(Updated: Originally posted January 10, 2007)
"Defense Dept. Settles Suit on Database for Recruiting" by ADAM LIPTAK
The database, the Joint Advertising, Market Research and Studies Program, is, according to court papers, probably the largest repository of information concerning 16-to-25-year-olds. It includes names, ages, sex, races, addresses, phone and Social Security numbers, e-mail addresses, schools attended, fields of study and grades. The information is collected or bought from high schools, motor vehicle departments and commercial vendors, and is used to identify and contact military recruiting prospects.
Helllloooooo, government!
Like what I write?
No?
Too bad!
It's the TRUTH!!!
The Defense Department agreed to use the database only for recruiting, giving up the possibility of sharing it with law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
Uh-huh!
It agreed to destroy information on individuals after three years rather than five years or longer.
Uh-huh!
The department also agreed to collect Social Security numbers only from the Selective Service System.
Uh-huh!
Perhaps most significantly, it established a way for people to opt out of the database.
Why should you have to "opt out?"
Should NEVER FUCKING BE IN!
Donna Lieberman, the executive director of the civil liberties group, said that the settlement was a positive step, but that more remained to be done:
“Is it going to stop overaggressive recruiting? Of course not. Is it going to stop recruiting that specifically targets people of color? No.”
The group said it was frustrated that the department refused to stop collecting information about students’ race and ethnicity, and said the military was engaged in efforts “to target racial and ethnic minorities, especially from African-American and Latino communities, for aggressive recruitment campaigns.”
Maj. Stewart Upton, a Defense Department spokesman, defended the recruiting efforts:
“In continuing to ensure that the military is representative of the American populace, we must communicate with all audiences to ensure that they are aware of the opportunity to serve in today’s military.”
Are you making the PRIVILEGED ELITE aware of the "OPPORTUNITY to SERVE, " Stew?
How many congresspeople's kids serving?
What are Jenna and Barbara Bush up to?
Why don't they enlist and help the war effort (they in the database)?
Eleni Angelos Healey, a senior at Trinity School in Manhattan and one of the plaintiffs in the suit, said she had been harassed by letters and e-mail from military recruiters and that repeated efforts to stop them had failed:
“I’m really glad that there’s going to be a much easier way for kids to get their names off these lists as soon as possible.”
They never throw those lists away, girl!
