High school students organize rally against the war; for SF prop N

San Francisco (October 21, 2004) – Two hundred high school students stayed after school yesterday for a press conference and teach-in against the war and for SF prop N organized by fellow students at Lowell High.

Student-organizer Lake Blanc introduced the speakers, including: SF supervisor Chris Daly; Susan Galleymore, who’s son is currently deployed in Iraq; Paul Cox, Veterans for Peace; Jeff Paterson, first Gulf War military resister with Not in Our Name; Judith Ross, who’s son is facing redeployment to Iraq; Youth Speaks poets; student leaders from Harbor and Lowell high schools.

The rally was organized for SF prop N, which asks: "Shall it be City policy to urge the United States government to withdraw all troops from Iraq and bring all military personnel in Iraq back to the United States?"

Underlining the event was the threat of a new military draft, regardless of who wins the election. While both Kerry and Bush have said that they are against a draft, neither has made any attempt to end selective service—which requires every 18-year-old male to register of the draft.

Towards the end of the rally, a quite young man in a black trench coat stepped up to the stage to express his thanks to the organizers. He explained that he is a soldier in the Army, that he just got back from Iraq a few weeks ago, and he didn’t have any speech to make. However, he wanted people to understand that people here don’t really know how bad it is Iraq—both for the US troops and Iraqis. He described endless house-to-house raids, kicking in doors, and terrifying the people. “Many people in my unit had no problems with what we were doing, but I could see we were making more enemies every day.”

Related article in today’s SF Examiner
"Youth stance: No war -- Talk of draft mobilizes high schoolers."
http://sfexaminer.com/article/index.cfm/i/102104n_youthvote