are available at Tesuque Village Market and Camel Rock Casino. For more information, or to donate, call Robb Hirsch at 988-3364 or email him at info@ takeresponsibility.us.

Labels: globalization, jovenes, Santa Fe, Water, 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

Attention: APS School Board April 12, 2007

Another Side, a project of The Peace and Justice Center and The SouthWest Organizing Project stand united against the biased system of military recruitment that exists in our public schools today. Recruiters are the salesmen for the military; misleading our youth with bribes of wealth & education in exchange for the ultimate risk- their lives. We stand against heightened military recruitment targeted at young low-income students of color. We demand the opportunity for young people to make well-informed decisions about their future. To ensure this, we demand access to all Albuquerque Public Schools to provide alternative education to the military, specifically those of predominately low-income young people of color.

The “Controversial Issues and Outside Speakers” section of the student handbook states, in accordance with Board policy and the APS student behavior handbook that, “as a public institution the schools have a commitment to objectivity and fairness in the presentation of all sides of an issue”. It has been the experience of both of our organizations that equal access is not being provided to groups offering education and alternatives to military enlistment.

This issue was brought to the attention of the School Board throughout the summer of 2006. It is our understanding that on October 2, 2006 the office of the Superintendant met with Albuquerque Public High School Principals and requested that a study be done on the status of equal access within the schools.
The results of the study were scheduled to be reported on January 25, 2007 in the District Relations Committee of the School Board. The results were not heard and have been consistently postponed throughout the past four months.

The report back was scheduled for the 26th of this month, which once again has been canceled and rescheduled for May 25th. School will no longer be in session at that time. We demand to hear the results of the study today and that steps be taken towards providing equal access immediately. Each day this report is delayed and equal access is denied, young New Mexicans are at risk of making uninformed decisions that will forever affect their lives with serious ramifications for their futures and ultimately their communities.


Julian Moya
On Behalf of The SouthWest Organizing Project

Maria Santelli
On Behalf of The Peace and Justice Center

Labels: APS, military recruitment, youth

In thinking about the Freedom Caravan we'll be taking in a few months, I decided to see what folks were doing in the struggle for civil rights today. Here's what I found.

(it's 9 minutes long so take a break!)



feel inspired....pick up a camera!

Labels: Civil Rights, multimedia, youth

1000 protesters gathered at civic plaza today to stand up against the unjust war on Iraq and the economic draft that has targetted young women and men in poor communities of color. "Iraq is eating our generation alive" exclaimed Emma Sandoval a SWOP representative at the rally preceding the march. More than 3000 soldiers have lost their lives, 29 have been from New Mexico.


SWOP youth's campaign focuses on dramtacially reducing the number of military recruiters on school campuses, and putting an end to the pressure they recieve to join the armed forces. Youth need an education and healthcare, what they don't need is to sign a death contract that will profit Bush.

Check out more pictures from the march below.

Labels: anti-war march, Iraq, march 17th, military recruitment, peace-a-palooza, SWOP, youth