Voices of Third World Resistance
Dr. King: The Trumpet of Conscience
Michael Simmons Interview
Pan-African Student Youth Movement
Young, Black, and in the Military
Allen Nelson: Crossing National Boundaries for Peace
Aimee Allison: Interview with a Gulf War Resister
Wounded Soldier: What You Don't Know Can Hurt You
STAMP Out Racism!
Third World Outreach Program
Who We Are
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Editor's Note to the Spring 1998 Objector: Voices of Third World Resistance
Voices of Third World Resistance is available as an acrobat file (429 kb).
When I first joined the staff of CCCO in January of 1996, I was hired as the field coordinator. Among my various job responsibilities was the task of organizing opposition to military recruitment within African/Latino communities. The first thing that I did was draw upon my own experiences. I thought back to the mid 1980's and the inner-city conditions of poverty in which I grew up. Then I thought about my high school, under-funded, run-down, lacking in proactive opportunities of virtually any kind.
Finally, I thought about the military recruiters that continuously staked-out our hallways, classrooms, cafeterias, and libraries. I thought of my friends who were just looking for a way out of the day-to-day violence and struggle of inner-city life, and found themselves taking up arms against the people of Latin America; people who looked a lot like us, and spoke the same language.
Upon reflection, I realized that I had to go back there. I had to go back to high schools like the one I went to, as well as inner-city youth groups and churches. I had to provide information to these students, young people just as I had been, just like my friends. I had to tell of empty promises made by military recruiters, racial discrimination running rampant in the ranks, the realities of sexual assault and discrimination in "today's Army," and the historical relationships between the U.S. Military and people-of-color. In looking back, I saw that what I was lacking, what my friends were the military upon our lives.
This Objector is a step in that dialogue. The voices of GIs, veterans, and draft resisters of color will bring to life the issues we discuss each day we're calling into question the 'opportunities' promised by military recruiters. I'd like to invite all Objector readers to join us to counterbalance the military's pressure on communities of color and low-income communities across the United States.
Mario Hardy, Guest Editor.
It's not often that one has a speech by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the testimony of a young Black naval officer in the same magazine.
We commemorate here the 30th anniversary of the death of Dr. King - a man whose record of anti-militarism and anti-war activism is far too often forgotten. (Ceremonies honoring Dr, King too often feature cadets from the Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC), drilling and marching in their crisp uniforms.) We hope to stimulate thinking about the impact of the U.S. military on young people of color, both here and abroad. The individuals whose voices fill this Objector have all been impacted in profound ways, and learned to challenge the military institution on many levels.
Looking at the profiles herein, I see that all but three pieces are written by or about veterans -- from Vietnam veteran Allan Nelson (Crossing National Boundaries for Peace), to Gulf War veteran Aimee Allison and young veterans Michaela Purdue and Kenn Dixon, who came to their own realizations about the realities of military life. Veteran draft resister Michael Simmons provides invaluable historical perspective about the history of CCCO, important as the organization enters the year of our 50th anniversary. We have much, still, to learn from the checkered history of the antiwar movement of that era -- as we move forward to get the word out to young people who are most at risk for military recruitment, and young people inside the military institution who may not know CCCO exists.
We also have the bold words of the Pan-African Student Youth Movement, drawing the connections between Dr. King and Elijah Muhammad and challenging youth to challenge militarism based on their example, while the testimony of veterans and active-duty personnel in Survivors Take Action Against Abuse by Military Personnel (STAMP) illustrates the tight web of militarism, racism, sexism, and abuse of power. And Allan Nelson's initiatives in Japan are highlighted by words directly from Japan, from the coalition working to remove U.S. bases from that country. Thus the dialogue Mario spoke of above begins.
If you're moved by what you read here, we encourage you to get involved. Write for extra copies and share them with friends, church groups, your school. Call Mario at 1-888-236-2226 and ask what you can do to further the dialogue. If the stories of distressed military personnel get your interested in the GI Rights Network, call Alex at the same number and order a copy of the (finally available!) Helping Out: A Guide to Military Discharges and GI Rights.
As always, thank you for your interest and attention.
Best,
Chris Lombardi, Editor |