| Various people at my school go every year to protest the School of Americas. And every year I am asked to go. And every year I say No. This is why: The School of the Americas (SOA) is a school where people from other countries are trained in torture techniqiues, how to make people "disapear", and other not nice ways to maintain their own country. These people ussually come from a country that the US has an invested intrest in, whether it be econimical or political. Sounds like a great thing to protest right? What could be wrong with that? IT IS HYPOCRITICAL! On the international, the US trains all kinds of military personal. For all our countries faults and failings we are highly ranked for military training programs. We may not be the best, but we are one of the best. For this reason, we invite our allies to send over people to train at ALL of our military programs. This includes places like Anapolis and Westpoint. After these international students are done with their training and silently stand at attention while the Americans get sworn in to the Armed Forces, they go back to their own countries to lead their own armies. When the SOA protestors start showing up there, then we might talk. On the domestic level, the various tatics taught at the SOA are taught to and used by American soldiers. The special forces branch is one of the most revered and one of the most coveted spots in the military, and are specially trained in this stuff. Also, who thinks that the CIA and NSA has never done the things that the SOA protestors lament. I believe it is because these are the agencies and organizations that keep those protestors safe and able to protest. There are a lot of people who gaurd the wall around our freedom and there are a lot of ugly things done to keep that wall ours and the people inside that wall free. No one seems to be complaing about that. This is just a few of the reasons why I won't protest the School of the Americas. I can tell you plenty more... |
| ANTI- SCHOOL OF THE AMERICAS PROTEST |