This is America (local high schoolers go to an anti war/Bush protest)

Bucks Country Courier Times ^ | November 6, 2003 | SHANON JAEGER (HS Student)

[2banana]

This is America
By SHANON JAEGER Pennsbury East
Bucks County Courier Times

When you think of two teenage girls stuck in a car for three hours singing along to the radio and attempting to find the little blue line on the map that reads, "I-95," you might conjure up images of Britney Spears in her movie "Crossroads" (OK, so the line’s not that small and the movie wasn’t really a movie).

Well, it wasn’t Ms. Spears heading off to Washington, D.C. for an anti-war rally Oct. 25. It was fellow reality panelist Maria Caucci and I.

Once we figured out where we were going and finally arrived at the Washington Monument, we were greeted by a man we nicknamed "the Messiah." The man was carrying a huge sign that read, "Bush says ‘bring ’em on’…we say, ‘bring the troops home.’" He was walking alone down the sidewalk and he saw our matching green t-shirts that we made for the rally and stopped to talk to us.

It turned out his son was in Baghdad. After a brief conversation, Maria and I followed him across the street and to the area known as "the mall" (it’s the park-like area in front of the Washington Monument). Others gradually joined us, each carrying a sign, wearing pins or displaying some sort of opinion about the war or political candidates.

Maria and I would continuously look over at each other throughout the day, nervously. We originally thought the event would be just a hippie convention. I expressed my worry in the early morning about not having dreads or numerous piercings. However, we both soon found out that all you needed to attend were strong political convictions.

Pamphlets from different parties, organizations and candidates were being given out on the streets. Musical groups played as we wandered around the field, collecting buttons, t-shirts and flyers. People had come from around the country to support the effort. There were teens in black trench coats, elderly couples in matching polo shirts and young women dressed in business suits. It was thrilling to be a part of something so large, something that brought so many different people together for a common goal. It was also unbelievable how willing these people were to talk to you. We discussed issues surrounding the war as well as the 2004 elections.

After a few hours of talking to people, collecting souvenirs and taking pictures, Maria and I began to get anxious. We wanted to march. I was impatiently waiting the moment when I would be able to hold a sign and scream out chants. We were standing together at one point when a woman approached us. She was a reporter from NBC and had a cameraman with her. She asked if we would mind answering some questions and of course we didn’t. We both told her how important we thought it was for young people to be politically active and involved in the world around them (after, of course, we plugged our high schools).

Soon after the interview, we began to march. A group of college students invited us to walk with them and we were soon in the midst of a crowd, responding to the shouts from the megaphone with our own shouts, condemning the U.S. occupation of Iraq. Maria and I walked side-by-side, smiling, shouting and carrying our signs. It was an amazing feeling, being in the middle of all that. I felt empowered and I also felt what it was to be American.

I kept thinking to myself, this is it, this is democracy. For anyone who says that it is "unpatriotic" to protest the war, or for anyone who responds to the protest with a statement such as, "if you don’t like our country, leave!" you need to understand that to want to bring about change to our government is a patriotic thing to do. If I didn’t appreciate being American, I would not want to work to change America.

The highlight of the day for me was most certainly the moment when, after rounding a corner, we all looked up and began to cheer. There, near the top of an apartment building, were four people unfurling a large, pink banner that read, "Bring the troops home." Here it is…America.

It was absolutely amazing to see those thousands of people working toward one goal. After the rally, Maria and I both felt the same way. Having a voice is truly one of the most important, exciting things in life. We also believe that even if you are not of voting age (which neither of us are), you can still become involved and make a difference. If the youth of our country get out and get involved now, then our future will be that much happier and that much safer.

November 6, 2003 4:13 PM

[Killborn]

Shannon Jagger: RETCH! BARF!

2banana rules!

[DeuceTraveler]

"I bet they got time off of school for this, unlike the girl that wanted to sing for President Bush."

Man, the thought of that makes me want to go into her school faculty and go on a wedgie campaign.

[76239]

Right on, brother. Clearly the apparatchiks at the Pennsbury school district http://www.pennsbury.k12.pa.us/schools/phe.htm have succeeded in the indoctrination of these 2 young women.

[Mr.Atos]

Tremendous 'Bravo!'

No doubt answered with a "Huh?" by its recipient. But the message hit home where it matters, and I applaud the time you took to record and submit these thoughtful and profound insights.

Atos

[xzins]

I don't think I agree.

Verb of being.

The "I" is correct, as in "It was I" the obverse of which is "I was it."

(but I'm open to correction.)

[Mr.Atos]

Maybe next they'll do us all a favor and take their show on the road in Gaza... in front of an Israeli bulldozer.

[moodyskeptic]

wow,


nice.

[Killborn]

God bless you for your service.

You are a Green Beret, no?

[dead]

Shouldn't you girls be taking X at a Phish concert?

[Killborn]

To your tag line: Yep.

[JoJo Gunn]

Brain dead Kucinich supporting Appeasers.

[End Times Sentinel]

However, we both soon found out that all you needed to attend were strong political convictions.

And a weak understanding of politics and the ramifications of policy based on "feelings".

 

Great post 2banana!

 

Owl_Eagle

" WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
DIVERSITY IS STRENGTH"

[Killborn]

A lot of teens are libs because libs love sex.

You've captured that point exactly.

[Abe Froman]

What was interesting about this story is the total lack of explanation of the reasoning behind the high-schoolers' demands to end the war. Why? Can they even articulate a good reason beyond "make love not war"? That is not rational. I suspect they are merely doing this to be in the "cool" group and feel good about themselves. They don't even have the presence of mind to realize that the logo at the bottom of their signs represents an organization that would eventually take their right to protest away from them if it eventually realized its goals.

It's idiots like these that give those of us with pricipled reasons for opposing the Iraq war a bad name. That and their duplicity. Clinton could apparently do no wrong.

[Killborn]

Check this out:

http://thesmokinggun.com/archive/ggwildmore1.html

Typical sex crazed lib @$$hole$.

[Killborn]

Dept. of Peace = State Dept. = Dept. of Appeasement = Dept. of World Socialism = Dept. of Foreign Islam Affaris

[Killborn]

Correct!

[VRW Conspirator]

Awesome! Both barrels for the bimbos!

People today who support the old communist fronts are foolishly mislead or visciously evil.

[moodyskeptic]

I can't improve on your reply in any way. But I will note that these two cute teenagers are unwitting dupes of the Blame America nation.

I hasten to add that cute coeds were always the bait used by the radical left. Braless hippie girls at 60s anti-war protests got all the media attention. Man, being an animal with supressed caveman motivations, is attracted to fresh faced teenage girls, often against his better instincts.

While the instinct to mate with healthy females was important to the survival of the species (and DNA), in modern times it can prove problematic. Bubbly teens attract men in droves, ask any bar or club owner.

The dumber ones are clueless to their role as crowd attractors. I know plenty of aging hippies, and the honest ones admit that they would have left the anti-war movement if not for all the "loose chicks".

Girls: you're being used.

[Killborn]

Yes. From Non-sequitur:

Two guys in a bar, one guy with a "No war" badge.

Guy with badge: I carefully examine the perspectives of each group and determine which side has the hottest girls.