I can't wait to get out of this insane country. I do not want my children to be born here or grow up here, where promoting peace is seen as doing something wrong. I'm totally fed up with all the BS I read every day!

I feel for these brave kids and I mourn for the programmed, flag-wearing swastika-writing faction. This is a prime example of indoctrination by dysfunctional parenting, violent t.v., "war-like" video games, and the proliferation of slanted, right wing news.

It was bad enough when the words "Liberal" and "Progressive" morphed into a negative definition, but to turn the word "PEACE" into a stirring for such aggresive and hate-filled feedback is a disturbing commentary on the unhealthy and frightening state of the union.

If I knew how to reach Dennis Kucinich, I would ask him to be the sponsor that these young ladies need. This is a PRIME example for the need of a Department of Peace!

I find it very interesting that the same people attacking the Peace-shirt Coalition with "I love Bush" slogans are also using swastikas, white power dreck and other hate-based dogma to further their cause. After all, these are the kind of people that the Bush family (Jeb included) embraces.

Ditto - I'm taking my daughter and making a run for it in January. Best of luck to those who stay and try to work for peace in the US. I'll continue to work for peace at a safer distance.

Yes, very telling about the love of bUSH and the swastikas...

Young fascists all over germerica are bullying and intimidating young people whose only crime is that they are not gung ho to invade and destroy another country. The ugly side of the american empire.

"Of course the people don't want war. But after all, it's the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it's always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it's a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger."

-- Herman Goering at the Nuremberg trials

Apparently their old tactics still work...

There are intelligent kids (young people), who have enough 'nouce' to think for themselves,

~ and then there are the poor-sad-things who still live in the darkness drilled into them by older (not wiser) people.

Our job is to help spread *light* into such dark corners...

**Very well done to the Peace boys and girls.**
If there was any sort of 'Jesus' figure around today, you kinda know already whose group HE would be supporting!

Bullying is unacceptable, but sadly common. Spineless school administrators are partly to blame as are a "if you don't agree with me you are evil" attitude that seems to permeate all political discussions nowdays.

In my college town, a recent talk by a political speaker was marred by threats of physical attacks, Swastikas painted over the speakers face on handbills, and other wonderful ways to kill discussion. The speaker happened to be a conservative, so it happens on both sides- and is completly unacceptable.

Whatever happened to common courtesy?

"Skylar later passed out yellow ribbons for her group to wear to show they support the troops as well as peace." When muddled thinking like that produces such compromises, it's a miracle any child in the US understands the concept of peace. Young people of the world have got to be liberated from being brainwashed into an unthinking militarist nationalism. We are one species facing the same fate on the same endangered planet.

Supporting the troops is tantamount to supporting the invasion and occupation of Iraq.
If the troops hadn't shown up when Bush ordered the invasion of Iraq, there would not have been an invasion, would there?

"People tore them down and drew swastikas and 'white power' stuff on them," Lauren said."

These kids are really brave and put millions of adult Americans to shame. They are the only true hope for this country. How is it possible that in modern day America after decades of 'progress' you have kids who still use swastikas as a symbol of power ? How different is our educational system and schools from the madrassas that we despise ?

support the banks!
remember banks need wars for excessive profits
banker's son(s) however are ALWAYS EXEMPT FROM SERVICE.....

by the way banks don't need sheeple support.

only power brokers

Ok a little perspective here... Kids seperating themselves from the rest of the class getting picked on... duh, I assume we all went to school. every human is insecure, and children obviously are in the learning stage to deal with it. Kids pick on each other. This would have been obvious- exept maybe the extent to which it happened (if we believe the article is not exagerated)

Now, what can we glean from this? Kids will mimick what they hear and see from their parents and TV- something along the line of using the venom in our society propogated through M@M by those who want to divide us. Do we see more reactionary messages- do kids today think it is more acceptable to label people 'traitors' and the like? Are they a canary in a coal mine- or just stupid kids?

I clicked on the article to see what a picture of confederate flag plastered kids would look like- but there is obviously no picture because they formed as reactionaries with the main goal of making themselves feel superior... not true beliving in "white power" or sum such. (As an aside, I wish we had a different symbol for Southern Pride- the stars and bars being coopted by racists thugs.)

Is this a microcosm of how we treat peace believers? 99% of the people I ask say they love "peace", but when we start talking about solutions the insist on "war". Kucinich gets ridiculed that way.

But seriously, war serves its own purpose, while peace serves each individual. I hope we all agree.

The "Support Our Troups" argument (pro or con) must always be put in the framework of our Milataristic society. Your basic question to yourself is: Who do you love more... others or empire?

Don't let yourself and your family get divided and conquered- get to know your family, your neighbors, your coworkers, your groups.

This goes to show that the symptoms of NAZI Amerikkka are already GLARING. But then again, America turned fascist the moment Cannibas was overtaxed and then outlawed.

Besides, this country was founded on and credited with VIOLENCE and until people wake up and learn the real meaning of peace over war, our VIOLENT slide towards the fall just like Rome will only continue except this country is falling faster and harder than Rome.

I encourage all of you who are reacting to this story to directly contact the school as I did a few minutes ago. I e mailed both the principal and the assistant principal mentioned in the article. Their addresses are coolt@brevard.k12.fl.us for Tim Cool, the principal, and mastersonl@brevard.k12.fl.us for the Asst. Principal. All addresses can be found at http://www.cbhs.brevard.k12.fl.us/faculty.php I wrote the following to both of them:
How sad and ironic that a school that calls itself the minutemen, and as part of its mission purports "to develop students' understanding of the rights and responsibilities of a democratic government" would be so discriminatory toward students who merely want to share their desire for peace.
If the Orland Local 6 News is correct, your condoning of the harassment of these peace kids sounds like 1930s Germany, not my USA. Shame on you!!

Steve Wallerstein
Special Education Teacher
Raymond High School
Raymond, New Hampshire

I do not support the troops. I have sympathy for the poor kids who joined out of economic necessity, but i do not support what they are doing. It may sound trite, but if everybody felt as i do there would be no war. Period.

Nothing says "I have sex with my Daddy" like a confederate flag shirt

Hey, it's all good!

Give thanks to the Lord for Amerikkka the Beauty-Full.

I am thinking about these kids. High school sucks and they are totally brave! This must be a very radicalizing experience for them.

Cocoa Beach is stuck right between Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and Patrick Air Force Base. Perhaps it is needless to say to those who live around here, but just so members of civilization outside the asylum know, there is always an exceptional amount of stinking military thinking fouling the area, no matter which way the wind blows.

I have taken Steve Wallerstein up on his invitation to e-mail the principal and vice-principal (their e-mail addresses can be found in his comment) and sent this message:

(P.S. Be creative/Send your own fun message!)

To Whom It May Concern:

This is happening on your watch. Do you think Jesus, Prince of Peace, would approve of your standing by while hate flows forth like lava from hell?

This is typical of today's US. Because most young people in the country have been raised in a violently sadistic right-wing environment, this is what the future looks like here in Reaganland. I wish the rest of the world would unite to oppose us and destroy US right-wingers, including the young fascists discussed here. And I do mean wipe them out. Peaceful means do not work with right-wing Americans.

What I find disturbing about the whole thing is that, rather than being harassed for specific political viewpoints - the pro-peace students are being harassed for simply being "unfashionable". And, the pro-peace students, to their discredit, are largely conceding by defending their actioins as not a political statement, but just as just a retro-hippie-era fashon statement.

I took a look at the local (?) press website (don't know which one, it had a space for people to post arguements about the story anyhow) One arguement really caught my eye, it asked how people who claim to support the troops could use a confederate battle flag to show suppport for the us army in Iraq. He/she pointed out that the confederate flag was the symbol under which us citizens fought against the us government troops in the 1860s.

I would also like to know how many of the kids who support this war with such disagreeable ways are committed to joining the army in Iraq. A few, all or none of the warmongers? Judging by the posts at that other website, they're all striving to become proper republicans and urge others to go where they shall not.

The most interesting part of the article? "People just turned on us like that," she [Skylar] said. Hmmm. All of a sudden ... This happened in Florida. And that would be JEB bush's state. And this happpened in a high school. And we know from recent CD articles what organization is doing the hard sell on high school students hard [that'd be the military for those who haven't kept up]. All of a sudden - when they've been wearing t-shirts every week for months - 10 boys yell at them.

Is anyone else out there connecting the dots?

We know who and what is behind this. The military-corporate media-congressional-industrial complex. They paid good money [your tax dollars] to those kids to be anti-peace.

To the girls: YOU RULE! Those boys DROOL! Please don't give up - it's going to get harder, but things will change. The world needs you now more than ever.

Perhaps the students will lead this country towards peace. My life was radically changed when three students during the civil rights were murdered...And Andrew Goodman still hurts the soul with his loving mother recently moving to the next world, another tower of strength. To the parents and students be steady in your love for peace but be aware of the crazies in this so-called democracy. In mourning for America …

Yesterday there was an article asking why youhts are not as active as they used to be. I think this article provides the answer. It's not the reaction of the students that makes youth weary, it's the endorsement of those reactions by the "system" (in this case the school administration).

If a symbolic peace gesture can bring such a (condoned) wrath, then the youths learn to tone it down. Eventually, when they hit college (as yesterday's article suggests), their "activism" has already been rendered hollow and ineffective.

Formal education has always been a tool for social conditioning. The problem now is the content and end goal of that conditioning. And those who oppose in youth will be forced to conform by adulthood.

>"People tore them down and drew swastikas and 'white power' stuff on them,"
>'I Love America, Because America Loves War'

It pains me to share the same atmosphere with this type.

it would be nice to see some military people who have served in iraq coming to speak to these kids who think a confederate flag denotes support for the troops and people promoting peace are traitors. i'm sure most of the soldiers in irag would be on the side of the 'peace-niks'. these anti-peace kids must have very fugged-up parents.

I applaud the peace students' courage. They are making a new world even as they are subjected to hate and ignorance from others. They are taking responsibility while others abdicate it. I take heart from their example which puts character before conformity, compassion before conquest. It's better to light a candle than curse the darkness, and that is what they are doing. They are the best teachers that school has.

Do you all think these peace kids would be expelled if they wore their peace shirts and congregated near the cafeteria? Yet, the kids wearing the Confederate Flag get exposure and no punishment. I bet they would get a pass too if they hung nooses outside of the school!

Three cheers for the peace students!!!

General Eisenhower must be spinning in his grave silently screaming, "Beware of the military-industrial-political complex!" The patient is sick; it's soul is dead; it's credit card is leveraged to the hilt; the only thing that it can feel good about is it's bloated, bullying military machine (military humans included).

Dark ages here we come!

Anyone else bothered by this:

"She said all students have the opportunity to form clubs and organizations on campus, but those wishing to do so must identify a sponsor and bring their written proposal to the principal outlining what the proposed group's purpose and goals are."

Apparently, only state-approved free speech is allowed on campus. Illegally organizing amongst themselves without official sponsorship will not be tolerated!

Good grief -- get me out of this handbasket!

What a sad place this country has become.

deang
I wish the rest of the world would unite to oppose us and destroy US right-wingers, including the young fascists discussed here. And I do mean wipe them out. Peaceful means do not work with right-wing Americans.

Funny,
the solution you propose sounds like something a right-wing extremist would do. I thought the idea was no more violence. (Unless of course it serves your purpose?)

It looks like women, young and old, are leading the national peace movement; Code Pink, Ragging Grannies, Cindy Sheehan, and now these young women. Maybe there is hope for this planet yet.

Heard a great radio show on how and why "Peace" is considered a dirty word by allot of people. Oh sure, most folks will pay lip service to "peace on earth" but there are still many who equate the very symbol for, or the concept of peace-making as wait, wait....you won't believe this. " Those dirty hippies back in the 60's who all practiced free love, did drugs, and flashed the peace sign." That's what the idea of promoting peace conjures.

Now there's a major distortion still resting in one part of the collective consciousness of our country, that needs to be addressed. Just think when flashing someone the peace sign, or wearing a t-shirt with the word, conjures up, not peace, but a surge of hateful bile. Many people haven't yet permitted themselves to imagine peace. How sad for us all.

The simplest thing to do is to offer these clowns enlistment forms while holding out a pen for them. (They can be downloaded from the internet.) I haven't seen anything yet that shuts up these stupid asses faster. I ask them when was the last time in US history that a president was loosing two wars at the same time. If they believe what they say, then they can get their chick shit asses over to help!

Wow! Swastikas and WP shit eh? That stuff does seem to go along with the crap from the WH , WTO, Federal Reserve, Trilateral Commission, Bilderbergs, etc what a bunch of dupes!

I know it's tough to love those buggers, but sombody's got to to love 'em (I'm sure Jesus wouldn't). How 'bout three nights in stocks in a public park? What century are we in? Where do these children come from?

This is the USA?

Afraid so, Sunshine.

It's been like this for quite awhile. It's getting like this everywhere no point running away best is to band together for protection and fight back. Get organized and "Don't let the bastards get you down".

I had a similar experience at a major western university. I put a T-shirt design on my office door showing Geronimo and his bodyguards, with the legend "HOMELAND SECURITY - FIGHTING TERRORISM SINCE 1492" and had nasty things written on it, then had it ripped off the door later. No tolerance for dissent - noted by Alexis de Tocqueville in the 1830's. The only solace one can have is that the country will spend itself (defense spending, of course) into nothingness, then be taken over by our creditors. If Ronald Reagan had the "wisdom" to defense-spend the Soviet Union into dissolution, OK. As usual, we didn't learn the lesson, but Osama bin Laden has and is getting us to follow the history of the Soviet Union. The United States was created by murder, prevarication and theft and will end the same way, guns blazing!

I dashed off emails supplied by a previous poster, thank you. It is disturbing to see that what we presume is an institute for education is actually the halls of shame. To allow the hate-shirts to be worn without a word mentioned, but the young girls with simple signs of PEACE are demonized by a school body, the courage of 10 boys to block the young girls way through the halls. Took 10, huh? Cowards. The usual, you support peace, it means you hate the troops.
Comments such as those from andersdl never cease to amaze me. If it were that simple, the old saying 'What if they had a war and nobody came'. Apparently they have never been in the military, never been threatened by the military and have not had the opportunity to have you ass dragged off by the military. Always the easyist way to take, blame the victim.

Where are the ADULTS! At least there were no adults in Lord of the Flies. Here there supposedly are adults, but apparently they are not interested in being involved. Shame on the school teachers and administrators for not dealing with this issue. You are facilitating the generation of goons and bullies we will have to live with in the future.

For anyone contemplating a break for the Canadian border I would suggest doing it now rather than later. With the low levels of unemployment(lots of cash jobs) it should be possible to go underground easily enough. If you get caught by some zealot and are about to be kicked out, claim refugee status. Then get a legal work permit while refugee status claim is reviewed, if it gets rejected go underground(you already have the experience) again. This could take place over a period of years by then the entire system will either be overwhelmed or there will be no need to flee.

Forgot, Celebrity, go to thomas.gov, choose Representatives on middle left column, look up Kucinich, takes you right there or phne his office wich will be there as well. Leave your message with the person that answers Dennis phone and he will get the message.

Pardon, spelling

Fletchermoone - Yes! Just what I was thinking. Bush supporters, and how can that child say "Confederate shirts they wear express support for the troops in Iraq"?

The rhetoric that Bush/Rove have started: don't support the war and you don't support the troops; has evolved to our kids to be against peace and wear a confederate shirts.

Wow! Well you can see where his 30% approval rating is coming from.

seanmartain,

I have a t-shirt that says the same thing, but has Sitting Bull, Black Kettle, Chief Joseph, and Crazy Horse on it. I wear it in public all the time and anger people. One time, a man challenged me. I tested him about his knowledge of the history of indigenous peoples in this country. Not surprisingly, he knew very little about it. And he realized he was on shaky ground and outmatched. Instead of reducing him to nothing, I contextualized the history for him. The light bulb went on. He said no one had really ever explained it to him in such a way where he could make connections. He now understands.

Woah!
What a surprise! Let me reassure You, this Country is in State of Dissolve. Filth, corruption, stupidity and a hypocrisy that makes every human being with brain puke. Then again this is just another example of the brainlessness that surrounds a on a daily basis. Just tune in into NPR. Here You can witness the total brainwashing or blackmailing of the editors. The bias towards fascist repiglicans is disgusting. It's all about the repiglicans. These bastards that went to war against the will of the world, killing hundred of thousands of INNOCENT humans for plain greed. But in NPR everything is just great. Iraq has turned into a paradise already. I counted the stories about repiglicans versus democrats and it seems to me that NPR believes it needs to support repiglicans over dems because the first are just misunderstood in their delusion. The military is glorified to a degree that I just wish that the Americans get what they deserve. A war on their own territory. Pearl Harbor wasn't even US territory in the sense that Hawai'i was unrightfully overthrown and occupied. Like the Hawaiian Palestine.
Maybe after that one there will be no more idiotic repiglicans left (hopefully) and wearing a peace shirt will be
celebrated.
Well we are allowed to dream, right?
For everybody carryring confederate Paraphernalia there should be a gallow. What about Afro-Americans? Do they have an opinion about people showing the Flag of their slave drivers? If I would be of descent of somebody that has been exploited to death by those fascist confederates slave drivers You know what I would do.
America - No More Comment.