[Peace-discuss] Fw: YMCA partners with ARMY

[Morton K.Brussel]

I find this an incredibly naive defense of the Y, for example:

> …we shouldn't be concerned since the Y is "committed" to social 
> justice and that
> army recruitment event on the lawn was just one more way to get young 
> people
> interested in doing the right thing.
> Maybe next time the ARMY wants to rent the "Y" lawn someone can 
> explain how
> military recruitment and social justice can work side by side..

The Army is not a social humanitarian agency, and recruiting in this 
day and age is to support the execrable militaristic aims of the Bush 
administration. Recruits simply become expendable pawns of the 
military, hired killers if you wish. They may not realize this, being 
naive and young and perhaps frustrated with their lives and prospects, 
but that is what they are basically recruited for. If this Y attitude 
were known widely, I'm sure the Y would lose considerable support among 
those who truly have a conscience for humanity.

Here, we at AWARE are trying to stop high school military recruitment, 
and we have these lame excuses. Perhaps allowing recuitment was only 
due to a particular person's actions, with lack of considered 
oversight, and we should not blame the Y over-all. Nonetheless…

mkb


On Feb 14, 2005, at 10:31 AM, jandurl wrote:

> Dear Peace List:
> Below is the response I received from the University YMCA in reference 
> to
> the question asked by Kate, a member of student peace action.  Kate was
> wondering about the use of the Y lawn by the ARMY.
> It sounds like we should no longer be concerned, since what Kate 
> observed is
> not really a Y "program" (it took place outside the doors on the 
> "lawn") and
> besides many current Y residents are "serving" their country in the 
> "armed
> forces".
> Isn't that what a "young men's Christian Association" should be all 
> about
> anyway?   And besides  the Y apparently needs the money.  So I guess we
> shouldn't be concerned since the Y is "committed" to social justice 
> and that
> army recruitment event on the lawn was just one more way to get young 
> people
> interested in doing the right thing.
> Maybe next time the ARMY wants to rent the "Y" lawn someone can 
> explain how
> military recruitment and social justice can work side by side.  I am 
> still
> troubled!
> JAN Kruse
>
> -
> Sent: Monday, February 14, 2005 9:31 AM
> Subject: Re: YMCA partners with ARMY
>
>
>> Hi Jan-
>>
>> Thank you for contacting me. As you know, the University YMCA runs on
>> a very limited budget and as such, relies quite heavily on space and
>> room rental fees. Our receptionist handles all rentals, like the one
>> on Friday from the ARMY and 107.1. It is policy for her to bring to
>> staff any inquiries about rentals from groups that are questionably
>> in efforts against the Y's, however, I don't believe she felt the
>> United States ARMY is one of those groups. Especially because so many
>> of Y students (residents and student leaders) have gone on to serve
>> our country in the armed forces.
>> As you also know, the University YMCA is an organization committed to
>> social justice efforts, but is open to the message of many. I
>> apologize on behalf of the Y for any concern this has caused, but
>> assure you the display on the lawn on Friday was in no way a "program
>> of the Y".
>> Please let me know if you have any other questions about this, and
>> feel free to pass this message along to the peace discuss list.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Becca
>>
>>> Becca:
>>> Can you respond to this message?  Many folks are worried about this 
>>> and
> find
>>> this to be of concern?
>>> JAN Kruse
>
>
>>> Sent: Friday, February 11, 2005 5:26 PM
>>> Subject: [Peace-discuss] YMCA partners with ARMY
>
>   It is not everyday you can discover the "oportunities" of the
>   ARMY on the front lawn of the University Y.  But today was
>   such a day.  You could also get a free keychain, talk with a
>   ROTC student, hear some rock blasting from speakers, and win
>>>>  some tickets to a basketball game.  107.1 (the planet) and
>>>>  the ARMY paired up to glamorize enlisting in the military.
>>>>  But why were they allowed on the Y lawn?   Is this common
>>>>  policy?  Does anyone know if this has happened before?  I am
>>>>  disturbed that the Y would allow people to recruit out
>>>>  front.  Even if they guise it as free speech (which I do not
>>>>  yet know their reasons) it will not lead to free speech
>>>>  wherever the people who enlist end up going.  I find this
>>>>  unethical and counterproductive to many of the events that
>>>>  take place at the Y.
>   -kate stepanski
>  student peace action member
>
>
>
>
>
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