July-August 2005:
Conscientious Objection Now
Bring Them Home Now?
DU: New Radioactive Weaponry
Merchant of Death of the Month
Letters
Activist Reviews

Homepages:
War Resisters League
The Nonviolent Activist

Activist Letters

Without Computer

When you ask readers to write letters to government officials, etc., please include names and mailing addresses. I have no computer or fax, but I do write letters when given sufficient information.

For example, in the June issue, you urged readers to “write Argentina’s elected officials supporting the FaSinPat workers” and advised, “for details see www.hellocoolworld.com …”

I need names and addresses.

—Jessica Raymond
Cheyney, PA

Our apologies—we try to include mailing addresses and phone numbers, but sometimes at deadline put in the Internet-based information only. We’ll try to be more careful. And to support the FaSinPat workers, you can write Argentina’s President Néstor Kirchner, Balcarce 50 (1064), Buenos Aires, Argentina.

—The Editors

I am deeply concerned over the fact that the federal government and military recruiters are allowed access to private information in students’ records under the No Child Left Behind Act, when the same students’ parents are not allowed access to their children’s private information under the Privacy Act of 1974.

I just became aware of this contradictory situation when I asked my student’s college registration department if I might be allowed access to his class evaluations, grades and progress information via his professors and counselors. The registration employee informed me that, under the Privacy Act, my son would have to submit a written and signed consent form letter to each of the college’s offices to allow me access to any of his student records.

I told her that, under the No Child Left Behind Act, military recruiters have free access to high school and college students’ private information and I asked why parents have to get written consent forms from their sons and daughters to get grade and progress evaluations from their children’s professors and counselors.

She replied that the college needs the federal funding from the government in exchange for the private information released to the military recruiting system, and that she knew nothing about the No Child Left Behind Act.

I find it appalling that the federal government, under the No Child Left Behind Act, can access my son’s private information (student records, Social Security number, drivers license number, health and IQ information, SAT records, etc.) freely, whenever they want to, for military recruiters and any other government agency that requests the information.

This release of information under the No Child Left Behind Act is immoral. I urge you to be active in campaigning against this process of military recruitment in high schools and state colleges.

—Joyce O’Malley
Lake Forest Park, WA

For information on how to fight back against the recruiters, see “Building a Vibrant Counter-Recruitment Movement,” NVA, June, or get in touch with Steve Theberge, WRL’s Youth and Counter-Militarism Coordinator, (212)228-0450, ext. 103.