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Well, today I set out to join a group from our local peace resource center. We've been setting up to work on counter-recruitment--letting kids know that they don't have to give their names to military recruiters, and that they have other options. We were going to have a table at a career fair for 8th graders, and were going to tell them about things like grants for college, service organizations like American Friends Service Committee, etc. And we were planning to wear our group's T shirts, which say "Peace is Patriotic" on the front and have the group name on the back.
The fair was for the public schools, but was being held at a community center at the local army base. (I must admit I was wondering if this would all work out. I've worked with the group for a long time, and they are sensible but forthright, but did not know this particular committee or the people organizing the event because they meet on a night when I have another commitment.)
The event started at 10 and my shift was going to be 12-2. I got in the gate with no trouble--they had our names listed by the event organizers and so let us through. But when I got to the center, I was told that our group had been asked to leave. So I started to leave. The MP's stopped me, took my ID, made me wait while they wrote down all my ID info, and escorted me off base, keeping my driver's license until I was off the base. I asked why and they said that it was because I had on the shirt. I told them I was leaving but had not been told I should not wear the shirt. They were reasonably polite except for one who rather belligerently asked me if I had told them I was from the peace organization when I arranged to come out. I said I hadn't made the arrangements and didn't know.
A woman from the Career Focus,evidently, also came out and was apologetic, in a way, but said the literature had been inappropriate, that someone had shoved a security person, and that they hadn't known we'd be distributing anti-military handouts and wearing the T shirts. She said she "had problems with how the incident was handled on both sides."
I'd like very much to know what the real story was, and what to expect they'll do with the information they took down from me. I haven't been able to talk to the other people who were there when whatever it was happened, but I'll bet there's more to it. Stay tuned.
The fair was for the public schools, but was being held at a community center at the local army base. (I must admit I was wondering if this would all work out. I've worked with the group for a long time, and they are sensible but forthright, but did not know this particular committee or the people organizing the event because they meet on a night when I have another commitment.)
The event started at 10 and my shift was going to be 12-2. I got in the gate with no trouble--they had our names listed by the event organizers and so let us through. But when I got to the center, I was told that our group had been asked to leave. So I started to leave. The MP's stopped me, took my ID, made me wait while they wrote down all my ID info, and escorted me off base, keeping my driver's license until I was off the base. I asked why and they said that it was because I had on the shirt. I told them I was leaving but had not been told I should not wear the shirt. They were reasonably polite except for one who rather belligerently asked me if I had told them I was from the peace organization when I arranged to come out. I said I hadn't made the arrangements and didn't know.
A woman from the Career Focus,evidently, also came out and was apologetic, in a way, but said the literature had been inappropriate, that someone had shoved a security person, and that they hadn't known we'd be distributing anti-military handouts and wearing the T shirts. She said she "had problems with how the incident was handled on both sides."
I'd like very much to know what the real story was, and what to expect they'll do with the information they took down from me. I haven't been able to talk to the other people who were there when whatever it was happened, but I'll bet there's more to it. Stay tuned.
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