Moms tell recruiters: ‘Leave My Child Alone!’

People's Weekly World ^ | 06-30-05 | Tim Wheeler

[Alia]

WASHINGTON — Megan Watson, leader of Mainstream Moms, is so angry at military recruiters for invading schools to sign up unwary youth for combat in Iraq that she and her group launched an online movement, “LeaveMyChildAlone.org.”

“They offer these trinkets to lure our children to enlist,” Watson said in a phone interview from her home in Bolinas, Calif. “This is very aggressive, demographic targeting to have conversations with our kids that should not be happening.”

All branches of the military are falling short of recruiting goals as parents say, in effect, “Hell no! My kids won’t go!” Watson blasted the aggressive recruiting drive as a backdoor draft conducted by the Pentagon because the American people reject a return to military conscription. “I’ve heard it called an economic draft,” she said. “They know where to find kids who don’t think they have a lot of options. They are playing on our children’s lack of hope about college and their future.”
...
Watson shares these views. “I do utterly oppose our occupation of Iraq,” she said. “We are spending $4 billion every month on this war. People are seeing the cost not only in dead and wounded but also in their own communities. Libraries forced to close. No National Guard to fight forest fires. They can’t find $8.5 billion of the funds we sent to Iraq. And they want to squeeze it out of Medicaid funding for senior citizens. It’s just outrageous
...
Joining the effort are a dozen peace and justice groups including the Ella Baker Center, ACORN, Code Pink, Peace Action, American Friends Service Committee, Latinos for Peace and Veterans for Peace.

[paul51]

51 pairs of shoes?

Nice try but I don't even have 51 socks!

[evad]

My supposition is that most 17 year olds are not mature enough to make decisions that are as important as enlisting in military service. Some may be but most aren't.

[PzLdr]

Being able to legally drink a beer is not my yardstick for either maturity, nor the ability to think for oneself. I knew a hell of a lot of 21 year olds who could legally drink beer, and who were immature idiots. "Where it came from" is quite simple. If I raised [and I never married, nor had children] a son who was a High School senior, and he had neither the ability, inclination, nor fortitude to seek or demand input on a decision affecting his life, I would consider myself a failure as a parent. Concededly I put off going into the Army until after I went to college, for my Dad, but once my mind was made,neither my parents, or my family could talk me out of the decision.

[brushcop]

Using "you" in the vast, plural sense as in "one wouldn't...". I do find it strange if one objects to recruitment efforts in HS by military recruiters but yet not mind all the other social recruiting going on, it isn't logical. I've seen it and surely others have that have raised kids.

My point being that recruitment in High School can be compared to the other businesses and agencies encouraging HS seniors to consider their professions as well, such as in Law Enforcement. Believe me, we recruited heavily because that is the target group, although in our department they would have to have a full-blown college degree in order to even apply. Meanwhile, even though the Armed Forces don't require degrees, they nevertheless offer generous educational benefits, what's wrong with that? I have a number of friends that took advantage of that. Sure, there are requirements and obligations, big deal, you always owe something when you are given assistance for college, training, etc., that's a given.

Now, you ("one") may bring up the possibility of having to go into combat while serving, well yes. Some law enforcement work can turn into combat situations in the blink of an eye too and yet many parents don't seem to consider that as a real possibility for their little darlings.

Hey, my kids are grown, married, families and are working in their respective professions. One is serving in Iraq now, he has been in seven years. No, he's not a dunce, nor are his buddies, or officers. We raised our kids to consider all the ramifications and then make their decisions. I really wonder about people who will "not allow" their grown children (we have to assume they are grown when they graduate from HS) to choose a certain career path, and yet not say a thing about their 15 year old daughter getting an abortion, courtesy of the local HS counselor and PP, as you can see, that is a pet peeve of mine.

[Alia]

Thank you, mom. And please tell your son "thank you" from me, from many of us in FR.

[Alia]

Thank you, RedBeaconNY!

[MinorityRepublican]

Of course it is. Try finding the basis for federal spending on education in the first place and explaining to 'conservatives' the national government is not supposed to be in the business of education

It ain't. NCLB erodes states rights to manage their public schools. However, national defense is # 1 issue at this point and military recruiters has the right to be there as long public schools are recieving federal money.

If parents do not approve of this, it is simple, take your children to private schools, or if it's too expensive. Then home school the kids. But of course they are not willing to give up one salary that pays for extra BMW convertible, cable tv, vacation trips to Europe, etc.

[evad]

I really wonder about people who will "not allow" their grown children (we have to assume they are grown when they graduate from HS) to choose a certain career path, and yet not say a thing about their 15 year old daughter getting an abortion, courtesy of the local HS counselor and PP, as you can see, that is a pet peeve of mine.

I'm sure you are very proud of your kids but my only question to you pertained to this statement....

You would have no objection of Planned Parenthood setting up a booth and "informing" kids on abortion, right?

Since I would object to Planned Parenthood doing as you state I was curious what I may have said or implied that would make you feel differently.

[RedBeaconNY]

Anything for the betterment of my country.

[RedBeaconNY]

How can you justify that? What if he decides, that when he reaches 18, he wants to join the armed forces to serve his country? Are you going to cut off all ties with him? I'm going to a university, and serving in the armed forces. If you have the motivation, you can do most anything. I don't think you should suppress your kid's desire like that. Especially if it is patriotic.

Now joining an art school, I completely think is a waste of time. But that's a topic for another day.

[Charlespg]

Mommy's boys

[okie01]

My supposition is that most 17 year olds are not mature enough to make decisions that are as important as enlisting in military service. Some may be but most aren't.

First, I believe one has to be 18 to enlist in the military.

Second, if we're allowing employers and colleges to recruit on campus, are you contending that H.S. seniors aren't mature enough to make decisions about where they will go to work or pursue a degree, either?

[gcraig]

No National Guard to fight forest fires.

I was activated about 5 times to fight western forest fires with my C-130 unit. This woman can kiss my @ss, my wife's @ss, and my kid's @ss. I left my family and my career and my family to support western forest fires in 2002 and 2003. I left my career and my family to support Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. I am completely BEYOND sympathizing with these TOTAL morons. VOTE CONSERVATIVE.

[evad]

First, I believe one has to be 18 to enlist in the military.

Yes

Second, if we're allowing employers and colleges to recruit on campus, are you contending that H.S. seniors aren't mature enough to make decisions about where they will go to work or pursue a degree, either?

Yes...I contend that the "majority" of 17 year olds in high school are very immature and have little or no idea what they want to make of their lives. They know little or nothing about consequences for their actions and need strict guidance by their parents, teachers and others of influence.

[evad]

Some of the people in this thread have brought up the WW2 generation, but we live in another world. Some of those men came home without a college degree and entered the business world successfully. You can't do that anymore. I don't know how many of you have met a 17 year old today, but they aren't mature enough to do it. Culturally speaking we have kept them in cotton wool longer and they are consequently not the same breed as the previous generation.

Ditto!

Comparing WWII to today's situation in any respect is the purest form of apples and oranges.

[evangmlw]

And when the next terrorist attack hits the U.S., the same whiners will by screaming --- "why isn't the government doing anything?" Whiners will be whiners! Just let them whine and ignore them.

[okie01]

I contend that the "majority" of 17 year olds in high school are very immature and have little or no idea what they want to make of their lives. They know little or nothing about consequences for their actions and need strict guidance by their parents, teachers and others of influence.

Living and growing up in small towns in Texas and Oklahoma convinces me otherwise.

I would trust most age 17 kids I've known to listen to recruiters from the military, college and potential employers, then sit down and hash their decision out with their parents.

It's not necessarily time for 17-yr olds to start making all their own decision. But it is certainly time for them to be participating in the discussion.

On the other hand, if they can't be trusted to do that at age 17, I'd wonder if they could ever be trusted...

[brazzaville]

Good afternoon.

Two weeks after I graduated from high school in 1966 I went to the Marine recruiter and found that the guy had stepped out. The Army recruiter had a big poster of a paratrooper in his window and he was in. He promised me Airborne, Light Weapons Infantry and Vietnam.

They tried to make me a clerk and they sent me to Alaska after jump school. I talked my way into an 11B10 MOS and took a short as for Nam as soon as I had been in a year.

Today there are men and women who are losing limbs who are asking that they be allowed to return to their units. We are still producing good Americans despite their moms attempt to turn them into leftist wusses.

Happy Birthday USA

Michael Frazier