Apologies for going OT, but I just learned something cool about this story that occurred over the holiday weekend:
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Kansas teenager who wrote a disparaging tweet about Gov. Sam Brownback said Sunday that she is rejecting her high school principal’s demand for a written apology.
Emma Sullivan, 18, of the Kansas City suburb of Fairway, said she isn’t sorry and doesn’t think such a letter would be sincere.
The Shawnee Mission East senior was taking part in a Youth in Government program last week in Topeka, Kan., when she sent out a tweet from the back of a crowd of students listening to Brownback’s greeting. From her cellphone, she thumbed: “Just made mean comments at gov. brownback and told him he sucked, in person (hash)heblowsalot.”
She actually made no such comment and said she was “just joking with friends.” But Brownback’s office, which monitors social media for postings containing the governor’s name, saw Sullivan’s post and contacted the Youth in Government program.
Sullivan received a scolding at school and was ordered to send Brownback an apology letter. She said Prinicipal Karl R. Krawitz even suggested talking points for the letter she was supposed to turn in Monday.
The situation exploded after Sullivan’s older sister contacted the media. Since then, Sullivan’s following on Twitter has grown to about 3,000 people, up from about 65 before the tweet. She said she thinks the tweet has helped “open up dialogue” about free speech in social media..
“I would do it again,” she said.
Cool thing I learned: the young tweeter in question goes to my niece’s high school. (Uncool realization: their principal is a fascist.)
Hang in there, Emma. Sam Brownback does suck, it’s a known fact.
(Article quoted from HuffPo.)
Good for her for not knuckling under to a knuckle-dragging, lick-spittle Fascist like her Principal.
And since when do you punish a young person for telling the truth?
Hopefully Frank will get a job in media somewhere, I love his biting sarcasm, he can take down any opponent with just a few select words, quite efficient, maybe Rev-Al’s time slot on msnbc!
After 30 years in congress I would agree with his decision to retire. I agree with most things he’s done but 30 years seems a bit much, I would find it difficult to remain sincere for such a long time in that fishbowl.
“KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Kansas teenager ”
Funny I went to FAUX news website and searched for the girls name, not one result, nothing at Big-Government, Redstate.hate, etc. Could you imagine had this been the democratic governor of say Illinois? It would be indoctrination Armageddon!
twtfltrd,
I’m actually surprised that Malkin hasn’t sent her flying monkeys to check out the kid’s parents kitchen countert-op to see if their taste “sucked.”
I mean, she said something nasty about one of the Dominionist Christian rights favorite politicians. SHE MUST BE PUNISHED!
Johnson County, KS, where the anti-Brownback tweet and attempted punishment occurred, is a strange place. Reading bumper stickers in parking lots in that area can give a person whiplash. Johnson County’s had some absolutely bananas Righties in local political office (*cough* Phill Kline *cough*), but also it’s home to a good number of liberals like my family. I’d ask my niece if she knows Ms. Sullivan, but I don’t want to get her in trouble in case the SME HS Fascists are monitoring her Facebook page!
Well, Barney is 71, and I’m sure he’s sick to hell of the B.S. like we all are.
Perhaps he can actually get something done for us in the private sector.
As far as the free speech issue goes, that window is closing , and I don’t recall
(sadly) minors ever truly EVER having that right.
Isn’t Brownback the guy who did the talking sperm/ ovum skit in defense of the unborn on the floor of the Senate chambers? Well, I’m a little confused but I vaguely remember it was some feeble politician with a name similar to Brownback. Well, whoever it was they loved the Lord more than they loved women’s rights.
Swami, that sounds about right.
“Good for her for not knuckling under to a knuckle-dragging, lick-spittle Fascist like her Principal.”
Principals often seem to lack them. He may not keep his job long….
Boy, Herman Cain sure likes his sugar! His sexual exploits are making Newt seem like a novice.
Latest on the Tweeting Teen: She continues not to apologize; Gov apologizes!
“My staff overreacted to this tweet, and for that I apologize,” Brownback wrote of the incident. “Freedom of speech is among our most treasured freedoms.”
Credit for backing down on this. No news on how the fascist Principal is doing.
“Freedom of speech is among our most treasured freedoms.”
Indeed!
That’s why we have “free speech zones!” How much for a free speech zone permit?
Alan Grayson is running. Elizabeth Warren is a gem. We need more unapolagetic liberals who can sell the message. The trashing of Obama by the left has an effect – though you can’t measure it. A leader who can expect to be stabbed by disappointed former friends may hesitate to enter the arena. It has already been said, “…you can’t please ALL the people, ALL of the time.”
If you can expect a knife in the back for any comprise, a realist politician who KNOWS compromise is part of the deal… might stick to private practice. And then we get hacks and wonder why.
Say it ain’t so!!!
Excuse me, but I think I’m going to be sick.
Oh noez! Now I haz a sad! 🙁
Aw, man. That is depressing.
Apologies for going OT, but I just learned something cool about this story that occurred over the holiday weekend:
Cool thing I learned: the young tweeter in question goes to my niece’s high school. (Uncool realization: their principal is a fascist.)
Hang in there, Emma. Sam Brownback does suck, it’s a known fact.
(Article quoted from HuffPo.)
Good for her for not knuckling under to a knuckle-dragging, lick-spittle Fascist like her Principal.
And since when do you punish a young person for telling the truth?
Hopefully Frank will get a job in media somewhere, I love his biting sarcasm, he can take down any opponent with just a few select words, quite efficient, maybe Rev-Al’s time slot on msnbc!
After 30 years in congress I would agree with his decision to retire. I agree with most things he’s done but 30 years seems a bit much, I would find it difficult to remain sincere for such a long time in that fishbowl.
“KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Kansas teenager ”
Funny I went to FAUX news website and searched for the girls name, not one result, nothing at Big-Government, Redstate.hate, etc. Could you imagine had this been the democratic governor of say Illinois? It would be indoctrination Armageddon!
twtfltrd,
I’m actually surprised that Malkin hasn’t sent her flying monkeys to check out the kid’s parents kitchen countert-op to see if their taste “sucked.”
I mean, she said something nasty about one of the Dominionist Christian rights favorite politicians. SHE MUST BE PUNISHED!
Johnson County, KS, where the anti-Brownback tweet and attempted punishment occurred, is a strange place. Reading bumper stickers in parking lots in that area can give a person whiplash. Johnson County’s had some absolutely bananas Righties in local political office (*cough* Phill Kline *cough*), but also it’s home to a good number of liberals like my family. I’d ask my niece if she knows Ms. Sullivan, but I don’t want to get her in trouble in case the SME HS Fascists are monitoring her Facebook page!
Well, Barney is 71, and I’m sure he’s sick to hell of the B.S. like we all are.
Perhaps he can actually get something done for us in the private sector.
As far as the free speech issue goes, that window is closing , and I don’t recall
(sadly) minors ever truly EVER having that right.
Isn’t Brownback the guy who did the talking sperm/ ovum skit in defense of the unborn on the floor of the Senate chambers? Well, I’m a little confused but I vaguely remember it was some feeble politician with a name similar to Brownback. Well, whoever it was they loved the Lord more than they loved women’s rights.
Swami, that sounds about right.
“Good for her for not knuckling under to a knuckle-dragging, lick-spittle Fascist like her Principal.”
Principals often seem to lack them. He may not keep his job long….
Boy, Herman Cain sure likes his sugar! His sexual exploits are making Newt seem like a novice.
Latest on the Tweeting Teen: She continues not to apologize; Gov apologizes!
“My staff overreacted to this tweet, and for that I apologize,” Brownback wrote of the incident. “Freedom of speech is among our most treasured freedoms.”
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/11/28/MN0A1M53K5.DTL#ixzz1f5LjDXGa
Credit for backing down on this. No news on how the fascist Principal is doing.
“Freedom of speech is among our most treasured freedoms.”
Indeed!
That’s why we have “free speech zones!” How much for a free speech zone permit?
Alan Grayson is running. Elizabeth Warren is a gem. We need more unapolagetic liberals who can sell the message. The trashing of Obama by the left has an effect – though you can’t measure it. A leader who can expect to be stabbed by disappointed former friends may hesitate to enter the arena. It has already been said, “…you can’t please ALL the people, ALL of the time.”
If you can expect a knife in the back for any comprise, a realist politician who KNOWS compromise is part of the deal… might stick to private practice. And then we get hacks and wonder why.