Posted on 06/23/2006 5:51:54 AM PDT by lexfreedom
Letter: Message for Parker: ‘Stop bullying’
Thursday, June 22, 2006 - Updated: 05:28 PM EST
When bullies stay in the spotlight too long, they show their true colors. Such it is with David Parker.
First, he poses as a champion protecting his son from a liberal school system that tolerates all families. When his belligerent ways with teacher and principal and superintendent get nowhere, he turns himself into a media spectacle to carry his anti-gay message further. So be it. In this age of divisive hate politics, it can happen anywhere. Lexington is a community that was annealed defending the rights of citizens, this battle is but another of our tasks.
What of his latest self-aggrandizement? By exploiting a typical first-grade lunchroom/playground spat involving his son and another first-grader, he has grabbed the headlines again. He states in his press release "We also know that activist lesbian mothers and vehement anti-David Parker parents are spewing hateful, inflaming rhetoric, and probably also to their young children. What kind of atmosphere are they creating?"
Who would guess that the incident was over a seat in the lunch room?
It’s a very clever manipulation of the event to intimidate other people while providing red-meat fodder for his political base. Sen. Joseph McCarthy would be proud.
But at what cost is he achieving his notoriety now? What about the cost to the other child — the child who was disciplined for the incident over a month ago, made up with David Parker’s son and had a play date with him that day — is it okay for this child to be a pawn in Mr. David Parker war against tolerance?
How about the children and the parents of children in first grade? How will they behave around Mr. Parker or Mr. Parker’s children, knowing that they may be accused in a press release a month or two later for their kids’ behavior? Will they be thinking "Say the wrong thing and David Parker’s going to accuse us in the newspaper"?
And what about David Parker’s child? What does it do to a first-grader when he is used by his father as a truncheon for a political cause? What are the lessons a child learns when his classmates are considered pawns to be exploited in the media for political gain?
Shame on you, David Parker. You are a bully. Though you will not win in this town, you have already caused a lot of hurt among those who you claim you are trying to protect: your son and his first-grade classmates.
Bill McKenney
Winthrop Road
Letter: Why print ‘blatant’ lies in the paper?
Thursday, June 22, 2006 - Updated: 05:24 PM EST
This is a lie: "Jacob Parker was approached during recess, taken to a corner of the play area and assaulted by eight to 10 students."
We have for too long allowed our newspapers to print blatant lies and give them credibility, from the largest issues such as lies about weapons of mass destruction to the smallest issues, such as lies about children ganging up on another child in a school yard.
First, the fact that someone resorts to lies to the press to make a point is indicative of a total corruption of moral values. Public discussion first depends on honesty.
Secondly, the fact the Minuteman would publish this BS makes them complicit.
The paper should never have published such an allegation about a school incident without making an effort to talk directly to the teachers involved. By not doing so, they gave credence and participated in fostering a lie on our community.
Shame on all involved.
Toby Sackton
White Pine Lane
Letter: Paper ‘duped’ by Camenker group
Thursday, June 22, 2006 - Updated: 05:27 PM EST
I was angry and dismayed to see this newspaper so easily duped by a notorious hate group like Article 8 Alliance (aka Mass Resistance). The inflammatory lead story about an alleged schoolyard assault was an insult to the schools and the population of Lexington.
Given the level of tension between the supporters and opponents of David Parker’s actions in Lexington, the publication of this article was gravely irresponsible. The reporter clearly rushed this story to press, failing in her responsibility to investigate these serious allegations before relaying the breathless conspiracy theories of Brian Camenker nearly verbatim. Is that how newspapers work today?
Now that the school superintendent has had a chance to review the incident (over a month past), it is revealed in a very different light. What we see from the press release issued by Dr. Ash is that the school handled an unfortunate conflict between young children with professionalism and compassion. The Estabrook staff deserves praise for their prompt action and the resolution they achieved.
We also see that Brian Camenker’s press release was pure demagoguery, but we hardly needed Dr. Ash’s patient analysis to be suspicious of Camenker’s veracity. Anyone browsing the Article 8 Alliance Web site would quickly perceive the anti-gay bias and the hysterical tilt to much of Camenker’s writing. Is this what passes for a reliable news source today?
The proper response for this paper would be an official retraction of this story, along with an apology to the school system.
Glenn Parker
Spring Street
Letter: Wrong for paper to cite Camenker
Thursday, June 22, 2006 - Updated: 05:26 PM EST
It is totally irresponsible for a newspaper to treat Brian Camenker as a credible news source. His diatribe about a playground incident at Estabrook was totally fabricated for publicity. Margery Egan of the Boston Herald has it correct by calling him a “nut” on her talk radio program on June 7. She was commenting on Camenker’s “creepiness” because he writes on his Web site about Macy’s having gay mannequins.
Here is another reason news people should ignore him. This man prints these outlandish news releases periodically in order to raise money for his anti-gay crusade. By validating his Web site diatribes with electronic newsprint, traffic increases on his Web site and homophobes throughout the country can find him and contribute. It is very sad that the Parkers have chosen this man as an advisor and even sadder that they, guided by Camenker, used their own child in yet another publicity stunt.
Reporters at the Minuteman and Globe: Next time Camenker calls, hang up!
Craig Cyr
Revere Street
Ashe stated that parents of both students were notified of the incident. The child who hit Jacob was sent to meet with the assistant principal at Estabrook and was then asked to fill out a “think sheet” reflecting on his choices and actions. The student also missed recess for two days and wrote an apology. Ash said both sets of parents seemed satisfied with the school’s handling of the incident and the two students had a play-date several days after the incident. Neil Tassel, the Parkers’ legal counsel, said Jacob Parker and the student had “been friends and continue to be friends,” after the confrontation. Tassel said the Parkers were notified of the altercation and were content with the investigation and follow-up by the school. Tassel said the Parkers’ only concern was that the incident, while triggered by a disagreement in the cafeteria, may have resulted from the “atmosphere created by adults on the outside.”
Even if this area is a liberal mecca... It looks fishy, like Mr. Parker is using the incident to drum up $$.
Why else would Mr. Parker allow his young son to continue to be friends with and play with another young boy who (according to Parker) had been so manipulated by "the atmosphere created by adults" he attacked Parker's son?
According to the Massachusetts Sex Education Policy, if Mr. Parker provided written notification to the school principal to opt his child out, then Mr. Parker's request should be honored.
That school officials have ignored his request and said homosexuality is not about "human sexuality issues" but "real life" that must be taught to kids is very disturbing. I hope and pray Mr. Parker sees justice, and soon.
YUP -and we invaded Iraq for oil...
''We don't view telling a child that there is a family out there with two mommies as teaching about homosexuality, heterosexuality, or any kind of sexuality," he said. ''We are teaching about the realities of where different children come from."
It went on to say this about what started this whole thing over a year ago:
The bag of books promoting diversity is sent home with one student at a time, said Rachel F. Cortez, copresident of the Estabrook parent-teacher association and a member of the school's Anti-Bias Committee.
(Okay, I do think it is ridiculous an elementary school has an Anti-Bias Committee!)
Parents received notice about the book bag at the beginning of the year and the date that it was scheduled to be sent home with their child. The bag's contents also were put on display at a back-to-school night earlier in the school year, she said, and parents are not required to have their child bring it home.
(Mrs. Parker says she didn't see display and was not told about the bag specifically)
''The kids don't have to take them [the materials] home," she said. ''Parents can either opt out entirely or use whatever materials they want."
If what Mr. Parker says is true, and the school was informed of his general 'opt out' request, then YES, the school screwed up when it let Parker's son bring the "diversity bag" home.
But blowing this playgound incident out of proportion is nutty, and hurts his cause even more than his stunt of refusing to leave school grounds, being arrested and spending the night in jail "to make a point" (??), having "vigils", aligning with some (not all, but some) fringe groups like Fred Phelps' church, starting a David Parker Fund, and opening a pay-pal account.
Kinda Cindy Sheehan-ish, like he likes the fame of the issue.
By the way, why doesn't he pull his child from that school? It would seem homeschooling would be a terrific option!
Considering the many deluded leftists up there -I would imagine the public school brainwashing dogma is well entrenched and accepted as reality -- as such, worshiped and protected like some sacred cow by the delusionbots and homosexualaniacs whose worlds of delusion would come crashing down if one such as David Parker had his way...
And, yeah, that's another thing. I see those letters to the editor as anti-David Parker letters, but Hate Mail?
Have you read some of the replies on this thread?
By the way, are you David Parker?
How about sticking your neck out and confronting the hate you perceive from some on this thread rather than taking pot shots directed at all and none at the same time?
Nope. And the letter that you deemed "silly" is taken very seriously and is representative of a vocal group of people in Lexington.
Check out how these people have attacked David Parker in the press.
Is lexfreedom David Parker? I think it is important to know, since he is linking to his donation site.
I dunno? whats my cause....
...or more poignant...WHATS YOUR CAUSE.
What do you have a problem with?
But blowing this playgound incident out of proportion is nutty,
If you're saying Parker has blown the playground incident out of proportion, to what exactly are you referring? What has Parker said or been quoted as saying on the matter?
and hurts his cause even more than his stunt of refusing to leave school grounds, being arrested and spending the night in jail "to make a point" (??),
Parker is on record as saying that may not have been best, and having 20/20 hindsight has always proved to be a great teacher.
having "vigils", aligning with some (not all, but some) fringe groups like Fred Phelps' church,
I'm unaware of any fringe groups like Fred Phelps' church with which Parker has aligned himself. And if you were trying to be as offensive as possible, I would think you just succeeded.
starting a David Parker Fund, and opening a pay-pal account. Kinda Cindy Sheehan-ish, like he likes the fame of the issue.
I don't know Parker's heart, but I have been on the receiving end of some very radical homosexual activists and can understand from where he's coming.
why doesn't he pull his child from that school? It would seem homeschooling would be a terrific option!
As a home schooler I would agree but I don't know everything about the situation. I think it was gidget7 (just pinged her too) that said something about Parker not having any legal standing if he pulled his child from the school.
I'll be on the lake in two hours. ;-)
but I have been on the receiving end of some very radical homosexual activists
You may want to reword that.
Freepmail.
I have to head to work, but I'll be back to answer later.
In the meantime... I've read and reread Parker's fund site, and there is something I don't understand.
Maybe lexfreedom can explain it to me, since from his join date in June 2002 and his total of 90 posts, all but a handful are David Parker threads, and all but a couple have the davidparkerfund link.... Obviously he is the go-to guy.
Here's what I don't understand.... David Parker is requesting money donations, but for what are the donations being used?
The site says:
"This is an expensive fight, and we appreciate any support that people are willing to give.
You can send a contribution for the legal expenses to:"
But the case was dropped in Oct. 2005, and he is innocent of any wrong doing. The trespass charge was dropped. The recent incident in the playground has been resolved. Is there any accounting of the donations? Why does he still need a "fund"?
How exactly are the posts hateful? In my opinion at best the posts may imply a hatred in general towards the homosexual fallacy of normality and more specifically towards the homosexual agenda and what the promoters of it do.
However, I consider the posts more ridicule of the absurd activities than hate of the delusional human beings promoting them AND in in no way consider the postings in the same league as the emails that premise this discussion which specifically attack David Parker the man and or the legitimacy of the cause he pursues...
From my perspective there is a clear confrontation here between to diametrically opposed causes. On the one hand there is the homosexual disorder and those who defend, attempt promote it, and impose such homosexual dogma on others WHILE on the other hand there is David Parker...
Now you show up as some supposed referee? LOL Thanks but no thanks -take your services to the other side. Go confront the persons that sent the emails if you feel such a duty.
If they got past some derelict editorial board and were actually published, do you think they would advance your cause or hurt it?
Well you have made it clear that you and I are in separate camps here in regard to "causes". I am not sure yet what your agenda entails on this topic; however, it would appear you know mine> Would you care to at least elaborate on what my cause is that I may at least have the opportunity to provide my perspective via correction and or agreement with your observations?
Stop whining -move along...
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