From Draft NOtices, July—September 2011
— Paula Hoffman-Villanueva
On April 2, 2011, I accompanied seven students from Mission Bay High School in San Diego who traveled by train to the California Teachers’ Association (CTA) statewide convention in Los Angeles. The purpose of their trip was to receive an award given by the Peace and Justice Caucus of the CTA to their school’s chapter of MEChA, a student organization with roots in the Chicano political movement of the 1960s. The award included a plaque that reads: "For Outstanding Commitment to Peace, Social Justice and The Empowerment of Youth."
When presenting the MEChA members with their award, Andy Griggs, the caucus co-chair, told the audience that these students had achieved something incredible: at their young age, they were able to bring about important changes to school district policies. He was referring to several victories in the San Diego Unified School District. They included closing down the district’s eleven JROTC shooting ranges, imposing strict limitations on military recruiting in all San Diego schools, and reinforcing the need for parent consent before students enroll in JROTC. None of these achievements would have been possible without the students, who spoke at school board meetings, rallied supporters outside of district offices, helped form a new coalition (Education Not Arms), petitioned the community and conducted important outreach and education with their peers.
Committee Opposed to Militarism and the Draft (COMD)
- Rick Jahnkow
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California DMV/Draft Registration Bill Headed for Another Defeat
From Draft NOtices, April—June 2011
—Rick Jahnkow
It appears likely that Senate Bill 251, the proposal to use the California Department of Motor Vehicles to register males with Selective Service, will die in the senate appropriations committee for the fifth time in eleven years.
The first hearing for SB 251 was on April 12, 2011, in the California Senate Transportation and Housing Committee. At that time, the language of the bill was designed to automatically register males with Selective Service when they apply for their driver’s license. However, before the committee voted 7-2 to endorse the bill, the bill’s sponsor, Senator Lou Correa (D-Santa Ana), had to agree to modify it so that it would only offer license applicants an opportunity to opt in if they wished to be registered. To institute such a procedure, the state DMV would have to revise all of its application forms and computer system, and begin forwarding registration information to Selective Service on an ongoing but selective basis.
Thirty-six other states have implemented some type of registration process for driver’s license applicants. A law passed in Maryland has never been implemented because it was made contingent on receiving full reimbursement for its expenses from the federal government. Selective Service has been unwilling to provide such reimbursement, which became relevant when SB 251 was given its next hearing, on May 9, in the California Senate Appropriations Committee.
From Draft NOtices, July—September 2011
— Ernie McCray
I was asked to see if I could rekindle (though I can barely keep a campfire going) energy for leafleting our high schools with information to help students understand and respond to attempts to militarize them. They encounter this not only in their schools but also in their communities and beyond, as anyone can see in commercials, video games, and every form of media.
Well, it should be obvious that there's a tremendous need for us, especially those of us who dare to refer to ourselves as "community activists." We look out for our children when Uncle Sam comes after them with his zest for war, even though some of the organizations and activities that counter the militarization of young people are shrinking nationwide.
For instance: the American Friends Service Committee no longer has staff in its national office working full time on youth and military recruitment. The work of the Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors (CCCO) ceased in 2008 when the venerable, decades-old organization folded. And, for a brief while, Project YANO (Youth and Non-Military Opportunities) recently had to cut its sole paid organizer's position to half-time.
As I settle into my rekindling assignment, I do so with thoughts of children on my mind and I find myself humming and singing lines from my favorite song of all time: "War! Hunnh! Good God! What is it good for? Absolutely nothing!" Truer lines were never sung.
Ninth CIRCUIT COURT RULING: CONFRONTING MILITARISM BY USING EQUAL ACCESS TO HIGH SCHOOLS
When the military comes to your local high school, you have a legal right to give students an opposing view. This has been the position taken by federal district courts in Florida, Pennsylvania and Illinois and two federal appellate courts. The most broadly-worded decision came from a case that COMD took to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in the 1980s. Here is the background:
