After being away for the months of December and January we returned on Friday February 19, 2010 at Santa Barbara City College with our local mock Teen Cemetery. To date we have information on 337, 18 & 19 year old U.S. military casualties from the Iraq & Afghanistan conflicts.
"Tombstones" were set up & taken down by volunteers from the Santa Barbara Veterans for Peace, chapter 54 and SBCC students. Faculty, staff, students & visitors passing by on the West Campus were asked to place a placard of the 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 were shared. Information on the CD's RethinkAfghanistan and Arlington West were available.
An SBCC form for students to be taken off the military's recruitment list, in opposition to the Solomon Amendment was 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 summer session, semester or quarter. 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 & others.
The following 2 petitions were available to be signed and sent to the U.S. Congress:
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 & Afghanistan immediately, for American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), 637 Dearborn, 3rd Fl.,Chicago, IL 60605.
