Military recruiters, confronted by crowd, leave campus job fair UCSC

[fed-up]

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/04/12/BAG3KI7INT1.DTL


SANTA CRUZ
Military recruiters, confronted by crowd, leave campus job fair
Anti-war protesters at university block doors to building
Diana Walsh, Chronicle Staff Writer
Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Four military recruiters hastily fled a job fair Tuesday morning at UC Santa Cruz after a raucous crowd of student protesters blocked an entrance to the building where the Army and National Guard had set up information tables.

Members of Students Against War, who organized the counter-recruiting protest, loudly chanted "Don't come back. Don't come back" as the recruiters left the hilltop campus, escorted by several university police officers.

"The situation had degraded to the point where there was a possibility of injury to either a student or law enforcement officer. We certainly didn't want that to happen,'' said Capt. Will Griffin, one of the Army recruiters.

University officials had been aware for weeks that Students Against War planned a protest to prevent military personnel from participating in the school's biannual job fair held for students.


...snip

[The Stranger]

1. Good riddance.

[babylonsister]

2. I've been waiting to hear a mighty roar from the students and

young people! :applause: :applause: I hope this spreads to every campus in the country!

[MADem]

5. It will only get serious if we hear the draft drums thumping n/t

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

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[Viva_La_Revolution]

14. Excuse me??!

My son signed up for NG last year, he is neither illiterate, or a 'rustic'... okay, he WAS a little ignorant about what he was signing up for. (I've fixed that) The kid just wants a chance to go to college.

He got lucky. He was scheduled to go to Afghanistan in April. They cancelled that order in January. I think it's because we (the anti-war crowd) have been loud enough that they re-thought the plan. Some guys who were supposed to go to Iraq have now been assigned to Afghanistan, and my boy gets to stay home, for now.

[saigon68]

17. Of your son I do not know

I hope he doesn't get killed in Cheney's oily war

I do not take a position on why he joined except to say "don't commit any war crimes"

some day some of the rustics like the ones who killed these children

(the marines who shot them in cold blood)




will be in the dock

and I will have no sympathy

[Viva_La_Revolution]

22. He's safe at the moment...

unlike those others who have already been sent there.

I have given him a crash course in the Constitution (your allegiance is to it FIRST, before the CIC)

The blanket statement that they are all ignorant rubes is just not true. The brainwashing they get in the military is a huge part of the problem. My boy is one of the most gentle, empathetic men you will ever meet, but when he came back from boot camp, I saw flashes of the bigotry he was indoctrinated with. Please keep that in mind.

[stanwyck]

27. actually, according to The New York Times

the average soldier has more education and is from a family with better income than the average person his/her age. Hard to believe. But the Times published a complete report based on gender, education, family income, and race for each branch of the military.
Marines, at least when my son enlisted three years ago, are required to have a high school diploma, GEDs are not accepted.
Many have some college.

[MADem]

75. They have been increasing the number of CAT IV and NHSG

(non high school grad) candidates enlisted as a percentage of the total force, but save the fussy, extrememly high quality Clinton years, where the standards were as high as they were gonna get, the quality overall is still pretty high. They've also increased the number of personnel accepted on waivers due to criminal records--it still isn't huge, but it's a larger percentage than it has been since the hollow military era. They can't keep it up, though--there will be a point where quality will suffer if they lower the bar any more.

It's one of the aspects that makes a draft hard to sell to the military. They'd only go for a draft if they could cherrypick the best and brightest, and when you couple those traits with an UNWILLINGNESS to serve, they're actually more trouble than someone slightly less clever. So, it's a conundrum for them.

If you can find a candidate who is smart, fit and WANTS to serve, you've found the ideal servicemember.

[jahyarain]

85. the one on the right looks just like my son when he's sleeping

my God, what the fuck have we done...

[Just Me]

19. Must be terribly difficult for you.

:( At this time, I don't anticipate the ability to finance my own son's education. :( He says he could join the Coast Guard hopefully avoiding being sent overseas to earn a means to college.

I wish my economic situation didn't suck so bad.

[stepnw1f]

66. Damn, It Must Be Difficult

You are in my thoughts, as well as your son.

[stanwyck]

21. Gee, I had no idea my son

was ignorant, illiterate, or rustic. He's a liberal Marine who voted for Kerry and has been to Iraq on two tours.
He's from an upper middle-class family in an Atlanta suburb. My husband and I are both professionals. His twin sister graduated from a private college last spring.
He has two years of college. And he plans to complete his education when he gets out of the Marines.
We raised both our children to be independent. He made his decision to join the Marines.
He disagrees with the war. But wants to defend his fellow Marines.
As his mother, I resent your referring to my wonderful boy as "low hanging fruit."
You should be ashamed.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

23. go Mom!

It got my dander up too. :hug:

[stanwyck]

33. Thanks, Viva

I'm really tired of the gross misrepresentation of our troops. There are some bad apples. Same happens with doctors, teachers, and real estate agents.
But to belittle them all as a group is juvenile and ill-informed.
DU is better than this.

[tn-guy]

37. Agree and disagree

"I'm really tired of the gross misrepresentation of our troops. There are some bad apples. Same happens with doctors, teachers, and real estate agents.
But to belittle them all as a group is juvenile and ill-informed."

I couldn't agree more with you on this. I know quite a few active duty and reservist troops and without exception they are intelligent, honorable, personable people who are motivated by a desire to serve their country. My own child was recently discharged and she is a very intelligent, compassionate person. Somewhere else in this thread someone said that it was hard to believe that the average military recruit is more intelligent than the average civilian from his age group. It is only hard to believe if one has no meaningful contact with military personnel. For years they have been "a cut above" the citizenry as a while in intelligence, adaptability and integrity.


"DU is better than this."

Have to disagree here. While DU should be better than this; sadly, it is not.

[Name removed]

64. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

25. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

35. I only see 9

:shrug:

4 in the back
2 in the middle
3 in the front

:shrug:

[saigon68]

39. Is that enough to sodomize the men on the floor ?

With Flash lights up their Rectums

Or would you prefer they use toilet bowl brushes?


In addition to the detainees, the pictures show Graner, Pfc. Lynndie England, Spc. Megan Ambuhl, civilian contractor Adel Nakhla, Spc. Roman Krol, Spc. Armin J. Cruz Jr. and Spc. Sabrina Harman, as well as a soldier the Criminal Investigation Command (CID) identifies as Spc. Rivera, three soldiers the CID identifies as "possibly Smith, Davis K. and Cinzano" and one soldier the CID identifies as unknown.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

41. facts are facts

when you exaggerate and are proven wrong, it hurts the cause.

stick to the facts, it's all we have. If you corrupt that, we will lose. You think the RW'ers will focus on what atrocities were committed? NO They will focus on the fact that you couldn't count.

[saigon68]

43. There are 11 in the 2 pictures

I only posted one of them

Count the names in the prior post--- there actually were 12 defenders of freedom ( One Civilian ) I didn't count

Tell me

Why is the empirical number of rustic military thugs and hoodlums who stuck flashlights up the prisoners anuses important?

[Name removed]

55. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[saigon68]

61. why are they still joining

[av8tor05]

29. I'm behind you.

I recently retired from the Army after serving over 24 years (both officer AND enlisted). Some people who post here have absolutely no idea what our service members are like. I can tell you from personal experience that they are some of the best and brightest our nation has to offer. They are not criminals or warmongers. In my last troop assignment, I had twelve enlisted soldiers who worked directly for me. All twelve had high-school diplomas, three of the twelve held PhDs, three more had BS degrees and two others were attending night school to get their degrees.

As a side note, no one hates war more than a soldier.

Believe it or not, some were even recruited when Clinton was in office and proudly served their Commander-in-Chief in Bosnia and Macedonia. Our NATO Commander for that conflict was General Wesley Clark.

It is shameful to disparage someone who chooses to serve in the armed services, even if they are recruiters.

I am now going to put on my asbestos underwear.

[saigon68]

31. When the best and brightest did shit like this

Did they say "I'M sorry" ?

Or did they hide a few CDs for a year or so

When Col Pappas got a free ride and testified against the guy with the Black dog




Did he say "I'm Sorry" my subordinates performed these Frat Pranks?


Your serve (see you didn't need your nomex boxers)

[leftchick]

45. my nephew had a bright future until the marines recruited him

He was very smart and cute and fun. After he came out of basic training it was a scary thing. He is a fine tuned killing machine with a horrible mouth on him. He loves to say " I can't wait to go kill some ragheads in Iraq". I keep my children far away from him. He makes me sick. :(

[Name removed]

46. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[leftchick]

47. Rollingstone Magazine has an excellent article out this week

called "The Killing Factory" reporting how the US military churns out killing machines. They use a system called "Total Control" to hardwire the new recruits for combat. It was quite frightening and I see it in my Nephew.

:(

[av8tor05]

51. If your nephew wasn't trained to be a steely eyed killer he

could end up coming home in a body bag himself. War is ugly, and like I posted earlier, no one hates war more than a soldier who has been there. Take a few moments to ponder that thought and then weigh the alternative.

[leftchick]

57. I don't need to ponder anything

He is not the person he used to be thanks to a marine recruiter. If he shoots up innocents in Iraq I suspect he would be better off not coming home and living with the after affects. Especially with no support from the US government for the rest of his life.

War is ugly and it is also a Racket. It is the civilians, soldiers and their families who suffer all of the consequences of war. Chickenshits like cheney, rummy and bush reep profits. Fighting for our freedom is so much horseshit. :puke:

[av8tor05]

58. I beg to differ.

"He is not the person he used to be thanks to a marine recruiter." No, he is not the person he used to be because you choose to remember him as the young boy he was once. He is now different because he is a man who has made difficult life choices.

I do not believe he has been trained to to "shoot up innocents in Iraq." I can tell you personally that in my 24 years I was never "trained to shoot up innocents." Do innocents die in war? Sadly, they do. Just like the 3000 innocents who died on 9/11, or on board the USS Cole, or at the bombing of our US Embassy. Look back through world history and you will find that innocents die in every conflict.

Should our fear of killing innocents at Normandy, Dresden, Mainz, Cologne or Berlin caused us to not confront the Nazis? Or would it have been better to let Hitler continue to kill the European Jews until they no longer existed? War is full of ugly choices, but it does not make a just war unjust.

[leftchick]

60. you have a post full of wingnut talking points

WWII? Sept 11 innocents? I hear the folks on Fox say those things often in conjunction with Iraq. What the hell does that have to do with Iraq? ZERO! Are you saying Iraq is a just war?? If anyone is behaving like Nazis it would be the US bulldozing over Iraq committing atrocities in city after city. Torturing, maiming, killing all for a bullshit reasons that change with the wind. History will show IRAQ is the USA's worst mistake ever!

And you do not know my nephew! He has not made difficult life choices. He joined the Marines because he was promised a career in engineering. He took the bait hook, line and sinker as thousands of others have. And my sister is a loser of a mother who encouraged him to join. He is not the same person because he has become a fine tuned killing machine who shows no empathy any longer towards human beings. He is disgusting to be around and I am ashamed of and sorry for him.

Adios!

[saigon68]

65. Lots of jock sniffers here today

They must have come from RimJob's place and CU today

[av8tor05]

72. That is your prerogative.

I am simply defending the fine men and women that have served and continue to serve our nation. I have never met a single soldier, airman or marine that fits the warped description that you have. You know nothing of our military.

You can describe my talking points as wing-nut if you like. I do not believe that someone has to be against our military to be for the democrat party.

In your post you state "WWII? Sept 11 innocents? I hear the folks on Fox say those things often in conjunction with Iraq. What the hell does that have to do with Iraq?". Nothing, I have not defended anything or anyone except our finest and bravest in uniform, you have done nothing but taint and color them all with one brush.

Get out of your little world and go meet some of us. Your view will change. Many of us pretty decent folks.

[saigon68]

76. You think its bad now

Wait 2 years and see what happens.

[leftchick]

79. indeed.

even one year.

[High Plains]

89. So who are the guys killing Iraqi civilians at checkpoints every

week? How about the Marines at Haditha (the ones who apparently massacred a family after one of their comrades got blown up)?

[saigon68]

96. I can't tell you anymore

They told me to stop

So I shall

[av8tor05]

97. Ask Zarqawi. It is not our soldiers.

[saigon68]

98. yes it is

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/special_packages/iraq/14298263.htm

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/12258556/

Three Marines have been relieved of their commands in connection with problems during their deployment to Iraq, including their battalion’s actions during a firefight that left 15 Iraqi civilians dead.

No charges have been filed against the three officers, who were reassigned to new duties within the division because of a “lack of confidence in their leadership abilities,” said Lt. Lawton King, spokesman for the 1st Marine Division at Camp Pendleton in California.

A videotape taken by an Iraqi shows the aftermath of the alleged attack by U.S. troops on civilians in Haditha: a blood-smeared bedroom floor and bits of what appear to be human flesh and bullet holes on the walls.

The video, obtained by Time Magazine, was broadcast a day after Haditha residents told The Associated Press that American troops entered homes and shot dead 15 members of two families, including a 3-year-old girl, after a roadside bomb killed a U.S. Marine.

[av8tor05]

100. No it isn't

[strategery blunder]

95. "Democrat party"

Shows where your allegiance lies. That's what Newt Gingrich calls the Democratic Party.

[silvermachine]

104. You caught that one too?

Struck me that way as well. As have things I've seen in virtually every post by this troll.

[saigon68]

111. The number of right wing phrases is astounding

[silvermachine]

103. You are fooling no one...

...except yourself perhaps.
Back under the bridge!

[av8tor05]

106. I'm not trying to fool anyone.

You don't seem to get it that someone here can and will stand-up and defend our military. I'm not going anywhere. There are others here who believe in standing up for our servicemembers while they are in harms way.

[saigon68]

63. already weighed your alternative

No thanks

[av8tor05]

109. And I thank you for your service.

As a prior service member yourself, you must agree that the purpose of our military is to do horrible things at the request of our civilian leadership (no matter which party is in command). Horrible things were done under Democrat Presidents as well as Republican. I for one have held to a philosophy that my soldiers would always be the best trained soldiers on the battlefield because I owed it to those soldiers and their families to do everything in my power to bring them home safely. Now, if that means someone else has to die, so be it. I don't have to like. But I took an oath to defend the Constitution and to obey the officers appointed over me and I did. End of rant.

[saigon68]

67. Yes this is how My Lai happened

It is what happened here



When 15 US military types saw one of their friends blown up

They ventilated about 15 (insert racial epithet here) heads

The military is in the process of investigating the rustics

[leftchick]

71. and God only knows how many other villages in Iraq!

:(

[saigon68]

73. The photos are endless

Children, old men and women blasted to bits

Here's my favorite




A stray dog feeds on an Iraqi corpse. Marines are now hunting down stray animals grown fat on the flesh from corpses and which could harbor rabies Photo AFP/Cris Bouroncle.


This is FREEDOM

TO HAVE YOUR FATHER'S CORPSE EATEN BY A PACK OF DOGS

[av8tor05]

74. God only knows.

And I am sure you do. You seem to know quite a bit about what is going on over there. Have you been?

[leftchick]

78. Fallujah for a start

war crimes galore. Google it and edumicate yourself.

[av8tor05]

102. You didn't answer. Have you been there?

[av8tor05]

99. Prove it.

I've seen where the same picture was used regarding an IED explosion.

[saigon68]

108. I don't have to prove squat to you

[av8tor05]

110. No you don't. It is much easier to type disparaging comments

with little or no regard for our military without any proof. I'll keep defending them.

[av8tor05]

49. Lies and more lies.

The soldiers I served with would never condone not commit the types of acts you are describing. I think you need to update your view from the 1970s. Maybe you could volunteer at the local USO or VA hospital and get to know a few of us. You just might open your eyes to a new way of thinking.

[Name removed]

62. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[stevekatz]

92. you know

There's no point in talking to people like this, they are close minded. They can't see the difference between Bush and a military uniform.
The democratic party will never win an election buy dragging the volunteer military's name through the mud, I say this as an Active Duty Staff Sergeant in the US Air Force.

I have to wonder if the party would be better off if we kicked out alot of people who are in this thread, I think they're part of the problem

[av8tor05]

101. Thank you and thank you for your service.

I'll continue to stand here and defend our service members.

[Name removed]

105. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[av8tor05]

107. It's pretty sad that defending our military gets you labeled by some here

as a troll. I'll stand and defend.

[av8tor05]

48. Yep,

I see all 2.7 million service members in your little portfolio of Abu Ghraib snapshots. You can disparage our service members all you want (it sounds that way to me. I hope I'm wrong), but while you tear down our military with your percieved hatred I'll continue to stand along side all those who proudly wear the uniform.

Just remeber our military is but a microcosim of our society. There are evil people everywhere, even here at DU.

Thanks for not making me put on the nomex. It itches.

[Igel]

93. Hmmm ...

Let's see. A few pictures of a handful of military people doing abhorrent things obviously allows us to generalize over the entire class of military people.

Why limit it to the US? After all, aren't all military people the same?

And while we're doing it, note that 19 mostly middle and upper class Muslims killed a bunch of people. Maybe the WTC--but if you're convinced that the denizens of the building watched demolition crews strip out and wire the place for a month or two before hand, maybe you can just count bombers elsewhere. I'm sure we can find 19. Unless you think Jews are behind all the suicide bombings, 7-7, and the Madrid train bombing.

I assume you're consistent with your thinking--I'd never dare to assume that you're just biased and inconsistent--and so you also declare all Muslims to be interested only in killing Jews and Christians.

No?

I fail to see the lack of a parallel.

You want to paint an entire class of people with a brush, you have to show that the stuff you're smearing is applicable.

[stanwyck]

32. Thanks for the support

it means a lot.

[av8tor05]

50. It means even more to here it from you. Thank you.

[MADem]

77. He's not. Anymore than I was when I served.

That's what happens when ya wave a broad brush around. The spatter goes everywhere, and all it does is make a big mess.

To my mind, he sounds like a patriot who won't let a dunce of president get in the way of his service to his nation. Good for him.

[av8tor05]

90. MADem

I could not have stated it any better than you just did. Thank you for your service.

[TomInTib]

6. Had to start somewhere. Last time it was Columbia and Berkley.

I like the part where the recruiters were worried about the safety of the students and the cops.

[bdamomma]

44. yes,

these young people have to be involved in politics. this narrow mindness has to go. get educated in what's going on in this country.

[One_of_8]

3. Good job protesters! N/T

[MADem]

4. Well, there's a situation where the students do the dirty work

...and the administration can keep their hands clean, and not forfeit any federal cash!

Talk about one hand washing the other! Well done!

[henslee]

7. Santa Cruz.... always been a rad town.

[sui generis]

9. take that ya bastids!!!

I wonder if the feds are now going to withhold funds from the university anyway because they couldn't control their free student population with a lockdown.

I suspect there will be a lame attempt at retaliation, but in the meantime the cold twisted little cockles (whatever or wherever those are) of my heart are gladdened and warmed by the protest.

:yourock:

[chaumont58]

10. Military recruiters went to UC Santa Cruz?

Somebody is not playing with a full deck. Have those recruiters been in a cave for the last 40 years?

[Melsky]

26. LOL that's what I was thinking

They went to Santa Cruz to sign up people for the war? What were they smoking?

[gkhouston]

52. isn't the mascot at Santa Cruz

the fighting banana slug? Are slugs the soldiers of the future? :shrug:

[kineneb]

91. banana slugs fight?

no, they slime!

a friend attended UCSC...
said at certian seasons there were banana slugs all over the walkways
...for those who have never encountered a banana slug...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana_slug

and on their mascot:
http://www.ucsc.edu/about/campus_mascot.asp

[aguilar]

11. Awful!

That is awful!!!

[meganmonkey]

12. What's awful?

Free speech?

Or that military recruiters would waste their time and taxpayers $$$ at one of the most raging liberal college campuses in the country?

:rofl:

[MADem]

81. It probably has to do with federal funding

Deny them access (the administration of the school, that is) and you lose the dough.

Free speech on the part of the student body is a horse of a different color, however.

[Webster Green]

15. Welcome to DU!

Why is it awful?

Students should not tolerate recruiters coming to dredge for cannon-fodder for bush's wars.

[IChing]

16. Yes, we are "recruiting" you to tell us why this is awful

Welcome to DU

[ohiosmith]

18. Hi aguilar. What's awful? The scumbag agents of an illegal and immoral

war being chased away or the fact that they were there at all?

[rodeodance]

13. good for the students. whow.

[gratuitous]

20. Reject the myth of redemptive violence

My generation started to, but fumbled the ball. Here's hoping the next generation does better.

We don't need to spend over a billion dollars a day on national defense.

[Chomp]

24. Surely

many recruiters are just as trapped in their situation as the guys in the literal frontline? I'm sure many of them feel like dirty, two-faced used-car salemen. (No disrespect to two-faced used-car salemen). Many of them probab;y hate having to lie for a living.

[LostinVA]

42. Actually, the recruiters generally are pretty rabid about what they do

And are like two-faced car salesmen: lying, spinning, etc.... but, like most of those car salesmen, they love it. And, this is per my BIL... a hero who served his country and broke his back... and to whom the Army doctors lied for three years, as he walked around in terrible pain with a frigging broken back. At 35, he is basically crippled. So, please don't tell me I'm anti-troops...

And, I have been around many soldiers, and lived ina military town for years, and there are more than a fair share of ignorant, racist, "rubes" in the bunch.

[MADem]

82. I ran a recruiting command years ago, and to be honest, they hated it

And so did I. We lost more "career" service personnel after a recruiting tour than you could shake a stick at. Recruiting has some of the worst retention numbers of any type duty. It's a horrible job, it sucks for everyone, from the leadership to the lowest man or woman on the lousy, house-of-cards totem pole. Make no mistake, the shit rolls downhill in that job. You have to struggle every day to hang on to your integrity.

Imagine being forced to sell used cars, when all you want to do is practice your military specialty. And if you DON'T sell those cars, you work extra hours, weekends, holidays, all to get those cars off the lot. It's what causes some recruiters to resort to misrepresentations and outright lies to persuade people to join. And all the while, they have to put on a false front, and act as if they are enjoying themselves, when it is the crappiest duty this side of the wire.

[zbdent]

28. Gee, you'd think that they'd be tougher than that

I mean, running in the face of "whiny liberal" college students?

[saigon68]

30. The last time they were run off campuses in the 70 s

There were a lot of crazy vets there in wheel chairs, who were scary looking etc

Remember there a lot of democrats who had a stake in Johnson's War

Kind of like the dino sheep who let their kids enlist and then get pissed

when we point out that without a supply of fresh meat, the green machine would grind to a halt.

[stanwyck]

34. who "let" their kids enlist?

Some young adults make up their own minds about their future. My son did. He was 20 years old. His decisions are no longer his Mama's.
"Let" him enlist?
What century are you posting from?

[saigon68]

40. Not yours

lol

Were you one of those lyndon johnson war hawks ?

[stanwyck]

54. a little too young for Lyndon's time

and never a hawk. Not everyone you disagree with is a DINO or a hawk. Our liberal credentials are just as impressive as yours. Maybe more so.

[saigon68]

69. I was here

Miami Republican Convention (1972)

Ron Kovic in chair on right


We didn't like lifers. I still don't

[leftchick]

80. kudos to you saigon!

the folks that served and then speak out are our country's bravest, TRUE patriots (unlike mindless shoot em up idiots) and deserve the deepest respect.

peace,
lc

[MADem]

83. You'd be a grandparent, if you were politically active back then!

I'm retired military, not a hawk, not a DINO. But then, I suspect I have the same gift of nuance as you do!

Don't let it get to you.

[stanwyck]

84. Actually, I've been gratified

by the number of very liberal military personnel, both former and active, who have been supportive of my son. People have a difficult time with my family being so liberal, including my very outspoken Marine son, and his being in the military. Bushies just expect us to be conservatives. And some liberals are suspicious of liberals having a Marine son.
Fortunately, we have had overwhelming support from people who are intelligent enough to understand that being in the military does not mean a person is a nationalistic, flag-waving babykiller filled with blood lust.
Also, there are numerous candidates, all Democrats by the way, who will be on the ballot this fall who are former soldiers who served in Iraq.
I hope they get elected and change the face of the military in America.

[MADem]

87. I know where you are coming from

There are, to be positive, quite a few people on this forum who can make the distinction between the servicemember and the failures of the civilian leaders. Some, sadly, cannot, or will not.

And I too am gratified by the number of Democratic vets running for office--it's a powerful field of strong, decisive candidates.

[One_Life_To_Give]

36. Overdone

Protesting Yes

Blocking others from hearing their message amounts to censorship.
They have a right to speak as much as anyone else.
Unless we think the first ammendment doesn't apply unless you agree with our view.

[tammywammy]

88. I agree

The students have the right to protest, but the recruiters had just as much right to be there too.

And there are some students that would like to join the military. If they can't talk to a recruiter at school, they'll just go to the office.

BTW, one co-worker being shipped for his second tour in Iraq next month (called up from ready reserves) and another leaves for Navy bootcamp next month as well.

[Vidar]

38. Good for the students!

[lovuian]

53. This is just how Vietnam came to a close the Colleges started

protesting and getting bigger and bigger...

[saigon68]

70. There was the draft TOO

If there was a DRAFT NOW Blood would flow in the streets of amerika

[Pastiche423]

56. Kudos to the students at Santa Cruz!

Santa Cruz? I had to read that twice, as I am familar w/Santa Cruz.

I hope more colleges and universities do the same.

[caligirl]

59. I'm going to have to call my son about this, he missed last years protest.

This thread is about last years protest being spied on by the Pentagon with documents in a pdf file linked at the bottom of the articles page. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2565541&mesg_id=2565541


Son is a senior at UCSC and i've been pushing him to get to the job fair. Didn't know the recruiters would have the nerve to come back.

[Massacure]

68. I'm jealous now.

We chant Bush Lied, Thousands died when recruiters visit my high school to recruit during the lunches. How come they don't leave? :shrug:

[jwirr]

86. Oh sure the recruiter is worried about the students getting hurt.

If they were so worried they would not be recruiting more cannon fodder for *ss's war.

[Igel]

94. Obviously they're anti-choice.

One must always be sure to clear any possible choice with those better qualified to say what you can and can't do. Same with speech: it's completely free, a Constitutional right--but only after approval is sought and given.

Obviously the students that might have been interested didn't check with their betters, and failed to freely march in lock-step as required. The administrators also forgot to clear it with those against war and violence, and as a result forced, even compelled, the pacifists to resort to intimidation. Yet another strike against the administrators and military.

[Moderator]

112. Locking

Everyone has had their say.
Too many personal attacks in this thread.

------
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