In the aftermath of September 11, I looked around to see if anyone was organizing against the impending war. As a parent and activist I wanted to be a part of something supporting families, so we could unite, share the work of radical change, and support each other. We could care for each other's children while we took action. We could form community. I developed the idea of Parents for Peace, and decided to hold a meeting with friends in hopes of developing a core group.
From there Parents for Peace grew. When the bombings began, we held an emergency rally at Alex Thomas Park. Approximately 50 people attended, with lots of children. As more people heard about us and got involved, we held more meetings.
We established a listserv on the Internet, and send updates, articles and other information to each other via e-mail. We began meeting weekly at the MEC. In October, we marched in the Pumpkinfest and organized a peace mailing to Washington. In November, Said Mansour from the Santa Rosa Islam Center spoke to over 100 people in Ukiah. A small group of activists fasted in support of Ramadan and peace. In December, Kevin Danaher from Global Exchange came to Ukiah to speak about corporate globalization and peace. Various workshops were held after Kevin's presentation to encourage members of the community to get involved and take action.
Currently Parents for Peace is focusing on three tactics: support, consciousness-raising and action. We want to support each other and the community through monthly potlucks, monthly business meetings and various interest groups. These groups include youth and militarism, creating a child-friendly environment, socially responsible investing, radical book club, and letter-writing. We intend to raise consciousness by sponsoring and co-sponsoring community events, and to take action by tabling and holding our own events throughout the year. Children are always welcome at Parents for Peace events and childcare is provided.
Monthly potlucks are the second Sunday of every month. Our next potluck is March 10 at 11 am. Contact Parents for Peace for the location. Monthly business meetings are the fourth Thursday of the month, 6:30 pm at the MEC. You do not have to be a parent to be a part of Parents for Peace. We simply will take action for the children, the earth and people everywhere.
Legislation Proposes Mandatory Induction
Parents for Peace is organizing a campaign to get the military out of our schools, as well as a campaign against proposed legislation that would require military training for all young men aged 18-22.
Currently military recruiters are allowed to come to high schools once per semester per branch of the military, which means a recruiter is present at the schools at least four times per semester. In some schools, mostly low income, JROTC programs have been established. Some recruiters are even targeting middle schools. Law requires that schools distribute contact information for all students to the military so that recruiters can contact them. The only way that this can be prevented is if parents refuse. We would like to see the school districts not release the names and contact information of our children to anyone without parents' explicit permission. This could be done by means of a positive check-off system, so that without parental permission, names would not be released to anyone, including recruiters.
The legislation is the Universal Military Training and Service Act of 2001 (HR 3598), co-sponsored by Nick Smith of Michigan and Kurt Weldon of Pennsylvania. This law proposes: "To require the induction into the Armed Forces of young men registered under the Military Selective Service Act, and to authorize young women to volunteer, to receive basic military training and education for a period of up to one year."
This mandatory training would include: "instruction in physical fitness, international relations, military tactics, homeland security, United States and world history, vocational training, and such other topics as the Secretary [of Defense] considers appropriate."
Conscientious Objector status would only be available on religious grounds, and would only eliminate combatant training; all other training would still be required. This is a system similar to that widely used in Europe, as well as Israel.
The bill has been referred to the Committee of Armed Services in the House of Representatives. If we mobilize quickly, maybe we can end this legislation before it goes anywhere. At the moment it's getting lost behind the news of Enron and Afghanistan, so not many people are hearing about it.
Congressman Mike Thompson is on the committee. So is Susan Davis, who represents a large part of the southern coastal part of San Diego county, Ellen Tauscher from Walnut Creek, and Loretta Sanchez from Orange County. The most progressive member of the Committee is probably Cynthia McKinney from Georgia. It's an election year, so it may be hard to get any of these people to take a position that can be seen as anti-military.
If you do not want all of our male children to be required to receive military training, please let Mike Thompson know: 119 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515, phone: (202) 225-3311, fax: (202) 225-4335.
You can also contact your representative on the web at http://www.house.gov/ writerep/
To read the complete text of the legislation, go to http://thomas.loc.gov and type in Military Training in the search. You can also contact Parents for Peace, or pick up a copy at the MEC.
Inform your friends and family-we can make a difference, but only if we act!
Parents for Peace can be contacted at 459-4824, or resistwar2001@yahoo.com
Take a Stand for Peace
Vigils:
Ukiah: every Friday, 5-6 pm, in front of the Courthouse
Mendocino: every first Monday of month, at sunset, at the Peace Plaque on the Headlands
Women in Black Vigils:
Willits: every Friday, 5-6 pm, in front of the Post Office on Main Street
Fort Bragg: every first and third Fridays, 4:30 pm, in front of the Town Hall
Mendocino: every second and fourth Fridays, 4:30 pm, in field across from the Post Office
Peace Rally:
Fort Bragg: every Saturday, 1 pm, in front of the Town Hall
Copyright Mendocino Environmental Center 2002
Permission granted to excerpt or use this article if source is cited