Protesting does make a difference!

[goddess40]

About a month ago three young men (about 17)stopped to tell our group(we protest the war each Friday) that we were wrong and unpatriotic. They did stay and talk for a while and then walked off. The following week, Fred, one of our regular protesters was going through a drive through at a fast food place when the person at the window asked if he would pull over so someone could talk to him. It was the three boys, he was a little nervous as his daughter was with him and he was unsure of the boys intent. He did pull over and they talked for a while, the boys told Fred that he was cool and that they had enjoyed talking to him. Today one of the boys stopped to tell us that he had done some research and that what we were doing was right. He also said he has seen F911 three times.

[jdj]

1. wow, that's a shot in the arm.

thanks for posting this.

[iconoclastic cat]

2. Part of the issue is that our country has demonized teenagers.

This didn't start recently, of course, but it has been played up for political reasons. What is different now is that our culture at once demonizes, objectifies, and exploits teenagers, which must wreak havoc on their ability to socialize with people who do not share their demographics.

Anyway, good job! Keep talking to them.

[goddess40]

3. Our local high schools have let the military in to talk to the kids

They have been at several pep rallies.
They brought an obstacle course for gym class. Which I had a fit over because they ran it like boot camp, yelling at the kids. I talked to the gym teacher and was prepared to get very vocal but she basically let it happen so the kids could get a taste of it so they wouldn't think it was so wonderful.

I don't think anyone that is still in the military should be allowed in our schools as they can only say what they've been told to say. Which could be a pack of lies. My son has my permission to get up and leave the room if they show up this year - I will be letting the school know this of course.

[iconoclastic cat]

4. Yeah, I have mixed feelings about this.

On one hand, the students should be allowed to see that enlisting in the military is a viable career choice, as well as a way to go to college. The students must be allowed to decide if they want to hear that presentation, however, and I don't think that the recruiters should have access to individual student information.

[Kanary]

5. If we institute free, available college education for ALL kids,

ala Dennis Kucinich, then the military would have a much harder time recruiting, because kids wouldn't join just out of desperation.

The military should have the recruits because they WANT to be there, not because they're backed into a corner.

Kanary

[iconoclastic cat]

6. I agree: coersion is not an acceptable HR tactic.

Of course, college (undergrad, at least) should be much less expensive than it is now. I have a feeling that if people felt that this country would never lie to its men and women in the armed forces, then there really wouldn't be a problem with recruitment. Maybe I'm wrong.

[kclown]

7. Got my "Anybody but Bush" t-shirts Tuesday; fortuitous

Boss said, "I don't see anything wrong with that
shirt".  Since Tuesday, 10 "I like that shirt"
or "Where can I get one?" and zero negatives. 
Today, in front of 16-yo son, store cashier said, "Where
can I get one of those?"

I've never put a bumper sticker on a car or worn a t-shirt
with a message before.  My rationale was that I can explain my
opinion better than a slogan.  I was mistaken.  The slogan is
an invitation to the conversation; it can be accepted or
declined, but the opinion is stated regardless.  

[kclown]

8. Teresa Heinz-Kerry spoke to this at the DNC

If memory serves, she said that she was a student at
university in SA and demonstrated against resegregation.  They
lost.

She knows how we feel.

[lebkuchen]

9. Thanks so much for your war protest efforts

It's something we can all do besides preach to the choir.