Some say Warwick High sophomore’s ad ‘undercuts the military’

By Mike Dawson
Times Herald-Record
mdawson@th-record.com

Warwick – If creating a buzz is rule No. 1 in advertising, then an anonymous Warwick Valley High School sophomore has a bright future.

“You can’t be all that you can be if you’re dead. There are other ways to serve your country. There are other ways to get money for college. There are other ways to be all you can be.
THINK ABOUT IT. Before you sign your life away.”
The ad was created and paid for by a Warwick student who is a member of the Bruderhof community, a Christian-based communal order in Sugar Loaf that preaches pacifism. And since appearing last week, the ad has sparked controversy in the school district and the community and provoked lively First Amendment debates among students and teachers in the classroom.

Maggie Adams, the Warwick High nurse, who has two sons who graduated from Warwick and are serving in the Marines, said she was outraged when she first saw the ad and has written a letter to the editor of The Survey.
“I understand the right to free speech and I support that. But I don’t think it’s appropriate for a school newspaper,” Adams said. “I refuse to believe what the ad says. I refuse to believe those people who choose to join the military, like my two sons, are wasting their lives.”
Army Capt. William Bliss, in charge of recruiting at Warwick High, said the ad was misleading and the Army is exploring placing some of its own ads in The Survey.

The ad cost $50 and was part of a year-long buy totaling $450. The student was planning to create a string of different ads on various subjects for the year.
While Barbarash said administrators have yet to determine if the controversial ad would run again, Zimmerman said the student has been told by school officials the district was pulling the ad for future issues.
Zimmerman said the Bruderhof community supports veterans, the military and the government, but also democratic dissent.
“The ad wasn’t meant to create hate or anger,” Zimmerman said. “It was to get people to think and discuss and it seems to be doing just that.”

My Hats Off To The ‘UnNamed’ Student and may He/She Put The Money To Good Use Producing Similar Messages that not only bring on Debate but Bring People to Thought!!
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Andy Rooney, 60mins:
*THANKS, ANDY

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Video ‘First week of October ’05’:
ONE WEEK IN IRAQ

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U.S. CASUALTY MAP;click on map for interaction site:

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This is a Silent Honor Roll shown on the PBS ‘News Hour’, now Almost Daily, that was started at the Beginning!

As of Today, 10-9-05 there are 49 Pages with 5 ‘Honor Roll’ links per page!

If you take the Time to View ‘ALL’ the Pages/Photo’s and Information Instill This Thought Into Each American Military Face You See, ‘Try and Picture 30, 40, 50, 60 or More Iraqi Faces, Children-Women-Men, Killed for Each Of These Faces You Are Looking At’

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