Winning the Peace: a new US national counter-recruitment effort
A call to respond to the state of militarization of American society and even more so in American high schools by The National Network Opposing the Militarization of Youth.
[icon type=”glyphicon glyphicon-share-alt” color=”#dd3333″] Winning the Peace campaign[icon type=”glyphicon glyphicon-share-alt” color=”#dd3333″] The National Network Opposing the Militarization of Youth – NNOMY
Winning the Peace is a new national counter-recruitment effort in the works at NNOMY, produced in partnership with Project YANO and the National War Resisters’ League. It is our response to what we have seen as an increase in military integration in our public high schools and, more importantly, a shutting out of counter-recruitment services in those same campuses. This trend is alarming; the shutting out of such a resource as counter-recruitment organizations takes away crucial information from a student who will be deciding whether or not to enlist. As we know, the consequences of that decision can amount to signing away decades of their life as well rights, a fact they may not be aware of.
Those considering enlisting usually are facing socioeconomic pressures that lead them to believing the military is a path to a secure career, and not one riddled with long-lasting medical problems and little education aid. We have dedicated our efforts to expose military recruitment practices, make alternative career paths available to youth, and make sure that students and their communities make the most informed decision when it comes to what part the military has in their life. Consider this: The average American student entering high school in 2016 will be born after 9/11. This means they will have been born after the war on terror started, a war that has not ceased a day in their life. And even though America has perpetually been in war, or maybe because this is the only America they have ever experienced, students still voluntarily sign up for military service every day.
Our new campaign will directly counter the effects military normalization has had on the counter-recruitment cause. By conducting a coast-to-coast protest, NNOMY believes that the current trend of militarization can be reversed. We will be utilizing our national position to achieve this aspect of our campaign, working to connect groups of all type, from veterans to local community groups to national counter-recruitment organizations. A unified approach such as Winning the Peace will be key in garnering new interest into the counter-recruitment cause.
In an effort to spread our campaign as far as possible and to reach those who need it the most, we invite you to participate in our campaign. Many individuals take advantage of this opportunity to form their own local volunteer groups, while others act as our contact to local peace groups and help garner interest in supporting counter-recruitment. We hope that you consider joining and helping in any way that you can.
Sincerely,
The National Network Opposing the Militarization of Youth
[icon type=”glyphicon glyphicon-share-alt” color=”#dd3333″] Winning the Peace
[icon type=”glyphicon glyphicon-share-alt” color=”#dd3333″] The National Network Opposing the Militarization of Youth – NNOMY
