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Jan

2024

Elective Military Corps Programs in Schools Should Not Be Forced Upon Minority and Low-income Students

Submitted by nnomy

Mon

Apr

Arab youth take to Nazareth streets in anti-IDF draft rally

Submitted by hannah on Mon, 14/04/2014 - 11:23

Protestors say inducting Christians into the Israeli military would split Arab society.

Groups opposed to the drafting of Christian Arab youth into the Israel Defense Forces, including the youth wing of the Hadash party, staged a protest rally in Nazareth on Saturday in which male and female teens marched into Spring Square in the center of town dressed in military attire and carrying toy rifles.

New Tactics Online Conversation: Tactics for Combating Militarisation

Submitted by hannah on Wed, 09/04/2014 - 17:45

Between June 10 to 14, 2013, War Resisters International and the New Tactics community joined together to hold an online conversation on tactics for combating the militarisation of education, public spaces, vulnerable communities, entertainment and culture.

English translation unavailable for .

Fri

Apr

The German Federal Armed Forces Recruit Child Soldiers

Submitted by hannah on Fri, 04/04/2014 - 11:27

DFG-VK: https://www.dfg-vk.de/thematisches/kindersoldaten/2014/925

The municipalities and youth welfare offices as willing helpers of the military
By Joachim Schramm

The problem has been known for a long time now – but the scandal found its way into the media thanks to an answer given by the German Federal Government when questioned by the political Left party: “Minors in the German Federal Armed Forces” made the headlines in various newspapers and the new Minister of Military von der Leyen appeared on TV to attempt to play down the matter. The year before last, 1,216 under 18 year olds pursued to join the army and they were, amongst other things, trained to handle weapons, according to the reply given by the Federal Government.

English translation unavailable for .

Wed

Mar

Pot-banging protests set the background music to a military parade

Submitted by Gary on Wed, 19/03/2014 - 18:24

El Ciudadano

Despite the widespread police forces deployed during the military parade in the Parque O’Higgins, hundreds of people protested by banging pots near the traditional military exhibition. That same morning a counter military parade took place. Students have announced a protest for this Thursday and call for flags to be hoisted in support of their requests.

The event was chaired by Sebastián Piñera and, despite the distance separating him from the protesters and their inability to reach the Elipse esplanade, they still made themselves heard by the authorities and the foreign delegations present at the event. Piñera described the military exhibition, with over 8,000 troops taking part, as “prefect”.

Wed

Mar

War College says Courage to Resist impedes recruiting

Submitted by hannah on Wed, 19/03/2014 - 11:36

Source: http://couragetoresist.org/news/1018-war-college.html

By Mike Mckee, Courage to Resist. March 17, 2014

A recently circulated academic paper from a U.S. Army War College research fellow demonstrates that organizations like Courage to Resist are having a substantive effect on the military’s ability to recruit and retain soldiers.

The paper, titled “Civilian Organizational Inhibitors to US Army Recruiting and the Road Ahead (PDF),” singles out Courage to Resist as a key example of its most formidable opponents that “aim to hinder, deter, or prevent United States Army Recruiters from presenting information and providing opportunities to their target market.”

Wed

Mar

Countering the Militarisation of Youth

Submitted by hannah on Wed, 19/03/2014 - 11:03

This video was used in the crowdfunder campaign for WRI's Countering the Militarisation of Youth work.

// SCRIPT //

https://vimeo.com/88753548

Countering the Militarisation of Youth

Tue

Mar

Counter-recruitment and School Demilitarization Activism: From Past Victories to the Challenges Ahead

Submitted by Gary on Tue, 18/03/2014 - 21:01

Education Not Arms Coalition: In the audience are about 70 students, parents and others showing their support for the policy

Rick Jahnkow -

Counter-recruitment and school demilitarization work in the U.S. has gone through several cycles of expansion and contraction during the last few decades. The first expansion was during the early 1980s when it was supported by a small number of national organizations, such as the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), War Resisters League, Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors (CCCO) and National Lawyers Guild. Most grassroots activities at the time were carried out by chapters of these organizations and a number of independent community peace groups (including COMD and, eventually, Project YANO).

Tue

Mar

Notes Toward More Powerful Organizing: Pitfalls and Potential in Counter-recruitment Organizing

Submitted by Gary on Tue, 18/03/2014 - 20:20

Amy Hagopian, co-chairwoman of the Garfield High PTSA, lights up Marine Sgt. Christopher Matthews in the school lunchroom. Hagopian is trying to get military recruiters barred from the school. The Marines and the Army have failed to meet recruiting quotas in recent months. Photo: Dan DeLong/Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Matt Guynn -

It’s not necessary to go to Washington for a protest to significantly engage key issues related to the War on Terrorism. Try going to a local coffee shop or any other public place where you can strike up a conversation with youth or young adults about the choices and paths that the young people in your community see in front of them.

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Countering Military Recruitment

WRI's new booklet, Countering Military Recruitment: Learning the lessons of counter-recruitment campaigns internationally, is out now. The booklet includes examples of campaigning against youth militarisation across different countries with the contribution of grassroot activists.

You can order a paperback version here.