From Draft NOtices, July-September 2025
— Oren Robinson
In line with Trump administration policies, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has taken steps to remove all programs that emphasize diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in military recruitment. DEI bans have also affected the choices of names assigned to military bases and ships and led to books being banned from military academy libraries.
From Draft NOtices, July-September 2025
— Simeon Man
In June 2025, Japan ratified the Reciprocal Access Agreement with the Philippines, allowing their armed forces to deploy to each other's countries for joint exercises and live-fire drills. This followed the annual U.S./Philippine Balikatan war games in which the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) participated for the first time. As the United States escalates aggression against China, Japan and the Philippines have proven their eagerness to play along, jointly militarizing the Pacific region, dragging more and more people and places into war.
From Draft NOtices, July-September 2025
Book Review
Erasing History
How Fascists Rewrite the Past to Control the Future
Jason Stanley
Atria/One Signal, 2024
— Isidro Ortiz
On June 27, the U.S Supreme Court by a 6-3 vote issued a decision allowing parents to opt their elementary school children out of engaging with LGBTQ books in the classroom. On the surface this ruling might seem to be a simple case of religious parents who want to protect their children. Jason Stanley's book encourages us to envision these parents' challenge as part of a rising global fascist movement that has made targets of the public schools and institutions of higher education.
