Campus Antiwar Network History

Admin Aids Counter-Recruitment on NYC Campus

Patrick Collins

So I have some exciting news for the counter-recruitment movement in New
York:

Acting on information sent to me by Dave Florey (NYU-CAN) last night,
namely that there would be military recruiters from three branches of
the Armed Services (Army, ANG, and Marines) on the BMCC (Borough of
Manhattan Community College  Chambers St.) campus today, Wednesday Oct.
26th, I prepared several posters, printed copies of the College Not
Combat flyer, and the flyer for Saturdays city-wide meeting, to pass
out during the Career Fair which the recruiters were invited to.

Since this action was on short notice, I did not come with the
expectation that anything large and very meaningful would occur. Failing
to contact the Muslim Students Association, I went immediately to the
Student Governments offices to gather at least some minimal support for
a small protest next the recruiters tables. The SGA President, Jason
Negron, was shocked at the news that they had tables in BMCC, and
quickly tried to get to the bottom of the matter by finding the answers
to the reasons they were there. Note: Currently at BMCC, recruiters are
not allowed on campus except by invitation, and even then only for this
one day  Career Day. Unfortunately, someone in the Office of Student
Activities had invited them (quite secretly and without the knowledge of
most of the Administration).

After standing next to the Marines table for about an hour and a half,
passing out literature and interrupting the few conversations the
recruiters were having with students, I began to feel a bit demoralized
by the fact that there had not been any mobilization against their
presence.

It was at this point that the Vice President, Laraby Bishop, came with
several supporters (about 15-20) and angrily demanded that the
recruiters leave, that they were not allowed to be in the hallway, and
that their discriminatory policies were not acceptable on our campus. I
passed out several posters (reading things like: Resist the Poverty
Draft: Say NO to Military Recruiters!, Towards An Army of None  Help
Build the Counter-Recruitment Movement), and many began to make their
own, with personalized messages.

A couple professors showed up in solidarity with our protest and helped
organize the demonstration by suggesting several chants and slogans.
Furthermore, two Deans came to show their support, with Dean Marva Craig
demanding that the recruiters either leave or move into their designated
room.

The demo began to grow in size as more and more students expressed their
anger (BMCC is a working-class minority school  making it a prime
target for recruiters), until at the high point of the protest, after
the Marines had given up and left, there were fifty or so students
chanting and making their demands.

The campus security (which at BMCC is the NYPD) formed a line, but never
took any actions against us  thankfully. The Army recruiters, who
stayed about ten minutes longer only out of contempt, also realized the
hopelessness of their situation and left campus as well. All that
remained were the Army Natl Guard, who after several arguments with
members of the SGA and the Deans, were forced into the Richard Harris
Terrace (their originally designated place to table) where they hung
around for about another ten minutes before giving up and leaving.

At this point, the student protesters, who numbered around twenty-five,
gave cries of success, sang Wade to the Water, and clapped until the
last recruiter was out the door. According to the SGA and Dean Marva
Craig, this is probably the last time theyll be allowed to set foot on
campus ever again.

This demo fostered a relationship with several students who expressed
interest in CAN, and an interest in furthering counter-recruitment
efforts at BMCC. Once student, who has planned a panel in November on
the War in Iraq, plans to contact CAN to promote this event and get us
on board.

Besides booting the recruiters off campus, this day has probably proved
invaluable in expressing CANs integrity and efforts to rid colleges of
the military forces that prey on our students. Hopefully many will come
to this weekends meeting at City College  many expressed strong interest.

This is a strong victory for BMCC and colleges across the city, it is a
step in the right direction. But it doesnt stop on campus grounds,
because right at BMCCs doorstep, on Chambers St., are recruiting
offices for three branches of the military. Until students never have to
pass recruiters on the prowl again, our work is not done at BMCC.

Enthusiastically yours,

Patrick Collins
BMCC-CAN