Not sure what to think...

[priv8ter]

I like to think of myself as a little bit small 'L' libertarian, and a little bit small 'A' anarchist, and think that people should be able to do what they want as long as it doesn't hurt others, but when I read stories like this...

Student May Wear Bush 'Terrorist' Shirt
22 minutes ago Add U.S. National - AP to My Yahoo!



DETROIT - A high school student has the right to wear a T-shirt to school with the face of President Bush (news - web sites) and the words "International Terrorist" on the front, a federal judge ruled.



"There is no evidence that the T-shirt created any disturbance or disruption," U.S. District Judge Patrick J. Duggan said in the ruling released Wednesday by the American Civil Liberties Union (news - web sites) of Michigan, which sued the Dearborn school district on behalf of Bretton Barber.


An assistant principal had ordered Barber in February to conceal the anti-Bush message or go home. Dearborn High said it worried about inflaming passions at the suburban Detroit school, where a majority of students are Arab-American.


But, the judge said, "The record does not reveal any basis for (the assistant principal's) fear aside from his belief that the T-shirt conveyed an unpopular political message."


Attorneys for the school district declined to comment on the case. There was no answer at the district offices Wednesday evening.


"The court's decision reaffirms the principle that students don't give up their right to express opinions on matters of public importance once they enter school," Kary Moss, executive director of the state ACLU, said in a news release Wednesday.


Barber was 16 when he wore the shirt on a day he was scheduled to present a "compare and contrast" essay in English class. Barber had chosen to compare President Bush to former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein (news - web sites).


At the time, Bretton said he wanted to express his anti-war position by wearing the shirt, which he ordered on the Internet.






I'm not really sure how I feel. I think maybe the solution is to invite the kid to give his 'Compare and Contrast' speech, and wear his shirt at a Public School in New York City...see if there is still 'no evidence that the T-shirt created any disturbance or disruption'.

 

[Brian Dale]

Let him wear it. Let everybody conclude that the kid's an idiot. No problem.

 

[4570Rick]

Happy Bob beat me to it.

 

[Leatherneck]

Young Mr. Barber should be allowed to wear the shirt. Just as any other student should be able to wear one bearing Barber's photograph and the words "spoiled liberal brat."

TC
TFL Survivor

 

[TarpleyG]

Okay then, can he wear an HK or Smith & Wesson shirt? How about a shirt advocating the NRA? Probably not. It's okay to bash your commander-in-chief. That's hip right now. Wearing controversial clothing depicting guns or anything similar is taboo. What a load of ****!!! This country needs an enema.

GT

 

[4570Rick]

Quick...Stick that hose in Sacramento and turn it on. We need it cleaned out for Tuesday.

 

[Andrew Rothman]

It's a t-shirt. It's an opinion. It's free speech. Freedom is good, remember?

You can't be pro-Second-Amendment and anti-First-Amendment. Well, okay, you can, but it's hypocritical.

Matt

 

[Grey54956]

Remember Ghostbusters II (strange that I should think of such a thing):

"It's every New Yorker's right to be an @$$hole."

Indeed, it is every American's right. And this silly youth is simply exercising his right to do so. People may have a right to suggest that he not be a jack@$$, but no body has the right to force such a thing on him.

This is the basic problem with politics today. Everybody seems to think they have the power to make everyone do or think as they do. You see it on both sides of the Rep/Dem line. Both sides strive to force everyone live by their rules of conduct by eliminating your options. They do this because they don't think that you should be allowed to have a choice in how you live your life.

 

[greyhound]

he was scheduled to present a "compare and contrast" essay in English class. Barber had chosen to compare President Bush to former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein (news - web sites).

More troubling than the T shirt is where he is learning this kind of nensense...

 

[Unisaw]

TarpleyG,

You beat me to it. What about the case in Charlottesville, VA where a boy wasn't allowed to wear a t-shirt from an NRA-sponsored shooting camp?

 

[Andrew Rothman]

ore troubling than the T shirt is where he is learning this kind of nensense...

He was apparently given a compare-and-contrast assignment. He CHOSE Bush vs. Saddam.

Thinking for yourself: good.

Challenging the status quo: good.

Anyway, here is a possible compare and contrast of Bush and Saddam:

Compare: Both lead a country, both are powerful
Contrast: Bush is democratically elected, uses rule of law; Saddam is a dictator, uses rule of might

There is nothing wrong with his topic. There is nothing wrong with his assignment.

Don't you think arguments should stand on their own merits, not be pre-judged?

Matt

 

[Gordon Fink]

Not much more to say.

~G. Fink

 

[Selfdfenz]

Well,

This kid will get his 15 minutes of fame.....

But he'll be remembered as a b&tthead forever.....

I guess teenagers still have too much time on their hands.

S-

 

[Standing Wolf]

If the shirt belongs to the school, the school gets to pick the color and message; if, by contrast, the shirt belongs to the kid, he gets to pick the color and message, no matter how stupid they might be.

Lots of American citizens have died to defend the First Amendment.

 

[Edward429451]

You guys crack me up. As long as you can have your gun, the rest of our freedoms can go to hades?

Wether it was in poor taste, or you disagree with the message he was sending, his right to do so should be encouraged and defended. Spirit of America? Whats that?