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11 year Old "Anti-American"

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oXYnary polycounter lvl 18
[ QUOTE ]

Police Investigate Anti-American Statements of 11-Year-Old
And in news from Virginia, the Washington Post reports two police officers recently visited the home of an 11-year-old and questioned his parents for three hours about anti-American comments their son made in school The student had refused to participate in a Veterans Day exercise and criticized the Marines. The school claimed he had said, "I wish all Americans were dead and that American soldiers should die." The Police questioned his parents about their views on Sept. 11, the military and if they knew any foreigners who criticized US policy. They also inquired whether the parents might be teaching "anti-American values" at home. The mother, Pamela Allbaugh, told the Washington Post "It was intimidating. I told them it's like a George Orwell novel, that it felt like they were the thought police." She went on to say "If someone would have asked me five years ago if this was something my government would do, I would have said never."


[/ QUOTE ]

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/12/16/1444215

Here is original link if you are registered.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn...-2004Dec14.html

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  • steady
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    steady polycounter lvl 18
    that there boy needs a good whippin'
    //takes off belt
  • TomDunne
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    TomDunne polycounter lvl 18
    Where are Joe McCarthy and the HUAAC when we need them?
  • John Warner
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    John Warner polycounter lvl 18
    that boy doesn't need a good whipping you boob!

    that is a rather harsh thing to say, but of course it shouldn't have been responded to the way it was. that's scary.
  • ElysiumGX
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    ElysiumGX polycounter lvl 18
    can't say I agree with the boy's statements. his parents should do a better job of teaching politics.

    I would never wish death on all Americans, just the politicians...and maybe Republicans. j/k tongue.gif
  • jzero
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    jzero polycounter lvl 18
    Reading the WashPost story tells the whole tale. The police had two things in mind when they investigated: Columbine, and real terrorists.

    It's not like they really thought the 11-year-old is a terrorist. They didn't detain him, right? He's not going to Gitmo. They're quoted as saying that when a student makes rashly violent comments, they want to take it seriously. After Columbine, I think this is reasonable. I'm sure they also wanted to make sure that the kid wasn't mimicking real terrorist statements he'd heard first-hand. Ignoring that possibility would have been bad, also.

    At the end of the story, though, it looks like law enforcement did exactly what they're supposed to do: they investigated. When they didn't find anything suspicious, they left. The family never left their house, nobody was taken away, no charges were filed, and no rights were violated. The only comment stated about rights was from the kid, who is also described by his own mom as 'rambunctious'. Sounds like he wants some attention, too, Mom.

    It's too bad that the parents felt like they were under suspicion, but that seems to be all they underwent. I don't see any deviation from acceptable methods on the part of law enforcement. Anyone have a different view?

    /jzero
  • Dukester
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    Dukester polycounter lvl 18
    aw rats. everyone was hoping this was another opportunity to bash the U.S., wallow in their socialist love-in and talk about how stupid all the Americans are! frown.gif
  • JKMakowka
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    JKMakowka polycounter lvl 18
    And why didn't a teacher go to the parents first? Or the parents could have been asked to come to a meeting with the teachers?
    That is what I call normal in such a situation.

    Getting the police involved absolutly isn't, and the mother is right about orwellian methods.
    Seriously, this is something that was normal during the Nazi times here in Germany, when teachers were incuraged to report any 'abnormal' behaviour of the children directly to the police/SS.

    There is absolutly nothing right about this, period mad.gif
  • PaK
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    PaK polycounter lvl 18
    Perhaps a less intimidating set of investigators might have been a better choice. But no one's rights were violated, and it is a clear warning sign when a child exhibits such beahvior. I think the authorities handled the situation rather well, unlike the scissor situation earlier this week *shakes head*

    The Washington Post is selling news, and everyone loves to read about the Big Bad govermnet, I'm one of their most eager clients :P But I think I know a non-issue when I see one. I think this is an example of just that.

    -R
  • KeyserSoze
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    KeyserSoze polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    They also inquired whether the parents might be teaching "anti-American values" at home.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    So what if they were? Is this illegal now? If a police officer who was questioning me asked if I had any 'anti-American' sentiments, I'd tell him to go fuck himself.

    I wonder if the kid had said "I wish all Muslims were dead and that Muslims should die," if the police would've been called. Hmmm...
  • Mishra
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    Mishra polycounter lvl 18
    11 year olds know exactly nothing on real life or world affairs, he was probably just saying something after watching farnheit 9/11 for the first time.
  • Slayerjerman
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    Slayerjerman polycounter lvl 18
    Retarded. Everyone knows kids say shit they know nothing about.

    Well I hope that family had no Xmas travel plans, cause their probally on the TSA list now. LOLOLOLO
  • Mark Dygert
    Here come the thought police... "Now tommy you know uncle rummy doesn't like people who think for themselves. Let’s try one of our mind numbing exercises again ok?" "You're in a big open empty space, filled with nothing you feel nothing, nothing is all around you."

    Slayer, Mishra, and just about everyone else hit it right on the head, kids say stuff to say stuff, most of the time they feel really opinionated about something but can't tell you why. They are kids, they do stupid things that is how they learn. The teacher shouldn't be a big freaking baby and run off to the cops because some kid spouts off. One of the freedoms we have it to protest peaceably when we have grievances with the government (see first amendment). Now if the kid was tossing punches around or pulled out a knife and started cutting people, ok call the cops, he's out of control. But just refusing to be part of something? Call the parents not the freakin thought police...
  • Irritant
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    Irritant polycounter lvl 18
    Sounds to me like the officers were just doing their jobs. Nobody was detained, they were just investigating. With all of the shootings in schools, and Columbine, and the general mood of the country after a heated elections, you cannot be too careful.

    A LEO's job is to protect the people. A kid makes some pretty radical statements, it's their job to investigate to make sure that this kid isn't a psychopath. Strangers things have happened then an 11 year old kid killing a classmate or two.

    Bottom line is, SOMEBODY needs to tell the kid what he said isn't very moral. Sounds like his parents aren't likely doing it, so maybe it's a good wakeup call for him.
  • frosty
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    frosty polycounter lvl 18
    Usually I am pretty anti-cop in many situations, but I see they were just doing their job. Nobody was hurt. And I bet you my last buck if he continues with this Die Americans Die he won't last long in the workforce either. State of Colorado workers and even where I work have strict guidelines about violence in the workplace and threats. I got in a wee bit of trouble for not reporting how a girl was telling us all she was going to put a bullet in another workers head. The kid is prolly just a kid, but it never hurts to be sure, he might be bi-polar. Hell if some kid did this in certain Arab countries they would prolly castrate him and toss him into and abandoned well.
  • blackhawkflybaby
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    blackhawkflybaby polycounter lvl 18
    That lil puke needs to go down-range. i will smear his ass. Show him who and what to hate.
  • EarthQuake
    While it was an extreme thing to say on the kids part it was also an extreme thing for the teacher to call the cops instead of talking to his parents. The cops didnt do anything but thier job.

    Thanks for dumbing down the post a a little with your ignorance blackhawk.
  • ElysiumGX
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    ElysiumGX polycounter lvl 18
    @blackhawk: Yeah foo, werd 2 yo motha!

    It sucks that they called the cops on the kid. But hey, atleast he didn't bring scissors of mass destruction to school.
  • oXYnary
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    oXYnary polycounter lvl 18
    You know, you all have it wrong. It coulda have ended simply at the scene if the teacher had enough intelligence to give the kid a simple logical question.

    "If all Americans should die, then that means you and your family as well?"
  • joolz8000
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    joolz8000 polycounter lvl 18
    Hm. I can't think of anything to add here. Except this- EarthQuake, that's a real tasteful avatar you got there.
  • frosty
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    frosty polycounter lvl 18
    Oxy she did him a favor, the little phocker is never going to last on the job market with this mouth and attitude, unless of course he goes to work for the middle east Terrorists, right?
  • Toomas
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    Toomas polycounter lvl 18
    Frosty hes fucking 11, before he goes to work im sure he grows up a little. A lot of kids have similar toughts they just keep their mouths shut.
    Anyways its sad to watch how you americans get stripped of your civil rights.
  • KeyserSoze
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    KeyserSoze polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    Sounds to me like the officers were just doing their jobs.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    [ QUOTE ]
    I see they were just doing their job.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    No one is questioning whether or not they were doing their job. The police aren't allowed to make judgment calls as to whether or not a call deserves their attention; if the police are called, they are required to respond--that goes without saying--the question is whether or not they should have been called. The kid didn't threaten anyone (what he said could be construed as threatening, but he didn't point out any specific person or say anything about wanting to kill anyone) and it's not illegal to dislike America or any of its policies.

    It's not like the 'I wish all Americans were dead' comment came out of nowhere. It was said after the kid refused to participate in a Veterans Day exercise and criticized our military, and the teacher probably gave him shit for it. The kid was trying to justify his sentiments after being confronted by the teacher, but 11-year-olds usually aren't very articulate, so the 'I wish all Americans were dead' comment was the best thing he could come up with.

    In this situation, the parents should've been called and the police should have never been involved. The teacher (or his parents, or both) should've pointed out to the child that wishing malice upon his fellow man is just as bad as anything the US is doing, and that he should find a better way to express his opinions. If necessary, they could also give the kid and his parents a warning that this type of behavior could result in suspension or even expultion.

    Oh well, I guess calling the police whenever a student has a difference of opinion or breaks the rules is easier than actually doing what is right :rolleyes:.
  • frosty
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    frosty polycounter lvl 18
    Toomas, when Conan was 11 he killed a bull with his bare hands, when I was 11 I was jacking off to the JC Penny catalog of women's underwear, looking up mini-skirts and smoking pot daily. I knew what I was doing. I refused to say the pledge to the American flag and got sent to the office for it in school. I agreed to recite, but I did so by saying, and justice for "some" not the all part. She let it slide, the teacher, and this only added to my cocky attitude at that time. Better to get your ass kicked at 11 than 21 or get the crap beat out of you late in school. imho.
  • Toomas
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    Toomas polycounter lvl 18
    frosty so if your teached had called the cops on you, you would be better person now?
  • frosty
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    frosty polycounter lvl 18
    To be honest Toomas no, prolly not, I have a fairly low opinion of my "local" police as it is. I do think now, the cop calling was pretty radical. It does kinda give one the feeling of the United States of Nazi Germany.
  • cep
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    cep polycounter lvl 18
    The kid sounds like he should appriciate where he lives, obviously the parents failed to teach him that. Wich was wrong on there part.
  • thnom
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    thnom polycounter lvl 18
    I don't really see what the major thing is with the US. (*This isn't a bash just an insight*). Pretty much everything is patroism.. Having to learn all 50 states, that general bullshit. Then there's the fact that kid can't have freedom of speech because it doesn't agree with what you think?

    Would you slap your kid across the head because he caught you sleeping with a prostitute and thought it was wrong of you?

    Kids say alot of shit -- Hell when I was young I believed in Christianity - what shit that was. Everyone says something of that "nature". (I hate living here, etc.)

    Because people are all living on bullshit security alerts things are getting OTT. Get the SAS in, I'm on a forum! Could be used for plotting the queens murder.

    Alot of things today can be put into that context. You've got a pair of scissors, you can do alot of harm. You've got a cat? You can cause kids blindess if they fall on it..

    Being totally blown out of proportion IMO
  • Nostradamus
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    Nostradamus polycounter lvl 18
    That's absurd... As soon as you have your own opinion that goes against the "common good"(although I doubt a 11 year old kid has one, but still), you need to be investigated for 3 bloody hours... charming... absolutely charming.
  • Bronco
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    Bronco polycounter lvl 18
    well at least you guys can stil slap ya kids, here (UK) its now against the law,some guy recently got put in jail and a order banning him from the home for 3 months or seeing his kid without supervision cos police saw him hit his kid on the arse in a shopping centre when he was playing up....his wife has spent that 3 months bring up the kid on her own and protesting her husbands innocence (as she was there)..as if it did much.

    The world is full of BS.

    john
  • TomDunne
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    TomDunne polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    I don't really see what the major thing is with the US. (*This isn't a bash just an insight*). Pretty much everything is patroism.. Having to learn all 50 states, that general bullshit.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    Being expected to know basic national geography is patriotic bullshit? I pretty much attribute knowledge of the different states to not wanting to be an ignorant dumbass: "Say, Bob, what's this Utah I've been hearing so much about?"
  • PaK
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    PaK polycounter lvl 18
    I think this thread is getting waaaaaay too much attention. It's not a big deal.

    -R
  • RageUnleashed
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    RageUnleashed polycounter lvl 18
    While I think that what the kid was ignorant and wrong, this is a country that is supposed about free speech (up until recently it was...) and quite frankly I would sooner take away the neo nazis preaching hatred in a street parade over one kid saying something stupid...call me crazy...
  • KDR_11k
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    KDR_11k polycounter lvl 18
    Come on, the point wasn't the kid, it was the possibility that he learned that "die americans!" stuff from his parents and that his parents might be sleeper operatives. Nobody thinks an 11 year old kid is a threat to national security but they think he might be a clue towards the existence of potential terrorists in his neighbourhood. Yes, this has been said before but the cthread continued as if it hadn't.
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