Conservatives bark at their own image

by: Jay Stevens

Thu Oct 29, 2009 at 09:19:58 AM MST

Whatever. That's England. Who cares, right?

No the interesting thing is the reaction from the American right to this kind of news. Check it out. Hot Air says the UK made "domestic surveillance into an art form." Over at the Corner, Mark Steyn writes, "increasingly in Britain, the state's basic assumption is that everyone's a pedophile until proven otherwise," and hints darkly that this is the way "free societies...retreat incrementally...into a totalitarian hell." Jill at Pundit & Pundette is more explicit, and links England's park problem as a natural progression of other stories involving President Obama. Moonbattery dubs the incidents in England as "classic moonbat logic."

Uh...doesn't this kind of thing actually stem out of conservative policies? I mean, it wasn't long ago that Mark Steyn was advocating for absolute state power in monitoring its citizens - here in the US - in his defense of the Bush administration's unconstitutional domestic spying program. In that case, Steyn argued that it was better to preserve Americans' safety than their freedom from unwarranted government monitoring. And it was Mitt Romney who famously said, "our most basic civil liberty is the right to be kept alive."

And the whole pedophilia fear mongering stems from the right, too. Congress' first attempt to censor the Internet - in the name of children - came in the mid-1990s, as a group of conservative Senators - including Orrin Hatch, James Exon, and Slade Gordon introduced, and pushed through Congress, the "Communications Decency Act," which was later declared unconstitutional. The CDA was the brainchild of the US Christian right; the Christian Coalition's "Contract with the American Family" listed enacting legislation to censor the Internet in the name of protecting children from obscenity as one of its major goals. Conservative and notorious anti-obscenity Ed Meese DoJ appointee, Bruce Taylor, drafted the CDA for Senator Exon.

And conservatives have in the past tried to get government to assume that certain adults are pedophiles, without evidence, without convictions. I'm talking about, of course, conservative opposition to adoption by gay parents based on the claim that gay men are inherent pedophiles.

The right has never shied from intrusive government intervention in the name of safety. And safety in the name of our children has been conservative Christians' calling-card since...well, my whole lifetime. If the US adopts the ridiculous playground policies reported in the English newspaper, it'll be because of conservative pressure, not liberal.

I know this is an old theme, but the same folks crying "totalitarianism" now, during the Obama administration for a slew of policies and programs that are distinctly un-totalitarian, were the biggest supporters of Bush policies - the politicization of the DoJ, torture, domestic spying, manufacturing evidence to lead the country into war - that actually did invest the White House with extralegal powers.

High School Student Keeps Pushing Story Forward

by: Matt Singer

Sat Feb 21, 2009 at 13:03:59 PM MST

Matthew Koehler Writes Letters

by: Matt Singer

Tue Feb 17, 2009 at 12:52:39 PM MST

Since some members of the MCPS School Board have banned the "Story of Stuff" because it didn't include a "balanced perspective" or "the other side of the story," I would like to alert all MCPS Trustees to an egregious "one-sided" educational situation in our public schools that happens every spring, year after year.

It's called "Forest Discovery Days" and it's sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, Smurfit-Stone Container, Plum Creek Timber Company and Roseburg Forest Products.

Every year, over 500 area students are treated to a totally one-sided view of forestry, logging, wildfire and forest health issues from major timber corporations with no apparent "balance" or "other side" provided by one of the many fine conservation organizations in the Missoula area.

Clearly, given the calls by some MCPS Trustees for a "balanced perspective" or "the other side of the story" any MCPS involvement with "Forest Discovery Days" should be immediately canceled until such a time that "Forest Discovery Days" includes a more "balanced perspective."

Please get back with me as soon as possible to let me know just how the MCPS Trustees plan to deal with the egregious "one-sided" educational situation regarding the annual "Forest Discovery Days" sponsored by Smurfit-Stone Container, Plum Creek Timber Company and Roseburg Forest Products.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,
Matthew Koehler
Missoula, MT

P.S. It's worth noting that none of the Trustees who received the email below even bothered to acknowledge receipt or get back with me regarding my concerns.

Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2009 09:06:27 -0700
To: School Trustees
From: Matthew Koehler
Subject: RE: Your decision to ban The Story of Stuff

Hello,

As a certified secondary history and English teacher, and as a homeowner and taxpayer in Missoula County, I'm absolutely outraged at your recent decision to ban The Story of Stuff by Annie Leonard. What's next?

Your decision sets a very bad example for all the children in Missoula County Public Schools.  You can bet that if any of your names show up on our ballot for the school board that you'll be getting no support from our household.

Good day,
Matthew Koehler
Missoula, MT

Diversity Week Defense on Conservative Radio in Missoula

by: Matt Singer

Fri Feb 13, 2009 at 08:09:08 AM MST

On a previous show, many callers voiced concern that Diversity Week is a part of a homosexual/liberal agenda and does not have space for differing points of views. Considering where recent objections to school curriculum have gone, it would be nice to hear supporters of Diversity Week call in.

The show is hosted by Pete Denault and Peter Christian. Call-in number is 406-721-1290. The show starts at 8:30am and ends at 9:30am.

1290 AM

Missoula School Board Questions

by: Matt Singer

Thu Feb 12, 2009 at 09:54:40 AM MST

In comments, someone asks whether the responsible School Board members -- Jim Sadler, Rick Johns, Drake Lemm and Kelley Hirning -- are up for election. That's a good question.

Other things to know: what are the districts and who are the potential candidates?

Here's what I know -- filing closes for these elections March 27th 26th and the election is on May 5th.

What else should folks know?

Any interesting school board election activity outside Missoula?

Update -- Date corrected above. There's also helpful information in the comments.

Missoula Students Prove Their Critical Thinking Skills

by: Matt Singer

Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 16:34:58 PM MST

Last night, a bunch of students and parents and teachers spoke out in response. Among the students was Ana Beard, whose perspective can be read at 4&20 Blackbirds (for which she has already earned a shout-out from Courtney Lowery at NewWest.Net).

The Missoulian's take is online as well. Here's the most interesting portion:

Although board Chairwoman Toni Rehbein wants the board to revisit the topic, it won't be easy, in part because a motion to reconsider the vote must be made by a trustee who voted with the majority. Because of that, the voices of three board members who were absent for the Jan. 29 vote may never be heard.

For now, the vote stands, much to the chagrin of students, teachers and parents who spoke Tuesday night.

There should be political concerns for these folks as well. School board elections are in May. Candidate filing closes March 27th. My guess is this whole issue is sparking a lot more interest in how to run for office.

Finally, I should note that I had the pleasure of working with some of the high school students who spoke up last night. Their good work is all their own. I just helped talk them through the process details of testifying to a public body, something that occasionally seems designed to intimidate civic newbies.

The push to regulate speech on the Internet

by: Jay Stevens

Thu Jun 14, 2007 at 17:46:52 PM MST

"It used to be thought - and I include myself in this - that help was on the horizon," he said.

"New forms of communication would provide new outlets to by-pass the increasingly shrill tenor of the traditional media.

"In fact, the new forms can be even more pernicious, less balanced, more intent on the latest conspiracy theory multiplied by five."

His solution?

A "regulator." Censorship.