"Only dull people are brilliant at breakfast" -Oscar Wilde |
"The liberal soul shall be made fat, and he that watereth, shall be watered also himself." -- Proverbs 11:25 |
PORTLAND - One School Committee member, saying she's "appalled" by the behavior of some of the Republicans who used a room at King Middle School last weekend, wants to protect the city's public schools from future harm.
Sarah Thompson said she plans to raise the issue when the committee meets on May 19. She has asked Superintendent Jim Morse to contact City Manager Joe Gray so the committee will have a clear understanding of policies and legalities related to the rental and public use of school buildings.
"We allowed them to use the space and I'm appalled that they would go through a teacher's things, let alone remove something from a classroom," Thompson said Wednesday. "We want the public to use school spaces, but they need to respect that it's a school and understand that they should leave it the way they find it."
The Republican State Convention was held at the Portland Exposition Building, which is on Park Avenue, near the middle school. Party members from Knox County caucused in a classroom used by eighth-grade social studies teacher Paul Clifford.
When Clifford returned to school on Monday, he found that a favorite poster about the U.S. labor movement had been taken and replaced with a bumper sticker that read, "Working People Vote Republican."
Later, Clifford learned that his classroom had been searched. Republicans who had attended the convention called Principal Mike McCarthy to complain about "anti-American" things they saw there, including a closed box containing copies of the U.S. Constitution that were published by the American Civil Liberties Union.
Maine Republican Party leaders have issued a written apology to King students and teachers.
"King Middle School was kind enough to allow the (party) to use their facilities and we are deeply concerned about the lack of respect shown to the faculty," wrote Executive Director Christie-Lee McNally.
McNally said the party doesn't condone the destruction of property or encourage the lack of tolerance that a few convention-goers demonstrated.
"Over 900 other people attended these caucuses without incident and I hope that the actions of few do not tarnish the image of many," she said.
Prohibit any public funding of advocacy groups such as ACORN, no matter what it or its affiliates rename themselves; New York Communities for Change, New England United for Justice, etc.; conduct thorough investigations of their activities and voter fraud and prosecute violations.
Reassert the principle that "freedom of religion" does not mean "freedom from religion".
Discard political correctness, make public the declaration of war (Jihad) made against the U.S. on 23rd Feb 1998, and fight the war against the United States by radical Islam to win.
Cut spending, balance the budget, and institute a plan for paying down debt. Proclaim that generational debt shifting is immoral and will not be tolerated!
Promote energy independence aggressively by removing the obstacles created by government to allow private development of our resources: natural gas, oil, coal, and nuclear power.
Repeal and prohibit any participation in efforts to create a one world government.
Labels: Teabaggers
All this is being done by a small minority that are being inflamed by a radical self-serving few.
This is as it always has been. Freedom requires vigilance and the United States has allowed itself to become lethargic.
The Tea Party people are ignorant and misguided, but they are active. They may spark that ignites the horrible fire that purifies this country, but it is the other 70% of the US that really carries the blame for the creation of the tender that is in such great abundance to allow that spark to ignite.
All of us young and old must get together while we still can.
rosalie