Firstly I'll state my opinion:
The children had every right to write what ever they wanted, if the soldiers dont like it, than the first person to read it (soldier) should just go tell the other soldiers that this pile of letters critisizes us, so if you want to read it read it, and if you dont dont.

some sicko of a teacher lets the kids write what is practically hate mail, and you say not to make a big deal over it??

You know calling the teacher a "sicko" is quite extreme, and makes it sound like your saying hes a pedophile or something of that nature.

This teacher should be fired.

If they tried it, it would be one of the biggest lawsuit court fiascos in the history of the U.S. .

However, teaching children that we target civilians is an outright lie.

I agree, most of the time.

those letters are beautiful. they represent children exorcising thier right to free speech.

I totally agree.

I hope he finds himself in war one day. Then he'll know exactly how idiotic he is.

He'll probably be smart enough to not join the military.

If my child wrote a letter that accused American soldiers of these things I definately WOULD NOT send it. It would be LIES.

You do realise that would be considered tampering with mail, which is a federal offense that could land you in jail.

First, kids don't have opinions,

Hahahahaha, please dont tell me you actualy believe that, of course we have opinions,.

the teacher had no business mailing letters that contained them out to the troops.

It would be mail tampering a federal offense if he had'nt.

if by grow up you mean quit thinking for myself and questioning authority, jumping on the bandwagon and giving up making sarcastic comments... no, dont think i will.

Yeah Jprophet.

that does not mean they should advertise it and send letters.

Why not, its there right to.

Example -
If any of you worked in the Aerospace industry making the Space Station, and you got a bunch of letters from school children which contained lies like ... 'the space station kills people' or 'the space station is used for military bombs so please stop'

I really would'nt care what they think, they have every right to think what ever they want to, it does'nt make it true.
Also, I did'nt think that was such a great example.

this teacher SOB is making kids send political rants.

He is not making them write that, it is what they wrote, themselves, to say hes making them write that, is total ignorance, and blatant disregard of the truth.

It wouldn't have been difficult for the teacher to screen the kiddies letters... if the teacher had really wanted to.

Again, that is mail tampering, federal offense and all.

It is a pity that our soldiers are dying, but 95% of the time it was there choice to join the military.

I do not blame the soldiers, they are simply doing as they are told, I blame Bush and everyone who supported him on this idiocratic military campaign.

I feel I must say this, quit blaming liberals and the left wing people for everything, did you ever stop and think that the students who wrote the letters might be republican as well.

Just because you believe something does'nt mean everyone else has to.


(Wow, this is the longest post I've ever written)

[edit on 2/21/2005 by iori_komei]

Kidfinger... ...Listen to your wife more often.

Originally posted by FlyersFan

Originally posted by Kidfinger
The teachers did NOT tell them what to write.

You don't know that. The 'support' letters said (paraphrase)
thank you but stop destroying mosques and killing innocent people.
and so on and so on ....

You did not even read your own article did you?

Most of the 21 letters Jacobs provided to The Post mentioned some support for the armed forces, if not the Iraq war, and thanked him for his service. But nine of the students made clear their distaste for the president or the war.

The letters were written as a social-studies assignment.

The JHS 51 teacher, Alex Kunhardt, did not return phone calls, but the school principal, Xavier Costello, responded with a statement:

"While we would never censor anything that our children write, we sincerely apologize for forwarding letters that were in any way inappropriate to Pfc. Jacobs. This assignment was not intended to be insensitive, but to be supportive of the men and women in service to our nation."

That is the rest of the story folks. The part that the bashing conservatives on this thread hope we dont read so they can continue to bash and push thier opinions on us without us being able to fight back.

FF, next time, read the whole article you are posting on and understand it before you go making outlandish claims. You have every body believing a lie. You have completly embellished the meaning of the article to fit your agenda.

Originally posted by Kieser Sosay
Kidfinger... ...Listen to your wife more often.

If I did that, I might be like you Not what I want. I like accepting people for who and what they are, not if they are like me.

Originally posted by Kidfinger
FF, you are making to big of a deal out of this. It was only a few letters that said anything remotly like your accusing.

One Muslim boy wrote: "Even thoe [sic] you are risking your life for our country, have you seen how many civilians you or some other soldier killed?"

His letter, which was stamped with a smiley face, went on: "I know your [sic] trying to save our country and kill the terrorists but you are also destroying holy places like Mosques."

Most of the 21 letters Jacobs provided to The Post mentioned some support for the armed forces, if not the Iraq war, and thanked him for his service. But nine of the students made clear their distaste for the president or the war.

The boy sounds like he is supporting the soldiers, he just wants less civilian casualties. And you would be a fool to think we have not caused any casualties.

[edit on 2/21/05 by Kidfinger]

Yeah Kidfinger! Nice to see a bit of sense.

It is not unpatriotic to point out flaws or express disagreement. It is not evidence of "brainwashing" when children think differently than others.

Kudos to that teacher, and the school.



.

If the teachers of this school wanted to puch thier liberal BS agenda, they should have had thier brainwashed kids write letters to the government officials who put the soldiers in this war.

My brother is in Iraq right now and we send him letters and packages every week. Why? Because he says it's the only thing that gets him through the Hell Hole he is in out there.

Could you imagine sleeping thru sandstorm after sandstorm...not getting any rest....no decent food....no end to the 120 degree heat....AND THEN you get these letters from some snot nosed little brats bashing them for blowing up mosques and killing Iraqi children? Those kids don't even know what a mosque is, but they somehow "know" that the US Soldier they are writing to is an evil maniac bent on blowing up eveything they can??? WTF???

Originally posted by mpeake
If the teachers of this school wanted to puch thier liberal BS agenda, ... Those kids don't even know what a mosque is, but they somehow "know" that the US Soldier they are writing to is an evil maniac bent on blowing up eveything they can??? WTF???

WTF? is right. Another critic who doesn't bother even to read the article he is basing his criticism on.

These kids did NOT "accuse" anyone of anything. A few of them expressed their concerns about civilians and mosques.

The propaganda going down here is so THICK, it's hard to see clearly.



.

Originally posted by FlyersFan
OFF TOPIC. However, to APPEASE you - no that's NOT what I have
taught my child. Iraq is free. They were under Saddam being mass
murdered by the hundreds of thousands and mass raped.

Who put Sadaam in power? Funded his regime? Who sold him chemical weapons to use on Iran? Mass raped? Hundreds of thousands? Who created such a monster? WE DID.

Originally posted by FlyersFan
The people were having billions of dollars stolen from them by Saddam
and the corrupt United Nations Oil for Food bunch - the thefts
went right to the top - Koffi Annan's son if not Koffi himself (time
will tell).

Not a single mention of the US coporations involved in the Oil For Food scam... I wonder why. Always somebody else's fault isn't it.

Originally posted by FlyersFan
America is safer because Democracy is in Iraq. That's
a fact.

No it isn't. Hell even the CIA recently published a report showing this is bologna. No, we aren't safer. Iraq had nothing to do with 9-11, nor were they a threat to the US to begin with, unless you consider them going over to the Euro. Name one single Iraqi attack on American soil and I will kiss your arse. Rhetoric dude, pure rhetoric.

Originally posted by FlyersFan
That's what we teach in home school because it's the truth.
Iraqis are free. They are happy with freedom. They hate the
insurgent terrorists. Freedom means education which means less
terrorists being grown. You won't like it ... but that's the truth.

Truth in public education huh? We also teach our children that the American Indian gave us the land we live on. We teach them that the American Civil war was about slavery. Get real. Terrorist Insurgents, that is one hell of a generalization. Like the French insurgents during WWII? Like the Polish Terrorists in WWII? Try using the word resistance in a sentence.

Guys I have some bad news for you, these kids have EVERY right in the world to express their discontent, are you going to take that away from them? Hang or shoot the parents as suggested earlier? You going to tell
these kids that a war means they can't speak out against it? Who the hell are you to tell people how to think? Fact is there are several reports of American soldiers targeting civilians, snipers shooting people fleeing Fuallajah, several mosques that were destroyed that were being used as temporary hospitals. I salute these kids for speaking their minds. Supporting our troops is great, telling us we have to is BOLOGNA. Yes, I support the troops, but I don't think they should be there in the first place, you going to come kill me over it? They have the right to speak, they have the right to write letters. I don't see the problem. Those kids have as much of a right to write a letter to complain as that soldier has the right to write them back and complain.

Get real, these kids are an exorcise in restraint, YOUR restraint.

Wow, I can't believe how much hatred is being stirred up here over some letters.

Kids are smart and they do form their own opinions from what they see around them to those who imply kids are stupid and have been lied to. Secondly, why attack the teacher?? Is there any evidence here that the teacher is to blame for the students comments?? all the students seem grateful and respectful of the soldier's contribution but they are sad that innocent people have died and mosque's have been blown up, what is so wrong with that? mosque's have been destroyed and innocent people have been killed, it's a fact and we should not try and silence these voices from our young. I don't see any lies here by the children at all in the article, forgive me if i'm mistaken.

All I've seen is some good hearted kids who have good heads on their shoulders, who support those who defend their nation yet do not condone war or violence.

Those who call for any form of censorship of the children or the firing of a teacher should be ashamed of themselves, what ever happened to freedom of speech without fear of persecution?

thanks,
drfunk

Originally posted by soficrow


It is not unpatriotic to point out flaws or express disagreement. It is not evidence of "brainwashing" when children think differently than others.

Which is just what some around here would have you believe. IF you differ in opinion, well then.... You must not be Patriotic. You must hate America and all she stands for.....You must be a *GASP* LIBERAL!.

I hate using the words "liberal" and "conservative". But I don't see any difference between the extremists of the two. In the beginning we didn't have them on ATS. I personally wish it was like that again.



This is one of the worst threads I've ever seen here.

Twitch you the man I would hate to be forcibly spoonfed education FlyersFan style instead of being in a secular, public school that promotes discussion between the teachers and students about current affairs from a variety of people from different races, cultures and socio-economic status.

Which system would seem more fair and enlightening when it comes to the going on's in our world today?

thanks,
drfunk

[edit on 21-2-2005 by drfunk]

Originally posted by TheBandit795
I hate using the words "liberal" and "conservative". But I don't see any difference between the extremists of the two. In the beginning we didn't have them on ATS. I personally wish it was like that again.



This is one of the worst threads I've ever seen here.

I too hate the stereotyping of groups. If you disagree with Bush and Iraq you must hate america therefore be a liberal, if you wish to take others rights away and support tax cuts you must be an evil conservative who hates humanity and is egocentric and self serving.

The rhetoric gets a bit too much, but i do like the debate that comes from it, there are always a few gems in a pile of dirt,

drfunk

Boy this thread is out of control. I think the point is something like just because it's legal to say what you want, it's not always smart. Just because you can, why would you want to hurt someone like that. And just for the record, of course kids have opinions but there's a reason why you gotta be 21 to drink 16 to drive, etc. There simply is NO logical way to justfy sending hurtful letters to our troops when the letters are supposed to be uplifting. You will NEVER be able to rationalize this. What possible good can come from sending hurtful mail? Don't give me your bleeding heart response like how its good to allow these children to explore themselves and learn to make opinions. Because that's wrong. Certainly not at the soldier's expense. And certainly not when it's lies. I just don't understand how some of you can dissagree. Actually, it's proberly because you just like confrontations and arguments. The only other reasons I can think of are that your just crazy and your brain is'nt firing right. Im done here.

Originally posted by drfunk
The rhetoric gets a bit too much, but i do like the debate that comes from it, there are always a few gems in a pile of dirt,

But that does not belong in ATS. Only in PTS!!!

Originally posted by TheBandit795



But that does not belong in ATS. Only in PTS!!!

Agreed. Why dont you move it? No sarcasm intended.

wow, i dont know where to start there are so many angles to this...

one the teacher could tamper with the mail and change it, regardless of the federal offence, and i would bet that either the kids were told what to say or there words were changed.... what middle schooler knows up to the minute stats on the iraq war, they probably could care less

i believe that a kid is influnced by his/her parents only when they are young, 8 and younger, but once they are older, 12 and older, they are more influnced by their friends

as for what i belive is really going on over there, well i dont want another warning....lol

Originally posted by Kidfinger
Oh, and FF, how is it a lie that Iraqi Civillians
have been killed by our forces?

The insinuation is that we target civilians.
We don't. I never said that it was a lie
that civilians had died. I said that it's a lie
to suggest that we target them in any way
or that our soldiers don't care.

Can I ask, why is it suddenly believed that if they are against the war they are liberal?

"Because liberals are like that" Ofcourse we are against war, as should the repups, the dems, the conservs, the torries and just about every party in the world.

This soldier didnt recieve any letter directly or indirectly saying that americans kill civi's on purpose, they just said they didnt like the amount of civilian killings.

Also can't we "rise above ignorance" as one member said and stop name calling, you want to convey your anger write a formal and non-insulting letter/post or even better get a punch bag and let it loose.

Originally posted by Kidfinger

Agreed. Why dont you move it? No sarcasm intended.

I could... But the thread refers to children from a certain classroom did. So that's why I'm not moving it.... yet...