Stopping War Where it Begins: Organizing Against Militarism in our Schools...
....is organizing against Permanent War
U.S. citizens that are proactive in opposing war must help shape the tone of anti-war and peace conversations to be more inclusive of the counter-recruitment analysis.
"The National Network Opposing the Militarization of Youth (NNOMY) is integral in bringing local, regional, and national peace and human rights groups together to help the nation understand that providing ALL youth with peaceful and viable alternatives to achieve success in life is an important sign of a civilized society." Source: NNOMY National Call
The National Network Opposing the Militarization of Youth (NNOMY) is a network of organizations that stand up against the militarization of schools and young people in the USA.
"The U.S. military is deeply embedded in public schools, shaping children’s futures long before they’re old enough to understand the consequences — and parents were never meaningfully asked."
NNOMY was founded in the aftermath of the 2004 national counter-recruitment conference "Stopping War Where it Begins" in Philadelphia.[1] It is intended to be a decentralized and flexible structure that helps national, regional and local activists and organizations by promoting communication efforts and by stimulating collaboration between network members. NNOMY organizes actions and campaigns against militarism in order to raise awareness and to increase education on the topic.
Students
Before enlisting, think carefully about what it means to be a soldier for eight years. Every member of the military, from the medic to the mechanic, is trained to fight and to kill, and the ongoing conflicts prove that fighting and killing can begin very suddenly. You may enlist to get job training or money for college, but eventually you may be faced with war. You owe it to yourself to think seriously about when you believe it is justified to kill another person. - Learn more
Parents
Not so long ago, joining the military was a way out and a way up for lots of young Americans. It helped them grow up, get a start in life, maybe learn a skill, defend their country, and be part of a noble cause. If you have kids today, recruiters will be around to see them. Maybe we already have, telling that familiar story. But today, less and less of it is true. I hate to say it, but that's the fact. - Learn more
Teachers
To envision a culture of teaching peace precludes a society that supports, funds and appreciates the rich global history of nonviolence through an explicit pedagogy and practice of peace. In essence, the learning environment fosters an outlook of global interdependence, ecological accountability and cultural sensitivity. The community places peace at the center of the content and processes, embracing all learning styles and environments, as well as supporting a participatory and shared learning environment between teachers and students. - Learn more
The military recruiters’ training manual says “school ownership is the goal.” Not if we can help it! Counter recruiters from Los Angeles to New York and Florida to Seattle have changed school board policies to protect students from military recruiters. Come hear how we did it. What worked and what didn’t. Learn what pitfalls to watch out for and share creative solutions to bureaucratic problems.
This discussion will focus on the impact of US militarism around the globe, including the 700 and more military bases around the world, and its affect on communities. We will discuss the international resistance movement, including movements of student, teachers, conscientious objectors, and grassroots communities who struggle against military expansion and a new?liberal agenda. Participants will also explore what is needed to build an international peace and justice movement that includes counter recruitment.
Are you working all by yourself or with just a few others in a school district that is pro?military?
Are you having trouble gaining access to the schools? Is regional/political insensitivity a problem within our movement? Don’t trust the school board route? Feel like giving up? Spark your creative juices! Discuss grassroots organizing to develop the power of your counter recruitment efforts and impact your community. Take depth of your effectiveness and successes. Share your stories and materials.
The workshop will examine a variety of issues, including the Urban war on poor and Black, from SWAT response to MOVE, training with “incendiary device” to "Battle of Seattle" Violence from wars brought back into the community, prisons and profit targeting immigrants. Torture taught in military returns when veterans become police and prison guards, police training/ tactics for controlling protest.
