BOARDWATCH: Vets for Peace continues challenge to Board's militarism, quoting Martin Luther King... '...A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on the military than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death...'
[Editor's Note: The following statement was delivered to the January 27, 2016 meeting of the Chicago Board of Education by Arny Stieber of Veterans for Peace. It was provided to us by the veterans and is printed here as Substance received it. George N. Schmidt, Editor, Substance].
Arny Stieber of Veterans for Peace speaking to the Chicago Board of Education on January 27, 2016. Substance photo by George N. Schmidt.January 27, 2016
TO: Chicago Board of Education and Rahm Emanuel
My name is Arny Stieber. I�m a grandfather, retired CEO, and an Army infantry veteran of the U.S. war against the people of Viet Nam.
I�m here today to speak about an uncomfortable truth � the military teaches violence. I�ll say that again � the military teaches violence. Whether it�s wrapped in a flag or dressed in a uniform, or called �hero�, or �service�, or �leadership� � the military model is following orders WITHOUT QUESTION and RESOLVING CONFLICTS BY VIOLENCE.
When we teach our children the military model -- that it�s honorable to kill and destroy -- that�s what they will do. I'm sure you are all well intended . . . but teaching the military model to 10,000 of our children . . . at a cost of over $17 million/year . . . is destructive not only to the children, but to this city and our nation.
Martin Luther King Jr. said, �A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on the military than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death.� $17 million per year! Just think of what $17 million would do for a restorative justice program! The Chicago Chapter of Veterans For Peace is appalled at the militarism in CPS . . . and we have an initiative to end it, it�s called �Education Not Militarization�. This initiative is designed to educate the community about the fallacy of teaching children the military model of conflict resolution by violence. You can find out more at www.NoMilitary.org
Our youth are not commodities that can be fed into the business model and they are too precious to be fed into the military model. Our youth are our future . . . and CPS, you need a new model.
Education Not Militarization!
Thank you.
Veterans For Peace is an international 501(c)3 organization founded in the U.S. in 1985. We are the only veterans organization in the world that is recognized by the United Nations.
