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PEACE EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR SCHOOLS, YOUTH GROUPS Christina Harris of the LI Alliance for Peaceful Alternatives, provides a peace education program for schools and
youth groups; also workshops and presentations. She has a Masters degree in Social Justice from Loyola University.
Contact her at LIAPA, by phone: 516-741-4360; or by e-mail: lialliancepeaceeducation@gmail.com
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| If you haven't joined on already, take a minute right now to urge state leaders to support ReDirect New York. [Send your message] |
His own juvenile justice task force advised him to stop sending low-risk, young offenders
to faraway lockups and place more of them in lower-cost community-based programs.
Nonetheless, Governor Paterson
has proposed cutting $16 million for juvenile alternatives to detention and alternatives to incarceration. We
have good news.The movement to restore funding for these programs is building, and this morning the New York Times
came out in strong support of ReDirect New York -- legislation we helped to draft at the request of key policymakers.
ReDirect preserves funding for alternative programs for youth, and creates a fiscal incentive for counties to take advantage
of such programs. Check out the editorial below, and if you haven't already, send your message of support to Albany today. The New York Times "A Better Chance" EDITORIAL April 25, 2010 Gov. David Paterson's juvenile justice task force was on the mark when it advised him
to stop sending low-risk young offenders to faraway lockups and place more of them in lower-cost community-based programs. These
programs closely monitor and mentor troubled children with curfew checks, reviews of their school performance, and after-school
activities. They have been shown to get low-risk young offenders back on track without institutionalizing them. Instead of
taking that advice, the governor's budget virtually guts an already underfinanced effort intended to encourage localities
to develop high-quality alternatives to detention programs. Senator Velmanette Montgomery, Democrat of Brooklyn, is
trying to fix that. She has introduced a bill that would require the state to begin reimbursing localities that keep children
in effective local programs. The current system encourages officials to do exactly the wrong thing. For example, the
state reimburses localities for about 50 percent of the cost of operating centers for pretrial detention. And it pays 50 percent
of the cost (which can go as high as $200,000 per child per year) for incarcerating children sent to far-flung juvenile facilities.
The state gives localities nothing when they place children in community-based programs that can cost as little as $5,000
per year. The Montgomery bill realigns state priorities. In addition to preserving about $12 million to encourage more
community-based programs, it would require the state to provide a 65 percent reimbursement for community-based, alternative-to-detention
programs. This proposal has already been included in the Senate budget. The Assembly should embrace it and so should Governor
Paterson. It makes good sense for the children and for New York's taxpayers. A version of this article appeared
in print on April 26, 2010, on page A22 of the New York edition. |
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Greetings:A new
action has just been added on NY4CG. The details are as follows:
ACTION URL: http://ny4cg.org/actions/?id=4001 ACTION NAME: RETIRE G.I. JOE - ALL WAR TOYS MUST GO! DATES: Feb 13, 2010 through Feb 13, 2010 TIME: 5:15 pm ORGANIZATION: Granny
Peace Brigade MORE INFO: http://www.grannypeacebrigade.org/toys.html DESCRIPTION: Our children and grandchildren are special and
their playthings should be special too - stuff that helps them blossom into smart, happy, positive kids. That's why we pick
out gifts with loving care.
On February 13th the Toy Industry Association will reveal the 2010 toy picks at their
10th annual "Toy of the Year Awards" Ceremony. We're not sure kids will get loving care from these folks.
Hasbro, the maker of the G.I. Joe line of dolls and a multitude of murderous accessories is nominated for awards in two
toy categories.
This will all happen at the Chelsea Piers (Pier 60) and we've got to be there as the attendees
file into the awards ceremony. We'll tell Hasbro and the rest that it's time to...
RETIRE G.I. JOE - ALL WAR TOYS
MUST GO!
Chelsea Pier 60 West side of 11th Avenue at 20th Street
We'll have banners, songs, flyers.
Bring your very welcome self and take a stand for "Smart Toys not War Toys." To vote on the action, Please go to http://ny4cg.org/_admin/vote/, which will require clicking LOGIN. Be sure to forward word of this action to your members.
Note: Please do not reply to this email
as it goes to an unmonitored account. If you
have any questions, please let us know.

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| Sumnmer Camp Project for Peace |
SUPPORT THE YOUTH PROMISE ACT
Youth Counter recruitment
CONTACT US FOR HERE FOR ASSISTANCE IN ORGANIZING A YOUTH PAX CHRISTI CHAPTER OR OTHER PEACE & JUSTICE YOUTH PROGRAMS AT YOUR
SCHOOL OR CHURCH
Nassau County District Attorney link
PROJECT SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD: Peacemakers
Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen
Rice is committed to keeping our young people away from the street life of drugs and gangs. With that commitment in mind,
her office works with five school districts; Freeport, Hempstead, Roosevelt, Uniondale, and Westbury to develop creative ways
to foster safe schools. The team of school officials, business reps and law enforcement planners has found unique and practical
ways to make peaceful living and nonviolence a way of life for our youth. Several participating schools have been working
with a nationally acclaimed curriculum called Peacemakers.  The
Peacemakers program, developed by Jeremy Shapiro, PhD, teaches upper elementary- and middle school-aged students positive
values and attitudes related to violence. Youth are trained in anger management, problem solving, communication, assertiveness
and conflict resolution. Instead of being delivered like a lesson, the Peacemakers principles are taught through school activities.
Each of the schools
has found a creative way to infuse the powerful lessons on getting along into their school culture. From our violence prevention
“incubator” dozens of creative projects have been generated including teen developed TV PSAs; Peacemaker coached
sports such as basketball, handball, tennis, and wrestling; art projects; CPR, and even ballroom dancing. If you are interested
in being part of our monthly meetings or learning more about the program feel free to email Maria.Ploth@nassauda.org. WALL OF HOPE: Building hope from a tragedy
In January
2008, young Mikey Alguera was senselessly murdered on Hempstead High School’s abandoned handball court. Determined to
restore the courts to our youth, Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice's office is working with community groups to
raise funds to build new, safe handball courts at Hempstead High School. In the process, DA Rice's office learned that handball
is an immensely popular sport among our youth, especially Latino youth, and yet there is no handball program in our public
schools. In Mikey's memory, the office is supporting this positive campaign to build the new courts and create Long Island’s
first intramural handball program. All who are interested in helping can contact our office or the Family and Children’s’
Association at (516) 746-0350. Teaching Responsible Gun Ownership Communities Addressing Responsible Gun Ownership (CARGO) is an
innovative approach to protecting our children from accidental and impulsive gun shot injuries. It educates adults and
youth on the devastating effects of guns as well as the laws surrounding weapons. It is a collaboration of the Nassau
County District Attorney’s office and law enforcement. The CARGO multi-disciplinary team educates participants about
firearm safety and responsibility. During the program, a law enforcement officer provides information about safe gun storage,
responsible parenting and safe gun handling. A prosecutor highlights specific cases and laws involving firearms.
If you have
any questions about any Community Affairs programs, please call (516) 571-1090 or email Rene.Fiechter@nassauda.org.
THOSE WHO WORK
WITH YOUTH IN THE DIOCESE OF ROCKVILLE CENTER MUST FIRST GO THROUGH THE VIRTUS PROGAM (click on
the line below & then Protecting Children).
Hi Everyone,
Maximum PC is a popular national magazine for technology enthusiasts. The August 2009 issue carries a “gaming”
column entitled, “Experiencing the Army.” The column begins, “I’d like to thank my local Army-hating,
left-wing peace-creeps. If it wasn’t for their shrill protest outside the Army Experience Center in Franklin
Mills, Pennsylvania, I might never have known that one of the best gaming facilities in the region is only half an hour
from my house. And completely free!” The columnist, Thomas McDonald, goes on to describe the dozens of
high-tech computers and games that the AEC provides. He tells the reader not to be concerned about the recruitment
component of the AEC’s practices. He says, “There’s no recruitment pitch unless you ask for one.”
This is obviously outrageous. I have written a letter to the editor, and I have pasted it in, below.
Unfortunately, this article is not currently available online for you to read. The magazine is available at newsstands.
The magazine’s Web site is at www.maximumpc.com, if you want to check for the article at a later date. It will likely post on August 1. There has been some
discussion on the site’s message board about the article. This can be found at http://www.maximumpc.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=982464&sid=8bf93b843effb784aa42779fe70fe932
The magazine does publish a number of letters to the editor each month. If you would like to write to the editor,
Will Smith, you can email him at comments@maximumpc.com
The magazine requires that you provide your full name, city of residence, and phone number, although they do not seem to
print more than your name. Below is the letter I emailed
to the magazine. Peace,
Bob ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To The Editor:
It is fun to play games. It is great fun to play computer games. In his recent column, “Experiencing the
Army,” Thomas McDonald describes the war simulations that children can play at the Army Experience Center in the
Franklin Mills Mall. He goes on to state, “This is not some kind of high-tech spider web designed to lure the
young, dazzle them with World at War, and make them sign up for a tour of duty.” Sadly, Mr. McDonald is incorrect.
The AEC is a recruitment center. It is staffed by more than twenty trained Army recruiters. The Army’s
own press release (8-29-2008) refers to the children who visit the AEC as, “potential recruits.” Army
literature (AEC Fact Sheet) boasts, “The AEC leverages the success the Army has had with its interactive and online
marketing campaigns and offerings.” One of the AEC’s recruiters recently described the AEC as, “the
future of Army recruiting.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOdgK4t9OaQ
Children as young as thirteen can play the games at the AEC and can speak with the staff of recruiters. Children visiting
the AEC are required to register and provide contact information. They swipe their ID cards before playing the various
games, so a record is kept of their activities. The AEC is one of the Army’s most “productive” recruitment
centers. It misrepresents the Army experience. It trivializes violence. It glorifies war. It teaches
children that war is fun. Yes, computer games are great fun. War is not fun. The Army should not present
it as such. As the clergy, veterans, and peace activists proclaimed, “War is not a game. Shut down the
AEC.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Utr1QCVVb9E Bob Marcus
VIRTUS PROGRAM LINK

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