Anti-War Grannies Arrested Trying to Enlist

[babylonsister]

Anti-War Grannies Arrested Trying to Enlist
by Matthew Cardinale

ATLANTA, Georgia - As part of actions across the United States to mark the fifth anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, 10 “Grandmothers for Peace”, ranging in age from 57 to 80, were arrested Monday while trying to enlist in the United States Army. Acts of civil disobedience are planned this week in at least 17 other U.S. cities.



As exclusively observed by IPS, the Grandmothers for Peace entered the Army Recruiting Station at the Midtown Place Shopping Centre in Atlanta, Georgia at around 9:30 am. The women broke up into three groups, each approaching a different recruiter’s desk to engage them in questions.

“When do you get the bonuses? Do you get them right away?” a Grandmother asked.

“You guys are on a fishing expedition to catch people in lies,” declared one recruiter, who said her name was “Ms. Reed”.

“What we’re doing is, we’re very much against the Iraq war. We’d like for you to let us enlist,” said Bobbie Paul, 58, executive director of Atlanta Women’s Action for New Directions.

“We have to make sure people are physically pre-screened,” said a recruiter named Kevin Wells.

“Could we enlist today? So the youth don’t have to go? Can you give us a list of jobs?” Paul persisted.

“There are regulations we have to follow, set by the government, as far as entry and recruiting,” Wells responded.

“Would you take me? I’m 80,” said Doris Benit of Kennesaw, Georgia.

“Me personally? Absolutely! But as far as the Army, there is a process,” Wells answered.

more...

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/03/18/7744/

[Uncle Joe]

1. Granny get your gun. n/t

[Zywiec]

2. I loved that song by Squeeze. n/t

[I work for workers]

3. Hassling recruiters is just about the lowest form of war protesting.

It wastes the time of both Soldiers and potential enlistees (people who have nothing to do with any policy), makes the protesters look like absolute idiots in the eyes of most of the public, and generates far more anger then sympathy.

[babylonsister]

5. Lighten up. This illegal occupation is wasting people, not time. nt

[I work for workers]

6. No. Taking out your frustration on our military is reprehensible,

not to mention counterproductive.

If these women got arrested, it's because they went in planning to get arrested, and acted like asses until the police were forced to remove them. They wasted the time of the recruiters, anyone present who was interested in a military career, and the police. The end result is that a bunch of people on the internet who already agree with them cheer them on, and the majority of everyone else who sees this is annoyed. That includes people who might be on the fence about the whole thing until they have a reason to identify war protesters as "those people who got arrested trying to disrupt the Army recruiting post".

[babylonsister]

8. As a war protester, I don't agree with you, but that's not surprising.

Maybe if there were less recruiters=less young people signing up, someone might have thought of an alternate way to get their war on. Or maybe they wouldn't have even started one. :think:

That's the point the grannies are trying to prove and no amount of you arguing their point will change it.

Edit to add: do you have a problem with Iraqi Vets against this mess? Google Winter Soldier if you don't know what I'm talking about.

[I work for workers]

10. Less recruiters = more overworked recruiters.

There will always be plenty of people looking to join the service, and so long as we have a volunteer military recruiters are an essential part of the picture. Sure, so far as America's taboo about disrespecting our troops in concerned, recruiters are probably the group people least care about protecting. Keep in mind that they are still members of our military, and that nobody joins as a recruiter. Every one I have ever talked to had been in a different MOS for years before they transfered.

Also keep in mind that recruiters, like virtually everyone else in the military, have absolutely no part in making policies. The credit for that falls into the collective lap of Washington DC. I find it terribly unfair to bother recruiters for something they have more or less nothing to do with.

[GreenPartyVoter]

16. I think there would be a lot fewer people joining the military if they had other options. I also

think that quotas pressure some recruiters to act dishonorably by lying to kids, misrepresenting the inherent dangers of the job, and in some cases they go out of their way to recruit people who shouldn't be like mentally challenged people.

(There are plenty of articles documenting these cases: %3BLC%0D%0A%3Ablue%3BLH%3A75%3BBGC%3Awhite%3BAH%3Acenter%3BVLC%3Apurple%3BGL%3A0%3BS%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.commondreams.org%3BAWFID%3A558a065e2b806dc5%3B&domains=www.commondreams.org&sitesearch=www.commondreams.org )

[petgoat]

11. What's wrong with wasting the time of the recruiters?

Why should we show deference to people who lie to our kids to
try to get them to ship out and get killed?

[superkia]

20. When the government lies and hides the reality of the war from...

people and then puts out commercials and recruiters to get people(usually poor) to sign up for something that they are being lied to about...someone needs to give the dead a voice and thats what they are doing, trying to get people to notice whats happening. Obviously, the dead mean nothing to you and you cant see whats happening or you are a part of it.

Good luck to you! America: the country that can call you unpatriotic or a terrorist for civil disobedience! What the fuck happened to our country, how many enablers like yourself are out there? No wonder everything is falling to shit around us, thanks!

[I work for workers]

21. Nonsense. I'd wager that the average recruiter has a better

understanding of what it is to deal with military deaths then most other people do. While we are on the subject, let me add "pretending to represent the dead" to my list of things that annoy me. Both sides love to do it all the time, regardless of having ever met the people they speak about or even knowing anything about how they felt.

Every recruiter I have ever dealt with has been honest and upfront about what is involved in entering military service. I've dealt with several, and I don't believe any of them ever lied to me. I don't doubt that there are a bad recruiters out there, but I have feel the majority are helpful and truthful.

[superkia]

22. I guess the documentary I watched was faked? They followed...

some marine recruiters around poor neighborhoods and tried to pick out good targets by their looks and they treated the whole thing as a game. They weren't talking about the war, they talked to them about how it could help them in the future with music careers and anything else they felt the "target" would respond to. So I will back down and say you must know all and maybe your experience with the "few " you dealt with, represents the whole picture?

As for the innocent lives lost, American and Iraqi, someone needs to speak out for them because my brother was givin shit for speaking out, thankfully he made it out alive. Instead of listening to a "few" recruiters, I would suggest you go speak to the families and friends that have lost their loved ones.

From your tone, I take it you are for the war and believe that lives for oil is a good trade off as long as it is not your peoples lives.


I guess my personal experiences may not reflect the rest of the country, so why should yours?

[I work for workers]

23. Have you ever read an enlistment contract?

ANYTHING ELSE ANYONE HAS PROMISED ME IS NOT VALID AND WILL NOT BE HONORED is printed right next to the line you sign and after the description of what you will get and give. Multiple people, recruiters included, are required to explain this to you throughout the process. It really doesn't matter what hook recruiters use to get people to talk to them for five minutes. All that is is an initial sales pitch to keep someone from walking away. I've done the same thing on election season door to door petitions, phone banks, and get out the vote events. As soon as they start the actual process of enlistment, someone is going to lay all the cards on the table.

I just enlisted. I didn't just talk to my recruiter. I talked to everyone I knew with military experience, all of my friends and family, and did as much research as possible before I ever made an appointment. I can safely say I've never been lied to by a recruiter. So far the whole thing has been a positive experience*.






*I'm sure basic will change that...

[The Stranger]

9. Nice reactionary post. To some, it is always wrong to protest.

Everyone should get into line and do as their told. No matter the atrocities being committed.

[Donnachaidh]

14. I love the fact that the grannies have more cajones than some

After all, they are doing SOMETHING. And it doesn't seem as if those feisty old gals generated anger.

[dawgman]

4. What a wonderful use of time and resources on the part

of the police. I am glad that tax dollars were spent on this.

[Fireweed247]

7. Go Grannies!

Love it!!

[Froward69]

12. I had a crazy uncle

who tried the same thing in '05. he took his honorable discharge papers from 1946, and told the recruiter that war should not be fought by youngsters.

he had already been to boot camp and actual combat, so uncle sam could save the time and money training him.... there fore he was ready to lead and keep our youngsters safe.
the recruiter drove him home saying not a word except "yes sir, yes sir".
Uncle William thought it was damn funny.
he died about a year later.

[babylonsister]

13. I love your crazy uncle! nt

[GreenPartyVoter]

17. What an awesome guy!

[yurbud]

15. I'm surprised they didn't just let the grannies enlist.

[Zookeeper]

18. I'm sure many of us mothers would go in place of our children.

I will not sacrifice my kids for BushCo and war profiteers.

[peacetheonlyway]

19. Those are my ATLANTA FRIENDS.. you GOOOO GIRLS!

I hope you guys had fun. we appreciate your courage in standing up to an illegal immoral war.

Bobbie Paul, you're the best!@

Doris, I just want to hug you!!

Make sure my buddy Glo is fine!! take care of her in jail...

[crimsonblue]

24. This is something my grannie would totally do..

She was born in raised in England and went through the Nazi air Raids, and she doesn't take shit from anybody. These grannies are true American heroes!

[pleah]

25. Go granny, go granny, go granny, Go!

:applause: :woohoo:

[malaise]

26. Love you grannies

:applause: :yourock:

[Echo In Light]

27. Anti-War Grannies fuckin RAWK!!!

:yourock:

[lonestarnot]

28. Rag'n Grannies in Tucson did the same thing with the same outcome.

Charges were dropped! :applause: