Banning Military Recruitment on Campuses

by Ian Campbell, Thu Mar 10, 2005 at 06:54:04 PM EST

A friend of mine (whose in the campus Democrate org) just told me that they've just finished making a petition to get military recruitment off the campus (UC Santa Cruz) becuase they discriminate.  I wholeheartly agree that the discrimination of gays and lesbians in the military just plain rediculous, but I really wonder what kind of positive effect banning the military would have.

I understand (and agree with) the principal, but isn't this gesture exactly where the Democratic party has failed?  By creating such a movement, doesn't it reinforce the stereotype that Democrats are anti-military and anti-American.  True, a lot of Democrats are pro-peace/no-war, but the Democratic party's national platform is far from anti-military.  

Furthermore, this event demonstrates to me the total lack of perception among the dem party.  One of the main points I learned from November '04 was that it's not specifically about being right on certain issues, rather it's about connecting issues to your greater ideology/frame.  So even if you don't accomplish your short term goal on an issue, you still have re-enforced and supported your ideology/frame.  All this petition does is reinforce the Republican's Frame



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exactly (none / 0)

You are right on the spot with this diary.
by Christopher Hitchens on Thu Mar 10, 2005 at 07:06:42 PM EST

Instead, make referrals (none / 0)

Instead, they should make referrals. I'm sure there are qualified young people on campus who have expressed their support for dubya's war, but haven't quite gotten to the point where they'll sign up to do in reality what they only support in the abstract.

Hand those students a DD-4 along with the business card of their local recruiter.
http://www.dior.whs.mil/forms/DD0004.pdf

543,895 votes
by Michael Bersin on Thu Mar 10, 2005 at 07:41:47 PM EST

I agree 100% for several reasons (none / 0)

I do not think the Democratic Party should support any attempt to ban the military from campuses.

  1. It can easily be spun to "prove" Democrats are weak, hate America, will spit on our troops, are friends with the terrorists, etc.

  2. This will cost the school federal money, which will cost people opportunities at an education. That'll really help you with working class voters.

  3. College students are old enough to vote and old enough to make their own decisions about the military. This can be spun by libertarian minded conservatives as "proof" the Democrats are the party of the "nanny" state.

And yes, gays should be allowed to serve openly in the military.

by wayward on Thu Mar 10, 2005 at 08:56:05 PM EST

Re: I agree 100% for several reasons (none / 0)

Agree with most of that.

The military has just as much right as any other employment organization to seek new "employees" at college campuses. Unless you seek to ban all job fairs at campuses then the military recruiters have a right to be there, otherwise opponents must prove somehow that recruiters are not advertising themselves in good faith...ie misrepresenting, etc.

http://operationyellowelephant.blogspot.com/
by Vote Hillary 2008 on Thu Mar 10, 2005 at 09:30:07 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Too hard to do, but worth a try (none / 0)

I think that at least letting college administrators know that there is opposition to military recruitment on campuses allows the message to be heard.  However, if a college receives any federal money, I do not believe recruiters can be held off campus.  
by Marie Smith on Thu Mar 10, 2005 at 09:44:05 PM EST

What crap! ! ! (3.00 / 1)

This is the new DLC/GOP talking points THREAT.

Allow the recruiters on campus or lose your funding.

Funny how you didn't dispute the ACTUAL case instead you pivoted to DLC/GOP talking points.

If they really wanted to be on campus wouldn't the easiet solution would be to STOP DISCRIMINATION AGAINST GAYS

oh...but that doesn't go with the GOP/DLC politics of hate and greed.

Besides telling us how to live, think, marry, pray, vote, invest, educate our children and, die, the GOP has done a fine job of getting gov't out of our lives.
by Parker on Fri Mar 11, 2005 at 05:09:49 AM EST


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