Amazing Lack of Public Outcry

September 23, 2003

Dear Editor,

Anyone who has any doubts about President Bush's desire to improve public schools has to look no farther than page 670, section 9528 for a provision that grants the Pentagon access to the addresses, phone numbers and names of our children in order to recruit the next generation of cannon fodder, to know the real intent behind his catch phrase, "No child left behind."

The only thing slightly more amazing is the lack of a public outcry. Aside from Board Member Oscar de la Torre's pointed criticism of this policy ("High Schools to Open Student Rolls to Military," Sept. 23, 2003), not a single official of this supposedly progressive community has decried the blackmailing of public school districts for military recruiting purposes.

As our country swings further to the right and down the road of imperialism (Iraq being the first preemptive war in American history), we will soon rue this day as a soiled page in America's proud history of defending freedom.

Perhaps too few are left who remember General Eisenhower's warning to the American people as he left the White House to beware the shifting of power to the military / industrial complex.

I for one would like to know how far in advance I can remove my four and five-year-old sons from this dubious honor. Perhaps if enough citizens were to do likewise, Washington would get the message that we love our sons more than our SUV's or cheap oil.

I mean, really... what's next-- a coup d' etat in California?