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Catherine wore a McCain shirt one day and secretly recorded the comments of teachers and students in her journal. The next day, she wore an Obama shirt and also recorded the comments. Her findings? When she wore the McCain shirt, she was stupid and was told to go die. One kid said she should be "crucifixed," which should prompt outrage from that student's grammar/lit teacher. Crucifixed? One student whispered—perhaps like Winston Smith in "1984"—"I really like your shirt." But she said it quietly so no one else would hear and denounce her. And when Catherine wore the Obama shirt? Her brains grew back and she was smart again and welcomed into polite society. Since many liberal journalists live in Oak Park, I expect to receive many snarky reviews. My crime? I dared to illustrate, through the actions of a brave 8th-grade girl, that even high-minded liberal communities can be intolerant, no matter how many times parents gush on about "diversity" at their cocktail parties. So much for the audacity of hope. link

And there's more...

Quote:

“People were upset. But they started saying things, calling me very stupid, telling me my shirt was stupid and I shouldn’t be wearing it,” Catherine said. Then it got worse. “One person told me to go die. It was a lot of dying. A lot of comments about how I should be killed,” Catherine said, of the tolerance in Oak Park. But students weren’t the only ones surprised that she wore a shirt supporting McCain. “In one class, I had one teacher say she will not judge me for my choice, but that she was surprised that I supported McCain,” Catherine said… One student suggested that she be put up on a cross for her political beliefs. “He said, ‘You should be crucifixed.’ It was kind of funny because, I was like, don’t you mean ‘crucified?’ ” Catherine said. Other entries in her notebook involved suggestions by classmates that she be “burned with her shirt on” for “being a filthy-rich Republican.” Some said that because she supported McCain, by extension she supported a plan by deranged skinheads to kill Obama before the election. link

Remember, these people are suppose to be the tolerant ones in out society but in reality, they are only tolerant when you agree with them. I you don't, you're an ignorant fool or a nut and they will try to impose their will on you. Another case in point, Prop 8 in Cali...
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"Linux is more than an OS, it's a state of mind."

Is the attack on one's intelligence not the standard debate play book by those who claim to be open minded and inlightened? How many times have we here been told we're not worthy of a reply because we don't tow the properly approved liberal talking points. Sort of a doublethink I say, we attempt to debate points but we're told what? Something about boorishly asinine?

It's been demonstrated time and time again, those who preach tolerance are the least tolerant.
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You can't hold a liberal responsible for their words because it's character assassination.

Doctors can prescribe help for jerky-knees. All sane people know that there are crazy people in every walk of life. Also, the student in question is going to get more inflamed reactions on a blog (hell, just look at this site at times... )

If we focus on this type of Enquirer topic, we miss the opportunity to help make this country a better place. I'm sure that most of us are determined and focused on fixing what's broken in our country. Most, though perhaps, not all.

The election is over; put down the glass of sour grapes and move on to what "you" can do for your country. Many of us started that journey on November 4.

Be well, and let's all succeed together.

And for the record, I don't see much tolerance from any of the regular bloggers on the political thread here. It's obvious that we've become polarized as a nation. Continuing that trend is both juvenile and unproductive.
So for some to even bring up tolerance is quite laughable from this stock.
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January 20, 2009 - The End of an Error

Sorry you missed the point of this little girls experiment, Alex.

It wasn't just a few wackos who attacked and ostracized this little girl. It was her so called friends, classmates and even teachers who did this. I think it sheds light on the claim of tolerance in schools and how our children are being pressured and indoctrinated by the system.
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"Linux is more than an OS, it's a state of mind."

.......and she's a little gurl. No matter what,no one should be attacked for what they wear on their t-shirt. Heck,with the way this world is today,the one I'm wearing right now just MIGHT offend someone,somewhere,and I just cant see attacking anyone for what they are wearing,and no I didnt read a thing but a little girl was attacked by what was supposed to be her friends for what was on her shirt. It stopped right there for me.NUF SED for me. Again,JMHO.

BTW.... my shirt only says.... Fat Tuesday-Duvall Street-Key West,FL

Can anyone pick out the one word that might offend someone tho it's just the name of a place to eat????

Oh,lemme do it.... it's the one word "fat". Oh well,I wear my own kind of hat,and I'll wear my own kind of clothes,and I'll look at a bitter person that might dis me for what I'm wearing like they must be from pluto or something,and maybe need to look in the mirror,then I'll try walking away,or stand my ground.

DANG! She's a little gurl.
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Sirwen wrote:

.......and she's a little gurl. No matter what,no one should be attacked for what they wear on their t-shirt. Heck,with the way this world is today,the one I'm wearing right now just MIGHT offend someone,somewhere,and I just cant see attacking anyone for what they are wearing,and no I didnt read a thing but a little girl was attacked by what was supposed to be her friends for what was on her shirt. It stopped right there for me.NUF SED for me. Again,JMHO. BTW.... my shirt only says.... Fat Tuesday-Duvall Street-Key West,FL Can anyone pick out the one word that might offend someone tho it's just the name of a place to eat???? Oh,lemme do it.... it's the one word "fat". Oh well,I wear my own kind of hat,and I'll wear my own kind of clothes,and I'll look at a bitter person that might dis me for what I'm wearing like they must be from pluto or something,and maybe need to look in the mirror,then I'll try walking away,or stand my ground. DANG! She's a little gurl.

I agree, Sirwen, she's just a little girl. We are too PC. She should not be attacked for wearing anything on her shirt. I agree with that wholeheartedly.
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January 20, 2009 - The End of an Error

Gadget Wizard wrote:

Sorry you missed the point of this little girls experiment, Alex. It wasn't just a few wackos who attacked and ostracized this little girl. It was her so called friends, classmates and even teachers who did this. I think it sheds light on the claim of tolerance in schools and how our children are being pressured and indoctrinated by the system.

I appreciate your concern, GW, I'd argue that they aren't her friends, and that the physical attackers' parents aren't doing their job.

As a side thought: I don't know of any children caught up in the whirlwind of politics. So I would ask, why would a parent dress their child in an Obama, McCain, Hitler, Jesus, or any other shirt? Is that not the parent expressing their views through a walking breathing billboard? that seems kind of creepy to me.
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January 20, 2009 - The End of an Error

The parents had nothing to do with this. This little girl was conducting an experiment on her own. You need to research the story..

Btw - One of her parents supported Obama and one supported McCain.
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"Linux is more than an OS, it's a state of mind."

Alexander wrote:

I appreciate your concern, GW, I'd argue that they aren't her friends, and that the physical attackers' parents aren't doing their job.

I"m sure the parents are not properly indoctrinated yet.
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You can't hold a liberal responsible for their words because it's character assassination.

Alexander wrote:

Be well, and let's all succeed together. And for the record, I don't see much tolerance from any of the regular bloggers on the political thread here.

And for the record, we who have attempted time and time again to debate you and your leftist ideas are only met with ridicule and snide insults. We've begged open debate from you on a number of issues but what do we get from you? Nothing but insults because we're what? Boorishly Asinine? Yeah right. preach somewhere else Rev.
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You can't hold a liberal responsible for their words because it's character assassination.

Alexander wrote:

Doctors can prescribe help for jerky-knees. All sane people know that there are crazy people in every walk of life. Also, the student in question is going to get more inflamed reactions on a blog (hell, just look at this site at times... ) If we focus on this type of Enquirer topic, we miss the opportunity to help make this country a better place. I'm sure that most of us are determined and focused on fixing what's broken in our country. Most, though perhaps, not all. The election is over; put down the glass of sour grapes and move on to what "you" can do for your country. Many of us started that journey on November 4. Be well, and let's all succeed together. And for the record, I don't see much tolerance from any of the regular bloggers on the political thread here. It's obvious that we've become polarized as a nation. Continuing that trend is both juvenile and unproductive. So for some to even bring up tolerance is quite laughable from this stock.

Is it sour grapes to wonder what Obama is going to do about our Second Amendment rights? Is it sour grapes to point out that the Obama Doctrine regarding intell gathering looks to be the same as the Bush Doctrine was but is now viewed favorably whereas before, according to the media, it was of the devil? Is it sour grapes to comment on his possible consideration of Jamie Gorelick for ANYTHING, considering her disastrous record? Aren't we supposed to consider issues and viewpoints and offer to discuss them? Oh wait, you guys want the 'Fairness Doctrine' imposed, don't you, to stifle any opposing viewpoints?

Is it sour grapes to point out stuff like this? Tell me, why aren't YOU po'd?

Obama's lobbyists

"November 15, 2008

WASHINGTON POST: Ex-Lobbyists Have Key Obama Roles. "Barack Obama campaigned on a pledge to change Washington, vowing to upend the K Street lobbying culture he encountered when he joined the U.S. Senate. But more than a dozen members of President-elect Obama's fast-growing transition team have worked as federally registered lobbyists within the past four years. They include former lobbyists for the nation's trial lawyers association, mortgage giant Fannie Mae, drug companies such as Amgen, high-tech firms such as Microsoft, labor unions and the liberal advocacy group Center for American Progress."

Plus this artful phraseology:

In a 2007 speech, he said he was "running to tell the lobbyists in Washington that their days of setting the agenda are over. They have not funded my campaign. They won't work in my White House."

A few days later, he changed the phrasing to say that lobbyists "are not going to dominate my White House."

Quite a backslide. It'll be interesting to see if he can even live up to the watered-down promise . . . . How big a deal is this? Well, you can make too much of these appearance issues, but on the other hand, he promised an entirely new kind of government. So far, that's looking a lot like the similar promises of rectitude from Congressional Democrats in 2006, promises that -- to put it mildly -- weren't borne out once the election was over.

UPDATE: Reader Matt Mullen emails:

It's quite a backslide to say go from saying that the days of lobbyists setting the agenda are over, to saying that they are not going to dominate my White House?

No, it's a backslide to go from saying that "they won't work in my White House" to saying that they won't "dominate" it.
posted at 02:37 PM by Glenn Reynolds"