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Indybay Feature

Why San Francisco opposes JROTC and Prop V

by Randy Shaw via Beyond Chron
Monday, October 6, 2008 : Progressives have always opposed JROTC in high schools, and with good reason: JROTC is a military recruitment tool. An effective one at that since nationally 40-50% of kids who join JROTC end up in the military at some point after they graduate. There are no stats on local JROTC enlistment into the military; a member of the No on Prop V campaign has made a Public Records Act request to the SF Unified School District.
And the District indicated that they do not keep records on how many students end up in the military after high school. Any claim otherwise is an outright lie and should be dismissed as such. It speaks volumes for the Pro V argument if, like the invasion of Iraq, it is premised on a lie.

At a time when there is no draft, the Pentagon needs programs such as JROTC to lure kids into its two unending wars in the Middle East. Wars that have cost this country an unbelievable amount of money and precious resources, including nearly 5,000 young lives. It's no secret that the military has targeted young people (especially those of color) with slick TV ads and even video games. Military life is being presented as adventurous and glamorous. All sorts of benefits are being promised. There's nary a mention of the gritty reality of killing innocent civilians or of being killed or maimed yourself. Ask vets of our country's two wars about the benefits they have received since coming home.

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