Military recruiting of underage youth and a Santa Cruz Youth Protection Act

April 14, 2009

via email to: citycouncil [at] ci.santa-cruz.ca.us
cc: msc [at] metcruz.com
cc: scimc [at] indymedia.org
cc: info [at] aclusantacruz.org
cc: colby [at] docktorcat.com

re: Military recruiting of underage youth and a Santa Cruz Youth Protection Act

Dear City Council members:

It has come to my attention from IndyMedia.org that the California cities of Eureka and Arcata passed nearly identical versions of an initiative called the Youth Protection Act. You may not be aware that in 2002 the United States Senate ratified a treaty outlawing the recruitment of child soldiers. This treaty, virtue of the supremacy clause of the Constitution, is now a "a supreme law of the land"; it is domestic law.

The United States government still recruits youth using the JROTC program and various other more stealthy recruitment efforts cloaked in larger programs like the "No Child Left Behind Act".

The California state assembly is considering bills AB 223, AB 351 and AB 554, which to my understanding would grant protected status to JROTC. The cities of Eureka and Arcata have made counterclaims in the Northern District Court against the United States government in its suit against them. The group nomilitaryrecruitmentinourschools.org argues against JROTC and the state assembly bills:

http://www.nomilitaryrecruitmentinourschools.org/

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has criticized JROTC, along with several other programs, as a recruiting tool in their report "Soldiers of Misfortune" (posted above)

Other cities around the state are considering passing laws similar to those passed by Eureka and Arcata, based upon campaigns for their own Youth Protection Acts.

I do not know what the City of Santa Cruz's position is on JROTC and other programs which recruit youth under the age of 17. I urge you to read the ACLU report and follow the growing number of California cities considering their own Youth Protection Acts. Independent journalist Amy Goodman spoke in Santa Cruz yesterday. She has reported on the growing number of cities I referred to:

http://www.democracynow.org/2009/4/14/california_towns_fight_back_against_justice

It would be very disappointing if Santa Cruz found itself left behind in this fight for our children's future.

Sincerely yours,
John E. Colby, Ph.D.

email: colby [at] soe.ucsc.edu