March 16, 2006

As the third anniversary of the invasion of Iraq approaches, the war's impact on our generation is increasingly alarming:

• The vast majority of U.S. troops killed in Iraq have been youth of college-age.
• Military recruiters have escalated their aggressive and deceptive campaigns in our schools, preying upon young people as the Pentagon struggles to enlist enough youth to fight a war based on lies.
• The war's soaring cost (nearly $400 billion!) has forced massive budget cuts, leaving young people with under-funded schools, diminishing social services and fewer alternatives to the military.
• The President has now announced he plans to make this a "long war" with no end in sight, burdening OUR generation with ongoing violence and growing national debt.

But young people all over the country are organizing and fighting back!

On March 16, the National Youth and Student Peace Coalition (NYSPC) is joining with our allies across the movement to call for a national day of youth- and student-led cultural resistance against three years of needless war.

We are calling for creative grassroots actions across the country to demand an end to this occupation, as it becomes more deadly, costly and disastrous each day. Outraged by the war's soaring costs to our communities, and the war machine's endless grip on our economy, we will organize opposition to war and militarism by amplifying the youth movement's call for Books Not Bombs! Young people everywhere will organize locally to demand that our leaders stop funding this illegal occupation, which is robbing us of resources we need for schools, services and real alternatives to military enlistment.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

1. Raise Your Voice!
On March 16, as part of a week of national resistance to the war, we are urging young people to organize open-mic nights, anti-war concerts and other creative forums where our generation can raise our voices against the Bush Administration’s reckless policies of greed and destruction.

By organizing unified local efforts across the country, we can build the youth movement's power to speak out against the impact of endless militarism on our generation.

• It is our peers losing their lives for Bush's lies.
• It is our schools that have been invaded by aggressive military recruiters.
• And it is our opportunities for education and job training that are being slashed to fund war.

Now it is OUR generation that must rise up to SPEAK OUT against endless war!

So start organizing an open-mic night, anti-war concert, teach-in, speak out or other event in your area – or do something completely different! The important thing is that this day of resistance brings forward the unique voices, demands and creative ideas of our generation. And this means we need to hear from YOU to make this day a national success! So check out www.NYSPC.net to get in touch and access a bunch of organizing tools. You can use our website to:

• Register and publicize your local Books Not Bombs event.
• Endorse the Books Not Bombs National Day of Resistance.
• Learn about/connect with other Books Not Bombs events around the country and in your area.
• Download organizing resources, media tips, petitions, postcards and more.
• Find other youth-led peace and justice groups, counter-recruitment links, and more.
• Help us build a massive and powerful National Day of Resistance!

2. Take It to Congress!
While we have taken our resistance to the streets for more than three years, now is the time to take it to Congress. With the 2006 elections just around the corner, we need to send our elected leaders a clear message: if you will not pay attention to young people’s demands, then get out of our way! NYSPC will provide organizing resources to all local participants, including petitions, postcards and sample letters you can use to collect stacks of signatures, calling upon your reps to end this occupation and stop the cycle of endless war by voting to fund books not bombs!

Immediately following the third anniversary of the war, Members of Congress will be in their local districts (your neighborhoods!) from March 20 to 24. This is the perfect time for you to take all the postcards, petitions and letters you get signed at your events on the 16th and hand-deliver them to the Congressional office in your district! We must make our voices heard, from our campuses and communities to Capitol Hill!

3. Build the Movement!
While NYSPC is calling for the Books Not Bombs Youth & Student Day of Resistance on March 16, there will be many other opportunities to take action as the world mourns three years since the invasion of Iraq. We are calling for youth-led actions in solidarity with these other events, which we urge you to support:

March 14-19: Veterans and Survivors March for Peace and Justice From Mobile to New Orleans
On March 14, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Military Families Speak Out, Veterans for Peace and Vietnam Veterans Against the War will undertake an historic, six-day, 135-mile march from Mobile, AL across Mississippi to New Orleans, in order to highlight the connection between the illegal, multi-trillion dollar war in Iraq and the shameful neglect of communities devastated by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Thousands of hurricane survivors and community residents are expected to join the walk along the way, which will culminate with a mass rally in New Orleans on March 19. Mobilize to get to the rally or support these events locally by raising funds and awareness of young veterans’ resistance. Find out how to help at www.VetGulfMarch.org.

March 15-22: Three Years Too Many – Local Actions to End the War
As a member of United for Peace and Justice, NYSPC supports the call for local community actions around the third anniversary of the war. To build the power of young people within the broader peace and justice movement, we urge you to find out what's happening in your area and get involved! Many communities will be having local rallies, vigils and marches over the weekend of March 18-19, so find out what's happening near you at www.unitedforpeace.org and organize a strong showing of youth activists in your area.

More Info About NYSPC:
The National Youth and Student Peace Coalition is sponsoring the Books Not Bombs National Youth and Student Day of Resistance. NYSPC is the largest coalition of youth and student organizations from around the country committed to fighting for peace and justice in our schools, communities, and around the world. Formed in the Fall of 2001, we have been organizing youth and students to fight back against wars and occupations and to demand a real future for young people in the US and around the world. NYSPC has developed the Books Not Bombs agenda, which addresses the real concerns of young people today.

The Books Not Bombs Agenda:
Fund Education—Not Empire!
Military Out of Our Schools—No to the Poverty Draft!
Protect Our Civil Liberties!
Campuses For Peace—Not War!
Schools Not Jails!

To find out more about NYSPC and learn how you can get involved visit us at www.nyspc.net or email us at info@nyspc.net.