Hey, Duluth School board:
Don’t sacrifice education for the Pentagon!
Did you know... that since 1996, the Duluth school district has been paying for the Department of Defense to recruit its students? At a cost of $170K/year, the district sponsors the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC), a DoD-operated class in which students wear military uniforms, practice military drills, and learn that true citizenship means following orders.
The good news is that Duluth students aren't interested in JROTC. The class can't even meet half of its expected enrollment. In the face of a huge budget deficit, school administrators recently recommended that JROTC be closed. The school board agreed.
The bad news: In a surprise March 17 vote, the board unanimously reversed its decision. But in order to spare JROTC, they'll have to cut $170,000 from somewhere else. Since the district has already cut all of its unnecessary programs, this could lead to teachers losing their jobs and class sizes going up!
Take action! Call or write members of the school board and administration today! Remind them that JROTC is controversial in the community and unpopular among students, and it should not be spared at the price of real education!
Duluth School Board:
-Mary Cameron (At Large): mary.cameron@duluth.k12.mn.us; 341-8893
-Laura Condon (District 4): laura.condon@duluth.k12.mn.us; 624-7045
-Gary Glass (At Large): gary.glass@duluth.k12.mn.us; 525-2384
-Tim Grover (District 3): tim.grover@duluth.k12.mn.us; 722-5961
-Nancy Nilsen (At Large): nancy.nilsen@duluth.k12.mn.us; 628-2125
-Judy Seliga Punyko (District 2): Judy.SeligaPunyko@duluth.k12.mn.us; 525-4688
-Ann Wasson (District 1): ann.wasson@duluth.k12.mn.us; 728-1931
-Assistant Superintendent Joe Hill: joe.hill@duluth.k12.mn.us; 336-8739
For more info or to get involved in the campaign against JROTC, contact the Northland Anti-War Coalition, or more specifically its Truth in Recruiting Committee at truthinrecruiting(at)riseup(dot)net or 218-340-4356 [ask for Joel].
March 27, 2009
Duluth Central Labor Body Supports the RNC 8
On March 12, delegates to the Duluth Central Labor Body, representing nearly 17,000 workers in the Duluth area, unanimously approved a resolution in solidarity with the RNC 8 (above) and calling for a repeal of the Minnesota Anti-Terrorism Act.Duluth Central Labor Body Resolution in Support of the RNC 8
and Stating that the Anti-Terrorism Act Should be Repealed
and Stating that the Anti-Terrorism Act Should be Repealed
Whereas, a free society is one in which people can organize collectively to improve their lives without fear of persecution by their government; and
Whereas, the labor movement has historically suffered state intimidation and repression in our efforts to organize working people, including the unconstitutional arrest of labor organizers and publishers of union papers under “criminal syndicalism” laws of the first half of the 20th century; and
Whereas, changes to the Minnesota criminal code under the so-called Anti-Terrorism Act of 2002 threaten political speech by defining acts that “further terrorism” so broadly as to encompass civil disobedience designed to “disrupt or interfere with the lawful exercise, operation, or conduct of government, lawful commerce, or the right of lawful assembly,” including strikes, blockades and other union actions to defend workers’ rights; and
Whereas, the first criminal charges under this law were filed by Ramsey County prosecutors in September of 2008 against organizers of Republican National Convention protests in St Paul (known as the "RNC 8"), with no evidence that the defendants committed any act of violence;
Therefore, be it resolved that the Duluth Central Labor Body stands in solidarity with the RNC 8 and goes on record as opposing the politically-motivated terrorism charges filed against them; and
Be it further resolved that the Duluth Central Labor Body goes on record as opposing 609.714 of the Minnesota criminal code (“CRIMES COMMITTED IN FURTHERANCE OF TERRORISM”) and calls on Minnesota state legislators to work for the repeal of this law;
Be it further resolved that the Duluth Central Labor Body urges that labor unions across Minnesota consider the implications of the RNC 8 case and the Minnesota Anti-Terrorism Act on their own organizing and to support the cause of repeal.
March 22, 2009
Report on the March 21 Duluth Peace Protest
On Saturday, March 21, the Northland Anti-War Coalition held a march and rally to mark the sixth anniversary of the unjust U.S. invasion of Iraq. The protest also drew attention to the need to oppose the occupation of Afghanistan and Palestine, and called for an end to the JROTC programs in the Duluth Public Schools.
All told, just under 100 people participated in the event. The protest began at noon at the MN Power Plaza. From there the protesters marched up to the Duluth Public School District offices where Joel Kilgour gave a speech about the need to oppose JROTC [Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps] programs and military recruiters in the schools. Recently, as a result of the budget crisis, the Duluth Schools had voted to cut the JROTC program, but has since voted to reverse itself and keep it. NAWC is opposed to any presence by the military in our schools.
After Kilgour's speech, and some chanting in front of the School offices, the march proceeded to the steps of City Hall, where the main rally was held. Bob Kosuth of NAWC was the rally MC. Speaking was Deb Taylor of the MN Peacemakers, Brandon Clokey of the Duluth Fathering Project, Carl Sack of Socialist Action & Northwoods for Mumia, Steve Wick of Students for Peace at the Univ. of MN-Duluth, Josie from the Amnesty International chapter at the College of St. Scholastica and Paige Moroney of the Indigenous Student Alliance. During the rally the Veterans for Peace float was parked at the rally site as a dramatic back drop to the whole affair.
After the speakers, a skit was performed called "Uncle Sam Goes to Baghdad" which highlighted the injustices of the U.S. invasion, and our need to keep up the fight against the war.
Overall, while the turnout of the protest was modest, it was a very spirited and high energy affair. The crowd was a diverse one, representing a variety of groups and demographics from across the region. The protest received a broad range of endorsements, including Veterans for Peace Chapter 80, UMD Students for Peace, CSS Amnesty International, Grandmothers for Peace, Women in Black, Socialist Action, Lake Superior Greens, Community of the Third Way, Peace North, Duluth Fathering Project, North Star Replublic, Duluth Unitarian Peace & Justice Committee, Every Church a Church of Peace and the Duluth Free Speech corner. We also received a fair amount of press coverage, both before and after the rally. Leading up the protest the rally was plugged in TWO issues of Labor World newspaper, the Zenith, the Transistor and the Hillsider. At the protest itself reporters from the Duluth News Tribune, the Reader Weekly, the Hillsider, and TV Channels 3 & 6.
At the end of the rally protesters were urged to stay involved in the movement, and towards that end several announcements were made about upcoming events, which I'll repeat here:
All told, just under 100 people participated in the event. The protest began at noon at the MN Power Plaza. From there the protesters marched up to the Duluth Public School District offices where Joel Kilgour gave a speech about the need to oppose JROTC [Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps] programs and military recruiters in the schools. Recently, as a result of the budget crisis, the Duluth Schools had voted to cut the JROTC program, but has since voted to reverse itself and keep it. NAWC is opposed to any presence by the military in our schools.
After Kilgour's speech, and some chanting in front of the School offices, the march proceeded to the steps of City Hall, where the main rally was held. Bob Kosuth of NAWC was the rally MC. Speaking was Deb Taylor of the MN Peacemakers, Brandon Clokey of the Duluth Fathering Project, Carl Sack of Socialist Action & Northwoods for Mumia, Steve Wick of Students for Peace at the Univ. of MN-Duluth, Josie from the Amnesty International chapter at the College of St. Scholastica and Paige Moroney of the Indigenous Student Alliance. During the rally the Veterans for Peace float was parked at the rally site as a dramatic back drop to the whole affair.
After the speakers, a skit was performed called "Uncle Sam Goes to Baghdad" which highlighted the injustices of the U.S. invasion, and our need to keep up the fight against the war.
Overall, while the turnout of the protest was modest, it was a very spirited and high energy affair. The crowd was a diverse one, representing a variety of groups and demographics from across the region. The protest received a broad range of endorsements, including Veterans for Peace Chapter 80, UMD Students for Peace, CSS Amnesty International, Grandmothers for Peace, Women in Black, Socialist Action, Lake Superior Greens, Community of the Third Way, Peace North, Duluth Fathering Project, North Star Replublic, Duluth Unitarian Peace & Justice Committee, Every Church a Church of Peace and the Duluth Free Speech corner. We also received a fair amount of press coverage, both before and after the rally. Leading up the protest the rally was plugged in TWO issues of Labor World newspaper, the Zenith, the Transistor and the Hillsider. At the protest itself reporters from the Duluth News Tribune, the Reader Weekly, the Hillsider, and TV Channels 3 & 6.
At the end of the rally protesters were urged to stay involved in the movement, and towards that end several announcements were made about upcoming events, which I'll repeat here:
- The next planning meeting of the Northland Anti-War Coailtino will be on Sunday, April 12 at 2pm in the library of the Duluth Unitarian-Universalist Church at 835 College St.
- NAWC's next protest, which will be co-hosted with Grandmothers for Peace, will be an Iraq Moratorium picket on Friday, April 17 from 4-5pm at the corner of Broadway and Hammond Ave. in Superior.
- Student peace activists at both CSS and UMD have a series of events planned for the coming weeks. To find out more about them contact the CSS Amenesty International chapter at amnesty@css.edu and the UMD Students for Peace group at wickx079@d.umn.edu.
March 9, 2009
March and Rally Against War and Occupation!
On March 21, 2009, Northland citizens will take to the streets in solidarity with protesters around the country, to demand the U.S. immediately cease its military intervention in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and elsewhere.
Protesters will gather at 12 noon at the Minnesota Power Plaza, at the corner of Lake Avenue and Superior Street in downtown Duluth. We will march to the Civic Center for a rally featuring speakers and artistic performances. The public is welcome, and there is no cost.
The protest is being held on March 21 to commemorate the sixth anniversary of the illegal U.S. invasion of Iraq. Other protest actions will be taking place that day in large and small communities across the U.S., the largest being a March on the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.
The slogans of the protest are "From Iraq to Afghanistan to Palestine, occupation is a crime" and "The time for change is now--bring all the troops home." The rally will take place in front of Duluth City Hall to highlight the irresponsibility of spending trillions of dollars on unwanted military occupations while local communities face economic crisis, layoffs, and massive cutbacks in public services.
The protest will include the demand to stop sending military aid to Israel. Several billion dollars' worth of U.S. military equipment was used to slaughter Palestinians during the January, 2009 invasion of Gaza, and Israel continues to enforce a strict blockade that denies Gazans access to such staples as medical supplies, paper and macaroni.
The Duluth protest is sponsored by the Northland Anti-War Coalition. Endorsers include: UMD Students for Peace, Peace North, Lake Superior Greens, Veterans for Peace Chapter 80, Grandmothers for Peace, Women in Black, Socialist Action, Every Church a Peace Church, Unitarian-Universalist Peace & Justice Committee, Duluth Fathering Project, Duluth Free Speech Corner, and North Star Republic.
For more information, contact wainosunrise@yahoo.com or (715) 394-6660.
Protesters will gather at 12 noon at the Minnesota Power Plaza, at the corner of Lake Avenue and Superior Street in downtown Duluth. We will march to the Civic Center for a rally featuring speakers and artistic performances. The public is welcome, and there is no cost.
The protest is being held on March 21 to commemorate the sixth anniversary of the illegal U.S. invasion of Iraq. Other protest actions will be taking place that day in large and small communities across the U.S., the largest being a March on the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.
The slogans of the protest are "From Iraq to Afghanistan to Palestine, occupation is a crime" and "The time for change is now--bring all the troops home." The rally will take place in front of Duluth City Hall to highlight the irresponsibility of spending trillions of dollars on unwanted military occupations while local communities face economic crisis, layoffs, and massive cutbacks in public services.
The protest will include the demand to stop sending military aid to Israel. Several billion dollars' worth of U.S. military equipment was used to slaughter Palestinians during the January, 2009 invasion of Gaza, and Israel continues to enforce a strict blockade that denies Gazans access to such staples as medical supplies, paper and macaroni.
The Duluth protest is sponsored by the Northland Anti-War Coalition. Endorsers include: UMD Students for Peace, Peace North, Lake Superior Greens, Veterans for Peace Chapter 80, Grandmothers for Peace, Women in Black, Socialist Action, Every Church a Peace Church, Unitarian-Universalist Peace & Justice Committee, Duluth Fathering Project, Duluth Free Speech Corner, and North Star Republic.
For more information, contact wainosunrise@yahoo.com or (715) 394-6660.
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