Suspended! NC Teacher Who Told Student Not To Bad Mouth Obama

I'm sure small-town Spencer, North Carolina (half-way between Charlotte and Greensboro) had no idea it would be put on the map because of the conduct of one of its high school teachers whose rant was caught on tape, posted on YouTube, and then went viral.

The long, rambling raw audio of a few students being harangued by North Rowan High teacher Tonya (or Tanya) Dixon-Neely for standing up for Mitt Romney and, in her mind, being critical of Obama is definitely worth the 9 minutes. It's truly astounding, on so many levels. Not only does she tell one of the boys that he could be arrested for criticizing Obama, she falsely claims the Bush administration did it all the time.

"Do you realize that people were arrested for saying things bad about Bush?"

If that were true, there would be no room in our jails. George W. Bush has been one of the most maligned presidents in history.

The argument started after Dixon-Neely brought up the fact that Romney was a bully in high school. The Blaze has a mini breakdown of the turn of events, after one kid responds:

“Didn’t Obama bully somebody, though?”

The teacher started to get angry and said:

“Not to my knowledge.”

A couple of students relayed the story about Obama admitting that he bullied someone when he was younger. And that seemed to light the fuse on his teacher’s anger. A couple of the students exchanged words with the angry teacher.

“Stop! Stop! Because there’s no comparison. He’s running for president. Obama is the president.”

As one student attempted to argue for a fair, two-sided debate on the history of the candidates, he was shouted down and talked over by the teacher. She continued:

“You got to realize, this man is wanting to be what Obama is. There’s no comparison.”

Once again, the students pressed for equal discussion of the histories of both men, with one saying:

“If you’re gonna talk trash about one side, you gotta talk trash about the other.”

The teacher just seemed to dig her heels in deeper and press her defense of Obama telling the defiant teen:

“You will not disrespect the president of the United States in this classroom.”

Again the student persisted and invoked his First Amendment right.

“I’ll say what I want.”

The still unidentified teacher read the student her rules…her Obama rules.

“Not about him, you won’t!”

The back and forth continued and the most strident of the two students reminded his teacher that President Bush was constantly treated to negative statements about him while he was in office:

“Whenever Bush was president, everybody talked sh-t about him.”

To which the teacher responded:

“Because he was sh-tty.”

The social studies educator went on for a full minute with more ranting, saying that people were arrested for saying derogatory things about President Bush.

Unbelievably, the students are far more knowledgeable than Dixon-Neely with respect to our freedoms. I guess she has no clue that in this country we're free to criticize our presidents, as long as we don't threaten them.

Listening to the audio it's hard to believe the woman is actually a teacher.

Dixon-Neely has since been suspended after an investigation (and the obvious outrage by free-minded people across the nation), but stories differ as to whether it was with or without pay.

UPDATE:  Watch student Hunter Rogers who taped the teacher's rant (and his mom) interviewed on Fox and Friends.

So Much For Free Speech: Israel Ambassador Michael Oren Heckled By Muslim Students At UC Irvine

Free speech and civilized debate is not alive and well and living in these United States of America, if what happened at UC Irvine several weeks ago is any indication.

Israel's Ambassador to the United States, American born author, scholar and historian Michael B. Oren, was invited to speak at U.C. Irvine regarding U.S./Israel relations, from a historical perspective. Naturally it was opposed by the Muslim Students Union, and there was anticipation that there might be some disruptions, but what university officials had hoped would be a respectful albeit spirited discussion, turned into major disruptive, one-sided protest. Oren was incessantly heckled by the Muslim students as he addressed an audience of community members, students and faculty on February 8. He was barely able to get through his speech without being rudely interrupted. Every few minutes a student would stand up and shout some predetermined, anti-Israeli invective including "Michael Oren, propagating murder is not an expression of free speech!" and other, often unintelligible, words of protest. These verbal attacks were immediately followed by a loud cacophony of shrieks, hollers and clapping. Each outburst was followed by admonitions from both Oren and faculty members for civility and respect, which obviously was not part of their agenda.

The police escorted the first heckler out, but thereafter the punks proudly made their way to the police to be escorted out. Eventually the rest of the large, ragtag group of young males and females, both with and without hijab, left en masse to continue their disruptions outdoors. 11 or 12 of the students were arrested although they were later released. Neither the threat of being arrested nor being suspended or thrown out of school deterred them from their class-less actions. Oren, on the other hand, was a class act throughout the whole ordeal. The students had been told they would have the opportunity to ask questions and debate the issues once the speech was over, but they obviously had no intention of doing that.

What one woman was quoted as saying pretty much sums up the whole situation: “Every time there’s an event they’re opposed to, they disrupt it,” said Pam Chozen, a Laguna Beach resident who said she felt concerned for her personal safety. “No one from the other side would think of disrupting an MSU event.”

And so it is. We afford them their right to free speech, but it's not reciprocated. That has to change!

International Free Press Day- 9/30/09

In honor of the courage displayed by Jyllands-Posten, the Danish newspaper that had the cojones to publish the Mohammed cartoons on 9/30/05, the International Free Press Society (IFPS) has designated September 30 as International Free Press Day. To commemorate the day, the IFPS is sponsoring 73-year-old Kurt Westergaard on a tour of several U.S. cities-including Yale, Princeton and New York city. Westergaard was one of 12 artists who created cartoons of Mohammed in response to Denmark's caving in to political correctness with regards to Islamic shariah law. Not surprisingly, since publishing his Mohammed with a bomb-atop-his-turban cartoon, Westergaard has needed state security for protection, since his life has been threatened. Because, well, there's no freedom in Islam, let alone freedom of speech.

So here's to Kurt Westergaard and all those who dare to exercise their right to free speech.

Squelching Free Speech: Pissy Perez Hilton VS Miss California (Carrie Prejean)

Since when do we, as Americans, not have the right to voice an opinion? As much as gays have the right to state they should be able to marry, those who oppose the idea have as much right to disagree. This whole issue was thrown into the spotlight by one vicious, nasty little guy called Perez Hilton, who had the gall to ask beauty contestant Miss California, Carrie Prejean, what her beliefs were regarding gay marriage. First of all, what kind of baiting question is that? Second of all, she's entitled to her opinion, whether you agree or not, because this is a free country! Just because someone might not agree with gay marriage, and there are plenty of gay people who don't, does NOT mean one is anti-gay. She probably lost the title because of her answer.

Perez also took it upon himself to try and destroy a Florida photographer who emailed chastising him for the Miss California fiasco, by posting the email on his blog- address, phone number etc. Granted, the photographer's choice of words was very distasteful, but Perez had no right to publish that information.

His website got overloaded and crashed. And his email inbox filled up with hate mail. Someone wanted to burn his home. Someone else wrote about killing him and his family.

So, while people get bent out of shape because there are those who believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman, where is the outcry regarding stories regarding the torture and murder of gays in the Middle East? There was a recent story about gay men in Iraq having their anuses glued shut, then being force-fed a liquid that causes diarrhea, which leads to eventual death. Shouldn't they be blogging about that?

Perez Hilton, and the like, are truly pathetic for their spitefulness and lack of priorities!

The Audacity To Question: Big Brother Obama Is Gonna Get Ya

I have always been proud of the inherent freedoms we enjoy in this country- to question, to criticize, to voice our opinions without any fear of negative repercussions. People have been free to criticize and mock presidents and politicians, to condemn government actions (right or wrong) with the express knowledge they wouldn't wind up beheaded or rotting in some jail for decades-

up until now.

In this amazing democracy we call the United States of America, I never thought I would feel fear, particularly from my government, but come Tuesday, if Barack Hussein Obama wins, that's exactly what I will feel. Fear. Why? Because Obama shows little or no tolerance for questioning or criticism, and although not yet president, wields such power and influence, he has already found ways of silencing the voices of opposition.

Look at Joe, The Plumber. He had the audacity to question Obama about the whole "spreading the wealth" ideology, and what happened to him? Obama media minions went after Joe, a private citizen, like a pack of vultures on road kill, and found ways of discrediting him. Had Joe questioned McCain, he would have remained in relative obscurity.

And then we have Barbara West of WFTV, Orlando, FL. The Obama campaign cut off any further interviews with the TV station, after West asked Joe Biden some probing questions they didn't happen to like, including the "spreading the wealth" Marxist connection. Laura K. McGinnis, Obama's Central Florida communications director, stated "This cancellation is non-negotiable, and further opportunities for your station to interview with this campaign are unlikely, at best for the duration of the remaining days until the election." Asinine liberals at democraticunderground are calling for West to be fired, and for people to complain to the station's advertisers. What happened to free speech?! Anyone call for Katie Couric to be fired for her unfair Palin 'gotcha' interview? Doubt it.

And what about Obama's Truth Squads in Missouri? Yes, you heard it Truth Squads! Apparently, Obama has enlisted law enforcement and state prosecutors to make sure no-one smears Obama. The Truth Squad, according to a campaign press release, will “respond quickly, forcefully, and aggressively when John McCain or his allies launch inaccurate claims or character attacks about Barack Obama, or when they distort Barack Obama’s record or plans.” Problem is, who defines what is the truth and what is a lie, considering Obama has lied and about so many things, including his affiliations with Reverend Wright, and other unsavory characters. Governor Matt Blunt said "The only conceivable purpose of Messrs. McCulloch, Obama and the others is to frighten people away from expressing themselves, to chill free and open debate, to suppress support and donations to conservative organizations targeted by this anti-civil rights, to strangle criticism of Mr. Obama, to suppress ads about his support of higher taxes, and to choke out criticism on television, radio, the Internet, blogs, e-mail and daily conversation about the election. Barack Obama needs to grow up. Leftist blogs and others in the press constantly say false things about me and my family. Usually, we ignore false and scurrilous accusations because the purveyors have no credibility. When necessary, we refute them. Enlisting Missouri law enforcement to intimidate people and kill free debate is reminiscent of the Sedition Acts - not a free society.”

Yes, McCain/Palin have their own truth squads but they are not enlisting law enforcement to intimidate those who might dare criticize them. They established a Palin Truth Squad after hordes of media descended upon Alaskan soil to sift through garbage to find some dirt on Palin, and the smear campaigns began.

Obama's actions smack of Big Brother. What will he do as president?

If you want to see what an Obama presidency might look like, click here.

Crossposted at RedCounty.com

China, Censorship and The Olympics

China just doesn't get it. It has clear goals of becoming a major superpower, has introduced market based economic reforms and is now considered to be the fourth largest economy in the world, and yet it still falls pitifully behind in terms of its political and social reforms. Who cares how much money you have in your pocket if you have no freedom, if you continuously fear what you say might land you in jail, if you have little access to information other than what your government deems appropriate. I'd rather be a pauper with freedom, than a rich person with none. The Chinese government would like the world to think they are evolving as a nation, but other than their economy, not a damn thing has changed.

I am still grappling with the question of why China was awarded the honour of hosting the 2008 Olympic Games, given the government's continuing penchant for flagrantly violating the rights of its citizens. Sure, back when they were bidding to host the games, 7 years ago, government officials assured news organizations that they would have complete freedom to report the games, as they have during past Olympic Games. Right. Easy to pay lip service when you have no intention of complying. Did anyone truly believe those promises? I guess not because, we come to find out, the International Olympic Committee (although they deny it) secretly brokered a deal which allows China to, yes, block certain sensitive websites, even for foreign journalists, who are already complaining they've encountered blocked access to various sites. So much for promises. Then again, did people expect anything different from a government that has exercised such suffocatingly tight control over its own people, for decades. And as for all their assurances they'd improve their human rights record, as a condition for hosting the games- empty promises.

If tourists think they will have carte blanche over there, think again. It's been confirmed that they too will be subject to censorship, and who knows what else. International hotel chains have been ordered to install software that will monitor the Internet activity of their guests, and there will be punishment for those who do not comply. So not only do they subject the Chinese people to censorship, they are forcing those same restrictions on visitors to their country. How's that for a warm welcome.

What I find most appalling is that they blatantly lied to ensure they would win the bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games, and that the IOC and the world was stupid enough to believe them.

UPDATE: Due to international pressure, as of 8/1/08, the Chinese government has lifted the ban on some sites, including Reporters Without Borders (RSF), although others continue to be banned, including any sites relating to Tibet or The Falun Gong. Some progress, but not enough!

BERLIN OPERA UPDATE

Well, it seems that the Deutsche Oper Berlin's production of Mozart's "Idomeneo", which was cancelled in September because of fear that a particular scene showing the severed head of Mohammad (and other religious figures) could potentially inflame the Islamic community, might be reinstated, after all. They are hoping to schedule several performances sometime in December, with assurances from Berlin police that they face no overt threats.

I wrote about this back in September. At the time it appeared as if everyone was in agreement that it was the best thing to do, however, it seems that even government officials were critical of manager Kirsten Harms' decision to cancel. Chancellor Angela Merkel called it: "self-censorship out of fear." I had no idea there was such a backlash, as the article I read made no mention of this. I guess I should have read several other articles before commenting.

Good for them!!