Posted on 12/12/2001 10:01:21 AM PST by truth4all
Katie Sierra was suspended for wearing anti-war T-shirts in high school and trying to organize an anarchist club to protest the war. We are "free" to express any and all opinions as long as they support the government's agenda. Parts of a local newspaper article are below followed by an interview with Katie by www.infoshop.org. Gavin
Student can't wear anti-war clothing to Sissonville High
By Eric Eyre
Click Here
"Students at Sissonville High School no longer feel safe," said school system attorney Jim Withrow. "Without question, it has disrupted the educational process."
(Gavin. Contrary opinions are a threat to other pupils.)
Sierra's attorney blamed Mann for the turmoil at Sissonville, saying he overreacted and "took those bellows and flamed the fires."
"He wanted her shirts out of there," Forman said. "He wants her opinions out of there. If truth be known, he probably wants her out of there."
End article quote.
First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for the Communists and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist. Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.
Pastor Martin Niemöller
Please visit my nonprofit website.
Exposing the Cancer Indu$try.
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Thank you. Gavin.
KATIE SIERRA
www.infoshop.org Click Here
Katie Sierra is a 15-year-old anarchist who lives in Sissonville, West Virginia. She recently made international news after her high school suspended her for wearing a t-shirt critical of the war in Afghanistan, as well as for her efforts in organizing a student anarchy club at the school. Her legal protest of the school's decision was turned down by the courts. There is an international effort to support her and her fight against the school.
Infoshop.org: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Katie Sierra: Let's see..my name is Katie. I am a former student from Sissonville High School. I'm a 15-year-old 10th grader. In my spare time I go to shows, read, and write poetry.
Infoshop: Why did you get suspended from your high school?
KS: I was suspended for wearing a t-shirt that spoke of political views. Also, for having possession of the flyers in my purse.
Infoshop: What did your T-shirt say?
KS: Well, there's more than one. The one I got suspended for said "Racism, Sexism, Homophobia..I'm so proud of the people in the land of the so called "Free". Then the next week after my principal allowed me to wear them again...and then made me take it off again said "When I saw the dead and dying Afghani children on TV, I felt a newly recovered sense of national security. God Bless America."
Infoshop: What happened in court?
KS: Besides staring at Mr. Mann's strange comb-over and missing thumb lol. I didn't win. I don't really know why. At least everything I said was factual, but everything Mann said was opinion or hearsay.
Infoshop: Are you appealing the judge's decision?
KS: Yes, we'll be going to court uhhh...Jan. 25. State Supreme turned it down...but I'm not giving up!
How do you feel about the authorities telling you that you have no rights?
KS: It makes me feel like total crap. I mean I think it's crazy. Everyone else in that school can say how they feel towards certain things, unless you have something no one agrees with. I just don't think that is fair. If I could go back to school for a day. I think I'd probably. wear duck tape over my mouth with "I have no rights" printed on the front. lol I think that might be quite humorous.
Why did you decide to start an anarchy club? Are other students interested in joining it?
KS: I think we were pretty much a group already. I mean I know we were a group. At the time we didn't have a name. And there isn't anything for us to join at SHS. So I was thinking since we are all interesting in Anarchy and whatnot things it would be a good idea. I read about it on Infoshop...that's how the idea popped into my head. Yeah, there was about 15-20 people who wanted to join.
If your club existed, what kind of projects would the club be working on?
KS: It was mostly for us to learn and discuss things. We had somewhat started a zine--it isn't really finished. We were going to work in some soup kitchens on the weekend. Just a lot of different things. Have people come speak. Possibly a Food not Bombs group.
Tell us about the zine you were working on?
KS: It was going to be called the Anny. There was four of us working on it. We were only going to print no more than 30 copies of it. Honestly, we didn't want anyone besides people in our uhh "freak/punk" to know about it. It was going to be about things that happen in our school, city, state, country, world...blah blah blah and how we felt. The 1st copy was never finished so I'm sure there would have been more.
When and how did you first become interested in radical politics?
KS: I don't really know. I mean I think I've always been pretty interested. It might have been my friends. Most of them are older than me and I guess I just learned a lot from them.
What's your opinion on the current war?
KS: As like any war I think it's wrong. I don't believe in fighting and last time I checked war is included. I don't know or have an answer for the war, but I do know that killing people is not right. I think our country is just to lazy to think of another solution.
What kinds of things are your classmates saying about the war?
KS: See they don't even know what their talking about most of the time. Most of the things they say are just cruel about how they want to kill out the whole country. And how they are supporters of bombing. How they should stop sending food packets out there.
Now that your mother has pulled you out of school, what kind of things are you studying at home? KS: History, English, Career, and Science. It's quite funny to now know and realize how much bull crap they're feeding you in schools lol.
What lessons have you learned from this, that you'd like to share with teenagers in similar situations?
KS: I've learned that this country is crap...actually I already knew that. I've learned that school systems are crap. Wait! I knew that too. I guess I've learned that this country and school systems are more crappy than ever and they suck. I guess I've also learned not to give up. And to stand up for what you believe in no matter what it is. It's okay to think differently, its normal. Don't let anyone run over you because of your beliefs.
Why wouldn't we? It sounds ridiculous to say "I only defend this person's right to speak about this but not that" or "This person cannot say whatever, unless they agree with me.".
The Constitution protects everybody, not just a select few.
1. Ignore them.
2. Refute their arguments, let the free marketplace of ideas be the judge of who is right.
--except to exclude that individual from the benefits of that society that they hate. It's only fair.
Sanctions merely for unpopular opinions is not only not 'fair', it is a fundamental injustice in free societies, and a brazen 1st Amendment violation.
Just like your anarchy society--we have come up with general rules of behavior that are acceptable within that society.
One of those rules is the 1st Amendment. Read it.
Openly hating that society and supporting its destruction is definitely not acceptable behavior in any society in the world.
Hmmmm. Hate Crimes, huh. I heard of those from some socialists that call themselves 'liberals'. I suppose it's all so very different if one hates something you like.
Like are we better in a society that harbors those who hate and would destroy that society?
Infinitely better off than a society that suppresses speech simply because it is offensive or unpopular.
She hates this society, why should she share in its benefits, such as a free education?
Because she is a citizen with an unalienable right to free speech. Exercising rights can never be cause for punishment. Punishment only comes after a crime has been committed and due process has been had.
I'm amazed that I have to explain this to anyone.
Oh puhleeze! This 15 year old bag of hormones equates her plight of being denied the opportunity to wear a t-shirt with the slaughter of citizens in Eastern Europe? Sit down and shut up girlfriend and maybe crack a book now and again.
I've been treating this entire argument as a philosophic endeavor, not a forum to decide policy. The use of absolutes is therefore essential to argue my point that an 'Anarchy Club' cannot, by it's very definition, exist as such.
It is a little frightening that so many on this thread don't see this angle.
So any kid who hates school gets to not go to school? what sort of argument are you making? Anyone who disagrees with -- no "hates" -- a particular policy of schools is not permitted to attend school/have their kids attend school?
In a free society, we accept that there will be and try to deal with dissent -- thats kinda what the first ammendment is there for.
Its not like she's playing pat boone records so loud that other kids can't go to school. Now, if she convinces other kids to not go to school -- thats another story. Like are we better in a society that harbors those who hate and would destroy that society?
all i get from the article is she wants to wear sarcastic t-shirts, make a magazine with her friends, and possibly feed homeless people while delivering a political message (Thats the food not bombs reference in the article). How from this do you get that she wants to destroy the society? How is she impeding society from functioning, in any way other than by swaying the opinions of those who are participants of this society?
She hates this society, why should she share in its benefits, such as a free education?
I dunno, maybe cuz she and her mom pay taxes? And that one of the tenets of our society is that justice, and other things, are given independent of political opinion. or ought to be anyway. Isn't this a form of the Love it or leave it argument you're trying to use here?
Is hating a society and advocating its destruction merely an opinion?
I dunno... I guess there is such a thing as 'sedition', but I don't know how one proves that. I definitely don't want free speech limited...
I believe that the 1st Ammendment protects free speech, especially unpopular speech (that is the only kind that needs protection.)
She shouldn't be arrested, she shouldn't be jailed, there should be no legal action against here whatsoever for her speech (as long as she doesn't advocate violent overthrow of the US, I suppose).
However, this is a dumb example because she is a 'minor' and minors are looked upon differently in the eyes of the law.
I guess I'm just pissed that she's biting the hand that feeds her.
That said, this is one of the most stupid things I have ever seen:
1) If the school has a policy of not wearing political t-shirts then she can't. If there is no such policy, then she can, but has to be prepared for others to use their First Amendment rights to peacefully tell her that they don't agree.
2) The very fact that she is not in prison (or worse) shows that she is not having her First Amendment rights violated. Her opinion has been expressed and she has gotten much more coverage than my opinion ever has.
It worse to be a parent. The little rascals are rarely a pleasure to rear. Just take this all in stride knowing that 15 year olds are almost universally brain dead. Sometimes it takes the shock of personnal experiance to provide illumination. I'd just recommend that she visit any third-world country or a communist block nation once she is old enough to understand what she sees.
I dunno, I'm not making a good argument really. I'm trying to come at it from a 'Johnny bin Walker' angle...
What I'm trying to get at is:
Is there truly no difference between "Man, School sucks, I hate it!" and "When I saw the dead and dying Afghani children on TV, I felt a newly recovered sense of national security. God Bless America.!"?
Can I wear a shirt that says "Kill an Arab for Christ" or "F*** the Arabs"? I'm guessing not.
Not really. they're both opinions, which is the crux of the matter.
Yes, until it is acted upon. To call a mere emotion (hate) a 'crime' is the definition of 'thought crime', no matter what the hate is directed towards. Currently, 'hate crimes' are actual physical crimes (assault, etc) that have a motive of hatred. While that is bad enough, to criminalize mere thoughts and words absent of a physical crime brings it to a whole new level, one that people have been warning about since the advent of these 'hate crime' laws.
Liberals don't have the political muscle to make this great leap. But if conservatives help them establish the precendent through well meaning but misguieded efforts to stem 'sedition', they may succeed. That's why we must tread very carefully here and oppose all 'hate crime' legislation on principle.
I believe that the 1st Ammendment protects free speech, especially unpopular speech (that is the only kind that needs protection.)
Excellent!
However, this is a dumb example because she is a 'minor' and minors are looked upon differently in the eyes of the law.
She has rights, they are held in proxy and exercised on her behalf by her parents. If her parent says she can exercise her right to free speech, then she has as much right to it as anyone else.
I guess I'm just pissed that she's biting the hand that feeds her.
It does make her look stupid and I doubt it earns her many friends or opportunities. That is punishment in itself. No need to involve authorities or throw her out of school.
KS: Yes, we'll be going to court uhhh...Jan. 25. State Supreme turned it down...but I'm not giving up!
Some anarchist.
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