Military Recruiters Dodge Debate With Cindy Sheehan

Berkeley, CA

On May 29 in Berkeley California,
Cindy Sheehan was scheduled to debate military recruiters on two questions:
(1) Why are military recruiters in our schools and communities? (2) What are they recruiting for? 
 
But the recruiters did not show up (this was NOT for lack of World Can’t
Wait’s efforts to bring them! See below***).  So instead, the live audience
that had gathered at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church was treated to a memorable,
close-up conversation between Cindy and KPFA Flashpoints producer Dennis
Bernstein.

The evening was special because May 29 is the birthday of Cindy’s son
Casey, who was killed in the illegal, immoral war in Iraq.  Cindy opened
the evening calling for “a noble cause”: reaching young people,
“student by student by student — convincing them not to join the
military.”   

Then with Dennis interviewing her, Cindy
told the story of Casey’s recruitment into the Army. She talked about
the war, the lies behind the war and the lies of the recruiters — why
people shouldn’t take up the slogan of “support the troops”
— the real pro-war positions of Obama and all the mainstream politicians
— why it’s wrong for people to believe that Americans deserve more in life than others do, and the
kind of future better world she’d like to see.   
 
It was a fascinating conversation, and when Dennis opened the floor
for comments and questions, many people of all ages jumped up to take
part. Everyone thought this was a great program, although we were all
most disappointed in the failure of the recruiters to 
face Cindy.   
 
For the record: World Can’t Wait is NOT giving up on the plan for face-to-face
debates with the recruiters! As the war goes on, and as we step up efforts
across the country to force recruiters to shut down operations in schools
and communities, hearing these issues genuinely debated can help many
more people make up their minds to join the battle. 
 
Getting the recruiters away from the youth isn’t just the responsibility
of the youth themselves or just their families or teachers – it’s
the responsibility of the entire community.  All of us. 
 
This really must be done. Struggling to stop the recruiters is a way
to stop the war itself.  Where do the troops (and the expansion of troop
levels both parties are calling for) come from? From our youth. The
recruiters are everywhere.  They keep regular appointments in the Career
Centers.  At some schools especially where there are a lot of kids from
families without much money, the recruiters roam the halls during classtime,
approach kids at the vending machines.  They take students away from
school grounds for meetings after school.  Sometimes they bring along
recent graduates who have succumbed and joined the Army. These recruits
come back and talk to their 
former school-mates, telling them — maybe a month after boot camp —
how everything’s cool, and nah, they’re not going to Iraq… 
 

Watch these excerpts of Cindy’s discussion and join 
World Can’t Wait everywhere to DRIVE THE RECRUITERS 
OFF OUR CAMPUSES AND OUT OF OUR COMMUNITIES!

[*** Reasons the recruiters gave for not coming to debate Cindy: 
 
1) “I can’t decide this, I’m passing it up to my superior officer.” 
(This was said sequentially) 
 
2.) “Somebody higher up shot it down.” 
 
3.)  We were also told that recruiters can’t be publicly asked to discuss
the war — that being a “political” question, and since they
are recruiters and not politicians, they cannot discuss the merits of
the war.]