DNC - Tue. closing speech - Ilana Wexler

[conjur]

A 7th-grader will give the closing speech tonight.

Ilana Wexler has created Kids for Kerry:
http://kidsforkerry.org/


Amazing to see children taking such an active part in politics no matter whom they support!

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: conjur
A 7th-grader will give the closing speech tonight.

Ilana Wexler has created Kids for Kerry:
http://kidsforkerry.org/


Amazing to see children taking such an active part in politics no matter whom they support!

Yet you call wee wittle willian a troll when he posts

 

[jackschmittusa]

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

On the Internet troll is a slang term used to describe:

1. A post (on a newsgroup, or other forum) thought to be intended to incite controversy or conflict or cause annoyance or offense.
2. A person who posts these.

The following is the introduction on the link's homepage:

We cannot vote yet, but we should have a voice today! That is why we have created KidsForKerry.org. We have learned our ABCs and we believe that John Kerry represents our best hope for a peaceful and hopeful future. This site is for Kids, Parents, Grandparents, Teachers, and anyone who wants to learn and discuss issues important to Kids!!! Even if you support a different candidate or a different party, get involved with your candidate in a positive way! By getting involved and understanding the issues, we will be helping our future and our great country! WE CAN HAVE A VOICE TODAY!

Unless I have a real case of "the stupids" today, I can't see how the label "troll" fits this thread. Is it controvercial that children might show an interest in politics? Will conflict arise because "children should be seen and not heard"? Will our deep thinkers be annoyed or offended by the free speach of mere children?

Yes, they have adopted a position. But they seem quite clear that even if you take a different position, it is the point of getting involved that is important. Since I'm sure that kids today get exposed to at least some political material through all the media at their disposal, it is likely a good thing that they make an effort to understand what they see and hear.

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: jackschmittusa

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

On the Internet troll is a slang term used to describe:

1. A post (on a newsgroup, or other forum) thought to be intended to incite controversy or conflict or cause annoyance or offense.
2. A person who posts these.

The following is the introduction on the link's homepage:

We cannot vote yet, but we should have a voice today! That is why we have created KidsForKerry.org. We have learned our ABCs and we believe that John Kerry represents our best hope for a peaceful and hopeful future. This site is for Kids, Parents, Grandparents, Teachers, and anyone who wants to learn and discuss issues important to Kids!!! Even if you support a different candidate or a different party, get involved with your candidate in a positive way! By getting involved and understanding the issues, we will be helping our future and our great country! WE CAN HAVE A VOICE TODAY!

Unless I have a real case of "the stupids" today, I can't see how the label "troll" fits this thread. Is it controvercial that children might show an interest in politics? Will conflict arise because "children should be seen and not heard"? Will our deep thinkers be annoyed or offended by the free speach of mere children?

Yes, they have adopted a position. But they seem quite clear that even if you take a different position, it is the point of getting involved that is important. Since I'm sure that kids today get exposed to at least some political material through all the media at their disposal, it is likely a good thing that they make an effort to understand what they see and hear.

I think you have a case of "not being able to detect sarcasm" today. Note the emoticon at the end of my above post

 

[jackschmittusa]

I don't use sarcasm a lot, so I guess I do miss catching it sometimes. I'll save some more boxtops and get a new "sarcasm decoder ring" for sure now. (Don't use emoticons either. Development of my written communications skills pre-dates their inception, so I rarely notice them. NOTE to self: must learn emoticon alphabet

 

[Zephyr106]

These children have been brainwashed by their leftist parents. What an unAmerican disgrace. Patriotic organizations such as the College Republicans have the right idea, with teaching youth the fundamental conservative principles that make our nation tick.

Zephyr

 

[conjur]

How many of us were that active in trying to understand and even affect our nation's politics when we were in the 7th grade?

I was more concerned with what girl liked me and trying to get a game of kickball going with other kids in the neighborhood!

 

[daveshel]

I was getting upset in 7th grade that Nixon was winning our junior high school election.

 

[jackschmittusa]

I distinctly remember my interest in politics. I was in the 5th grade. I had heard my father extol the virtues of Ike for as long as I could remember (old man was ETO, WWII, Normandy, etc.). Then Powers got shot down. Ike denied U-2 overflights. then Ike admitted there were overflights on his authority. I was appalled! The President had lied! My old man gave these events much consideration and used his thoughts to deliver a lesson to me about how a man should act. He suggested that the President probably had very good reasons to order the overflights with an interest in protecting the country. They were more effective if kept secret. The Presidedent's first reaction was to tell a lie to protect America's secret. But being the man of integrety that he was, he could not continue the lie and owned up to the truth. Even though admitting to the lie hurt his personal and political stature, he took it like a man, and told the truth. Though not historically accurate and complete I realize now, a hell of a story for a 10 year old.

Oh, and I soon after bought into the line "If Kennedy gets elected, the Pope will tell him what to do.". Anyway, I got interested in politics at an early age. Had I not, my interest today might be far less than it is.

 

[Perknose]

Originally posted by: conjur
How many of us were that active in trying to understand and even affect our nation's politics when we were in the 7th grade?

I was more concerned with what girl liked me and trying to get a game of kickball going with other kids in the neighborhood!

Despite being a Republican from a Republican family, I split my ticket in the 7th grade (1962), voting for William Scranton (R) for governor (of Pa.), but choosing the democrat Joe Clark for Senator over a hack republican candidate named Van Zandt. The teacher was amazed. I remember other kids raising their hands and asking who was the republican so they could vote.

Btw, I'm pretty sure my parents voted straight Republican. Ours was not a "political" household. My parents were simply old line Republicans, but NOT rabid ideologues. In retrospect, I don't know where I got my views. My most "sophisticated" news source had to be Time magazine, which I eagerly devoured the day it came in the mail. My only other real source was the newspapers, in our case the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Chester Times. I certainly had no one to discuss politics with.

Two years later, though, in the face of an LBJ landslide, I led the ninth grade as the ONLY grade at our Jr.. and Sr. combined High School (7th through 12th grades) to go for Barry Goldwater! My ninth grade science teacher noted that I was eagerly and loudly and persistantly politicking for Barry, and challenged me once after class, in a very agressive way. He caught me by surprise and put me on the defensive and won the rhetorical war, but I was unbowed. In my heart, I knew I was right.

Sen. Joe Clark was a good guy, as was Bill Scranton, as was Barry Goldwater!

 

[thebestMAX]

A little humor here:

Did you see the scan of the Teenagers during the speech? Looked like they were all bored to death, passed out drunk or on crack. You may have missed it because as soon as the cameraman realized how they looked he quickly scanned away. Maybe 5 seconds.

Look on Jesse Jacksons face while Bill was speaking could kill. Everyone else was going ape and he stood there like a statue.

Above is mentioned for entertainment value only. I have deceided to be completely non partisan in this forum if I bother to post at all.

 

[Perknose]

Originally posted by: jackschmittusa
Oh, and I soon after bought into the line "If Kennedy gets elected, the Pope will tell him what to do.". Anyway, I got interested in politics at an early age. Had I not, my interest today might be far less than it is.

Heh, I think I was on the other side of that. Though my parents were both life long, straight ahead Republicans, my Mom was Catholic and wanted JFK so a Catholic could finally be President. She told me years later that she was sure she convinced my Dad to vote for Kennedy too.

Growing up, I thought my Dad was Episcopalian. That's what he told me. He never went to church with us, not once. Then, a just a few years ago with my Dad in his mid '80's, he confessed to me that he really was Catholic but didn't want anyone to know because he didn't want to go to Church! My Dad played things close to the vest. Actually, in the last years, I discovered that he was atheist, though he never so called himself. But he did tell me that he didn't believe in an afterlife (which made me very sad, that's a lonely way to go into the unknown).

Anyway, my Dad had a personal disdain for Nixon, whom he considered a sleazeball. I don't think that would have necessarily stopped him from voting straight Republican in 1960 if my Mom hadn't lobbied him so hard, though. It sure didn't stop either of them from voting for "the new" Nixon in 1968.

What was cool is I remember getting to see both candidates relatively close up. You could still do that in those days. We saw Nixon speak from a simple wooden platform in Chester from less than 10 feet away! We stood on the side of Rt. 352 in Broomall and saw Kennedy's motorcade pass by, with JFK in an open car and waving. There was much more excitement for Kennedy than there was for Nixon.

It was a gut blow to the whole country when Kennedy got shot -- truly awful. I hope I never live to see a successful assassination of our President again, I don't care who he is.

 

[Corn]

When I was 12 years old, my parents and teachers went about indoctrinating myself, my friends, and my classmates in religious fanaticism. I'm certainly glad I was stubborn enough to resist.

I get the same picture with the teachers and parents of these "Kids for Kerry". This smacks of exploitation to me.

I dunno, maybe its just because I'm gettin' old, but for chrissakes, why can't we let our kids just be kids? I don't find it amazing that children are active in politics any moreso than other children being active in their church. The fact is these children are, no doubt, compelled to do so.

I'm not impressed with these kids, instead I feel sorry for them because I've been in their shoes.

 

[Darkhawk28]

Understood Corn, but realize there are Republican kid clubs too, y'know. I agree though, let kids be kids.

 

[Corn]

Originally posted by: Darkhawk28
Understood Corn, but realize there are Republican kid clubs too, y'know. I agree though, let kids be kids.

Sorry, I didn't mean to come off as partisan on this issue, I was merely reacting to the topic of this discussion.

 

[Cobalt]

I started in the 8th grade, I'm much more into it now... I'm only going to be a sophomore this August though (highschool).

 

[smashp]

when I was in 1st Grade, out of 100 students I was one of Only 12 kids to vote for Mondale over Reagon .

funny How 1st grade was a bellweather for the nation

 

[jackschmittusa]

I don't know how it is now, but in the 50's and 60's when I went to school "current events" was a really big deal at school. We often had to bring in newspaper articles, read them to the class, and explain in our own words what they meant. We we even quizzed on items in Junior Scholastic Magazine (which we had to bring money to subscribe to). Politics were often a subject of these discussions, ranging from local to international. I cannot ever remember our teachers guiding or instructing us on what positions to take. I would never classify my experience as indoctrination.

 

[CrazyHelloDeli]

Whos the name of that kid that writes Conservative commentary? He wrote a book, but I dont remember what the title is.

 

[conjur]

And here she comes!

:thumbsup:



She reminds me of Little Orphan Annie.

 

[conjur]

LMAO!!!

She just said something like:

"Cheney should be put in timeout" (re:his cursing at Leahy)

:thumbsup: