Shame on Loudon County School Board

I was surprised when I received a call Friday afternoon from my child's school board. It stated, via recording, that President Obama's speech (the one about how it's important to stay in school and study) was NOT going to be shown in Loudon County classrooms. The reason? They want to review it as they are unsure of its educational value. Unsure of its educational value.

Interestingly enough, this same school board does NOT seem to take issue with their schools stuffing church-related pamphlets and invitations to church events into our children's weekly take-home folders. Nor do they take issue with prayer being said at PTO meetings. Perhaps these poor rubes forgot that it's separation of church and state.

Maybe this is just a case of misinformation. Maybe the parents of Loudon County are simply confused as to the nature of the President's message.

This must be the case as one East Tennessee resident stated, "Leave the children alone. Any teacher that forces a child to watch Hussein's socialist propaganda should be fired. If it were my child they would have more to worry about. That's why my grandchildren are staying home." Another, equally intelligent being says, "School is for learning, not for listening to Un-American socialist propaganda!" Oh Johnny, you rebel! And I do mean rebel.

Clearly East Tennesseans think that President Obama is going to flood our children's minds (in a 15 minutes speech) with enough Socialist rhetoric and evil health care propaganda to ensure that the children become die-hard pinkos. Obviously parents haven't been in a public school classroom recently. Because, if children absorbed information that quickly, maybe our country wouldn't be falling behind by international educational standards.

In fact, Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2007 tested "top performers" (note: Asian countries are not included as it was posted they do not 'need' a 12th year of study - in earlier grades they dominated). The United States was 15 in advanced math and 16th in advanced science. And these were, again, the "top performers". The cream of the crop. France was first in advanced math and Norway took first place in advanced science. What does this mean? It means that even though we spend more than most other countries on our students - we continue to fall behind.

We are failing.

And while our children continue to flounder in our public school systems, the proud parents can rest easily as some schools, like Loudon County, have crumbled under the might roar of their rebel yells. Congratulations, folks. You've succeeded in teaching your children that civic disinterest and disrespect is a-okay! This is Amer'ca - nobody's gonna make us reach higher!

Did the parents in East Tennessee raise this much stink over President Bush's speech about education in 1991? No. You are either hypocrites or racists.

"Tolerance becomes a crime when applied to evil" - Thomas Mann

It looks like Hizb ut-Tahrir, an Islamic extremist organization, is having a coming out party and using America's first amendment as the confetti. The "We Are Jihadists, Hear Us Roar" festivities are scheduled to be held on July 19 at a Hilton hotel in the Chicago area. The theme for this event: The Fall of Capitalism and the Rise of Islam

This event is a bit of a catch-22. The message is crude, ugly, and a bastardization of a peaceful religion. Should something like this be allowed to propagate? Should we not simply ban this event from taking place? Should we tell them, "hate-mongers, go home"?

It feels like we should. It feels right. But it isn't.

If we do not allow these fanatics their voice, we allow them a quiet but potent victory. It would mean that America chose to go back upon her word... to repeal the right of free speech, the right to assemble peaceably. Like the messages of other hater mongers, past and present, they have the right to their opinions.

So, it's a bit of a dilemma.

As an American I am proud of our rights and privileges. I support the freedom of speech and agree that this group, like the Klan, and the Nazi Youth, be allowed its voice. But as a capitalist pig, and wayward infidel, I have the right to boycott Hilton Hotels. Which is exactly what I will do. I am not tolerant of hate-mongering.

I don't live in Florida. I used to live there. So, after years of not living there I had the opportunity to visit again. There was a low-frequency feeling of apprehension on my

way to the Sunshine State. Would it be the same? Would I still like it? I admit I was also worried because, well, I'd heard quite a few people say that Florida was full of "rude" people. "It's too hot." And, my favorite, "too many Spanish people". Yeah, people around here say that.

They were right, Florida was not as I remembered... it was actually better in some ways. Sure, it was hot - but not in the hellish degree that non-Floridians love to bitch about. Rude people? I didn't meet any. And those pesky Latinos with their insidious plot to destroy us with orgasmically tasty foods and music that commands your body to boogie? Yeah, they are still there too. They always were.

You see Florida is not about being homogenous. And I realize now that Florida's lack of sameness is what bothers many of the down-talkers around me. They don't so much dislike Florida as they dislike the diversity.

Child Nutrition Act

Plastic Surgery Is Bad, Mmmkay?

So I stumbled upon this photographic evidence that Jackie Stallone does still frequent this planet. Someone should search her person for embalming ports. Look at her. Another example of what a screwed up bunch of wingnuts we've become. By 'we' I mean the numbers among us that try to conform to commercialized standards of beauty. Someone please tell these people that having your skin stretched around your old bones until it meets in the back is not equivalent to a time machine. Normally I would go on, at ridiculous length, upon this subject... but I think the picture says enough.