A mock cemetery of the U.S. Military Teen casualties was set up in Santa Barbara, California on Friday, June 19, 2009, as part of the National & International grassroots War Moratorium Movement calling for the immediate end of War and Occupation from Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The June 19 actions here, across the country and the world mark the continuation of the War Moratorium, to unite individuals and groups who act to end Wars and Massacres, on the Third Friday of every month.
The local mock teen cemetery began @ 10am in Santa Barbara, California @ SBCC on the West Campus lawn across from the campus library overlooking Ledbetter Beach on the Pacific Ocean.
The event was sponsored by the SB Vets for Peace Chapter 54. The event consisted of a mock cemetery of the U.S. Military Teen Dead, from the Iraq & Afghanistan conflicts. To date we have information 317, 18 & 19 year old casualties from both conflicts.
The "Tombstones" were set up by volunteers from the SB Vets for Peace Chapter & SBCC students. The public, staff & students passing by on the walkway between the East & West campuses were asked to come down on the lawn to place a placard of the colored photo & information of a teen casualty on the "Tombstones". Information about the cost of war and the immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq, Afghanistan & Pakistan was shared.
An SBCC Form for students to be taken off the Military's recruitment list, in opposition to the Solomon Amendment was given out. The Solomon Amendment allows Colleges & Universities to give student names, phone #'s, & other private information to 17 components of the U.S. Military Service each term. Students can prevent the release of their information to the Military Recruiters by using the Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 to withhold the release of their "Directory Information" to the military.
A petition to Congress to Stop the Military Use of Depleted Uranium, from VFP, Chapter 116 and a petition to Congress for the "Countdown to withdrawal" from the American Friends Service Committee were signed by many.
