The news has gotten around – the Vets For Freedom Heroes Tour, a nationwide bus tour of veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, was scheduled to appear in Forest Lake to speak at Flake’s High School, alma mater of Pete Hegseth, one of the group’s leaders.
The FLHS principal cancelled the appearance. Reports indicate the district folded to pressure from anti-war groups, mostly from outside the district. There’s apparently more news about to break on this story, and True North is covering it.
Chief at TN writes:
Why would I thank the far left for this infringement on free speech? Well I guess that already answers it. They have shown once again who wants freedom of speech to be practiced. Rather than offering to have their own anti-military forum, say on the following week, these people pitch their point until the school concedes to banning these fine young vets tell their story. Nice work.
Why? because once again it gives far more press to Pete Hegseth and his VFF effort. He has already been on the top of the Democrat Underground, Michale Moore’s site, several of the metro area radio shows, and it would be a safe guess, he will be on many national radio and TV shows before the day is over.
So instead of talking to 150 students, a handful of teachers and perhaps some parents, the VFF message is getting broadcast all across the nation for free.
Re-create 68? Yes, please.
There is nothing the Twin Cities’ far-left fears more than other peoples’ freedom of speech. Eventually, it’s going to cost them.
Not really a freedom of speech issue, is it?
Don’t get me wrong, the pacifist/anti-war/code pink folks don’t like the military, and they don’t want them around… but how does this make the Constitution cry?
Why cancel the event?
Not saying it’s a constitutional issue. Merely a “principal who is the byatch of the Twin Cities’ Left” issue.
Mitch:
Merely a “principal who is the byatch of the Twin Cities’ Left” issue.
I can’t argue with that, Mitch. However, Chief does bring up free speech in his piece.
I just love seeing folks do this though. Not because I want to keep vets away from high schools… I just love seeing school administrators (and byatchs of the Left-Leaners) get their actions played out in public.
I suppose the folks in and around Forest Lake might just be talking about this for a little while. That’s the payoff. 😉
The STrib story’s out on Drudge now, so it’s gone national. Which is good.
Wow, veterans who support their nation are banned from a government run school. The story lines here are endless.
Saw on another blog the comparion that if this was 1944 and a D-Day veteran would be banned from a school because he said we need to finish the job in Gemany.
But hey, they support the troops.
This got me mad at first, but sometimes is best that something like this occurs so the public knows what the Democrat party is really about.
PBS has “Bush’s War”. Watch it, if you dare.
Damned by the Truth. No conjecture, just video and interviews and a total step-by-step documentation of the jumps in logic and lies….
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/bushswar/
PBS has “Bush’s War”. Watch it, if you dare.
I dare – puhleeze – but it’s really off-topic.
Damned by the truth. No conjecture. Right.
Apparently others have dared and disagree with you.
http://main.pajamasmedia.com/2008/03/bushs_war.php
Gee, d’ya think that everyone they interview for the TVshow will be someone whose hostile to the administration? Maybe they’ll have the narrator interview some NY Times columnists. Is Cindy Sheehan’s fifteen minutes of fame over yet?
I dunno, Badda. A government official denies a person permission to speak because of what the official thinks the person might say?
Could that be construed as a Prior Restraint? I’m not a First Amendment expert – help me out, here, Flash and AC – but maybe there’s a hint of Constitutional controversy in the decision? I get that it’s a school, but it’s still odd that speech is being restrained explicitly on political grounds.
Worse, it doesn’t appear that the speech was canceled because the vets threatened to cause disruption, but because some protesters threatened disruption. Is that the new educational standard – anything some protester might dislike is off limits? Have American war veterans become the equivalent of Muhammed cartoons – too offensive for public view?
.
That could not be construed as a prior restraint, nate. It could be construed as a principal who thinks it’s more important for kids to spend their time learning to read than listening to right-wing indoctrination.
Pingback: Truth v. The Machine » Archives » Vets run into quivering tower of jello
If the kids at Forest Lake High School are still learning how to read, they’ve got issues way beyond anything Pete Hegseth might tell them, AC.
Good point. They need to learn how to use condoms.
Based on what my 12-year old reports, I think they started learning about condoms about 6-7 years ago.
Well that’s a relief. Is he getting any tail?
Not sure, but from what I understand it’s about an even money bet these days.
Achieving virtue by encouraging vice: the angryclown way.
Nate, what does the MN Constitution say about speech? This is getting interesting.
(Efforting)
AC seems to be all in favor for putting a stop to teachers showing movies in class.
However, he seems to be worried that vets are right wingers who indoctrinate.
Um, yeah and yeah. Though I might make an exception for Kenneth Branagh’s Henry V. Maybe that Gettysburg movie with Martin Sheen and Tom Berenger.
listening to right-wing indoctrination
It would be a pleasant change of pace, no doubt. God knows Education Minnesota has no political/philosophical bent. (snicker)
Branagh’s “Henry V”??? I might just agree with AC on something.
Naw… out of class, that’s no problem. Actually do some teaching when you’ve got a class.
listening to right-wing indoctrination.
Leaving completely aside the fact that Minnesota school kids are subject to constant left-wing indoctrination, the event was to have been, by prior arrangement with the school, nonpolitical.
And they were talking about their experiences at war. That’s what the tour is. Nothing political about it.
Well, it’s dang sure political now!
Branagh’s Henry V
Yeah!
Maybe that Gettysburg movie with Martin Sheen and Tom Berenger
Ooh! The one where Ted Turner gets shot in the face as his comrades look on in mute horror?
Yeah!
That’s the best part, Mitch.
With all of the Left-Leaners who just love to hear how kids skip school for typical Left-Leaner protests… I just wish some of those 150 kids had left school and headed off for the VFW.
Some apparently did!
Lots of beer over there if you can get past the old man smell.
As opposed to the festering sores from syphallis from your place, AC.
Mitch… where did you hear about kids that bailed to go to the VFW? I’m dying to hear that.
Canceling the assembly was wrong. And stupid.
Those who pushed for the cancellation demonstrated a familiar mix of hubris and myopia. Anything they hoped to achieve by canceling the assembly has been overwhelmed by the negative publicity they created. Way to go, idiots.
PeterH,
Yep.
Badda,
I should clarify; I don’t know that they bagged school; merely that high school kids were at the VFW.
I’d just as soon as hear they were allowed to go, but I’m still pleased to hear some were there.
These whiny-whoo, pacifist jackasses (like AC) do themselves more harm when they act like this. They’re all about their movement.
I got your “movement” right here. Pacifist… calling yourself a pacifist is just a polite way of calling yourself a pussy.
You think Angryclown’s a pacifist? Show’s what an idiot you are. Angryclown is personally declaring war on morons, so better dig that spider hole deep, Badda.
Oooooh! Wow! Some loud-mouthed, self-inflated ego from the East Coast has declared “war” on morons.
Whatever. I bet you’re holding your crotch right now.
And now.
And once again.
Still holding.
Touching again.
Just like on prom night.
So, angryclown, this “war on morons” thing is bound to have an “internal conflict” angle to it, correct? Please let us know how this “battle against ones self” turn out, ok? 😉
AC:
so better dig that spider hole deep
George Patton:
“My men don’t dig foxholes. I don’t want them to. Foxholes only slow up an offensive”.
My job is to make the other moron die for his country.
Think about all of AC’s “friendly fire”, if you know what I mean. 😉
Marcus Luttrell was to be one of the speakers (I saw his name in the paper yesterday). I read his book, Lone Survivor about his disastrous Seal team mission in Afghanistan last year. Gripping but sad story about the extremely tough process of becoming a Seal, and the apparently even tougher challenge of fighting a war with CNN looking over your shoulder.
http://www.amazon.com/Lone-Survivor-Eyewitness-Account-Operation/dp/0316067601/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1206490981&sr=8-1
Wow. 40 comments and none from the Peev. Was there a banning in the recent past?
Nope!
Sorry about the delay in responding, Badda.
Article I, SEction 3, Minnesota State Constitution:
” . . . all persons may freely speak, write and publish their sentiments on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse of such right.”
This has been interpreted by the courts to mean free of state action, which, of course, a government official would exercise.
So I’m still seeing a prior restraint issue, at both the state and federal level. Not sure why Democrats think that’s a good thing. Little help here?
.
My quick breeze through it didn’t zero in on that item, which is a double-dumbass on me. I also made a simple search, but not including the word speak (I instead used the word speech), so I failed twice.
That said, the principal (a state official in some capacity) simply cancelled the invitation, and the group held their event elsewhere.
Anyone else got a hand to lend to nate and me? This one’s a little murky.