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]

The Mask style? :)

[Hunble]

OUTSTANDING!

Not only have I book-marked your comments, but I have been sending it to every Liberal that I know.

[randog]

Let me know, too, if your letter makes it to print.

Thanks for your service.

[thulldud]

Well, technically, after a linking verb, the nominative is correct ("Caucci and I"), while colloquial speech normally uses the objective.

All the same, I suspect your instinct is correct--she may just have happened to get it right, like a stopped clock.

[LoneConservative]

What some of these "Patriotic" protesters don't get is that to the Taliban, al Qaeda, etc., They are infidels as well, and don't really care about their politics. They'd want these two little uncovered women DEAD.

[3catsanadog]

Took a look at this. I wonder more about the parents who would let their jailbait age youngsters go to Spring Breaks where everyone knows that sex, drugs, booze and rock 'n roll are the main activities that people who attend participate in.

[TastyManatees]

Actually, me and my sweetie jogged past these losers over by the Washington Monument that day. They congregated together near a bunch of guys playing football, so it almost looked like their group was bigger than it was...until the games ended and a few tourist buses pulled out. Then, it became clear that their demonstration consisted of a few hundred people (maybe a thousand, but I doubt it). They had red flags galore and looked pretty foolish for their efforts. We laughed at them for a while, then went back to jogging circles around them.

It was a beautiful day, otherwise.

Good letter.

Tasty Manatees

[Killborn]

Considering their leftism it is safe to say that her parents are also communists.

[dueler88]

my first post, inspired by my colleague mr. atos . . .

What struck me about the girl’s article is that it wasn’t about principles; it was about BELONGING to something. She’s fallen for the socialist propaganda, but that’s what young Americans often do because they don’t have to worry about their freedom, their safety, or that of their friends and family. To young adults, everything works in socialism because nobody has to take real responsibility for themselves. The State is your parents, supporting your tuition, room, board, etc.

I don’t know exactly when the leap takes place - when a young person realizes that with freedom comes responsibility. Perhaps more importantly, the realization that freedom can not be mandated or enforced; it comes from an individual concept of yourself that, through a little philosophizing, also becomes applicable to those around you. The step has to be made from “everybody should be like me because I’m free and smart and young and idealistic” to “everybody should have the freedom to have their own opinions, determine their own course and respect the courses of others.” It takes an understanding of what oppression is and how to overcome it.

Sadly, I fear that it is going to take an even greater catastrophe than 9/11 for the Left to wake up and understand that there are people that want us dead simply because of our belief in freedom.

[Mr.Atos]

Well said, dueler88 (again!). Welcome to Free Republic!

Atos

[Abe Froman]

Absolutely......these girls are not ideologically self-aware. Their protest is frankly more of a social endeavor than an ideological one.

[DeuceTraveler]

One can but hope.

[DeuceTraveler]

"The Mask style? :)"

The it's-over-my-head-and-I-can't-breathe style. : )

[Spruce]

BUMP

[Killborn]

Exactly!

[tet68]

So you're fifteen years old, that explains it.

[LoudRepublicangirl]

it will be my generation ruling

Does this mean America will become a monarchy after we are "gone"?

[baseballmom]

The reasons we went to war are illegitimate. Want proof? Read chapter 2 Dude, Where’s my country, by Michael Moore.

You poor child, bless your heart. You would come to this forum and actually tell us that you have proof of something, and your source for that truth is Michael Moore. LOL.

Please, you need to read more - both sides of the issue. You must educate yourself, or you will continue to embarrass yourself as you have done here.

If you really care to know about the other issues you have mentioned, do some keyword searches on this forum, get a drink and a snack, and take the rest of the weekend to read and learn.