Veterans For Peace

Wed
2
Nov
2022
New translation available
A National Call: Save Civilian Public Education
Submitted by Gary

Over the last several decades, the Pentagon,conservative forces, and corporations have been systematically working to expand their presence in the K-12 learning environment and in public...

Thu
26
Sep

The Defector

Rory Fanning at his home outside Chicago, IL.

How Rory Fanning went from Army Ranger to war resister (and counter-recruiter).

Alex N. Press / Jacobin - In a high school classroom on the South Side of Chicago, Rory Fanning is telling students about the time he and his fellow Army Rangers occupied a school in Afghanistan. “We walked in and said, ‘School’s canceled, we’re going to use this as a military base for the next six weeks.’ There was nothing they could do about it.”

Sometimes, after abducting locals for reasons as thin as not showing enough deference to soldiers, his superiors would place their detainees in separate classrooms and fire a gun somewhere out of sight so that each detainee would think the other had been shot. At that point, says Fanning, “We’d walk into the rooms where each person was and say, ‘Your friend didn’t tell us what we wanted to hear. Do you have anything we want to hear?’ This is how we got information. These are things I watched.”

Mon
24
Jul

Disneyland of War, short documentary

The U.S. government is manipulating children to think that war and violence is fun and glorious.

Disneyland of War, short documentary
Tue
04
Jul

UK: New report on the effects of army training on attitudes, health, and behaviour

The First Ambush? Effects of army training and employment

Veterans for Peace UK has released a new report exploring the effects of army employment on recruits, particularly during initial training. The report, drawing on veterans’ testimony and around 200 studies, finds that the risk of violent offending and heavy drinking rises after joining the army.

Dan joined the army in 2006, at 18, having grown up in an area of high unemployment. He was told that military discipline would keep him out of trouble. After training he deployed to Iraq, and when he came home he assaulted a warrant officer. He was sentenced to 18 months in military prison.

Thu
30
Mar

Poverty, Militarism and the Public Schools

John Moore via Getty Images

By Robert Koehler What’s the difference between education and obedience? If you see very little, you probably have no problem with the militarization of the American school system — or rather, the militarization of the impoverished schools . . . the ones that can’t afford new textbooks or functional plumbing, much less art supplies or band equipment.

The Pentagon has been eyeing these schools — broken and gang-ridden — for a decade now, and seeing its future there. It comes in like a cammy-clad Santa, bringing money and discipline. In return it gets young minds to shape, to (I fear) possess: to turn into the next generation of soldiers, available for the coming wars.

Thu
23
Jun

Poverty, Militarism and the Public Schools

Why does the U.S. Army maintain a gamer website? It's for the sake of war, not for the good of children. (Image: U.S. Army)

by Robert C. Koehler

What’s the difference between education and obedience? If you see very little, you probably have no problem with the militarization of the American school system — or rather, the militarization of the impoverished schools . . . the ones that can’t afford new textbooks or functional plumbing, much less art supplies or band equipment.

The Pentagon has been eyeing these schools — broken and gang-ridden — for a decade now, and seeing its future there. It comes in like a cammy-clad Santa, bringing money and discipline. In return it gets young minds to shape, to (I fear) possess: to turn into the next generation of soldiers, available for the coming wars.

Fri
17
Jun

Thanks for Your Service, but Don't Tell the Kids About It (We Need Them to Enlist)

By Emily Yates, Truthout | Op-Ed. Find the original article here.

"Excuse me, are you saying negative things about the military?"

Sat
28
May

Education Action: Reining in Military Recruiting

Santa Barbara public school

by Seth Kershner

In 2012, Kate Connell—a photographer with two children in the Santa Barbara public schools—learned that her son’s freshman seminar had a Marine recruiter as a guest speaker. Her son had challenged the recruiter, saying he didn’t like the way the U.S. military was always bombing other countries. At first, Connell thought, “Oh, it’s great you spoke up for yourself and spoke up for peace.”

Her second reaction was: “Oh, my gosh! The Marines were in his freshman class!”

Connell had a long, but dormant, history as an anti-war activist. When the Gulf War started in 1991, she was living in New York City, and she volunteered with the War Resisters League (WRL). Her main job with WRL was helping active-duty military file for conscientious objector status. Later, she relocated to Austin, Texas, where whe worked with Sustainable Options for Youth, visiting local high schools to stimulate discussions with students about “military myths.”

Fri
26
Jun

David Gee explores the mental health issues of youth recruitment on ‘Armed Forces Day’

By David Gee

Although not all veterans are severely affected, a military career carries significant mental health risks, particularly at times of war when substantial numbers of psychiatric casualties are usual. Research from the last decade shows that certain mental health-related problems in the armed forces, particularly harmful alcohol use and post-deployment violent behaviour, are a serious problem. Those who have left the forces during the last decade show markedly higher rates of a number of mental health-related problems, particularly PTSD and harmful levels of drinking. These issues are of particular concern in relation to ‘Armed Forces Day’, which serves among other things as a recruitment opportunity for the armed forces. But what are the mental health implications for those who enlist, particularly the youngest recruits who are most vulnerable to these risks?

Wed
24
Jun

Action Man: Battlefield Casuaties

Battlefield Casualties is a video produced by Veterans for Peace that highlights the cost of war, featuring Action Man dolls with accessories including antidepressants, wheelchairs, “benefits cancelled” letters and body bags – inspired, said artist Darren Cullen and film-maker Price James, by official Armed Forces toys, which include a Predator drone playset for five-year-olds.

Trigger warning: this video contains images and themes of depression, illegal drug use, death and suicide.

Action Man: Battlefield Casuaties
Mon
22
Jun

Action Man: Battlefield Casualties - Exhibition And Film Screening

Veterans for Peace UK are releasing three dark satirical films about the reality of life and death in the army. The films will be shown as part of an exhibition at Red Gallery based on artist Darren Cullen's 'Action Man: Battlefield Casualties' toys.

Adress: 1-3 Rivington Street, London EC2A 3DT

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