National "Not Your Soldier" Youth and Student Day of Action

National "Not Your Soldier" Youth and Student Day of Action
Thursday, November 17th at a high school or college campus near you....

A Call To Action: Not Your Soldier!
Get Involved!
Connect!
Counter Recruitment Websites You Need to See
NYSPC and the Books Not Bombs Agenda

A Call To Action: Not Your Soldier!

* Are military recruiters invading your schools and using promises of scholarships and career opportunities to convince your friends to join the military?
* Do you wish that job and college recruiters would replace the military ones?
* Are you tired of being trapped in JROTC programs?
* Have you lost loved ones in this illegal and unjustifiable war?
* Have you had enough of being used as a pawn in Bush’s games of war?

You are not alone!

All around the country young people are organizing themselves against the invasion of military recruiters and JROTC programs in our schools. We are standing up to demand a positive alternative to war and the military. We want a future that includes funding for education and job training and real opportunities for our generation. NOT YOUR SOLDIER!

On November 17, International Students Day, join youth and students from around the country in the first nationally coordinated day of action for and about young people! NOT YOUR SOLDIER!

Young people are the ones being forced to lose our lives in their illegal wars. On November 17th, we’ll be the ones to stand up and say NO to Military Recruitment in our schools and YES to positive alternatives to militarism and war! On November 17th, tell Bush we are NOT YOUR SOLDIERS!

Get Involved!

Organize one of the many events listed below, or do something completely different! The important thing is to let this day of action bring forward the voices, demands and ideas of our generation; it's time to speak for ourselves. This means we need to hear from youth and students in your area!

1. Hold a demo/rally at a school or community recruiting station to declare a “Not Your Soldier” zone
2. Offer solutions! Organize an “alternative” recruitment fair; invite college recruiters, local unions, job recruiters, activist organizations and others to table and show the alternatives to the military.
3. Demand a Meeting with your schooladministration to discuss your specific demands (if they don’t agree, organize a petition drive or demonstration to make sure they do!)
4. Get creative! Organize a concert, open mic or party with music, poetry, theater and art against military recruitment!
5. Host a forum or debate on military recruitment! Invite community activists, teachers and parents to come listen to young people talk about their experiences, ideas and opinions on military recruitment, the poverty draft and the war!
6. Be visible! Set up a table, do sidewalk chalking, create a public graffiti wall, do a banner drop - let people know what young people really think about the war, military recruitment and the kind of future we want for our generation!

Don't forget - Invite school administrators, teachers/professors, community leaders, city officials, etc. to whatever activity you plan!

Connect!

The National Youth and Student Peace Coalition wants to amplify your voice and your demands. Tell us your story, announce your event, and we'll help get the word out to the media and other youth and students. Check out our websites at http://www.nyspc.net and http://www.campusactivism.org. On these websites you will also be able to:

* Register your Not Your Soldier event.
* Learn about/connect with other Not Your Soldier events around the country and in your area.
* Download resources, find other CR orgs and activists, and more.
* Share the resources you’ve created.

Counter Recruitment websites you need to see!

* American Friends Service Committee – http://www.youth4peace.org
* Counter Recruiter.net (a news site) – http://www.counterrecruiter.net
* Fellowship of Reconciliation “I Will Not Kill” Campaign - http://www.forusa.org/programs/disarmament/IWillNotKill.html
* National Network Opposing Militarization of Youth – http://www.youthandthemilitary.org
* Not Your Soldier Training Camps – http://www.notyoursoldier.org
* Nuclear Age Peace Foundation’s Demilitarization Guide – http://www.wagingpeace.org/youth
* Student Peace Action Network - http://www.studentpeaceaction.org
* United for Peace and Justice Counter-Recruitment Working Group – http://www.unitedforpeace.org
* War Resisters League - http://www.warresisters.org/youth

NYSPC and the Books Not Bombs Agenda

The National Youth and Student Peace Coalition is sponsoring the Not Your Soldier National Youth and Student Day of Action. NYSPC is the largest coalition of youth and student organizations from around the country committed to fighting for peace and justice in our schools, communities, and around the world. Formed in the Fall of 2001, we have been organizing youth and students to fight back against wars and occupations and to demand a real future for young people in the US and around the world. NYSPC has developed the Books Not Bombs agenda, which addresses the real concerns of young people today.

The Books Not Bombs Agenda:

Fund Education—Not Empire!
Military Out of Our Schools—No to the Poverty Draft!
Protect Our Civil Liberties!
Campuses For Peace—Not War!
Schools Not Jails!

To find out more about NYSPC and learn how you can get involved visit us at http://www.nyspc.net or emaiwl us at info@nyspc.net

If your organization is a member of NYSPC and you are interested in being part of the working group to coordinate this exciting Day of Action, please send us an email at info@nyspc.net.