I consider the button to be patriotic!
well yeah billw but you and i are the only ones
Patriotic does not mean partisan. There are symbols that are accepted and respected by both conservatives and liberals, like the National Flag, National Emblem, etc. I do not think that such things are politically biased and should not appear in schools.
Main Entry: pa·tri·ot
Pronunciation: 'pA-trE-&t, -"ät, chiefly British 'pa-trE-&t
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle French patriote compatriot, from Late Latin patriota, from Greek patriOtEs, from patria lineage, from patr-, patEr father
Date: 1605
: one who loves his or her country and supports its authority and interests
What is patriotic in the US is often in the eyes of the beholder, steissd. Love of country can be expressed in different ways. For some it's waving the flag, for others it's expressing dissent.
I love my country and support its authority - and Bush ain't it - he's not my President, he is the unPresident.
However, if I were a teacher, I wouldn't wear it to school or where school children could see me. I sure it says in contracts that a teacher can not be under the influence or advocate drinking or drugs also.
Yes dyslexia, there is a hypocracy here - but no one said there isn't hypocracy in political jingoism!
We have the most divisive unPresidency that ever existed - another reason he is the worst ever to sit in the Oval Office - <sigh>
It is possible to express dissent with policies of any administration, and at the same time to respect the national symbols.
steissd
I'm not so educated in US-constitutional law as you obviously are.
However, the German constitution -as ruled by our constitutional court- says something different: this would be against the constitution here.
Sorry, misunderstood, what is unconstitutional: presence of the German flag in the school buildings in Germany?
I.e.,"patriotic" buttons, when others are forbidden.
I don't think, you'll find a lot of schools - if any - with flags inside the building. And they are posted outside only on public rememberance days.
OK. I cannot give any comments on this since this refers to the constitutional issues. But, IMHO, presence of national symbols in the governmental institutions is justified; and it cannot be regarded as a partisan propaganda.
I would agree with you steissd, but sometimes the line between patriotism and propaganda is blurry.
For example there are signs all over, including in public schools that contain the American Flag and the words "United We Stand".
"United We Stand" sounds patriotic, but is seen by many of us to contain the message -- "Don't express dissent against what the government is doing." Comments from Mr. Bush and his associates have not done much to persuade me otherwise.
To me "Diverse we Stand" would be much less partisan and much more patriotic.
You've summed it up well, ebrown_p. Thanks!
ebrown - well put. This is a blurry line. Does patriotism mean just a salute of the flag and an agreement with current thinking, or does it mean love of country and a desire to make it the best it can be?
A teacher wearing a button - somehow this almost sounds like quibbling when we have such things as Poindexter heading a committee devoted to spying on all citizens. I can see the regulation about no political activity within a certain radius of polling places, but to argue about whether the teacher was acting on her own time or not over the heinous crime of wearing a button...
ebrown - well put. This is a blurry line. Does patriotism mean just a salute of the flag and an agreement with current thinking, or does it mean love of country and a desire to make it the best it can be?
A teacher wearing a button - somehow this almost sounds like quibbling when we have such things as Poindexter heading a committee devoted to spying on all citizens. I can see the regulation about no political activity within a certain radius of polling places, but to argue about whether the teacher was acting on her own time or not over the heinous crime of wearing a button...
additional info from todays paper: not only did she have the "he's not my president" on her coat, she also had and american flag lapel pin with a peace sign on top of it.
If Bush isn't the teacher's President, then who is?
Peace T-shirt leads to man's arrest
ALBANY, N.Y., March 4 - A Selkirk man says he was arrested Monday for expressing his objection to possible war with Iraq at Crossgates Mall. He says all he did was wear a T-shirt bearing a message of peace, which he actually purchased in the mall.
http://www.msnbc.com/local/WNYT/M276307.asp?0cv=NB10
Damn. that's kinda scary, bill.
The FBI is watching Abuzz. Do you suppose we're being watched on A2K?
