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Youth Voices

"Militarism Makes Racism Ok" A Young, Queer Muslim Women Speaks Out (interview with "Fatima")

"I was the only Afghan in my entire school (and one of two South Asians), and I was forced to take a stance in classes and [other places]. Wherever I went, I faced bigotry and hate."

Marine Reservist Resists War Machine -Sentenced to 6 Months in Military Prison (interview with Stephen Funk)

Stephen refused to deploy when his Marine Reserve Corps unit was mobilized for active duty in Iraq. Instead, he engaged in anti-war work.

Queer & Considering Military Service - (interview with "Tae")

Tae self-identifies as a queer youth of color. She is 20 years old. Tae came close to enlisting in the Navy, but for the moment has decided not to join. In an interview with Emma Schutz Fort, she talked about her decisions, questions, concerns, hopes, and fears.

Rainbow Revolutionaries Challenge Role of Military in Hawai'i - Notes from an Occupied Territory (interview with three members of the Rainbow Revolutionaries LGBT youth group)

Robin Nussbaum of AFSC's Hawai'i Gay Liberation Program spoke with three members of the Rainbow Revolutionaries LGBTQ youth group about the impact of the military on Hawai'i. The three students are 15 years old.

• Whose Safety? Whose Security?
  Many people believe that the presence of the U.S. military creates safety and security, and is in "our" interest. But who really benefits and who is harmed by U.S. military domination in Hawai'i, Puerto Rico, Okinawa, American Samoa, Guam, and other places in the United States and around the world? The Rainbow Revolutionaries describe many impacts of U.S. military presence in Hawai'i.
  

School Daze: High School Students Oppose War (interview with Jimmy Quinn)

Jimmy Quinn, 16, Caucasian, attends Northport High School in Long Island, NY, and has served as a Day of Silence Assistant/Student Organizing Intern with the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN). He is an anti-war organizer and was suspended from school because of his stance against war on Iraq. He was subsequently featured in a cover story for Newsday, a major New York newspaper. Jimmy was interviewed by Joseph Truong of the National Youth Advocacy Coalition.

Students Leave Military Recruiters Behind (interview with Josh Sonnenfeld)

Josh Sonnenfeld, a high school student in Santa Cruz, California, successfully organized resistance to the "opt-out" policy in his school district.
Josh recently talked with us about his organizing experiences.

Trans Youth Collides with Selective Service System (interview with "Jasper")

"I got recruited when I changed my sex on my driver's license. But if I lived, like, in Ohio, I wouldn't have been recruited because I couldn't even change my sex on my driver's license."

Inside But Wanting Out: Young Sailor Reconsiders the Military (interview with "Jordan")

"Imagine, if you can, realizing that your life is a lie.
Well, it happened to me."

Militarism Changes the Climate (interview with Nikira Hernandez)

The first thing that comes to mind with the thought of militarism and war is the possibility of a draft, and I think that's a lot harder for queer people in general, because they are not allowed to be who they are. It's kind of like, you want me to go do something for my country, but deny who I am at the same time.

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