Feature Archives

The US military has been facing a severe morale problem in Iraq for awhile. Fewer troops are re-enlisting once they see first hand the effects of the illegal war. To keep troop levels at current levels the miltary has adopted several underhanded tactics to make the “volunteer army” not so volunteer.
Around 10,000 troops have been forced to serve up to 18 months beyond their periods of enlistment as part of the military's stop loss order. In addition, the army has called back to service thousands of formerly enlisted soldiers as part of the Individual Ready Reserve. There are also reports that the US has strong-armed currently serving US soldiers into re-enlisting by threatening to send them into combat zones if they refused.

Many of the soldiers who have now been forced to fight as part of the unofficial draft are resisting. “Thirty percent of former U.S. soldiers who have been called back to duty involuntarily to serve in Iraq and Afghanistan have failed to report on time” and several have gone AWOL “and could face military criminal charges as deserters”. In addition, some additional active service members are refusing to serve with new reports of jailed soliders every week.
In August, a suit filed in U.S. District Court in San Francisco contended that the miltary's stop loss program violated federal law. A member of the Military Law Task Force stated of the case, "We are asking the federal court to uphold their lawful rights and not allow the Army to create a new category of indentured servitude." read more

There are currently over 100,000 US soldiers in Iraq and nearly an equal number in other regional countries providing support. Of this number, 55,000 are members of the National Guard, who were told during recruitment that they would probably only be serving one weekend a month.

On Saturday, September 25th, 2004, the Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors (CCCO) held a GI Rights Hotline Training in Oakland. The training lasted from 9am to 4pm.

Since 1948, the Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors has supported individuals in their resistance and opposition to war. The CCCO says, "...there has long been an economic draft in place, creating an environment where poor people see the military as their only route to a paycheck and an education. When they learn that they have been lied to by recruiters and that they are opposed to the military, men and women in the military have almost no place to turn. The G.I. Rights Hotline at 800-394-9544 is one place that they can go to find information about discharges and support for their decisions. The numbers of calls are rising and we need more counselors to volunteer on the hotline. Tasks include answering phone calls, responding to e-mail inquiries, making referrals to relevant organizations and individuals when needed. Volunteers make an initial commitment of one year of at least 2 hours of volunteering a week."

The GI Rights Hotline provides a variety of services to soldiers and enlistees who call in. It tells people how to get out of the Delayed Enlistment Program (also known as Delayed Entry). It advises and keeps track of soldiers who are on Unauthorized Absense, or who are AWOL (absent without leave). It also advises and refers people who wanbt to file grievances or who have experienced sexual assault, hazing, and domestic violence at the hands of members of the military. STAMP

The CCCO distributes several publications, including Getting Out: A Guide to Military Discharges and GI Rights. Through its website it provides advice "Before you Enlist". Locally and nationwide, CCCO provides outreach to youth, and particularly to youth of color through the Third World Outreach Program. AWOL, the Revolutionary Artists Workshop zine and CD, is put out through CCCO, showcasing political hip hop, spoken word, graphic art and poetry addressing militarism in America.

9/22/2004: Last Friday, Think First! launched the Conscientious Objector Training Corp and held the South Bay Premiere Screening of Blood Makes the Grass Grow, a film that highlights conscientious objectors and opposition to the first Gulf War. The acronym COTC is no coincidence- the COTC wants to counter the presence of JROTC, the Junior Reserve Officers Training Program, which is found on many high school campuses across the country.
The COTC's goals are to:

• raise the issue of the pending draft in our community: at PTA meetings, at back-to-school nights, at public hearings and in our congregations and neighborhoods
• provide workshops for youth on how to start building their CO file
• support youth in organizing on their school campuses and in their neighborhoods about the draft and war (which helps them build even stronger CO claims)
• hold mock draft boards, where youth can practice their presentations supporting their CO claim.

Think First! distributes several informational flyers in an effort to counter the deceptive tactics that military recruiters use to try to convince youth as young as 17 and 18 to sign up. More info on Think First's Website | A pro-war summary of the Gulf War | American Gulf War Veterans Association - note the numerous links related to illnesses that the veterans contracted as a result of serving in the Gulf War | The Unseen Gulf War- report and analysis from a "digital journalist | Frontline's "The Gulf War"

9/12/2004: At the end of the week in which the number of American soldiers killed during hostilities in Iraq reached and even passed 1000, the Power to the Peaceful Festival provided a welcome day of rest and celebration of the anti-war movement for the tens of thousands who attended this Saturday as they head into the election season.
Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 8 6 | 7 8 Read more on Indybay's Arts + Action Page

A national call was put out for local actions to commemorate the 1000 deaths. In San Francisco on Thursday the 9th, Code Pink sponsored a vigil at 5pm at UN Plaza. Photos MoveOn called for 8pm vigils all over the country- list of SF and East Bay vigils; Sacramento area vigils. More info at Moveon.org

September 11th anniversary events: On the 9th there was a memorial event in Fresno; on September 10th there was a film festival at New College entitled US War Propaganda in Film: Patriotism and the Politics; Peace Fresno had a vigil at 4:30; American Muslim Voice held a candlelight vigil in memory of the innocent victims of 9/11 in Palo Alto; in San Francisco that evening there was an art event: Memory and Resistance: 9/11 three years after; two more events on the 10th and 11th.

In addition to Power to the Peaceful, on September 11, 2004, there was a Rally against Lies, War, the Police State, & State Sponsored Terrorism, for Truth, Peace & Justice, Compassionate Impeachment sponsored by the Northern California 9-11 Truth Alliance. The rally took place in San Francisco's Panhandle and there was a march to the Festival in Golden Gate Park. Report That afternoon there was an Election Protection Volunteer Rally and Training. In the evening, Other Cinema kicked off the Fall 2004 season at ATA with "Bring the War Home," which included reportbacks and screenings of video shot at the RNC protests in New York City last week.

Sunday, August 8th, 2004 was the 59th anniversary of the US atomic bombings of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In Livermore, California, a demonstration is held every year during the week of August 8th to commemorate those bombings and to draw attention to the Livermore nuclear weapons lab. Protest organizers say that the lab is one of the main sites in the world where nuclear weapons are developed. The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has leaked over 1 million curies of airborne radiation in the Bay Area, which is approximately the amount that was released by the Hiroshima bomb. This year, protesters in Livermore demanded that cuts to public education be stopped, that money be invested in public education rather than in weapons of mass destruction, that jobs in civilian sciences be created, and that the University of California stop building and defending nuclear weapons. Read More | Photos: Peace Lanterns; BNB 1, BNB 2; Direct Action | Video

On August 8th, the demonstration gathered at 1pm at the Jackson Elementary School at 554 Jackson Ave. and marched to the Livermore nuclear weapons lab for a 3pm rally. Flyer. As organizers intended, the demonstration was completely nonviolent. Speakers and performers included Cesar Cruz of Fast4Education; Fariba; Clan Dyken; and Miguel Molina of La Onda Bajita. Father Roy Bourgeois, founder of School of the Americas Watch had planned to attend, but was unable to make it. A giant quilted ribbon that draws attention to "peaceful ways of loving and caring for the earth," and which was created to depict what its makers hope to not lose in a nuclear war, was present. Other events: August 7th: East Bay Peace Lantern Ceremony; August 8th: Peace Fresno Bus from Fresno to Livermore, and peace camp 15 miles from the Livermore Lab; August 9th: nonviolent direct action in memory of Father Bill O'Donnell.

Indybay Coverage of 2003 Hands Around the Livermore Lab Protest: Video and Report | Audio and Video | Photos: 1 | 2 | 3
Related Websites: Tri-Valley Communities Against a Radioactive Environment | Western States Legal Foundation | National Youth and Student Peace Coalition | California Peace Action | Abolition 2000 | BE SAFE Nuclear Weapons Days of Action

On Saturday July 24th 2004, around 100 people showed up near the 24th and Mission BART station to hand out information about the occupation and oppression of the Palestinian people. The main focus of the protest was the wall Israel is building through the middle of Palestinian communities. On July 9th 2004, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at the Hague ruled that the wall was illegal and on July 21st, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution demanding that Israel comply with the World Court ruling. The General Assembly vote was passed with 150 in favour, 6 opposed and 10 abstentions.
Photos: 1 | 2   The Court has spoken: What's Next?

7/16/04 UPDATE: The women of Project Billboard have settled out of court with Clear Channel, and will be paying $299,000 for two altered billboards in two different locations in New York.
7/13/04: A group of prominent Bay Area women and their non-profit, Project Billboard had purchased prime billboard space in New York's Times Square, just in time for the Republican National Convention and November's elections. With a $360,000 price tag for the two-month run, everyone seemed to be happy. Until the women unveiled their "pro-democracy" ad - a bomb draped in the stars and bars, with the simple message "Democracy is best taught by example, not by war." Unfortunately, the women's contract was with infamous media juggernaut Clear Channel - yes, the same Clear Channel that organized pro-war rallies across the country last year after contributing thousands to Bush's presidential campaign. Under the guise of rejecting anything "political", Clear Channel pulled the ad, even nixing an alternate version - a red, white and blue dove. Project Billboard filed a civil suit yesterday, charging Clear Channel with breach of contract. Clear Channel has since countered that it is really the Marriot Hotel, on which the billboard would have hung, that has refused the ad, a privelage outlined in their contract with Clear Channel - a contract that Project Billboard furiously maintains they are only hearing about now, even though Clear Channel rejected their ad as early June 29. Clear Channel has since offered the women space elsewhere in New York, with the stipulation that they remove the words "not by war". Project Billboard has refused and is continuing with its lawsuit.