(Read the entire article.)

(Return to blog home)

(Return to GPB website)

Ms Gizmo provided an opportunity for local taxpayers to determine how they would distribute their tax dollars for community needs – providing reflective moments of decision.

A review of the government tax allocation pie chart, which show the actual allocation of taxes for 2012, leads to discussions about the dismal distribution of tax $$s to social and community programs and the whopping amount allocation to past and present war costs.

Comments include: Cuts, cuts, cuts to local services, can’t get an affordable apartment in East Harlem, a high school student can’t get a job and needs to work, a young boy wants art in his school.

Here are the Ms. Gizmo totals for the day. It is not a surprise to see that the education tube gets the most pennies at a youth fair.

Youth, parents, neighbors stop at the Truth or Myth poster display to consider the issues of military enlistment.

Participating in the interactive Q & A experience, many are not sure about the effects of post traumatic stress disorder, or treatment of girls in the military, or what kind of skill training they might get.  The fact that an enlistee signs a contract for 8 years is a big surprise to most.  “No way. I just want to get a job or some money for college.” The handout, Options for Life After High School, offers non-military alternatives to review as well as financial aid, scholarships and community service. Lots to consider and so much to learn.

All those who stopped by the table were encouraged to fill in a sign – Make ? Not War. This activity was well received, and signs indicated such choices as: Make – friends, peace, cakes, love, and happiness.

Now wouldn’t that be just wonderful

- Barbara Harris
for the Granny Peace Brigade
Photos 1-3 & 5 Bud Korotzer
Photos 4, 6 &7 Barbara Harris
Chart by Edith Cresmer

(Return to blog home)

(Return to GPB website)

A voter calling to ask City Council to eliminate the approximately $2 million of taxpayer funds allocated to support the JROTC program in NYC high schools.

Hon. Robert Jackson
250 Broadway
Rm. 1747
New York, NY 10007

Re: elimination of funding for JROTC in the FY 2011 budget

Dear Councilmember Jackson:

The undersigned organizations write to ask that in its response to the Mayor’s Budget, the New York City Council, led by its Education Committee which you chair,  eliminate the approximately $2 million of taxpayer funds that will be used to support the JROTC program in the FY 2011 budget for the Department of Education.  At a time when the Mayor’s Budget calls for the laying off thousands of teachers, New York City’s resource-starved educational system can find far better uses for $2 million of taxpayer money than supporting a program whose basic goal is to promote militarism and foster sending New York City youth to participate in illegal and immoral occupations abroad.

As the attached chart indicates, the Federal government is paying slightly less than half the costs, apparently including all the fringe benefits, of this program.  The reason that the Federal government is paying the 41 JROTC teachers their fringe benefits is because they are not employees of the NYC DOE, but rather employees of the Federal government.  We believe that this sets a dangerous precedent of having individuals who do not possess the requisite qualifications to be a teacher in the DOE, nor who are members of the UFT, engage in teaching.

But more importantly, JROTC should be just about the lowest priority for the NYC DOE in the current budget.  You know better than most how under-resourced the City’s schools have been and continue to be, whether it is for teacher salaries, textbooks, or full time kindergarten – the list of desperate funding needs is long, and growing.

The overwhelming majority of NYC taxpayers have no idea that they are funding JROTC, and we submit that if they were informed of this fact, they would act to oppose such funding.  We understand that the Mayor has included funding for JROTC in his proposed FY 2011 education budget.  The budgetary process allows the Council to make changes in the Mayor’s budget, and the undersigned organizations urge the Council to eliminate this tax levy item in its response to the Mayor’s budget.  This unnecessary subsidy towards militarism should have no place in City’s FY 2011 budget, and we ask that you and the Council act promptly to recover these funds for far more important educational priorities.

We look forward to your, and the Council’s, leadership on this significant educational issue. This letter is being delivered to Speaker Christine Quinn and to all Members of the City Council Education Committee.

May we please hear from you.

Sincerely,
Barbara Harris

Barbara Harris, Chair Counter-Recruitment, Code Pink NYC Women for Peace
David Tykulsker, Vice-Chair, Brooklyn for Peace
Bob Keilbach, Secretary, Veterans for Peace, NYC Chapter 34
Alicia Godsberg, Executive Director, Peace Action New York State
Eva-Lee Baird, Granny Peace Brigade
Judith Le Blanc, National Field Director, Peace Action & Peace Action Fund
Henry Serrano, Senior Organizer, Voter Engagement Project Director,
Community Voices Heard
Rosemarie Pace, Director, Pax Christi Metro New York
Robert Jereski, Climate Action Group
Abby Scher, Chair, Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture Social Action Committee
Harry Bubbins, Friends of Brook Park
Judy Lear, Convener, Gray Panthers NYC Network
Joan Wile, Founder/Director, Grandmothers Against the War
Paul Corell, Coordinating Committee, The Park Slope Greens
Jim Moschella, War Resisters League NYC
Peg Rapp, Coordinator, The Washington Heights Counter Recruitment Group
Jackie DiSalvo, Emerita Associate Professor, Baruch College CUNY
Alice Slater, Coordinator, Abolition2000, New York Metro
Jim McCabe, Metro New York Progressive Democrats of America
Lillian Rydell, President, Westside Peace Action
Molly Klopot, Chair, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, NY Metro

cc:     Christine Quinn, Speaker
All members of City Council Education Committee

(Return to blog home)

(Return to GPB website)

Now more people know about that $2,000,000 and know how to contact their City Council member.*

We got lots of positive responses, a few negative, a smattering of phone calls and many more promises to call.

People were outraged to learn that a Department of the Army memorandum advises J-ROTC instructors to work closely with high school guidance counselors to sell the Army story.

See you in the streets.

-  Eva-Lee, Barbara H, Edith
for the Granny Peace Brigade

* To make a phone call to your NYC City Council member find the name and number at 212-788-7100 or http://council.nyc.gov/html/members/members.shtml.

(Return to blog home)

(Return to GPB website)

To counter military recruiting, on Thursday, March 17th, 38 volunteers, with a very small budget but lots of commitment, showed up at 14 high schools in NYC to distribute informational flyers to parents and students. The handouts address truth in military recruiting and non- military alternatives for life choices after high school.

Parents on their way to a meeting with their child’s teacher stop for a minute or so to hear about the ‘Options’, to find out about financial aid, scholarships and job and college websites. They thank volunteers for providing information they need, the support given, and thumbs up on learning more about opportunities available for their kids.

Outside a school, a group of 5 girls are talking. One of the girls with a guitar tells me she plans to enlist. I ask, ‘Why, what are you looking for?’ ‘Got information on music?’ she replies. Together, we look at the Options flyer and see a website for creative arts. ‘Check it out.’ Now she’s interested and takes the flyer. The other girls ask for the sheet too.

The Questions to Ask and Points to Consider Before You Enlist flyer provides responses to questions families have concerning promises and benefits of service often made to potential enlistees. Recruiters are salespeople and youth are their customers. This information rings true with parents and students.

‘Not going into the Army, no way. –I need this information for him.’ Volunteers note that most families are opposed to having their children serve in the military.

One teacher rushes by – no time to talk, but another teacher stops, ‘Wow – good stuff. I’ll talk to my class about this.’

Volunteers mention the rewards of the action – a moment of shared support, offering useful and positive information to families, and, perhaps, a change in direction for a student.

Volunteering for peace – Ending war one student at a time.

- Barbara Harris
for the Granny Peace Brigade
Photos: Eva-Lee Baird

(Return to blog home)

(Return to GPB website)

Interest in the presentations on the part of attendees more than compensated for the sparse audience. Barbara’s presentation on Counter Recruitment and the militarization of youth elicited many questions and people gathered up the various information materials to share with families and friends.

The most attention was for using Ms. Gizmo as attendees were eager to express their Fiscal Year 2011 allocations and here are their results…

1. Arts & Culture
2. Education
3. Environment & Clean Energy
4. Health Care
5. Housing
6. Jobs
7. Military
8. Transportation

- Nydia Leaf
- Ms. Gizmo Chart: Edith Cresmer
for the Granny Peace Brigade

(Return to blog home)

(Return to GPB website)

Volunteers handed out flyers and the Opt –Out form.  These materials provide information about misleading military recruitment inducements, steps to ensure that the military does not get a student’s private contact information, and on-line resources for alternative non-military options for a better future.  In a time of aggressive military recruiting of youth, this action is a direct way to educate families and students about future educational and non-military options to reach their goals.

Volunteers were able to engage in brief conversations with parents about these issues.  Parents appreciated the information provided and especially wanted to know more about financial aid, scholarships, and CUNY programs available to their children.  Two men on their way to a teen leaders’ youth club program asked for flyers to bring to their meeting. “Those kids really need this info.’

To learn more about counter recruitment and this project, go to www.grannypeacebrigade.org.  Read about the issues and download our flyers.  Anyone, anywhere can participate in this educational outreach action anytime and, perhaps, make a change for a family or student through such a connection.  A teacher requested copies of the flyers to give to her colleagues at Bronx high schools. The cost of war and the cutbacks in educational programs are shortchanging our youth.

Let’s turn this picture around and bring positive peaceful solutions and educational resources to all our children. There is good news:  Many schools are now in compliance with the Department of Education Ruling to distribute, explain, and collect the Opt-Out forms from students at the beginning of the school year. Many parents shared their thoughts and were strongly against their children joining the military.  The non-military Options and Alternatives handout can help make this hope a reality.

- Barbara Harris, Counter Recruitment Committee
Granny Peace Brigade / Code Pink NYC
Photos – Bud Korotzer

(Return to blog home)

(Return to GPB website)

Thirty-five volunteers participated in the action and were present at 11 high schools throughout the city. Teams included a group from the Lower East Side Girls Club, Peace Action Staten Island at 2 high schools, and volunteers fluent in Spanish, an asset in outreach to many parents.

Volunteer feedback indicates that many high school administrators have implemented the NYC Chancellor’s Regulations, which mandate the implementation and oversight of an Opt-Out program in their schools.  But several teams reported that a large percent of parents were still unaware of the importance of signing and returning the form to the school.  It may be a case of non-communication between student and parent, but it does require follow up attention.

The Options for Life after High School handout went like hotcakes – parents and students were requesting a copy, as well as a couple of teens who were ‘considering’ the military and a JROTC cadet in uniform.  Bottom line, it is clear that when a teen has an opportunity for job training or financial aid for further education, the military choice is put into perspective.

Many volunteers noted that more students wanted to talk to them, ask questions and get information.  Some parents recognized volunteers from last fall.  Being at the schools, we are making an impression and more able to provide support and options to parents and students.

Military recruiters engage students early – all the better for future enlistment potential.  Counter recruitment activities are a foot in the door to present youth with crucial information that recruiters omit and to counter-balance the promises that recruiters make. It is imperative that we provide more non-military options and programs to assist teens after they graduate.  It is also germane that counter recruiters address truth in recruitment and the militarization of youth inside and outside of schools.

I was on a team with a new volunteer from LaGuardia Community College who had never done a street action before. Walking back to the subway after distributing all our flyers, she was so excited by the experience, the connection with parents, and the feeling of fulfillment.  “When is the next action?  Please call me again”. Hoping you will join us too.

Contact: grannypeace@gmail.com – codepinknyc@gmail.com

Thanks to all the volunteers who made this action so successful.

- Barbara Harris – Counter Recruitment Committee
- Photos: Bud Korotzer

(Return to blog home)

(Return to GPB website)

At 1:00 PM today, next to the U.S. Army recruiting station in Times’ Square the Granny Peace  Brigade, as part of a coalition of Peace Groups observed the 7th year since the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq. We were joined by members of CodePink, Grandmothers Against the War, North Manhattan Neighbors for Peace & Justice, NYC War Resister’s League, NYC-UFPJ, Peace Action of NYS, the NY Metro Raging Grannies, and West Side Peace Action.

Our signs counted out the numbers of dead (and numbers of US. Taxpayer dollars) since March 2003.  We were chanting, “How do you measure the cost of war??” “How many?” “Too many!” “How much?” “Too much!!.”

The Raging Grannies were singing some fine songs, handing out their song sheets so that all of their allies and passersby could join in:

We, shall not pay for Endless Wars;
We, shall not pay for Endless Wars.
We’ll pay for jobs, and health and education,
Not for Endless Wars!
(words Pam Drake NY Metro Raging Grannies)

Our official speakers were NY City Councilwoman Gale  Brewer and Hugh Bruce of Veterans Against the War.

Brewer called out her own stats: the huge losses of city jobs in libraries, fire houses, and across the board diminishing safety and quality of life for us.

Hugh called on the President to end the futile US presence in Afghanistan, reminding us all that Alexander the Great had run into big obstacles there and it was time for the world to learn its lesson and give up trying to control that people. When Hugh had finished, I noticed a young man in fatigues.  At first I thought he was a boy in costume.  He was so young, so slight of build. As we began to talk, I learned he was for real.  He was 18.  He was on leave from duty in Afghanistan. He was glad to see us out there calling for an end to the war.  He said the Afghan people are turning against the military; they don’t want us there. He feels bad about the people he has killed. He must go back to active duty in a week or so; he’s just here with some buddies; he’s never seen Times’ Square before. He likes it. He wants to go to West Point when he’s finished his tour of duty; and after that he wants to be a senator. I say that we are there to ask that he can come home, go to West Point and be a senator. We need some good senators.

- Caroline Chinlund
- Photos: Caroline Chinlund & Eva-Lee Baird
for the Granny Peace Brigade

(Return to blog home)

(Return to GPB website)

Photo: Phyllis Cunningham

The currently marketed G.I. Joe, manufactured by Hasbro is the archetype of war toys.

Hasbro was nominated for awards in two different categories at the Toy Industry Association awards banquet on Saturday evening at Pier 60, Chelsea Piers in NYC. The Granny Peace Brigade previously had written to Brian Goldner, CEO of Hasbro, requesting a meeting to discuss our concerns about G.I. Joe and war toys but had not received a reply. We, along with supporters including members of the Raging Grannies, went to Pier 60 to send a message: RETIRE G.I. JOE!

Hasbro Has Got To Know – G.I. Joe Must Go YouTube video

Initially, at the entrance to Pier 60, we held banners, sang, and distributed flyers to let the arriving attendees know we are troubled by the manufacture and distribution of war toys. In time, we marched through the Pier 60 garage in an attempt to get closer to the entrance of the banquet hall. This provided attendees greater exposure to our message as they disembarked from taxis and limousines to enter the gala! We were happy to be in, out of the wind and cold.

Photo: Phyllis Cunningham

Were we asked to leave? You bet! Several times and by several different people. “This is private property!” Who owns the property? “The owners” of course. Members discussed our right to be there and the rest of us kept on singing, “Hasbro’s got to know G.I. Joe must go.” (download songs sheets from the Granny Peace Brigade “Songs” page.

Eventually the police showed up but we continued to sing and negotiate our space. Finally, when most of the attendees had already arrived, we slowly moved to the entrance of Pier 60…singing and chanting along the way. We continued to display our banners and sing while standing on the sidewalk adjacent to the pier entrance. A gentleman, who we were told was a supervisor of the area, commanded us to move across the street as “…this sidewalk becomes private property after sundown…from sundown to sunup it is private property.” We were to understand that it is only public during daylight. You can imagine how we related to that. The police asked us to move so that they could leave. We complied and moved across the street with our banners unfurled.

The following Monday, we went to the Toy Fair at the Jacob Javits Center to again get our message out.

Photos: Phyllis Cunningham

With banners and singing, members distributed flyers to attendees and passers-by. We had an opportunity to talk with attendees about war toys and how they may affect children: desensitization to fighting, violence, war and killing. There were many interesting conversations and much positive feedback concerning our toy campaign. We also heard, “I love G.I. Joe!” on occasion.

Please write to Brian Goldner and tell him to retire G.I. Joe.
Brian Goldner, President and CEO
Hasbro, Inc.
1027 Newport Avenue
Pawtucket, RI 02862

- Phyllis Cunningham
for the Granny Peace Brigade

(Return to blog home)

(Return to GPB website)