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Blast From The Past
These archives are for all the various front page stories that you've come to expect on the NYRA page. If you miss a current story check back here, it'll be archived. Also for novelties sake scroll down and see what NYRA was up to months and years ago. It's interesting to see how far we've come.
December 14, 2004
NYRA to Appear on PBS
On November 22nd PBS filmed an hour long program about underage  drinking and the drinking age. The latter portion of the program is a panel discussion featuring among others, NYRA President Alex Koroknay-Palicz. Alex presented our case well, arguing that the drinking age is an issue of liberty more so than an issue of health and safety. Panelist and MADD President Wendy Hamilton strongly favored the drinking age and Alex was by far the greatest proponent of lowering it. Many on the panel had fairly moderate opinions, and Alex felt that the panel was more balanced and sympathetic to youth rights than he had anticipated. This is a huge opportunity for NYRA. Countless people will watch this when it is broadcasted, and the considerable length and depth of the discussion works in our favor. This appearance will rank among NYRA’s most significant, and bring many new people to our cause. Members are encouraged to check their local PBS listings, as the program's airing will differ from market to market.
Youth Rights Network Begun
NYRA has begun work on a comprehensive resource site for the youth rights movement. Using the same wiki technology that powers Wikipedia.org, NYRA has created the Youth Rights Network, and needs your help in making it an important, useful stop in the youth rights galaxy. The page is entirely community edited, meaning that everyone, yes you, can get involved in the maintenence and expansion of this great website. The Youth Rights Network (YRN) will feature articles like NYRA's library, contain reviews of youth rights books, contain bios of famous individuals in the youth rights movement, have a contact list for all supporters of youth rights, and feature general editable articles on youth rights history, organizations, terms, and philosophy. Most exciting perhaps is the potential for a youth rights law library listing every state, federal and local law that affects the rights of young people. This of course is a huge undertaking, so NYRA members are strongly urged to research their state's laws and add it to the Youth Rights Network. To aid local organizing, members are all urged to sign up for the youth rights contact list
Chapter News
NYRA member Patrick Ward founded a chapter in Santa Fe. The chapter paid its charter and has been approved. NYRA members in New Mexico should send an email to patrick@youthsantafe.org if they wish to become involved. The NYRA-Santa Fe website can be seen at: http://www.youthsantafe.org. Chapters are being started also in Vermont, Houston, and Chicago. Members in these areas are encouraged to check out their threads in the NYRA Forums. All members interested in starting a local chapter are invited to get involved in NYRA's online chapter forum. NYRA NYC met on December 5th to discuss the curfew and the smoking age. The meeting was productive by all accounts. NYRA members in DC had some success tabling at an SSDP conference. Money was made, buttons and literature were distributed, and members were recruited. Thanks to everyone who helped out at this event, and to the SSDP for having us.
November 17, 2004
NYRA on Fox News
NYRA President Alex Koroknay-Palicz appeared on Fox News on October 23rd.  While Alex only had around five minutes to articulate NYRA’s complex set of reasons to lower the voting age, he did a great job and most agree that he came off better than the opposition. The host, Greg Jarrett, seemed very sympathetic and was respectful and fair for the duration of the segment. Alex presented sharp, concise arguments, stating that there is no wrong vote, and that young people are more informed than a lot of people think.Fox News is the most watched cable news network, and it is fair to say that a million people saw the segment. After the interview, Alex issued this statement “Despite the short time window, I made some good points and brought the voting age to a whole new audience. Fox News is big, and this was a great achievement for the cause.” Those who missed it can hear the audio here.
NYRA Voting Age Events in New York and Sacramento
In its continued efforts to keep the public informed about youth rights issues, thus gaining support and effective change, NYRA was an integral part of the voting age protests that took place throughout the country on the days preceding the election. NYRA organized successful events in New York City and Sacramento, California. NYRA-NYC sponsored a flash mob in Union Square, on October the 30th. About fifteen NYRA members from New York and New Jersey converged to distribute literature to passers-by and other political activists. The event had a positive outcome despite uncooperative weather and a large Kerry rally that engulfed the NYRA flash mob. Many new members were recruited, and the planning leading up to the event strengthened the New York chapter. Pictures can be viewed here. In Sacramento NYRA Berkeley members met on the south lawn state Capitol to protest the voting age. While the recent voting age legislation in California came to an abrupt halt, NYRA is determined to see someone reintroduce the bill. "If no one steps forward right away, we will do another protest and another protest until one does," said NYRA Vice President Robert Reynolds, who organized the event. The Sacramento event attracted significant media attention.
NYRA -SSDS of Essex and Union Approved
NYRA member Garrett Levenbrook of New Jersey recently took the initiative to organize a NYRA chapter in his high school. NYRA-SSDS of Essex and Union has paid its charter and been approved. The chapter already has 17 members and a web page. They have elected officers, and will surely accomplish a lot this year. The chapter has thus far organized a successful mock election in the school. All are encouraged to visit the chapter website.
NYRA to Draft Student Bill of Rights
With no comprehensive, widely recognized bill of rights for students, NYRA has decided to draft a true student centered one. Existing bill of rights are crafted by high school and university administrators themselves and list off as many responsibilities (i.e. rules & regulations) as real rights students enjoy. With the rise of restrictive policies such as drug testing, dress codes, and zero tolerance a universal student bill of rights is needed. The document also calls for real student participation in the decision making process, something all too rare in public schools. NYRA intends to work with other organizations such as the ACLU, Advocates for Youth, Students for a Sensible Drug Policy, and others in crafting a widely regarded and accepted students bill of rights. Once completed, the document will be promoted to schools and organizations all over the country, as the coalition seeks out official endorsements. It is expected that with enough support, the Student Bill of Rights will revolutionize how schools treat students all over the country. Thus far, the initiative has been taken largely by members of NYRA’s web forums, evidence that the organization is growing and becoming more vibrant. The project's new website is: http://www.studentbillofrights.org/wiki Please go and add your voice to the project.
October 23, 2004
Voting Age Protests To be Held in New York and California
All NYRA members are urged to participate in NYRA’s voting age protests, which will take place next Saturday, October 30th. NYRA has events planned in New York City and Sacramento, California. The New York event will begin at 1 PM in Union Square. NYRA members from three states will convene to hand out literature and recruit new members. The new recruits will in turn hand out flyers, and the event will grow exponentially. In this sense it will be much like a flash-mob. Members of the media have already been contacted, and NYRA hopes this event will bring more attention to our cause, it has already helped spawn an interview on Fox News. Read the news release here. If anyone has questions regarding directions or anything else, please email organizer Scott Davidson. The Sacramento protest will take place on the south side of the state capitol building. The Berkeley chapter is NYRA‘s largest and most vibrant, so this event will almost certainly be successful. About twenty people are expected to attend, including a few of the Senators who supported the ground breaking voting age legislation that was proposed a few months ago. Everyone is invited to participate, and any questions should be directed towards NYRA-Vice President, and NYRA-Berkeley President, Robert Reynolds. NYRA members in other cities should also visit ASFAR to see if they are hosting an event in your area.
National Media Appearances for NYRA
NYRA President Alex Koroknay-Palicz will appear on the Fox News Network tonight at 5:45 EST. Fox News is one of the most popular media outlets, and millions of people will be watching this broadcast. Host Greg Jarrett will talk with Alex about the voting age for about fifteen minutes, affording Alex ample time to make our case. This is a tremendous opportunity for us, and ranks among our most important media appearances. NYRA’s AIM chartroom will be full of people watching and discussing the voting age segment. To join your fellow NYRA members, just join the AIM chatroom ‘NYRA’ or send an instant message to "SciVille", and she will invite you. Also, Koroknay-Palicz may be making an appearance on the Larry Elder Show, more details will be posted as they become available.
NYRA Moves to New Server
One of NYRA’s most stunning accomplishments is its comprehensive and informative website. A while ago NYRA decided that its server, American Hosting, didn’t provide the kinds of features we wanted, so the switch was made to Milescape. While Milescape provided the necessary features, the service was deplorable, and many people said they were having trouble accessing the site. YouthRights.org is vital to the success of our organization, and something had to be done. Yohiver from our web forums suggested UN Site Solutions. UN Site is an affordable Canadian company the provides the features we want with the quality service that we need, The switch was made seamlessly from Milescape to UN Site last night, the 22nd.
August 26, 2004
Voting Age Bill Fails in California
California State Senator John Vasconcellos recently abandoned his proposal to lower the voting age in California. NYRA President Alex Koroknay-Palicz, NYRA-Berkley chapter President Robert Reynolds, and NYRA advisor Mike Males had all gone to Sacramento to testify on behalf of the bill, which passed two committees before being amended and eventually abandoned. The bill, which originally would have given one half of a vote to sixteen and seventeen year olds, and one quarter of a vote to fourteen and fifteen year olds, was recently amended to simply lower the voting age to sixteen. People felt that the initial proposal was too complicated, and too much like the three fifths compromise. While NYRA regrets this bill being abandoned, we feel that overall the experience was a positive one. The debate surrounding the bill got a lot of people talking about youth rights issues, and generated a lot of press for NYRA. NYRA advised Senator Vaconcellos’s office about the bill, and NYRA members testified before important law makers. Therefore, it should still be viewed as a victory.
Child Abuser Immunity Act Passes Ohio State House
A bill recently passed the Ohio State House, which would protect schools and their employees from liability resulting from injuring students, providing that injury does not cause permanent damage. Obviously, NYRA opposes this bill which sets aside the rights of young people in order to protect the rights of those who are intent on oppressing them and abusing them physically. If it passes the senate, any adults working for the school, not just teachers, will essentially have a free pass to abuse students. The bill is in direct conflict with Tinker Vs. Des Moines, and with the notion that students deserve to be treated as human beings. NYRA members are encouraged to write letters to the editors of Ohio newspapers and to contact the Ohio Senate. If you wish to get involved in the campaign please visit the Campaign HQ with more information and tools to help us defeat this bill.
August 23, 2004
NYRA Forums to be Upgraded
After five years of continuous operation of our archaic 5.38a UBB forums, the good folks at NYRA have shelled  out the cash and purchased a license for brand new vBulletin forums, version 3.0.3. The new forums have many more features than the old ones, and will be a great leap forward for NYRA's increasingly active online community. In addition to lacking many needed features and perks that are now standard for online message boards, NYRA's current, UBB forums were never transferred from the organization's original host on ecg.net. This upgrade will complete the switch, moving all of NYRAnia to YouthRights.org. The forums will be closed until the transfer and upgrade are complete. Forum users are urged to be patient and look forward to a much improved online dwelling.
August 16, 2004
General Meeting Held, New Board Elected
After a month of voting, the 2004 NYRA Election has come to a close. At the General Meeting on Saturday, August 14 in New York City, NYRA members received a copy of the Annual Report,  and heard the report delivered by President Alex Koroknay-Palicz. Great discussion was sparked by the individuals in attendence regarding the year just past and the year to come. It was agreed 2005 promises to be NYRA's best year yet. After a year of internal difficulties, the theme of the meeting was one of renewal, and to symbolize this was held across the street from the World Trade Center site. The meeting was in the Winter Garden, the first building to be fully restored after the attack on 9/11. Also at the meeting the final votes were cast in the 2004 Board election and the final tally was made. With 38 votes cast out of a potential 65 the turnout rate was lower than last year, but many more total votes were made. The 2004-2005 Board of Directors include Scott Davidson, Rich Jahn, and Alex Koroknay-Palicz who were reelected for another term, and newcomers Jackie Fuller, Robert Reynolds, Kevin Keenan, Scarlett Swerdlow, Keith Mandell, and Arpan Patel. Read the Board's profiles here. Soon the Board will meet to elect officers and kick off the 2004-2005 term. Congrats to all those who made it on the Board.
August 3, 2004
Warped Tour Tabling Underway
Thanks to the great work and connections of NYRA member Rio Samsie, NYRA has been invited to table at the summer punk concert tour, the Warped Tour. So far the Warped Tour events have been a mixed success for NYRA. NYRA's first three stops on the tour were in San Francisco, Las Vegas and Chicago. Many thanks to volunteers Svend la Rose, Brendan Perez, Timothy Taycher, and Brad White. While the events fell short of expectations for recruiting and selling merchandise, all succeeded in introducing people to youth rights and passing out literature. Perhaps the greatest success came in Salt Lake City, from NYRA members Daniel McGuire and Chris Eaton. They made a whopping seventy nine dollars in button, t-shirt, and book sales. No doubt a lot of people became NYRA supporters in Salt Lake City as a result of Daniel and Chris's hard work. A lot of work also went in to making flyers, T-shirts, and buttons for these events. Special thanks to SSDP and YSA for letting us use their copiers.
July 27, 2004
Board Election Begins
We are now nearly two weeks into the 2004 NYRA Board election, and despite some problems it is looking like another good election season.  The ballot was scheduled to be released on July 15, but due to some problems finishing the online election site, it was not released until early on the 17th. Eleven qualified individuals are competing for nine seats on the NYRA Board of Directors. The candidates are Scott Davidson, Jackie Fuller, Rich Jahn, Kevin Keenan, Alex Koroknay-Palicz, Keith Mandell, Charles Mangiardi, Johnathan McClure, Arpan Patel, Robert Reynolds, and Scarlett Swerdlow. Davidson, Jahn, Koroknay-Palicz, and McClure are running for reelection. All dues paying members are eligible to vote in this election. Subscribers who haven't yet paid member dues are encouraged to do so. Dues are just $10 annually. A comprehensive election site has been created that has many good utilities. You can read the candidate's statements, see the attendence record of the incumbents, read through the changes to the bylaws, and talk with the candidates online in our online forum. The election will continue until August 14. All members are strongly encouraged to VOTE!
May 19, 2004
2004 Election Announced
At their May meeting on Sunday, the NYRA Board of Directors approved this year's election schedule. Voting will begin on July 15 and will conclude at the General Meeting in New York City on August 14. After many years in Washington, DC, the in-person annual meeting has shifted to New York this summer, all members are encouraged to attend. Time and location of the meeting will be announced later. All dues paying members are entitled to vote in the election and run for the Board of Directors. This year's election promises to be one of our most competitive, so be sure to become a full member so you can vote. If you are interested in running for the Board of Directors, please announce your candidacy. To check out a list of individuals already running, and discuss the upcoming election, please go here.
NYRA Joins Warped Tour
Thanks to the great work and connections of NYRA member Rio Samsie, NYRA has been invited to table at the summer punk concert tour, the Warped Tour.  So far NYRA-DC has registered for the DC area show on August 4, but the invitation is open to all dates of the tour. All NYRA chapter leaders and NYRA activists are strongly encouraged to work a literature table when the Warped Tour comes your way. Please send us an e-mail to set things up. This has huge potential for youth rights, as NYRA stands to introduce tens of thousands of people to the cause all over the country. Stay tuned for more information.
May 9, 2004
Voting Age Bill Passes Committee
The bill proposed by California State Senator John Vasconcellos, (D- San Jose) that will grant half of a vote to sixteen year olds, and one  fourth of a vote to fourteen year olds, passed the Committee on Elections and Reappointment Wednesday May 5 on a 3-2 vote. The hearing began with testimony from well known Youth Rights author and NYRA Advisor Mike Males. Dr. Males' testimony went smoothly. NYRA President Alex Koroknay-Palicz testified after him, and although his testimony was thwarted by hostile politicians frequently interrupting and asking unrelated questions, he brought up a number of good points. He was removed from the panel too early, and opponents later brought up points he intended to address. A number of other supporters testified on behalf of the bill, including NYRA-Berkley President Robert Reynolds, who is currently producing a documentary on the voting age. People opposed to the bill brought up possible logistics difficulties involving different ballo ts for people of different ages. These testimonies have generated some media coverage for NYRA in California. Next the bill travels to the Constitutional Amendment Committee on May 26. Members are encouraged to write letters to the committee members and letters to the editor of their local newspapers.
Largest Recruiting Event in NYRA History
Between April 24th and 25th, NYRA recruited over 550 members. The bulk of the 550 recruits were found at the Pro-Choice rally in Washington DC, which was one of the largest US demonstrations in history, on the 24th NYRA recruited at Youth Pride Day and the anti-World Bank/IMF rally also in DC. NYRA also $170 in button sales. It is wonderful that this many individuals were recruited in such a short period of time. Also noteworthy is the fact that this was all done by six volunteers. Before the event took place, Alex Koroknay-Palicz was quoted as saying “We could recruit an infinite amount of new members, its just a matter of having enough people with clipboards.” Special thanks to all those who volunteered. Shortly after, NYRA-Los Angeles President Melissa Aaron recruited successfully at a Junior State of America conference in her area.
FEC Getting NYRA Advice on Minor Contributions
Without a vote, donating to political campaigns is one of the few ways for youth to take an active role in the political system. Recognizing this, the Supreme Court ruled recently to overturn a ban on campaign contributions from young people. The Federal Elections Commission is taking advice from NYRA’s legal advisor, Keith Mandell who is taking on the project pro-bono. He has been preparing comments to send to the FEC, in order to insure that young people are given as much of a right to donate to campaigns as possible. There are however, a few problems. Many young people do not have exclusive rights to their bank accounts, which could keep them from donating. Also, while there is no age limit, contributions have to be “knowing and voluntary”, and the FEC might set an age limit for when one can “knowingly” donate money. NYRA intends to shape the rules on this as much in favor of youth rights as possible. This is an excellent opportunity to make real change for the cause, and change that could set a positive precedent for future campaigns.
Ralph Nader Wants a Lower Voting Age
Consumer advocate and independent Presidential candidate Ralph Nader announced recently that he supports the growing effort to lower the voting age. No matter how you may feel about Nader's candidacy in general, this is a huge boost for Youth Rights. Nader has a core group of dedicated supporters, many of whom have probably visited NYRA's website after seeing the links to it on votenader.org. This is great publicity, and it is great that we now have an ally with such a great deal of notoriety. Ralph Nader had mentioned lowering the voting age in the past, and we are all glad that it has once again come to his attention. Ralph Nader can now be added to a very short list of household names in politics who support lowering the voting age. Among the reasons Nader cites for lowering the voting age are that young people pay taxes and are subject to the same laws as older people. He also feels that lowering the voting age would increase voter participation and reinvigorate our political system.
May 3, 2004
Koroknay-Palicz to Testify in California
On May 5th, NYRA President Alex Koroknay-Palicz will testify before lawmakers in California. He will be testifying on behalf of a proposed bill that will give sixteen year olds on half and fourteen year olds one quarter of a vote. If this passes it will surely set a precedent in our country and lead to major, positive change. It is great news that this historic legislation is moving along, and that NYRA is a part of it. Special thanks to Richard Farson for providing Alex with airline tickets.
March 24, 2004
NYRA Challenges Curtis Gans to Voting Age Debate
In response to his frequent criticism of proposals to lower the voting age, NYRA officially challenges Curtis Gans, director of the Committee for the Study of the American Electorate to a debate on the issue.  In a Boston Globe article that NYRA appeared in on September 9, Curtis Gans had this to say about lowering the voting age "I think it's a terminally dumb idea." Once again, when NYRA appeared in a great article from AOL/ABCnews.com, "You're dealing with people who don't have any knowledge of or any stake in our democracy," said Curtis Gans. A week later, when NYRA Board Member Kathleen Miller appeared on RNN TV, Mr. Gans was there to again call lowering the voting age a "terminally dumb idea." Most recently, this month Curtis Gans makes an appearance, criticizing the "terminal dumbness" of lowering the voting age in California. Since Gans shows up everywhere NYRA does to call our ideas "terminally dumb", NYRA publicly challenges Curtis Gans to a debate, any time, any place. If Mr. Gans can sustain a debate beyond his "terminally dumb" catch-phrase it promises to be an entertaining and educational debate.
March 13, 2004
Huge Voting Age Coverage for NYRA
The last week has seen a huge amount of media attention for NYRA and the voting age issue. A bill proposed by California state senator John Vasconcellos (D- Santa Clara) would, if passed, give 16 year olds one half of a vote,  and fourteen year olds one fourth of a vote. While this bill is by no means perfect, it is major progress for the Youth Rights movement. This bill, proposed one week after NYRA's ground breaking voting age protest in Berkley CA, has led to a media frenzy the likes of which the Youth Rights movement has never seen. Articles on the voting age have appeared in several hundred newspapers, including the LA times and Christian Science Monitor. The bill was mentioned on CNN, the Tonight Show, the Daily Show, the BBC and on Friday March 12 NYRA's president was interviewed by ABC news, a segment that appeared on the jumbotron in New York's Times Square. The attention given by the media has led to a growth in membership, more traffic on the website, and far more awareness about youth rights.
NYRA Schedules Regular Youth Rights Chats
In order to strengthen contacts within the NYRA membership, and create a new forum where ideas concerning NYRA can be discussed, NYRA will be holding regular Youth Rights chats. The online chats will take place on both the first Monday and the third Tuesday of every month, between 9pm and 1am Eastern time(6pm - 10pm Pacific). We will be using the room 'NYRA' on AOL Instant Messenger. AOL Instant messenger is free and easy to download for those of you who don't have it. The next chat is on March 16th, so mark your calendars.
March 4, 2004
Voting Age Protest in California
On March 2nd, "Super Tuesday" members of NYRA's Berkeley, California chapter protested the voting age. Led by area member Robert Reynolds, they got up early together against ageism. The group, consisting of six  students and other supporters of all ages, held up signs with slogans such as "Got a ballot? We need them". At one point, Mr. Reynolds walked in to the nearby polling area and asked for a ballot. He was not given one, allthough the individuals working there were not hostile and suggested we find a lobbyist. While they did not sit-in, as they had originally planned, by attempting to vote they engaged in civil disobedience just like Susan B. Anthony and woman suffragists 100 years ago. Local media covered the event, (article 1, article 2) and this is great publicity for NYRA and Youth Suffrage in general. If you are interested in organizing this type of protest email us.
March 1, 2004
NYRA Opens Board Meetings
Since 1998, NYRA's Board of Directors meetings were open only to board members. For years board members have been debating whether or not to open the meetings. The argument against such a resolution has always been that if a new member comes to an unproductive meeting they will get a bad first impression of NYRA. The board now agrees however, that NYRA's board meetings are productive more often than not, and that this would be a great way to get the general membership involved in the desicion making process. The next meeting is schedualed for March 14th at 7 PM eastern time. If you are interested in attending visit the chatroom on NYRA's website.
February 26, 2004
Voting Age Sit-In Planned for California
Robert Reynolds of NYRA's Berkeley, California chapter is organizing a sit-in to protest the voting age. Robert and half a dozen chapter members, will try to vote in their state's primary election on Tuesday, March 2. In all likelihood they will not be permitted to vote, and will "sit in" until forcefully removed by police. Seven are prepared to face arrest for their right to vote, an additional 30 students will protest outside.  The Berkeley chapter has an admirable dedication to Youth Rights, and all supporters of youth rights are proud and grateful that Robert is taking on the voting age in such a bold manner. If this protest gets enough attention it will spread like wildfire throughout the country, and young people everywhere will organize similar events. NYRA has been in touch with members of the media, who will likely cover the event. In the 60's it took 4 students in North Carolina to spark a nationwide anti-segregation sit-in movement. NYRA hopes the same will happen with the movement to lower the voting age. If you are interested in attending this historic, nonviolent event, please contact Robert Reynolds. Or if you are not in Berkeley, but still interested in protesting in your area, email NYRA for more information.
February 19, 2004
UND Chapter Forming
NYRA Vice-President Johnathan McClure has started a local NYRA chapter at the University of North Dakota. College campuses are a great place for Youth Rights activity, where a high concentration competent, politically active young people are still affected by ageist policy. The chapter, already officially recognized by the University, is thinking of possibly taking action in response to the University's recent effort to ban swearing at hockey games. Mr. McClure and some associates will be actively recruiting on campus, and in the nearby town. Please contact Johnathan if you are interested in participating.
January 28, 2004
NYRA Fights Age Discrimination in Campaigns
In early 2002 the US Congress passed the Bi-Partisan Campaign Reform Act, which made contributions to political parties or candidates by individuals under 18 illegal. On December 10, 2003 the Supreme Court struck down this onerous provision of the Campaign Reform Act. Some candidates for President haven't gotten the message yet. Despite the fact it is now perfectly legal for individuals under 18 to donate money to political candidates,  US Senator John Kerry, US Representative Dennis Kucinich, and the Reverand Al Sharpton all require donors to be over 18. NYRA intends to make sure these candidates know the law has changed, and that their requirement is age discrimination. We need everyone's help. Please e-mail John Kerry, Al Sharpton, and Dennis Kucinich and tell them to stop discriminating against youth. Point them towards the US Supreme Court decision on the Campaign Reform Act, the relevant pages are 148 and 149. Also, contact Amazon.com and encourage them to do the same. They require individuals giving to Presidential candidates to be over 18 as well. Be sure to forward your e-mails to NYRA. John Edwards, Howard Dean, Wesley Clark, Joe Lieberman and George Bush all accept contributions from donors under 18.
January 27, 2004
NYRA on NPR Again
On Tuesday, January 13th, NYRA President Alex Koroknay-Palicz appeared on Wisconsin Public Radio to discuss lowering the voting age. The statewide broadcast was a huge success. During the hour long show, many callers, including NYRA member Brandon Perez, expressed their support. Alex had ample time to speak, and made good points. A new member joined shortly after the broadcast, probably because she heard it.
Bush Proposes More Drug Testing
In his recent state of the union speech, President Bush proposed a plan that would allocate $23 million dollars of government funds to schools that wished to implement drug testing. For a long time, compulsory education has extended it self far beyond simply teaching math, reading, and other such things, and has begun to intrude on the personal affairs of students. Drug testing is one extreme example of the schools invading young peoples privacy. In his speech Bush said that drug testing was not meant to punish students, but to help them. This protectionist reasoning shows a complete lack of respect for Youth Rights.
January 9, 2004
NYRA Gains 501c3 Status
In early January NYRA received a letter of determination from the IRS notifying the organization's 501c3 application has been approved. With the new tax status all individuals or foundations giving money to NYRA receive tax deductions. This will allow NYRA to secure the funding it needs by applying for grants. This is a huge step forward for youth rights, but it hasn't come without difficulty. This news comes nearly 6 years after NYRA's formation.  Much of that time was a long, frustrating story of setbacks, mistakes, and delays that would have made a lesser organization simply give up. After many years of this the forms were finally finished and submitted in July last year. The IRS finally responded in November, and the response was not cheerful. In fact it looked as if the long struggle for c3 was over. Faced with a long list of reasons the IRS didn't think we were a c3, the Board resigned itself to the less desirable 501c4 status and sent in the application, retracting our request for c3. Through a miraculous error that form never arrived. After a conversation with the kindly IRS worker, Mrs. Smith, we were given the opportunity and confidence to defend our c3 claim. President Alex Koroknay-Palicz and Vice-President Johnathan McClure spent a whole night working on a well researched and argued appeal which led to our eventual approval in early January. The road to c3 has been a long one, and it is a great joy to finally get charitable status. The horizon is sunny and bright for NYRA, this is the end of the beginning.
CYRA Reforming
NYRA is the foremost organization working for Youth Rights in the United States, but what about Canada? A couple years ago the answer to that question would have been CYRA, the Canadian Youth Rights Association. Unfortunately, that organization became defunct, and the Youth Rights movement in Canada came to an end. More recently, however, Stacey Penthor of Ontario has pledged to revive CYRA. She is currently working on a web site, and has found a board of directors and a Vice President. Stacey is a promising individual, and this is a great thing for young people in Canada. If you think you can help, Please email Stacey Penthor.
NYRA Receives Large Loan
Not long ago, NYRA members were posed with a $55,000 dollar question. $55,000 dollars was the amount of money that was needed for the benefit concert that is to pay for a full time office and staff. Recently, Margo and Bob Koroknay-Palicz have provided a generous answer to that question through a $50,000 dollar loan. Due to their generosity, NYRA will now be able to remain a viable organization, through the work of two full time employees with a proper office. If the fundraiser is a success, NYRA will be able to function on a much higher level, doing the kind of things that in the past were barely imaginable. This is the end of the beginning.
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