On August 5, 2006, NYRA members met in San
Francisco to listen to speakers, hear about the events of the
past year, and discuss youth rights with activists from throughout the
country. This year’s annual meeting was the best NYRA has ever had.
The meeting began with a film entitled Les Enfants Perdus De Tranquility
Bay. This powerful, moving documentary exposes the atrocities committed
by The World Wide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools. Even
those familiar with WWASPS left the meeting with a greater understanding
of the behavior modification industry. After the film, Jordan Riak of
nospank.net gave an enlightening speech about gulag schools and corporal
punishment.
After lunch, those attending the meeting heard from Dr. Mike Males.
Males is currently a sociology professor at UC Santa Cruz. He is also a
member of NYRA’s Board of Advisors. Males spoke about how problems generally associated with young people
are either fabricated or exaggerated by the media and policy makers.
Males went on to explain how older people are actually engaging in more
negative behavior, and how a lot of ageism is actually rooted in racist,
xenophobic fear. After Males’ speech, NYRA’s Executive Director Alex Koroknay-Palicz
delivered the annual report. Koroknay-Palicz’s report was cautiously
optimistic. He noted that while NYRA had many shortcomings over the
past year, most of these shortcomings were intensified by unrealistic
expectations. He also noted that while chapter activity declined,
NYRA’s financial situation has actually improved. In total eighteen people attended.
