Eugene weekly., April 29, 2004, Page 13, Image 13

NONVIOLENCE A WAY OF LIFE
May Day
CCMR hosts father of slain soldier.
by Aria Seligmann
H
e’s become a quiet hero, a man
who has turned his pain into a
cry for truth. Fernando Suarez
del Solar, the father of a U.S. soldier killed in
Iraq, is on a nationwide tour to speak out
against the war in Iraq. He speaks at 8 pm
May 1 at Cozmic Pizza.
On March 27, 2003, Fernando’s son,
Jesus, died while fighting in Iraq. The mili-
tary told his family that Jesus died from gun-
shot wounds in battle, but they later discov-
ered that Jesus stepped on a U.S. cluster
bomb and bled to death in the remote Iraqi
desert near Diwaniya. He left behind a wife
and a 1-year-old son.
Since then, Fernando, 48, who immigrat-
ed from Tijuana with his wife and children in
1997, worked at a 7-11 store and delivered
newspapers, has been traveling around the
country with Military Families Speak Out
(MFSO) and Global Exchange calling for the
withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.
Like his son, Jesus, many lower income
and minority young men and women are
being recruited into the military to wage its
campaign. The military spends approximate-
ly $11,000 per recruit convincing them to
join. Of those minority recruits, who com-
prise approximately one third of the armed
forces, fewer than 20 percent will become
officers. Many of the students are high
school and college age. Most of the students
sign up for the prospect of college tuition.
Yet, of the “$50,000” often promised by
recruiters for college, less than 6 percent of
recruits get the full amount and only up to 50
percent get part.
In addition to tuition, the military promis-
es technical training and in turn, high-wage
jobs upon completion of duty. Yet those
promises are seldom met. Only 12 percent of
men and 8 percent of women report learning
a skill that transferred to civilian life. In
2000, there were more than 421,000 unem-
ployed vets. The military also promises a
comprehensive benefits package, but in that
same year, 72 percent of veterans believed
their pension was unfair.
That was before the Iraq War. Now,
recruits may get no benefits if they come
home in a body bag.
The Committee for Countering Military
Recruitment (CCMR), a local organization
that is an arm of both Eugene Peaceworks
and CALC, is sponsoring Suarez’s visit.
CCMR offers information to counter the
false promises the military is making to stu-
dents, including alternative ways to pay for
college.
CALC’s Carol Van Houten visits schools
in Lane County at the same time military
recruiters are there to offer such information.
Like the military branches, she arrives with
banner and brochures to hand out. In addition
to information on college financing, Van
Houten offers information on AmeriCorps
and Job Corps, as well as how to talk to mil-
itary recruiters, and information on the
delayed entry program.
Van Houten says many people are
unaware of the fact that between the time
they sign the recruitment contract and before
they go to boot camp, it’s “very easy to get
out of it,” even without giving much of a rea-
son. However, once a recruit has been to boot
camp, “this is the only job you can’t resign
from,” she says. Once you’ve sworn in, says
Van Houten, “You’re in military justice and
it’s very difficult to get out.” She adds that’s
one of the “key things we want people to
know and not everybody does.”
Some recruiters will be relatively honest,
she says, but some are not. For example,
some will write into a contract that you might
be stationed in Portland, when once you’re
in, you can be shipped anywhere.
Almost all young people say they sign up
because they want to go to college, and some
have some patriotic feelings, says Van
Houten.
“If someone really has thought about it
and really wants to make the military their
career, we’re not going to talk them out of it,
but for those who think this is the only way
they’re going to get a life,” Van Houten says
CCMR can offer some alternative ideas.
“Once you’re in, you’re in. You are an
item, you are a GI, general inventory. They
have to do what they have to do to accom-
plish their goals. It’s not for the recruit’s ben-
efit,” she adds.
In addition to Fernando’s talk, CCMR is
sponsoring a “Stop the Violence” poster-art
contest “to help youth to develop a political
critique of the violence inherent in a culture
of war and the controversial means by which
the military fills its ranks.”
Students’ work will be shown and prizes
will be awarded. Dance music by Azuquita
follows the talk. A performance by Joanie
McGowan precedes the event. See accompa-
nying story.
ew
Still Saving the World
Joanie McGowan returns to Eugene.
by Aria Seligmann
S
top playing the blame
game, have a good
laugh, and go out and
save the world. That’s the message
Ashland
playwright
Joanie
McGowan is bringing back to
Eugene through her play, It’s Never
Too Late To Save the World, at 7 pm
Saturday, May 1 and Sunday, May 2
at Cozmic Pizza.
Formerly
titled
Rude
Awakening, McGowan’s play
opened for Molly Ivins at the
McDonald Theatre last October.
She has since added new material to
the show, including an opening
piece titled “Vote! It’s Sexy!” and a
new closing for the show that
includes bizarre, yet practical, steps
we all can take to save the world.
McGowan will also present the
world premiere of her new stand-up
comedy routine at 3 pm Sunday,
May 2 at Tsunami Books. Using articles from the newspaper to inspire people to “start liv-
ing like we’ve been talking about living since the summer of ‘69,” she calls her routine
“reminiscent of Mort Sahl channeling Joan of Arc.”
Tickets are $7 for It’s Never Too Late to Save the World, advance ticket purchase is
available at Tsunami Books. Proceeds from the Saturday performance will benefit the
Kitty Piercy campaign, Sunday’s performance will benefit the Bonny Bettman and Betty
Taylor campaigns. The play is family friendly.
McGowan’s performance at Tsunami Books is a fund-raiser for the Bettman campaign
and for McGowan’s national tour. It is free, but donations will be accepted. The Sunday
show at Tsunami contains adult themes and language.
APRIL 29, 2004 13