I’m feeling a bit churlish today. Watching the “running of the Shoppers,” as I call it, on Black Friday, has made me a bit irritated. There must be something more happening than what is being played over and over again on the news–shoppers bashing each other with their carts to get to the “best deals.”
Then I found it. I read about a simple tweet from a young high schooler that landed her in the principal’s office with orders to write several apology notes and it made me angrier than Black Friday–it pissed me off. We are watching thousands Occupy cities throughout the U.S. and the governor of Kansas is more concerned with reporting a simple tweet than what is happening around him in his state or anywhere else it would seem. I was born in Kansas. My parents were born in Kansas. My grandparents were born in Kansas. My husband was born there. We all moved to other states but I still have many relatives and I don’t want their freedom of speech impeded upon.
The facts are fairly simple and were reported in the Wichita Eagle:
Emma Sullivan, a senior at Shawnee Mission East High School in Prairie Village, was in Topeka on Monday as part of Kansas Youth in Government, a program for students interested in politics and government.
During the session, in which Brownback addressed the group, Sullivan posted on her personal Twitter page:
“Just made mean comments at gov brownback and told him he sucked, in person #heblowsalot”
That’s it. “Just made mean comments at gov brownback and told him he sucked, in person #heblowsalot.”
This young lady, using a very popular social media–Twitter–sent a tweet, heard all around the great state of Kansas. And now the entire nation knows. Why, because Governor Brownback’s staff scour the internet for comments on this man and it would appear that if they aren’t to their liking, they set about taking the person down that dares say anything unkind about Governor Brownback. Given what I’ve said about him, they should be Occupying my house and telephone conversations. But that would be a violation of my free speech rights, wouldn’t it? And their heavy hand on her is a violation as well.
Sullivan said the principal ordered her to write letters of apology to Brownback, the school’s Youth in Government sponsor, the district’s social studies coordinator and others.
Karl Krawitz, the school principal, did not return calls or e-mails Wednesday.
Brownback spokeswoman Sherriene Jones-Sontag said her office had forwarded a copy of Sullivan’s tweet to organizers of the school-sponsored event “so that they were aware what their students were saying in regards to the governor’s appearance.
“We monitor social media so we can see what Kansans are thinking and saying about the governor and his policies,” Jones-Sontag said.
“We just felt it was appropriate for the organizers to be aware … because of what was said in the tweet.”
Sullivan, 18, said she posted the comment because she doesn’t agree with Brownback’s policies, particularly recent cuts in state aid to schools. She is a registered Democrat.
This young lady was merely experiencing a small moment of free speech–but Governor Brownback is a Republican. And her free speech crossed the line into Democrat-ville. Ms. Sullivan believes that a big deal out of nothing was being made over her tweet to 60 or so of her friends and while she initially agreed to apologize, write the letters, and then wait to see if she is accepted to college at the University of Arkansas, now she’s not so sure about those letters. The University of Arkansas would be lucky to get her and I’m pretty sure she doesn’t need to apologize to anyone.
Here’s a few words from Ms. Sullivan.
In case anyone wants to follow Governor Brownback, he can be located on Twitter at: @govsambrownback. His email, office address, telephone numbers and other important information is easily located on his website.
I am most certainly going to contact him and his staff about the handling of this matter. I encourage all of you to do the same. I am going to explain that it’s a Free Speech ‘thingy’ and while I’m not a corporation, I still believe the Constitution covers my rights to tell him I believe his policies suck. And I should be able to freely do so without being sent to the principal’s office.
Funny that a student who identifies herself as liberal was the one to use a homosexual slur to try to insult someone.
Here is what I just emailed to Gov. Blowback. I encourage all to send him a note too:
Hey Idiot Browback,
I am a retired person living in California. Both my wife and I served in the Army years ago. Our two sons are veterans as well, one who is in Afghanistan now, and the other served two tours of duty in that hell hole. We served in the military to protect American freedoms, one of which is the right to free speech.
The manner in which you violated Emma Sullivan’s right to free speech is deplorable. It is you who OWES HER AN APOLOGY. To basically repeat what is the obvious to all by now..YOU SUCK, YOUR POLICIES SUCK, and THOSE ON YOUR STAFF SUCK for bothering this young woman.
You should be ashamed of yourself!
Dennis D. Wagner
Retired
Mr.Brownback I am assuming that Kansas has no financial, criminal or other problems based on the fact that you had time to bully a H.S. student because you did not like her opinion of you. Perhaps you took you suck as a threat to your personal safety. Or just maybe there is some truth to what she has said and it struck a nerve ! Either way stop trying to bully this young lady. It is you who needs to send an apology to her. Also I am very interested in how you gained access to her personal tweets . How did you get her personal tweets Mr.Brownback ???? I think you need to start being a Governor and stop behaving like a High School bully !
Funny that none of you are mentioning the Car Dealers that were selected for closure because they didn’t donate to Jughead. OR the random audits that popped up during BJ Clinton’s tenure.
The operative word here is “IF”. If a Democrat did this, we’ll see then if there is fairness… but so far, NO democrat has stooped this low to swipe at a student, have they? Nope. Only Republicans like this guy. (and the guy that shouted at Obama ‘YOU LIE”… When Bush, Clinton and elder Bush, etc.. was in office, no democrat ever shouted “YOU LIE” with such distinction… there was grumbling as usual but nothing distinct and that LOUD. so the sins are piling up.) So don’t go about making your false comparisons again.
Thats just low, kind of like the time they wouldn’t let me put Jesus or God on my giant book for the parade. I was with the library and the book I made was suppose to have “me” in it, it may have been novelty but it was a serious ouch. They let parents, religious fanatics control the contents of the library but they wouldn’t let me have free speech, the only person that sympathized was the librarian in the teen section.
Wouldn’t doubt that this guy does suck, the way he dealt with this shows his character clearly. Attacking a student because of their use of free speech.
If a democrat did this you all wouldn’t have bothered, don’t say they won’t because all types exist in every party. The reason you all have not ran into a intelligent Republican, thats because they are too intelligent to fight with you.
Since when did a political party affiliation make anyone more or less intelligent? Anyone doing this type of censorship should be called out on it regardless of their political stance. I am sorry about your Giant Book. I think it’s wrong to control the contence of a library too. However, if we want real change then we need to stand together to protect our rights. Even the rights of people we dont always agree with. I dont have to agree with your view point or anyone elses, but I still support your right as well as their rights to freedom of speech.
Oh, the working of the RepubliKlans at large. It’s very true that Brownback does suck major you-know-what, and I’m deathly surprised that both the office of Brownback and the school principal took what little time there was to even whip some backlash at this. First Ammendment…what’s that?
Young lady, if this somehow reaches you, take my advice…don’t write anything to them. You’ve spoken your word, you stick to it! And if you’re looking for a college to get into, come over here to one of Illinois’ fine colleges. We don’t have that same kind of crap that Kansas has. Us Illinois folk will treat you right!
I don’t know, Ottawa University is a pretty prestigious college.
Well of course it is. It’s a Private institute, which also means it’s pretty expensive to go to…not to mention it is faith-based (i.e. affiliated with American Baptist Churches USA), so if one’s not a person of faith, one would have to put up with that portion. Nah, stick with the Public institutions. At least those build character and won’t cost you an arm and a leg.
Another way to look at this, is that Emma Sullivan, still relatively early in her life, has now had a personal, up-close experience with this kind of intolerance. It will probably energize her to do even more things to combat this, than she might have otherwise.
@govsambrownback #heblowsalot Government Brownback sucks a lot.
“Dear Governor SucksALot Brownback: I think you suck, a lot. I apologize that your skin is so thin that an 18-year old girl’s tweet bothers you so much. Despite your Republican credentials it is obvious you do not support the Constitution or The First Amendment, and it is also clear that you hate America and ordinary Americans.