COUNTER-RECRUITMENT THRIVING IN THE DC AREA
by Fenny Drayton
Email: fennydraytonreports (at) gmail.com (verified) 18 Jul 2005

Like many areas throughout the US, counter-recruitment efforts in the DC area are a hot issue for activists, parents, and community residents.
This week in Silver Spring, Maryland there will be a community-wide meeting addressing what residents can do about military recruiters in the Montgomery County School system. This event, which will begin 7pm at the Montgomery County Library located at 8101 Colesville Road is being organized by the DC Anti-War Network. According to Malachy Kilbride of the DC Anti-War Network this counter-recruitment informational evening is the continuation of a campaign against recruitment by the DC Anti-War Network (DAWN) and an important part of the anti-war movement. "Parents see what is going on over in Iraq. Many of them are old enough to know and make the connections between Iraq and Vietnam. They know this whole thing is wrong and they don't want their children involved in this fiasco." said Kilbride. The DC Anti-War Network has been targeting a military recruiting station on Georgia Avenue for two months Kilbride said. All across the United States counter-recruitment efforts are sprouting up. From East coast to West coast people are organizing to resist what they believe is the encrochment of the military recruiters upon their children and communities. The Pajaro Unified School District of California voted in favor of giving parents and students an "opt-out" option that would not release a students identity to military recruiters amongst other things. "It is important for parents and students to remember that school districts are going along with the dictates of the federal legislation known as No Child Left Behind and they, the school districts, have to comply." said Kilbride. "For this upcoming week and the months to follow Montgomery County residents should be alert to the efforts being made by DAWN and others to what is available to them resisting the recruitment efforts by The Pentagon." said Kilbride. "For example, there are a couple of web sites and listserves that DC area residents can go to like groups.yahoo.com/group/DC_Counter_Recruitment/ and also www.counter-recruitment.org/website/" Kilbride suggested. The counter-recruitment efforts of DAWN and others hasn't been universally accepted in Montgomery County. "Most Montgomery County people are of the mainstream and will not accept what these people advocate." said Gloria Melyon who said she has no political affilation but acknowledged reading the Free Republic web site as Kilbride passed out flyers at the Silver Spring Metro station. "I'm not interested in what he has to say" said Melyon as Kilbride retorted "Good, an extra seat to fill at the library then..." as Kilbride continued to pass out flyers. "It ultimately doesn't matter what people like her say" said Kilbride. "There are others in Montgomery County involved in counter-recruitment like Pat Elder for example who have made it their mission to stop the recruiters and protect their children. And their are groups gearing up for the Fall like www.leavemychildalone.org/ who are doing the same thing." said Kilbride. It is the hope of DAWN and Kilbride that more will get involved in their counter-recruitment efforts following the meeting in Silver Spring on July 20th.