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March 6, 2005

Counter-Recruitment Movement in NYC schools

One of the saddest moments for me in the film Fahrenheit 9/11 was the scene in which U.S military recruiters preyed upon young inner city youth at a local mall. Believing their future to be bleak, these kids naively listened as recruiter's made their pitch on the benefits of life in the military. Part of me wished I could grab these kids and tell them that there was in fact a better way; that joining the military wasn't the only option for a "better future".

Enter Youth Activists-Youth Allies (YaYas), a youth-led counter-recruitment group based in New York's public schools. YaYas is made-up of Vietnam vets and teenagers dedicated to empowering youth by informing them of the realities of military service and introducing them to alternative options for funding college.

Don`t get me wrong, I think that serving in the military can be a honourable endeavor. I just take issue when youth are taken advantage of by playing on their lack of knowledge and fear of the future. Big up to YaYas.

Visit the Amsterdam News to read more.

Check out YaYas`s bulletin board to learn about events in the NYC area.

Learn about other counter-recruitment orgs by visiting Youthandthemilitary.org

Posted by Jason at March 6, 2005 5:33 PM