Posted on 05/27/2005 4:37:14 PM PDT by Jenya
Bush-as-Groucho Posters Spark Uproar
Drama Students Created Image to Advertise Satirical Play
LOS ANGELES (May 27) - Posters that depicted President Bush with a Groucho Marx-style mustache and cigar were ordered torn down at a high school after a student complained.
Theater students, who had created the posters to advertise a satirical play, countered with new posters with a First Amendment message.
Principal Kenny Lee ordered 100 posters removed from the campus of El Camino Real High School in the Woodland Hills area last week on grounds that they promoted smoking and "endorsing one ideology over another."
"That's our take on the student speech and conduct," Lee said.
The school-funded posters advertised the students' play, "The Complete History of America (Abridged)," which satirizes U.S. history.
A senior who supports the president wrote a complaint letter to the administration, teachers and students said.
"We had one student who was very upset," Lee said. "If something is bothering a student on campus, we're going to address it."
The poster ban infuriated some students.
"It taught us that the First Amendment certainly does not guarantee the right of free speech," said Jes Shah, 16, a junior in the school drama program.
The principal asked the drama students to come up with new posters. The new designs all feature a silhouette of Bush and a burning cigar, along with inscriptions such as "Free Expression for All (unless you are in high school)" and "What First Amendment?"
"They're good," Lee said. "I like the follow-ups."
I wouldn't have the posters removed, but if someone did the same thing to a homosexual celebrity the school would be applauded for ripping down the posters.
We all know pictures of the President aren't allowed on school campuses, the ACLU says so right?
Am I to understand that Groucho Marx, an icon of American culture for 80 years, is now to be flushed down the memory hole because he smoked cigars?
Who's next -- Mark Twain? Oh. I forgot. They already got rid of Huckleberry Finn in public education because the "N" word appears in it.
Thus the war on classic American culture continues by the educational establishment and the Progressive left.
It's interesting to note that the courts have held that the First Ammendment does apply in schools--at least, the "establishment of religion" clause has been held to be applicable. To be consistent, the freedom to practice one's religion, and to communicate one's political opinions, should also apply to the same extent.
What's happening to free speech in this country? The left started with all of the crap about so-called hate speech and supressing speech that might offend. Now they've opened the flood gates everybody seems to think censorship is okay. Oh, for the good old days when we believed we had to allow the expression of opinions we didn't agree with. Free speech is another casualty of political correctness.
They'd all probably want an autographed copy, in order to enhance their libido.
It seems the kid who complained did so because he thought the posters were anti-Bush, wonder what they are saying over at DU about this?
Commies love me this I know,
cause the ACLU tells me so,
Innocent ones to them are drawn,
then their minds are totally gone.
Yes Commies love me
Yes Commies Love me
Cause the ACLU tells me so.
The new designs all feature a silhouette of Bush and a burning cigar... "They're good," Lee said. "I like the follow-ups."
Good grief, man, they still promote smoking! Something must be done, I tell you.
How does a poster of Bush with a Groucho Marx-style mustache and cigar endorse "one ideology over another"?
Ummm...it wasn't the cigar they found offensive.
Umm, the first reason they gave was that it "promoted smoking."
I'm offended.
Groucho was twice the man that Bush isn't.
That is clearly subterfuge.
A Republican student complained. He only complained because he supports Bush. They only acted in response to his complaint.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1412175/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1411547/posts
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