Title: FW: [globalnews] A National Student Strike...
From: 180/MDE Clearinghouse <[EMAIL PROTECTED] <http://us.f116.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?[EMAIL PROTECTED]&YY=88443&order=down&sort=date&pos=0&view=a&head=b> >
STUDENT STRIKE FOR BOOKS NOT BOMBS!
The Bush administration is intent on plunging America
into an illegitimate and pre-emptive war that will only
increase danger for Americans and the world. At the same
time education, healthcare, the environment, and the
economy are being neglected. Its time for youth and
students to take a stand for America's future!
ONE-DAY NATIONAL STUDENT STRIKE, MARCH 5TH, 2003
Books Not Bombs! Stop The War Against Iraq!
The National Youth and Student Peace Coalition (NYSPC)
calls upon students on campuses across the United States
to join us in a one-day student strike on March 5th,
2003. See <www.nyspc.net> for details.
As students and youth, our futures will be shaped by the
actions that the Bush administration takes today. A US
attack on Iraq will inevitably:
- Endanger the lives of US servicemen and women
- Increase the suffering and misery of the Iraqi people while
slaughtering thousands of innocent people
- Encourage terror attacks against the US around the world and at home,
- Be used as an excuse to erode civil liberties
- Divert resources from education and social services
- Subvert historical precedent and international law
As students and youth, the future of this country, we
are disturbed by the lack of attention paid to the real
needs of Americans, especially education. Financial aid
opportunities and family income are rapidly losing
ground to the rising cost of higher education. *1 Low-
income families are facing decreasing access to
education. Student debt is increasing. *2 All while the
US military budget steadily increases (12% from 2000 to
2002 *3).
We say NO! to this war of terror to increase American
power and take control of strategic oil supplies.
JOIN US IN A STUDENT STRIKE MARCH 5TH TO DEMAND:
US Government:
- End the drive for military action and sanctions that target the people
of Iraq
- Fund education to ensure that everyone in the US has access to higher
education
- Re-allocate military funds to eliminating poverty and building peace
and home and abroad
Campus Administrators:
- Declare opposition to the war
- Disclose and eliminate military research contracts
- Freeze or lower tuition and fees
The Bush Administration's war on Iraq is a venture for
control of the region and its oil supplies, not national
security, democracy, or human rights. Our campuses
provide implicit support for this through military
research, recruiting, and ROTC programs. As students who
value freedom, democracy, and our education we say:
THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE! The best way to improve our
national security is to halt drives for illegal and
immoral wars and redirect public funds from the military
and arms trade to education and social services at home
and humanitarian aid abroad. Take a stand with students
across the nation on March 5th to build toward this
collective vision.
*Sources:
1. College Board (as reported in the Michael A. Fletcher, Washington Post, Dec.
10, 2001, Page A01)
2. Sherschel, Particia M. USA Group Report. June, 2000. See:
<www.luminafoundation.org/Publications/research.shtml>
3. Deen, Thalif. 'U.N. says Nations Reveal Arms Spending
- but Spend More.' Inter Press Service. Oct. 7, 2002
*As of Jan. 1st, 2003, this campaign is heating up! We
need your help! In addition to organizing on your own
campus, the campaign needs your help with outreach,
resource development, and fundraising. See
<www.nyspc.net> for details as they become available!
*NYSPC is a coalition made up of the following national
organizations: 180/Movement for Democracy and Education,
Black Radical Congress-Youth Division, Campus Greens,
Muslim Students Association of the US and Canada,
National Youth Advocacy Coalition, Not With Our Money,
Student Environmental Action Coalition, Student Peace
Action Network, Students United for a Responsible Global
Environment, Students Transforming and Resisting
Corporations, United Students Against Sweatshops, United
States Student Association, Young Communist League,
Young Democratic Socialists, Young People's Socialists
League.
===
From: Andy Burns
Why a National Student Strike?
National Youth and Student Peace Coalition
1-23-03
This essay attempts to cover some of the strategic
reasons why American Students should strike on March 5th
for Education funding and in opposition to the War on
Iraq.
1. The Power of a National Strike and Strategy
For obvious reasons, local actions which address the
Bush-war-on-Iraq issue operating individually, while
important, do not have the power to access the attention
of national media or the federal government. A
nationally-coordinated student strike will have much
more impact than a strike any one school does on its
own. There are plans for several local student strikes.
However, none of these will be able to reach the scale
that the NYSPC is planning and with the reach it has.
NYSPC is made up of 15 national youth and campus
organizations with literally millions of members. Our
organizations' e-mail and postal mail networks are
indeed massive. Many campus organizers look to our
organizations for guidance and advice for creating and
disseminating national strategies of various kinds for
various issues we work on. A combined, national strategy
put forth by each organization towards the execution of
a massive show of resistance to the US war plan will
give us a fighting chance of sparking something much
bigger than any of us imagined.
2. The Power of Anticipation
A walkout on the day after the war is a more transient
action that will come and go quickly and be merely a
blip on the radar screen. The power of the March 5th
date is that there is time to build for it. At the local
level, it creates a buzz because organizers and
participating students on campuses have to go through a
campaign and debate process: writing letters in the
school paper, having debates in student government,
etc., discussing in their classes whether folks should
strike. And nationally, NYSPC media
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