A dissenting student hounded for his views - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

mikemover · #1 12-30-2003, 08:34 PM

December 30, 2003
By Valerie Richardson
THE WASHINGTON TIMES

Tim Bueler recently received some unusual advice: His principal and a campus police officer suggested that he stay home from his California high school for a few days.
They feared for his safety because Tim, the founder of Rancho Cotate High School's new Conservative Club, said he had received threats from other students after writing an article for the club newsletter calling for a crackdown on illegal immigration.
The 17-year-old junior says that stance inspired threats from which teachers have refused to protect him. Some faculty members even started a public campaign against his group, which seeks to promote "the pillars of the Bible, patriotism and conservative beliefs as balance to the mostly liberal viewpoints of teachers," according to its newsletter, "The Conservative Agenda."
In a telephone interview, Tim said he's been threatened at least three times by Hispanic students who call him "white boy" and "racist." One boy said he was going to "find someone" to beat up Tim.
In two of those instances, Tim said two faculty members stood by and did nothing to help him. Most recently, Tim said, he was confronted by a dozen Hispanic boys, who blocked him from walking down the hallway.
"They said, 'You're a racist,' and I said, 'Are you guys going to let me through?' " Tim said. "So I ducked into a classroom and told the teacher what was happening, and said, 'Can you help me?' And she said, 'No. Get out of here.' "
Earlier, he said he was eating lunch in a classroom when about seven Hispanic students surrounded him. Worried for Tim's safety, his father, Dennis Bueler, said he asked for help from a teacher who was also in the room.
"The teacher told him, 'When you say things like that, you've got to expect that things like this are going to happen. Why don't you go out the back door?' " Mr. Bueler said in recounting the incident.
Tim said teachers have also joined in the name-calling. One called Tim a Nazi, while another described the club as "a bunch of bigots." In a parody of the newsletter, biology teacher Mark Alton called on students to "take a stand against the neoconservative wing-nuts who call themselves Americans."
Tim thought about leaving the school, located in Rohnert Park about an hour north of San Francisco, and then made his decision: No way.
"They said, 'It's in your best interest not to go to school,' " Tim said. "I said, 'Well, why? What have I done wrong?' "
The club has invited students to call its "liberal assault hot line" to report whether they've been "verbally assaulted for being conservative."
With about 50 members, the club has hosted speakers from the Eagle Forum and National Rifle Association.
Forty school staff members signed a letter to the Santa Rosa Press Democrat calling on the Conservative Club to back up its accusations that students are being indoctrinated.
"They've made all these sweeping statements about liberal teachers warping the curriculum, but as a science teacher, I'd like to see some evidence," said Mr. Alton, who co-authored the letter.
Mr. Alton said he was also disturbed by Tim's article on illegal immigration, which says, "Liberals welcome every Muhammad, Jamul and Jose who wishes to leave his Third World state and come to America."
"No one at the high school opposes the formation of the Conservative Club," Mr. Alton said. "What bothers me is the extreme views that border on racism or homophobia, the negative tone, and the hot line that calls teachers 'traitors.' "
Tim admitted that his zeal sometimes gets the best of him. He apologized for the "Muhammad" remark, saying, "I made a mistake, but I'm not racist." Club adviser Bernadette Tucker stepped down after Tim printed the newsletter without allowing her to edit it first.
Rancho Cotate Principal Mitchell Carter and district officials did not return several phone calls.
Mr. Bueler said he's ready to bring in lawyers if the school cannot protect his son. "The police don't think they were real threats, but I disagree. He shouldn't have to be threatened every day," the father said.

______________________________

We're all perfectly entitled to freedom of speech and the protection of our personal safety by law....Unless you're saying something the PC crowd doesn't like--In that case, apparently you're on your own.

Mike

G-Benz · #2 12-31-2003, 11:34 AM

I would have to read Tim's article before passing judgement. An article about cracking down on illegal immigration wouldn't generate that much backlash unless he added statements or stereotypes that would infuriate an ethnic group...

...and I think that's where the trouble started.

We've had threads where someone posts comments about welfare, then unfairly labels a particular ethnic group as the culprit for this country's woes...the flames began after that...

I just watched a documentary that included excepts about the formation of the Ku Klux Klan, and how they shrouded their hate campaign with a pledge of "conservativeness, biblical values, and patriotism". No wonder Tim's club got tagged as having the same agenda...

Hatterasguy · #3 12-31-2003, 12:02 PM

I couldn't help but wonder if 12 white kids threatened a Mexican kid how quickly the staff would have reacted.

mikemover · #4 12-31-2003, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hatterasguy
I couldn't help but wonder if 12 white kids threatened a Mexican kid how quickly the staff would have reacted.

Exactly. It would have been labelled "racist terrorism" or some other silliness. The "minority" group gets a free pass for doing something that would have gotten a caucasian in BIG trouble, as usually happens.

Mike

AustinsCE · #5 12-31-2003, 06:51 PM

I dont understand why legal hispanics , mexican-americans, whoever, get mean about ILLEGAL immigration, its like what happened in CA with Schwarzenegger he voted against illegal immigration and the Hispanic parade dis-invited him for it. So i guess they condone illegal activities? Perhaps they forgot 9-11? how about all the drugs coming in across borders?

MS Fowler · #6 12-31-2003, 06:58 PM

Why is it that conservatives have to be careful not to offend when expressing their views? The same courtesy is NOT extended by many liberals and they are not told to " make nice"?

Just more of the same old double standard. Maybe the ACLU will come to his defense. yea, right.

Honus · #7 12-31-2003, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mikemover
Exactly. It would have been labelled "racist terrorism" or some other silliness. The "minority" group gets a free pass for doing something that would have gotten a caucasian in BIG trouble, as usually happens.

Mike

Your point being that white males can't get a fair shake in this country?

mikemover · #8 12-31-2003, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dculkin
Your point being that white males can't get a fair shake in this country?

Nope. How in the world did you come to that conclusion?

The point is that anything said or written by a Caucasian and/or heterosexual person that even remotely, by ANY stretch of the imagination, could possibly-maybe-if you really use your creative brain-power be construed as the big R-word (racist) or the big H-word (homophobic) is grounds for crucifixion, while those of a "minority" race or sexual orientation get FAR, FAR less scrutiny, if any, for saying exactly the same kinds of things.

Mike

Botnst · #9 12-31-2003, 09:35 PM

Naw, the point is that everybody should get exactly the same treatment in law. When the law plays favorites then nobody trusts the law. When we no longer trust the law we have the door open to anarchy. Dump the dang affirmitive action crappola.

Burn bigoted people and institutions (in court, please). But don't have a law for X that is different for Y.

Botnst

Honus · #10 12-31-2003, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mikemover
Nope. How in the world did you come to that conclusion?

The point is that anything said or written by a Caucasian and/or heterosexual person that even remotely, by ANY stretch of the imagination, could possibly-maybe-if you really use your creative brain-power be construed as the big R-word (racist) or the big H-word (homophobic) is grounds for crucifixion, while those of a "minority" race or sexual orientation get FAR, FAR less scrutiny, if any, for saying exactly the same kinds of things.

Mike

So?

The Godfather · #11 12-31-2003, 09:44 PM

Those godamn illegal immigrants. They busted a nut b/c they felt they were the target of that club. Well holmes, if you're illegal, get the fkcu outta here. I don't care if you're white/blue/green, get out of America!

AustinsCE · #12 12-31-2003, 09:50 PM

I'll drink to that, Doc. Especially when its so easy to become a legal citizen.

BENZ-LGB · #13 12-31-2003, 10:02 PM

...it protects even "offensive" speech. If freedom of speech protected only polite, nice-nice talk, then what the hell good would the First Amendment be?

For freedom of speech to mean anything, then it must protect all kind of speech, even offensive speech. So maybe Tim's speech was offensive and maybe he made insensitive remarks. So what?

Has this country become so screwed up that we have to watch every single word we say lest we offend someone? It is interesting to note that the First Amendment has been construed to protect the right of pornographers to peddle their smut. But let some poor kid express his opinion about illegal immigration and the whole damn world comes down on him.

And before anyone accuses me of being a white, racist male, please note that I am a Latino male, who came LEGALLY to this country. MY family and I waited in line, like everyone else. Why can't some politicians, as well as the liberal-PC establishment, get it through their thick heads that illegal immigration has a tremendoulsy corrosive effect on the fabric of this country's society. I am proud to call myself an American, if I had wanted to call myself anything-else-hyphen, I would have stayed in the country where I was born. Period. End of debate.

I, and most foreign-born Americans, are sick and tired of illegal immigrants and the burdens that they place place upon our government resources. We are also sick and tired of the cheap bastards who hire illegal aliens and thus drive down wages for everyone else. Employers and other individuals who hire illegal immigrants ought to be heavily fined. The moment the job market dries, illegal immigration will stop. Along the same lines, government officials who advocate giving rights and benefits to illegal aliens ought to be run out of government. NO jobs + NO benefits = no illegal immigration.

Whenever a sovereign nation allows it borders to be habitually violated and, in a sense, raped, that country will soon cease to exist in its present form.

I am not opposed to immigration, I am definitely opposed to illegal immigration.

And, not to forget the original topic of this post. The 1st Amendment must protect ALL ideas, good ideas, bad ideas, unpopular ideas. Let all of these ideas sort themselves out in the free marketplace of ideas. And may be the best ones win out in the end!

Botnst · #14 12-31-2003, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BENZ-LGB
...it protects even "offensive" speech. If freedom of speech protected only polite, nice-nice talk, then what the hell good would the First Amendment be?

For freedom of speech to mean anything, then it must protect all kind of speech, even offensive speech. So maybe Tim's speech was offensive and maybe he made insensitive remarks. So what?

Has this country become so screwed up that we have to watch every single word we say lest we offend someone? It is interesting that hte First Amendment has been construed the right of pornographers to peddle their smut. But let osme poor kid express his opinion about illegal immigration and the whole damn world comes down on him.

...

And, not to forget the original topic of this post. The 1st Amendment must protect ALL ideas, good ideas, bad ideas, unpopular ideas. Let all of these ideas sort themselves out in the free marketplace of ideas. And may be the best ones win out in the end!

Aaaaaamen bruthah, amen!

Botnst

mikemover · #15 01-01-2004, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dculkin
So?

What do you mean "so"?

I assume you mean that this glaring, hypocritical double-standard is acceptable to you?

I refuse to accept it. If everyone is not held to the same standard, then the standard itself becomes pointless, useless, and irrelevant.

Mike