3 days at the beach.

Action at the Beach.

Day One

For pictures http://www.mvp-seattle.com/Images/Slide/CounterRecruit/50712-AlkiDay1/Slides/index.htm

Today, July 12^th members from Stand up Seattle and ACORN had a direct action at Alki Beach in Seattle. This action was located next to a large Rock Climbing Wall put up by the US Army Recruiters.

The Army Recruiters use the Taxpayers Money to travel around our area and entice our children so they can tell them how fun it is to be in the Military. “When I first heard the Military were using violent video games for handing out to children and Rock Climbing Walls so they could gather children around and tell them military propaganda, I thought how sick that was. But there in front of me was this monolith and these recruiters dressed in black and all these very little children” said Clint Coppernoll. “We (the activists) were there to give out information on Military OPT OUT for high school students and their families. (see http://icactivistnetwork.net/ ) However the teens were coming over to our banner and talking only to us and instead the recruiters were talking to the little children and the young mothers.” The 10 foot Banner read “Don’t Die For a Recruiters Lie”.

We know that recent attempts to get recruits into the Army have fallen short and Rumesfield is warning us of a twelve more year’s war. We are seeing our television sets bombarded with Army recruiting ads. Now it seems the military has no shame and are targeting our children, no matter what the age, with their propaganda.

The one of the many positives of today’s action happened when the Seattle Police Officer Steve Van Arnam showed up, to run off the Counter Recruiters with their challenging banner. Interesting thing that happened is that at one point a police officer came over and told us we had to take our sign down and leave. Amazingly a small crowd slowly gathered around us of mostly middle-aged women with their children, who began arguing with the officer to leave us alone. The officer couldn't believe it and asked us, half jokingly, if we had paid these people. About 6 people ended up defending our right to be there. The officer then did a one-eighty and told us that he didn't see any reason why we couldn't keep doing what we were doing.”Said Stand Up Seattle Activist, Doug Nielson.

Coppernoll said, "The people were great with us, many came up to the Counter Recruiters and thanked them for being there." One couple visiting from Texas said they wished they could do what the OPT OUT activists were doing. But said people in their home state would fear being shot for such a practice of Free Speech. Another Black Man came up to the banner and said "I spent 13 years in the Army before I got tired of hearing their lies."

The Army Recruiters have scheduled to be at Alki Beach thru the 14^th, with the Wall. The activist will also plan to be there to get out the Truth behind the Military Recruiters Sales Pitches. Supporting this action for truth and informing the public about OPT OUT, are ACORN Washington, ANSWER Seattle, Green Alliance National, ICAN, Stand Up Seattle, and Veterans for Peace, Youth Against War and Racism.

What is OPT OUT?

OPT OUT is keeping the Militaries Hands Off Students School Records. OPT OUT is getting to Students and Families the Truth Behind Military Recruiters Sales Pitches. OPT OUT is letting our youth and their families make informed choices with out lies, half-truths and high-pressure sales pitches.

Hidden in the No Child Left Behind Act is a provision known as section 9528 that requires public high schools to hand over private student information to military recruiters. If a school does not comply, it risks losing federal education funds. This breach of privacy gives recruiters access to addresses and phone numbers, allowing them to actively call and visit teens at home. A parent or student can present a letter to the school board or superintendent exercising the right to request that the school does not turn over the name, address, telephone listing and other school records to the Armed Services, Military Recruiters, or Military Schools. Information like; Social Security Numbers, Racial Profiles, exit test scores, qualification for assisted lunch programs and other information allow recruiters to target low income students and students that are being affected by the pressures of the high stakes testing for graduation.

The No Child Left Behind Act has turned up an ugly card in this high stakes gambling of our children's lives. The ugly card is exampled in our state as the WASL test. This is a test, like testing in most other states, that requires a student to pass an exam to graduate. After 6 years of WASL administration, we in Washington are still telling over 70% of our 4th graders, over 75% of our 7th graders and just under 70% of our 10^th graders that they are sub-standard in at least one of the 4 WASL subjects. This means they would not graduate. When the children of already stressed communities are faced with this kind of threat, the drop out rate drastically rises. These communities of immigrant, color and lower economic status become a target for recruiters. The recruiters get the scores and list of dropouts and start their Sales Pitch. The No Child Left Behind Act thus becomes a tool for the military to implement an “Economic Draft” That is why students and parents must protect themselves and OPT OUT.

Direct Action causes Reaction 

Day 2 

Wednesday July 13^th, today we had a better day than our first day. More Counter Recruitment Activists showed up. The concept of, standing few feet from the Military Recruiters, is reaching more of a comfort zone with the Counter Recruiters. We have the Truth on our side. We had Veterans for Peace, many Stand Up Seattle and ICAN activists as well as other organizations show up.

An impromptu group of young high school students formed a discussion group under a shade tree and we had seven decide to sign OPT OUT Letters and work this fall at their schools. I had the opportunity to talk to two young people about changing their minds about enlistment. I know others had similar experiences and conversations. At the end of the day we touched lives and planted seeds of truth. I want to thank those who show the courage of doing this direct contact form of activism. The day started a little intense. I had showed up early to set up the banner. A women approached me and told me I needed to leave because I was disturbing the children cause I was set up so close to the recruiters. I explained to her I had gotten a permit for the table next to the recruiters and was not leaving. I had noticed her with one of the Army Recruiters the day before and asked her if she was his wife? At first she wouldn't say, but after looking over to the recruiter I had seen her with, she said yes she was. At that moment I noticed all five of the recruiters were watching the women and I.

She began what I can best describe as a rant. She started by saying that it was people like me that were causing all the problems in the country by not supporting the military and the war. At first I felt I was in a time warp of my Vietnam Anti-War days. Only now you aren't called supporting the commies it's the terrorists. She told me that recruiters didn't lie we terrorist supporter lied. I did try to engage her in a non-violent conversation and explained that every thing I was using as facts came from three sources; personal testimony, statements made by former recruiters or the DOD (Department of Defense). This only enraged her more and she began a series of curses most of them had to do with her derrière and me doing something to it and being like it. It struck me as being curious as why the five or six curses all had to do with that part of the human anatomy? Any way, during this whole performance I continually observed the Army Recruiters standing and watching intensely. Then it came to me they were waiting for me to respond. As the rants got more bizarre, one I remembered had to do with, “You Peace People having something to do with the Nazis killing the Jews?” Another one of us Peace Liars showed up on his bike, Patrick. He attempted to talk with her and then gave up by saying, “Look we aren’t going up to your husband and screaming at him and since you wont let us speak here is some of our literature you can read when you calm down.” This caused her face to screw up in rage; she grabbed the literature discussing peace, began ripping it up, spiting on it, throwing it on the ground and with extra flourish multiply stomping on it!

All of this a few feet from her husband the Army Recruiter and his fellow honorable recruiters. Patrick and I decided to turn to the pick nick table and began to discus his twelve-mile bike ride to the park. This only incensed her more and she continued to stand next to us and yell. She told us how she was from a military family, I wondered if this was where she learned her behavior or was it from that husband who continued to watch with his pals. Finally, a female recruiter came over and led her away. While still in earshot I heard the female recruiter say to her "this isn't working". I pointed to the women and the recruiter as they began to walk away, the ripped document. Patrick said “I should get a picture of this.” However, the woman quickly gathered up the papers and hid them behind her back.

The reason I gave this account was for several reasons. First, when truth is on your side you don't have to react to violent behavior with violence. Secondly, there are some important lessons for us as activists. We are putting a pressure on the military and their recruiters and that pressure is working. This reaction tells us allot. The Army is stuck in a mentality of masculinity and power. The recent advertisements talk of  'Help Them Find Their Strength' as the ads try to reach "influencers", another name for parents. Is it a demonstration of Strength that would have group of men stand and watch one of their wives put on such a display? The women had the right to speak her mind, but I wondered how that fit into these recruiters “finding their strength”? Or were they so upset that few if any of their target group of teenagers were coming up to them the previous day, that they were trying to instigate a reaction of us the Counter Recruiters, so they could prove their strength by working us over, so they could “protect their women folk”?

The Army Recruiters are getting desperate. A Veteran for Peace explained to me that a Recruiters job could be one of the best in the military. They make higher pay, get a car, an allowance, and private off base housing, but they have to perform or end up somewhere like Iraq. Making it through the military as a recruiter qualifies you as one of the few job specialties that you can get the $40,000.00 for college (many job specialties only qualify you for the 15k the average enlisted man gets).

Retrospect of three days at the beach

 Day Three

Many of you have read about the first two days of Counter recruitment that a coalition of activist did at Alki Beach in Seattle. We set up 20 feet from the Army Recruiters and their Rock Climbing Wall. The large banner read "Don't Die for a Recruiters Lie".

The first two days had some great incidents. However, the third day was unique.

We had just set up the banner and there were only a few of us there. I had attached one pole and was holding the other one to the banner. When I heard a voice say, "Well I might as well see what you're handing out". As I turned I saw one on the recruiters standing next to me. I smiled and said "sure if you hold the pole for me I'll reach over and get some of our leaflets". This must have thrown the recruiter because he reached out and held one end of the Don’t Die for a Recruiters Lie banner. What a Kodak moment that would have been.

I handed the literature to him and reached out and shook hands and introduced myself. He told me his name was Sergeant Dewy. We began a dialog. The Sergeant is a fourteen-year veteran that is planning to serve six more years and retire. As we conversed I could tell the frustration in his voice. That frustration manifested it self when he said "I hate being a recruiter and can't wait for the six months until this job to gets over". He had been successful at his military career and looked forward to returning at manning Patriot Missiles again.

We stood on the beach in the sun and spoke about the issues around recruiting. He said he never lied and rarely recruited high school students. He liked recruiting college students instead less “baby sitting”. Except, the day this year when he and his partner were run off the Seattle Central College Campus. Yes, he and one of the other recruiters at the Rock Climbing Wall were the ones that made national news this year when college students confronted them and demanded they leave their college.

He turned and left, as watched him go to his side of the beach. I thought that for a few moment’s two humans on opposite sides of the belief for the need to this War had been able to talk. I was reminded of the GI rights hotline  (800) 394-9544 (that councils the solders of our military, whose hate for what the military is asking them to do have reached the point that they must get out). Next time you as an anti war activist comes in contact with one of this country's soldiers, try giving them a chance to talk. You may find someone searching on his or her pathway away from war and to peace and just maybe help them on the next step. Offer to put them in contact with a Veteran for Peace.

The main lesson that is being learned from our actions is constant pressure makes a difference. Direct Action, speaking to other people one on one helps to put pressure on the government. Americans get their information feed to them by the corporate media. When you go out and talk with the person on the street, you find they are learning not to trust that media. However, the lack of information about important issues is at the same time consistent.

With the model of OPT OUT and it’s direct person-to-person contact you hear the same thing. First, “I had no idea they were collecting all that information on my children or in the case of students on themselves”. Second, “I didn’t know I had the legal right to stop them from collecting that information and all it took was signing a letter”. Third, “Thank you for giving me this information”. Also, in some cases, when asked if they could give an hour or so in September the first week of school, to help other people find out the truth, you get a Yes, I’ll Help.

We have seen a great response from our city, from individuals and organizations that care about the youth.

Now comes the question; will you or your organization show to the youth of our communities you care? Will you come to a short training or inform yourself at icactivistnetwork.net or other sites about OPT OUT? Will you adopt a high school now for the fall and make a difference?