[Peace-discuss] Fw: YMCA partners with ARMY

Mon Feb 14 20:07:49 CST 2005

Jan, I'm sorry, and apologize for my tirade. I did think it weird to 
see you saying those things, and I should have reflected. I just 
totally missed the boat. Being overly sensitive can dull the intellect.

Mort

On Feb 14, 2005, at 6:15 PM, jandurl wrote:

> Dear Mort:
> The response I gave to the YMCA  was my own weak attempt at Irony.  I 
> kept picturing Meridith and /or Kathy Kelly giving presentations at 
> that Podium at the YMCA about their time in Guatemala or Iraq and I 
> guess I let my sarcasm get the best of me.  I am in no way defending 
> the Y and the use of the lawn to recruit for the ARMY.  Carl tried to 
> warn me against the use of irony.  Notice where I places the "irony" 
> quotation marks in my response below!
> Sorry my attempt at the use of irony was seen as being naive.
> JAN Kruse
> ----- Original Message -----
>  From: Morton K. Brussel
> To: jandurl Kruse ; peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net
> Sent: Monday, February 14, 2005 1:10 PM
> Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] Fw: YMCA partners with ARMY
>
> 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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