Anti-War Protesters Fight Military Recruiters in Schools

[theHawk]

This is un-fucking-real.


http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,175673,00.html

SEATTLE — When military recruiters march into any Seattle high school, they could find themselves in a war of words. Under new district guidelines, schools must allow anti-military groups to "counter-recruit" right next to them

"There might be good reasons to die for things, but there's no good reason to kill for anything," said Amy Hagopian, the mother of a senior at Garfield High School and the co-chairwoman of the PTSA, which passed a resolution seeking to ban the military from all Seattle schools.

Before the school board could act on the request, she berated an Army recruiter who showed up at Garfield High, told the soldier he was not welcome and waved pictures of Iraq war casualties in his face.

Click in the video box to the right for a complete report by FOX News' Dan Springer.

That incident followed a confrontation at a Seattle community college, where war protesters chased a recruiter off campus.

"It's something we have to deal with out here as recruiters because there's a lot of teachers and people in Seattle that just don't like the military being in the schools," said Sgt. James Ramsey, an Army recruiter in the area.

Banning recruiters would cost the school district millions in federal funding but some anti-war demonstrators are still encouraging kids to walk out of class in protest.

Outside of Seattle, it's often a different story. Many school districts offer junior R.O.T.C. classes and welcome recruiters. Every branch of the military is working hard to fill the ranks and meet the responsibilities of the post-Sept. 11, 2001, world.

And while the opponents argue kids should be in college, not on the battlefield, recruiters say making contact with high schoolers is vital to defending the country. A job which, they say, is already hard enough.

 

[Abbey Normal]

Okay, then, can we please keep all National Guard troops permanently out of Seattle? They dont deserve them.

 

[Annie]

Okay, then, can we please keep all National Guard troops permanently out of Seattle? They dont deserve them.

Can we keep all federal dollars out of the Seattle schools? I think we should.

 

[pegwinn]

I don't think anyone is surprized at this are they. Washington State is known and an extreme left state anyway. Home of the recount election. Sister to California. Pull the federal funding from that school district. Throw a few negative smear ads that way as well.

 

[Bonnie]

What's equally disturbing is that one woman is imposing her political philosophy on everyone in her district, and has rallied kids to leave school and attend anti-war rallies....One young boy who they interviewed at one of these rallies said "Yeah war is really bad and stuff".....

SCARY!!

 

[Gunny]

What's equally disturbing is that one woman is imposing her political philosophy on everyone in her district, and has rallied kids to leave school and attend anti-war rallies....One young boy who they interviewed at one of these rallies said "Yeah war is really bad and stuff".....
SCARY!!

A shoe-in for valedictorian.

 

[BaronVonBigmeat]

Umm yeah, war is in fact, pretty bad. Instead of counter-recruiting though, they'd do better to simply take the kids to visit a VA hospital before signing up.

And there shouldn't be any federal funds for education, period. Witholding education dollars because local governments won't bow to the wishes of a centralized state smacks of socialism.

 

[Bonnie]

Umm yeah, war is in fact, pretty bad. Instead of counter-recruiting though, they'd do better to simply take the kids to visit a VA hospital before signing up.

And there shouldn't be any federal funds for education, period. Witholding education dollars because local governments won't bow to the wishes of a centralized state smacks of socialism.

Yes War is bad but sometimes necessary, what is also bad are those that claim to be responsible for children during the hours of 9am to 2pm fostering their own liberal beliefs upon other people's children..........I thought education was about reading, writing, and math???
and the rest was up to parents?? Or are schools/teachers in this country now using tactics from the North Vietcong's playbook, making parents irrelevant????????? Communist Automitons anyone???

 

[Mr. P]

but there's no good reason to kill for anything," said Amy Hagopian,

She’s a Blonde, x-cheerleader, debutante and maybe Valley girl….Right?

All that , or any combo= MORON!!

 

[The ClayTaurus]

If we pull federal funding, would they still have to pay federal taxes, hypothetically?

 

[CSM]

If we pull federal funding, would they still have to pay federal taxes, hypothetically?

I hope not. Of course, then when (not if) the city drops into the ocean we wont have to worry about sending in FEMA to rebuild, etc.

The real issue is whether or not US citizens and their governments (local and state) can pick and choose their responsibility and rights in a democratic country cafeteria style.

It would be totally ironic if by some extreme coincidence, the libs got their way and all recruiters were banned from recruiting. Of course, the military would get MUCH smaller so we wouldn't have the global reach we have now. We also would not have the world influence we have now (for good or bad). Then, folks, the US would really be isolationists.....

 

[theim]

If we pull federal funding, would they still have to pay federal taxes, hypothetically?

I don't see why not. They are still citizens of the United States, and if patriotic Americans have to pay taxes but America-hating treasonous dogs don't, that would be pretty messed up.

 

[theim]

"And while the opponents argue kids should be in college, not on the battlefield, recruiters say making contact with high schoolers is vital to defending the country. A job which, they say, is already hard enough."

And this is what pisses me off the most. THERE...IS...NO...DRAFT. If someone wants to go into the military instead of or at the same time as college, that is there own choice and you should mind your own f***ing business. Soldiers are not kids or children, they are grown adults, thank you very much. And filthy liberals who mindlessly repeat "We Support The Troops (tm)" and then look down on them as little stupid hayseeds who saw the big guns and pretty uniforms and said "Garsh, that looks like fun! A-hyuck!" make me want to vomit.

 

[The ClayTaurus]

I don't see why not. They are still citizens of the United States, and if patriotic Americans have to pay taxes but America-hating treasonous dogs don't, that would be pretty messed up.

So you would advocate that they pay into a system from which they see zero return?

 

[Hobbit]

So you would advocate that they pay into a system from which they see zero return?

Actually, they get quite a return. They just don't appreciate it. If somebody doesn't want to pay taxes, you have to pull their highway access, emergency services, and many other things they get from the government that they just don't appreciate.

 

[pegwinn]

Instead of making a big deal out of it, simply enforce the existing law by removing the federal funding. Then appear in court for the inevitible lawsuit and drop about 70000 pounds of paper on them.

 

[The ClayTaurus]

I just don't see how you can pull their federal funding, yet continue to require them to pay federal tax. If you want to pull their funding, then cancel their taxes and effectively let them seceed.

 

[Semper Fi]

They're doing the same thing at my school. About once a month the Army is in the lunch room banging the drum for prospective recruits, compared to quarterly or semesterly last year. I dont understand the arguments against the presence of military recruiters in schools, heres why:

If a student dislikes the military, then don't talk to the recruiters. Period. Simple solution.

If a student wishes to attend college after high school, then more glory to him or her. That's no reason to bar an opportunity for any other student in the school.

Here's what gets me. A lot of students after high school end up in alleys shooting crack cocaine and eventually wind up dead or in jail; nonetheless a burden on society. The military has saved countless souls from meeting that fate, especially in rough schools. The military is simply there to point out an opportunity and an option for post-high school life. Instead of pickiing up the pistol and hitting the streets in search of drugs, maybe the student would pack his bags and head for Parris Island. Who knows?

That being said, I'd like someone to refute me on my arguments. Seriously, I'm wondering if there are any arguments that can beat mine and the rest of them on the board.

And by the way, some kids do belong on the battlefield. Not everyone wants or has a desire to go to college, the world and the USA needs the boys to join up after school and hit the battlefield. Shows how much she knows...

 

[CSM]

I just don't see how you can pull their federal funding, yet continue to require them to pay federal tax. If you want to pull their funding, then cancel their taxes and effectively let them seceed.

Your arguement appears good on the surface, however, it then implies that any individual or organization who does not like how a particular chunk of revenue is being spent can then refuse to pay any tax at all. So if I disagree with money being spent on welfare, I should not have to pay taxes. If I disagree with money being spent on grants for the arts, I should not have to pay any taxes. If I disagree with money being spent on rebuilding NO after Katrina, I should not have to pay taxes.

The bottom line is, we all pay taxes. Some of the money is spent in ways that I like, some isn't. That does not mean I should not have to pay taxes.

In this case, I do believe that if you do not want recruiters in your schools, you do not have to have them. The government doesn't have to provide any federal dollars to that school. That seems fair enough to me. Don't worry, you still get your welfare check and artists grant to put a crucifix in a bottle of urine!

 

[The ClayTaurus]

Your arguement appears good on the surface, however, it then implies that any individual or organization who does not like how a particular chunk of revenue is being spent can then refuse to pay any tax at all. So if I disagree with money being spent on welfare, I should not have to pay taxes. If I disagree with money being spent on grants for the arts, I should not have to pay any taxes. If I disagree with money being spent on rebuilding NO after Katrina, I should not have to pay taxes.

The bottom line is, we all pay taxes. Some of the money is spent in ways that I like, some isn't. That does not mean I should not have to pay taxes.

In this case, I do believe that if you do not want recruiters in your schools, you do not have to have them. The government doesn't have to provide any federal dollars to that school. That seems fair enough to me. Don't worry, you still get your welfare check and artists grant to put a crucifix in a bottle of urine!

I misunderstood, apparently. I thought you wanted to pull all funding from the state.