[North-NV-Greens] Fwd: Welcome to Civic Soldier Forum

Wed Dec 15 21:28:41 PST 2004

>
>Welcome to Civic Soldier Forum
>http://www.soldierforum.org/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1
>
>Bridging the Gap
>
>We are building a progressive community within the
>military and bridging the gap that exists between
>civilian and military progressives.
>
>By exchanging ideas and through grass-roots
>coordination, we ensure the progressive community
>reaches out to like-minded service members. We foster
>military service among progressives and build
>supportive networks within our Armed Forces. We
>advocate that the strength of our military comes not
>only from a dedication to duty and country but also
>from its ideological diversity. We assert that
>supporting your troops does not mean suppressing your
>conscience.
>
>We are soldiers and veterans who have not shed our
>responsibilities as citizens, and we are citizens who
>understand our vital role in championing progressives
>in our military.
>
>"To allow the military services to drift away from the
>society that must nurture them is to put great
>institutions in great jeopardy."
>
>--Richard Danzig, Former Secretary of the Navy
>
>Overview
>
>Progressives in the Military?
>
>Americans from all walks of life serve in the United
>States Armed Forces. Currently, 5.3 million Americans
>are on active duty, in the Guard or Reserves, in the
>defense civilian workforce, or drawing benefits from
>the Department of Defense. Millions more have served
>their country honorably and are active members of
>almost every community imaginable.
>
>However, the perception prevails that all service
>members hold conservative views and that the occupation
>is itself contrary to progressive views and politics.
>Nothing could be further from the truth, yet this
>stereotype is one of the most entrenched in America.
>
>The most lopsided estimates claim that military
>officers hold conservative views in a ratio of 8 to 1
>and enlisted service members by a proportion of 3 to 2.
>However, some recent polls estimate that while service
>members do favor a conservative ideology, the margin is
>much smaller: 52 to 44 percent. Despite these
>encouraging numbers, many of our service members still
>feel alone in their progressive views. Even while using
>the most moderate estimates, 1 out of 8, represented
>are still hundreds of thousands of soldiers, veterans,
>and Department of Defense civilians who are
>disenchanted with conservative ideology. Why should
>anyone care?
>
>* Progressive soldiers need internal and external
>support * An unrepresentative military is a threat to
>democracy * The progressive media needs to be
>articulate on defense issues * Military progressives
>are vulnerable to discrimination
>
>What should be done?
>
>* Get military progressives in touch with each other *
>Involve military progressives in grass-roots activism
>at all levels * Provide soldiers access to supportive
>individuals outside the military * Fight the
>"conservative military" stereotype
>
>Platform
>
>Liberty
>
>Civil Liberties - We support civil liberties, including
>unpopular military speech and whistle-blowing. We see
>giving up our civil liberties in the name of "security"
>or "defense" as an affront to the values we have fought
>to defend.
>
>Civil Rights - An equitable and free society upholds
>the right for our citizenry to be free from
>discrimination for their beliefs.
>
>Human Rights- We condemn torture, targeting of civilian
>populations, cruelty to prisoners of war, and other
>internationally recognized human rights violations.
>Security
>
>War is the Last Resort - Soldiers, their families, and
>the civilian casualties of war pay the ultimate price
>for the decision to go to war. CSF strongly believes
>that an informed citizenry must be willing to challenge
>its elected officials and ensure that wars are fought
>only out of dire necessity.
>
>Responsible Military Spending - We do not believe that
>uncontrolled military spending equals strength.
>Continuing to fund the Missile Defense Shield while our
>soldiers are killed in unarmored military vehicles is
>an outrage. We are concerned about the role of
>contractors in the military, how contracts are awarded,
>and the influence of military industry.
>
>Diplomacy and Cooperation - In a world of the global
>economy, the information age, and global travel, the
>United States must be a responsible member of the world
>community. Only through strong alliances and global
>cooperation can national and international security be
>achieved. Community
>
>Soldiers and veterans are members of many communities.
>We advocate strong grass-roots activism, membership in
>progressive communities, and participation in the
>global community. While we are patriots and are proud
>to be Americans, we are also proud to be members of a
>cooperative, progressive world community. In addition,
>we believe in sustainable living and thoughtful
>stewardship of our planet and its resources.
>
>Campaigns
>
>Immediate Action Items
>
>Announcing our Presence - In the Fall of 2004, we
>launched a print ad campaign which reached a readership
>of over 3 million members of the Department of Defense.
>This large advertisement was placed in all four
>versions of the Military Times (Army, Navy, Air Force,
>and Marines). The ad appeared on October 28th and drew
>members from throughout the military stationed around
>the globe. We are currently working on a second print
>ad for Stars and Stripes, the official daily newspaper
>distributed to our service members overseas.
>
>Know Your Rights Pamphlet - Many soldiers do not
>understand the laws regarding their oath to serve in
>the military and their 1st Amendment rights to
>participate in the democratic dialog. Through
>advertising, direct contact, and events such as passing
>out "Know Your Rights" information to soldiers and
>media exposure, CSF will be able to reach tens of
>thousands of soldiers and allies. We will send the
>clear message that the best solider is a citizen that
>participates in the democracy they have sworn an oath
>to protect.
>
>Website and Forum - With the Department of Defense's
>world-wide mission, service members are spread all over
>the world. In addition, the nature of military service
>involves frequent deployments and constant moving. To
>best serve our members, our efforts center around
>providing a digital forum for meeting, exchanging
>ideas, and organizing. Using mail servers and Internet
>forums all can stay informed and in touch. CSF will use
>advertising, coalition building, and earned media to
>reach out to the military population and bring them to
>the forum.
>
>"Boots on the Ground" Membership Drive - In order to
>fight the perception that all service members hold
>conservative views, CSF has launched a public awareness
>campaign introducing the progressive soldier to
>America. Through advertising, public events, and a
>targeted media campaign, CSF will be providing a
>missing voice to the social dialog. CSF will use the
>website to locate and train more soldiers on how to
>speak out to the media and the greater public.
>
>_______________________________________________________
>
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-- 
Paul Etxeberri

"Forests precede civilizations and deserts follow"   ---Chateaubriand