Posted on 07/04/2008 6:29:59 AM PDT by rhema
Pro-life teachers, students and other educators have been protesting this week at the National Education Association annual convention at the Washington Convention Center. The protest, which started on Wednesday, pointed out how the union has upset pro-life advocates many times over the years.
Most recently, the NEA came under fire from pro-life advocates when it hosted a forum featuring a late-term abortion practitioner.
With signs reading "NEA: Be Abortion Neutral” and "Pro-Life NEA Member,” the pro-life advocates say they hope to remove current pro-abortion language from NEA policies such as statements endorsing “family planning” and “reproductive freedom.”
Bob Pawson of Pro-Life Educators and Students initially talked with LifeNews.com about the protest he has coordinated for years at the national event.
Pawson, an NEA-NJEA teacher in Trenton, says the NEA should be one of the leading advocates against abortion because the practice is killing the next generation of students.
"A pro-abortion position isn't just morally outrageous; it's stupid; economic suicide. Twenty-five abortions equal one lost classroom, lost teaching careers, and catastrophic losses to America's future," he said.
Nancy Tanner, a retired teacher and NEA member told CNS News the protest is important to keep the largest teacher’s group aware of the pro-life views of a large number of its members. She said pro-life teachers and educators don’t appreciate the group deviating from its mission of improving education and fighting for better pay and benefits for educators.
"These 3.2 million teachers do not join the NEA to support political candidates and agendas that do not represent them, their morals, values or well being," Tanner said.
"Abortion is not a good thing for women, it is not a good thing for teachers, and it is certainly not a good thing for the children whose lives it takes,” she added.
"Those are personal decisions that people make," she told the conservative news service. "It's not something that 3.2 million members are going to jump behind and endorse. It's just not there. The support is not there within the membership."
The National Education Association came under fire in march for allowing a radical pro-abortion group to use its building to host a forum featuring controversial late-term abortion practitioner George Tiller.
LifeNews.com reported on the NEA-hosted pro-abortion forum and the criticism of it. Later, NEA Assistant General Counsel Michael Simpson slammed the criticism as "untrue and unfair."
That wasn't the first time the NEA has opened its doors for abortion advocates.
The teacher's union allowed its headquarters to become a hospitality center for participants at the pro-abortion march in 2004 in Washington. NEA state affiliates, including its New Jersey group, sponsored buses to bring pro-abortion activists to the march.
Pawson said that and other abortion advocacy doesn't represent America's teachers.
"We teachers love children. Most are pro-life. It's unacceptable for union representatives to condone or promote killing babies, future students, in their mothers' wombs," he said.
ACTION: Send your complaints to the National Education Association. Go to the NEA for contact information.
*Since there are a number of us that as public school employees are conservatives, are not Marxists, and have IQ’s higher then 90, she is not entitled to use the label of ALL.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Lenin is credited with inventing the term “Useful Idiot”. It has nothing to do with IQ. In fact the “Useful Idiots” who enabled and promoted the Bolsheviks very likely had very **high** IQs. Many were journalists, in theater, some in government, and in other social positions of power.
I recommend the Wikipedia site. It has a very nice explanation of the term “Useful Idiot”. I mention this because from your post it seems that you think the term “Useful Idiot” somehow implies retardation or low mental capacity. When referring to Marxism it most certainly does not mean this.
Are you trying to say it is a compliment, because anyway I read it is an insult?
As the rules say personal insults are not allowed.
It is a fact. It is not a compliment. It is not an insult.
It is believed that Lenin was the first to use the term “Useful Idiot”. The “Useful Idiots” were people in the West in positions of great influence. They were most often **really** bright people in the arts, journalism, education, government, etc.
Sitting here shaking my head.
verga, I am taking a break from your posts for a good long while. I am feeling totally worn out.
Thank you for your support. I was feeling a bit overwhelmed.
Since perception is reality, and I perceive it as an insult and a personal attack, the debate is settled.
verga, I am taking a break from your posts for a good long while. I am feeling totally worn out.
A better choice would be to take a break from attacking the good, honest, hard working, Public school employees. I am certain that all of us will find that refreshing.
Since perception is reality, and I perceive it as an insult and a personal attack, the debate is settled.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Perception is reality????
...and since **your** “perception” tells you that is an insult makes it one?
OK...I really am done!
Heard it before, don't believe it now
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.