War Moratorium and Teen Memorial
Protest Planned at City College June 18
A mock cemetery of the U.S. Military Teen casualties is planned in Santa Barbara, California, on Friday, June 18, 2010, part of the National and International grassroots War Moratorium Movement calling for the immediate end of war and occupation from Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Palestine.
The June 18 actions here, across the country and world mark the continuation of the War Moratorium, to unite individuals and groups who act to end Wars and Massacres, on the Third Friday / weekend of every month.
The local mock Teen Cemetery will begin @10am in Santa Barbara, California, at Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) on the West Campus lawn across from the campus library overlooking Leadbetter Beach on the Pacific Ocean.
The event is sponsored by the S.B. Vets for Peace Chapter 54, and partially funded by the Fund for Santa Barbara. The event will consist of a mock cemetery of the U.S. Military Teen Dead, from the Iraq & Afghanistan conflicts. To date we have information on 349, 18 & 19-year-old casualties from both conflicts.
The “Tombstones” will be set up by volunteers from the S.B. Vets for Peace Chapter and SBCC students. Staff, students & visitors passing by on the walkway between the East & West campuses will be asked to come down on the lawn to place a placard of a color photo & information of a teen casualty on the “Tombstones.” Information about the cost of war and the immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Palestine will be shared. Also information on the video www.RethinkAfghanistan.com will be available.
A form for students to be taken off the military’s recruitment list, in opposition to the Solomon Amendment will be given out. The Solomon Amendment allows Colleges & Universities to give student names, phone #’s and other private information to 17 components of the U.S. Military Service each term. Students can prevent the release of their information to the Military Recruiters by using the Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 to withold the release of their “Directory Information” to the military and others.
Two Petitions will also be circulated at the memorial to be sent to Congress to:
1. Stop the Military Use of Depleted Uranium for VFP, Chapter 116, P.O. Box 96, Albion, CA 95410
2. Withdraw our military from IRAQ and AFGHANISTAN immediately for American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), 637 Dearborn, 3rd Fl., Chicago, IL 60605