Surprise, surprise (well, ok not really) but it seems like the U.S. Military targets young, poor communities of color to reach their recruitment quotas. In a report released by the American Friends Service Committee, a pacifist organization, in New York City the military recruited from the predominantly African-American and Latino neighborhoods of the South Bronx, Washington Heights, Inwood, central and north Brooklyn, Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, Flushing and Jamaica. In 2004 99 people from Washington Heights and Inwood joined the military. In Jackson Heights, Corona, Woodside, and Elmhurst, 119 people enlisted. Compare this to the 7 individuals who enlisted from the Upper East Side of Manhattan.

People have mistaken the high numbers of people of color entering the military as support for the current military operations in the Middle East when in reality they are a response to the lack of job and educational opportunities in communities of color.

Because of the disproportionate number of people of color entering the military, the majority of casualties are impacting families from our communities despite what the Cindy Sheehan road show may lead you to think. According to El Diario/la Prensa of the 38 soldiers from the New York City area killed in service while in Iraq 21 were Latino, 8 were African-American, 4 were Asian and 5 were white.

Via / El Diario/La Prensa