Counter-recruiting in Beacon

The principal said we couldn't stand in front of the school. But hundreds of students walk home, so we found a great place on the road and had no trouble handing out all the counter recruiting flyers we brought.

Thanks to Dan, Vicki and Rich. We will have to do it again, and this time, we have two students from Beacon to help us.

Fred

Guantanamo Poetry at the UU in Poughkeepsie

It is hard to read this poetry without understanding the plight of these Guantanamo prisoners, held for years, tortured, and stripped of all human rights protections. They represent the shame of America, what our history books in some future time will term the "great mistake" of our democracy. For they don't represent democracy at all. The prisoners of Guantanamo reflect a future fascist state where none of us have rights, and all are treated with cruelty and mindless brutality.

By standing for the rights of Guantanamo prisoners, we are also standing for the rights of ourselves and our children.

Counter recruiting video

Adventures in the mall outside the recruiting office.

Guantanamo reading on YouTube

I reworked the video of our Guantanamo reading at the Cubbyhole Cafe. It is a lot clearer now, and you can even see the performers. Enjoy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_jinugQxOI

We gathered outside the recruiting office (Bed, Bath and Beyond mall on Rt. 9), put on the jumpsuits we had, and started handing out flyers to those who went by. No one went into the recruiting office while we were there.

Some people passing by agreed with our demonstration and some did not. Nobody asked us to move, so we stayed the whole hour. We also videotaped it for Youtube.

We resolved not to antagonize those who disagreed with us. Our peace group is not there to provoke confrontations. Only to highlight the danger recruiters pose to our teenagers. They are sold a mixture of patriotism and promises of free education. Then it's off to Iraq.

We had 11 demonstrators at the peak, having been joined by several new people.

Dutchess Peace joins Guantanamo protest

The human rights group Amnesty International staged protests around the world Friday to mark the sixth anniversary of the first arrival of detainees at the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba ... Amnesty International, the American Civil Liberties Union and other rights organizations used the anniversary to again call on the Bush administration to close down Guantanamo.
-By Cindy Saine, Washington
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Five members of the Dutchess Peace Coalition joined this international protest with a demonstration in Poughkeepsie.

Free "T" shirts from Circuit City

We went into Circuit City in two waves. First, a group of parents had a meeting with the store manager, and then the district manager. The rest our group started handing out flyers to those entering the store. Our message was simple. We didn't like Circuit City pitching war games to our children, and though it especially offensive to have a large number of Army recruiters all over the store encouraging kids to shoot up the enemy for fun. Of course, the recruiters got in on the discussion, explaining that they were serving as good role models and trying to teach a little patriotism.

We got the district manager's name and told her that we were going to complain in writing to corporate headquarters. That was the final straw. She said "out with everyone." We asked whether that meant the recruiters too, and she said yes.

On the way out, she said that she was against the war, that bringing them into the store was a terrible idea, and that she was sorry. We left with a load of free Circuit City "T" shirts that nobody really wanted.

Outside, the recruiters looked whipped and angry. One came up to us and said that he was a "hero" and that we were depriving young people of the chance to use him as a role model. When we suggested that we had other role models in mind for our kids, he got ugly. He called us "scum" and "cowards" and ended up shouting four letter words in front of the women and children. Cursing and threatening the parents' group with physical violence, the "hero" was lead away by his fellow recruiters.

So we had a big win at Circuit City. I want to thank everyone who came out, and especially Ashley who organized us and gave us some fighting spirit.

Also, I want to apologize for a bit too much fighting spirit on my part. I got carried away.

Fred