Posted on 07/02/2005 6:08:14 AM PDT by Alia
WASHINGTON — Megan Watson, leader of Mainstream Moms, is so angry at military recruiters for invading schools to sign up unwary youth for combat in Iraq that she and her group launched an online movement, “LeaveMyChildAlone.org.”
“They offer these trinkets to lure our children to enlist,” Watson said in a phone interview from her home in Bolinas, Calif. “This is very aggressive, demographic targeting to have conversations with our kids that should not be happening.”
All branches of the military are falling short of recruiting goals as parents say, in effect, “Hell no! My kids won’t go!” Watson blasted the aggressive recruiting drive as a backdoor draft conducted by the Pentagon because the American people reject a return to military conscription. “I’ve heard it called an economic draft,” she said. “They know where to find kids who don’t think they have a lot of options. They are playing on our children’s lack of hope about college and their future.”
...
Watson shares these views. “I do utterly oppose our occupation of Iraq,” she said. “We are spending $4 billion every month on this war. People are seeing the cost not only in dead and wounded but also in their own communities. Libraries forced to close. No National Guard to fight forest fires. They can’t find $8.5 billion of the funds we sent to Iraq. And they want to squeeze it out of Medicaid funding for senior citizens. It’s just outrageous
...
Joining the effort are a dozen peace and justice groups including the Ella Baker Center, ACORN, Code Pink, Peace Action, American Friends Service Committee, Latinos for Peace and Veterans for Peace.
(Excerpt) Read more at pww.org ...
Aw, thank you. Maybe I'm breeding new MIL ^-^
I do think MIL should be more involved with the school systems. That is the point of this thread.
I strongly believe VETs should be teaching history classes at the schools.
For newer-data on these "moms against the military"... see Who is "sponsoring" these anti-military movements at pub ed institutes?
(BTW - thank you for your service to your country, B4Ranch. It is very sad in light of all that has been fought for and all of those who have perished in defending this grat nation to see it now being simply given away without a fight.)
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" Our crime levels are rising, jobs are disappearing and our wage levels are dropping because of the administrations open border policy.
The Bush administration is pushing for CAFTA to pass which will erase our borders between Canada and Mexico, open the borders further to immigrants.Numerous other bilateral and regional agreements are pending."
Fact: An average recruiter in Germany turns away 10 or more calls A DAY from foreign nationals who want to enlist but lack a Green Card.
The Army just like other firms has "head hunters". In the Army we call them recruiters. In the Army we target young healthy males with high school degrees for recruitment. It’s a “no-brainer”, these ADULTS that are targeted are also targeted by others and many of them who do join are near perfect matches for what they will be doing. Retention in the Army is not that horrible and many of those people who join stick around. Point is, they are happy that they went to the recruiter. I am confused. Why is it wrong for a recruiter to look for VOLUNTEER ADULTS as others do as well within a high school? What is their point?
I like the “buzz words” used. “Back-door draft”- Beautiful, straight from the Kerry campaign trail! So, is recruiting in high schools a new phenomena? No! And how is a VOLUNTEER ADULT who may even like his job and stay on board for a 20-30 year career (Which many do) a “back-door draft”?
“They know where to find kids who don’t think they have a lot of options. They are playing on our children’s lack of hope about college and their future.” Was said.-
No $hit! So does McDonalds! So does every business out there. Labor is a commodity with a supply and a demand. As a socialist she probably can’t understand this concept, but her whole life, and EVERY aspect of it is dictated by this concept. Her health care, retirement, even her education and wage. Human labor IS a commodity, it has a price. Most firms have a target audience for recruitment. Some actually target old people for employment and structure their payment/benefit plans accordingly. She has just identified the obvious! Next she’ll discover her tonsils and will get scared about that big growth in the rear of her throat.
“Watson shares these views. “I do utterly oppose our occupation of Iraq,” she said. “We are spending $4 billion every month on this war. People are seeing the cost not only in dead and wounded but also in their own communities. Libraries forced to close. No National Guard to fight forest fires. They can’t find $8.5 billion of the funds we sent to Iraq. And they want to squeeze it out of Medicaid funding for senior citizens. It’s just outrageous” Was said-
Thank God that way of thinking did not prevail during the Cold War. These narrow minded shortsighted idiots have no clue. They literally would rather see Kohbar towers, USS Cole, US embassies exploding and WTC falling than spend the required resources to prevent this from happening. After the fact they say “Oh my, how awful!” or better yet, “Stay away from my kid!”, but don’t spend that money buying equipment to protect someone else’s kid. (sarcasm follows) Man, $8.5 Billion, think of how many free licenses we can grant to illegal in CA? That can pay for a lot of illegal aliens in our prisons for a long time. What wasted money!
What idiots!!!
Red6
So you can't be a man without hitting your momma? I see.
We've already lost one child (not to war) and it would destroy us to lose another.
I'm sorry for your loss. And you can try to persuade your son not to join up. But ultimately, if he is a man, he will make decision on his own, as a man. He won't need his momma to get between him and a recruiter.
"But ultimately, if he is a man, he will make decision on his own, as a man. He won't need his momma to get between him and a recruiter."
Don't think he needs a recruiter to make a decision, either. Like salesmen in all fields, some recuriters are known to lie (sure, son, we'll make a pilot out of you). Unless I know the recuiter personally (and I do know some, including my late daughter's boyfriend), I'd trust my wife more.
He doesn't 'need' one, but a recruiter can provide information useful for making the decision. Might as well make an informed decision, not just a decision based on mommy's pleadings.
Thanks for the PinG!
Some so-called Moms think they're raising boys. You and I were raising men. Sometimes I miss my baby boy, but I'm more pleased with the man he's become. I don't understand why any Mom would want her sons to be babies forever.
Good post, Red6.
Here again is why I would not support my child joining the military at this point.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1444219/posts
And what does that have to do with our military betraying our soldiers with charges of murder....abuse and other bogus charges for doing what they are trained to do.
Your comment in 232, why both of us do not support our kids child joining the military at this point.
Those are my reasons.
Oh, I read the article not your post.../blushing
The louder the mammas rail against their off spring entering the Military, the more new recruits sign up.
These ladies need to remember that no place or career choice is safe anymore. Pizza deliverers, taxi drivers, pilots, doctors, nurses, stay at home moms, teachers, preachers, burger flippers, baby sitters, babies in the womb, etc., etc., are killed and wounded at a comparable rate to our troops in combat, some at greater rates.
Some believe nothing is worth dying in defence of- liberals and their politicians for example. Others believe any frivilous, petty little piece of crap is not only worth dying for, but worth destroying civilization for-your average everyday Islamite for example.
This war won't go away just because some choose to pretend it doesn't exist, and it will be won someday, by either us or the bad guys. Surrendering is not an option.
All Lady Rebels are so much cuter when they blush! Thank you.
Excellent Post! I agree with each of your points. Well done.
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