April 2000
American Friends Service Committee Peacework Magazine Patrica Watson, Editor Sara Burke, Assistant Editor Pat Farren, Founding Editor
2161 Massachusetts Ave.
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Fax number: pwork@igc.org Peacework has been published monthly since 1972, intended to serve as a source of dependable information to those who strive for peace and justice and are committed to furthering the nonviolent social change necessary to achieve them. Rooted in Quaker values and informed by AFSC experience and initiatives, Peacework offers a forum for organizers, fostering coalition-building and teaching the methods and strategies that work in the global and local community. Peacework seeks to serve as an incubator for social transformation, introducing a younger generation to a deeper analysis of problems and issues, reminding and re-inspiring long-term activists, encouraging the generations to listen to each other, and creating space for the voices of the disenfranchised. Views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily of the AFSC. |
De Militarized Thoughts Editorial reprinted with permission from the De Militarized Zine (DMZ) Issue #6, published by YouthPeace, War Resisters League, 339 Lafayette St., New York NY 10012; youthpeace@imaginemail.com The thought that a B-2 bomber--a war plane that "was originally intended to penetrate undetected deep into Soviet airspace to deliver nuclear payloads" (does this sound like a little boy on Pokémon acid fantasy or what?)--costs more than 100 good-looking high schools, including computers, textbooks, chalkboards, cafeterias and gyms, desks and chairs, toilets and basins, and many other essentials found in a school, is infuriating. The thought that close to half of each tax dollar we inadvertently submit to the federal government goes to bigger and faster weapons to be used against poor, working, everyday people, to be used to kill and kill again, is enough to scream over and again "HELL NO!" The thought that many of us, especially from poor and working class backgrounds, are targeted to be pawns of this destruction, and often even believe what we're told, is enough to take action (well, all of these are enough to take action). The military's recruitment drought has led them to seek more innovative means of recruiting. Several hip Navy commercials, directed by Spike Lee, appeared last year during the NBA playoffs. The cast was primarily black and Latino. It was no secret the Navy chose Spike because "he's able to connect us to an audience we're interested in recruiting." Latinos, particularly, are the new target population of military recruitment. They have been referred to as an "untapped goldmine." The same old promises of money for education, job opportunities, and other lies are being recycled to the new ëculturally sensitive' killing machine. The bloated budget of the military industry, rapid growth of the prison industry, escalating incidents of police brutality, increasing sexual harassment, environmental devastation, animal cruelty, and the WTO are not mere coincidence. A new social order is developing. It is up to each of us to do away with it once and for all. YouthPeace, the publisher of DMZ, is dedicated to ridding our schools and culture of militarism. Currently, we have locals in four states and encourage all of you to start your own local chapter.
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