Saturday, November 24, 2007

Kids are learning political discourse today from hate radio


It seemed like a small enough gesture. A couple students at a Cocoa Beach Jr./Sr. High started wearing home-made Peace shirts to school. More started joining in. Then the reaction started.

The peace kids were being jeered at and obscenities yelled at them in school.

They put up posters on each others and friends lockers. Swastikas and 'white power' stuff was soon written on them.
"Someone taped an 'I Love Bush' sign over my 'Wage Peace' sign," she said. "So I tore it down, threw it away, and the whole commons starting booing. I walk by later and find that someone has completely tore my sign down and placed an 'I Love America, Because America Loves War' sign up.' "
The peace students submitted a written request and a sponsor to start a peace club. The school administration says it never received it.

The pro-war crowd started wearing Confederate shirts to school. Other shirts appeared with "This is America, get used to it," and "If peace is the answer; it must be a stupid question."

From a clash over peace and war and free speech it has become a battle of politics with more than a hint of racism.

The article in the local paper draws online comments from a "Confederate" - "I say f*ck all you stupid hippies. And f*ck you Florida Today for not gettin our side of the story. You don't f*ckin deserve a club. darn hippies, don't support our troops, hate the President, say you hate this country, and say war doesn't solve anything. WAR SOLVES EVERYTHING! And I LOVE AMERICA!" Several "Confederate" students and their supporters were interviewed by the reporter.

I wouldn't be surprised if Confederate isn't being approached by Clear Channel for his own talk show now.

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