High School Student Appeals to NAACP President

High School Student Appeals to NAACP President

June 17, 2009

Benjamin Jealous, President and CEO, NAACP

Dear Mr. Jealous:

My name is Iliana C. I am an intern at “The World Can't Wait,” a national anti-war organization. I recently found out that you hosting the “Army Strong” military recruiters at your 2009 NAACP celebration in New York City the weekend of July 11th.

It is unacceptable that the NAACP, which has historically played such an important role in the struggle for racial equality and human rights, would encourage Black youth to join the military which will turn them into war criminals and cannon fodder for these racist, unjust wars.

Just because we have a president who is African-American, we cannot be sucked into the sugar-coated hypocrisy that the United States is spreading democracy and freedom to the Middle East by murdering, bombing, torturing and terrorizing the countries and the people who live there. For instance, since Obama became president US air strikes have killed hundreds of Afghani and Pakistani civilians, including women and children.

Despite what Obama says, the escalating war in Afghanistan is not the "good" war. It is the same war that started under President Bush, and it is for the same reasons. I demand to know why you are allowing recruiters to come to your celebration. This war goes against NAACP's whole vision of "ensur(ing) a society in which all individuals have equal rights and there is no racial hatred or racial discrimination" (NAACP vision).

If you want that kind of world you have to fight for it on a global scale, not from only a national perspective. American lives are NOT worth more than Iraqi or Afghani lives! If we truly want to end racism, and ensure a future where all men and women are equal, we must stop thinking like Americans and start thinking about humanity.

I strongly suggest you cancel the military recruiters at your celebration. Please contact me or “The World Can’t Wait” at 866-973-4463.

Sincerely, Iliana C

New York City High School Student


SIGN a letter to the NAACP asking it to dis-invite military recruiters from the 2009 NAACP Convention.