Since March is Women's History Month, we decided to focus on women and Selective Service (the draft). In December of last year the Secretary of Defense announced that all combat positions would be open to women. The question then became, should women have to register for Selective Service. We decided to put that question to the students.

I realized fairly early on that most students were completely oblivious. In Illinois, as in many other states, young men are automatically registerd for the Selective Service when they apply for a drivers' license. So most are blissfully unaware that it's taking place.

Still, I noted that most students felt that in the interests of gender equality women should have to register. Only one student voted "No" and he did so because he felt no one should have to register unless they wanted to; it should be their choice, in other words.

There is more information and resources on our website.

Libby

Buffalo Grove has always been a rather quiet school i.e. not much traffic at our table; not much interest. And when we have gotten visitors they have often been people who just want to rankle us like the young man who tried to convince us that Obama was Muslim. What do I know? Today I now have the names and email addresses for some students who are interested in forming a peace group. I gave them zines and told them about our meeting tonight. I doubt they'll show up but they're interested and we can follow up with emails.

They seemed excited about, and took, buttons and patches.

Many students here are disappointed that I'm not selling Valentine candygrams. It's also a disappointment that I'm not hawking tickets to the turnabout dance.

And I just met a future journalist and truth-seeker who is thinking about attending Howard University. She is currently a Junior. She plans to visit the school over Spring Break.

Truly, this never happens! And definitely not at BGHS. One of the young ladies remembered connecting with us around Armistice Day. That would have been last November. She really likes our purpose. She wants to write for our zine although, unfortunately, we are almost ready to go to press.

Lynne

Groundhog Day. I attempted to link the theme of the 1993 movie of the same name with the recent decision by our military commanders to NOT pull troops out of Afghanistan; instead talking about an American commitment that could keep thousands of troops in the country for decades. . . . DECADES.

Anyway, not sure it was a very clear link. Better would be to make the link to the concept of insanity - doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. The United States has been in Afghanistan since 2001 and we don't seem to be having any better luck than the Soviet Union which occupied the country from 1979 to 1989 but finally had to pull out.

A  young woman from the school newspaper stopped by and we talked. I am going to submit something to the newspaper on the issue of  having young women register for Selective Service.

Libby

My day at RMHS included an early visit from Joseph, who had submitted a zine article. Several students have come by and enjoyed candy. Some came and got peace buttons or patches. They think it's cool that an alum of their school is our button artist.

One young man came by and said he didn't believe there was anything negative about the government's recruiting minors for the military. He said (in so  many words) that the military's propaganda is right; what we're doing is more dangerous. I gave him a zine and invited him to write an article for us. I think he's a 9th grader.  Students keep coming for our peace bling and candy.

Lynne