J's Cafe Nette

Archive for November 6th, 2008

At this moment the definition of anger:
“To cause to feel or show anger: burn (up), enrage, incense, infuriate, madden, provoke.”
is descriptive of how I feel.

I will allow the video and transcript to speak for themselves as I am not certain that I can rationally write on this issue other than to say this woman should somehow be held responsible for ridiculing a child over not only this election but obviously because she comes from a military family:

Diantha Harris: So in other words, Bawrawk is going to end that war [nods her head vigorously] in Iraq. [To the class:] What do you all know about that war in Iraq? [To Kathy:] Now talk to me, because your dad is in the military!

[Kathy bites her lip.]

Diantha Harris: Talk!

[Silence.]

Diantha Harris: It’s a senseless war! [Stares at Kathy.] And by the way, Kathy, the person that you’re picking for president said [Harris shakes her head] that our troops could stay in Iraq for another hundred years if they need to! [Kathy bites her lip, looks ashamed. Other kids stare at Kathy, laugh, smirk.] So that means that your daddy could stay in the military for another hundred years!

[Kathy is on verge of tears.]

Try picking on someone your own size Ms. Harris. This one incident may stay with this young lady for the rest of her life.

Below is contact information for the Chairman of the Cumberland County School Board (North Carolina).
Perhaps Mr. Lancaster could explain to Ms. Harris that she is employed to teach..not render opinions and most certainly not ridicule any child.

or call the Superintendents office:

Cumberland County, North Carolina

School System Central Office/Superintendent: 910-678-2300

Ask for Human Resources and for Harris’s supervisor

Cumberland Schools Website

Human Resources email: http://www.ccs.k12.nc.us/Email/SHardee.htm

More: Here,here, here and here.

Update: Thanks to Wolf in a comment at Blackfive:

CCS Headline News – Superintendent’s Response to YouTube

I was shocked when I saw the clip of an interaction between a Cumberland County Schools teacher and her students as posted on YouTube. While neutral discussion of the political process is appropriate, at no time, particularly with elementary students, should a teacher infuse his/her political views into the discussion. Most disconcerting was the military slant that made its way into this discussion. We are a military community, serving over 15,000 military students and their families. We value the sacrifices, not only of the military parents but also those of their families.

We believe that military children are our children, military spouses are many of our employees, and military service men and women are our heroes. We proudly serve our military children and have received national awards for our support of military families.

I was particularly disturbed to see the uncomfortable position in which our children were placed due to the inappropriate actions of one of our teachers. Please be assured that the actions exhibited in this video are not consistent with the vision of the CCS. Moreover, the actions of one teacher do not represent the 7000 employees in our organization.

Once the video was brought to my attention, I immediately launched an investigation. Personnel laws prevent me from releasing information regarding individual employees and personnel action taken. I can assure you that upon completion of the investigation, I will take appropriate action.

Dr. William Harrison
CCS’ Superintendent

Thanks to Hot Air, here is the video of Mr. Harrison’s statement:

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The election is over and John McCain lost his bid to be president. Yes, John McCain lost his bid to be president. No one but him and his advisors lost the election.

The campaign had no focus, no message and now we find out no class. Last night I heard Carl Cameron of Fox News breathlessly rumor-mongering the message we had heard a couple of weeks ago that Sarah Palin would be the one to take the fall for this loss. I had respect for Carl until I heard the reports and the eagerness with which he spread this sleeze.

Now I’ve had enough and will tell you what’s been on my mind for a long time. I endorsed McCain and this site did in spite of thinking he was not what we believe in. Why? Because the fear of an Obama presidency was much greater than the fear of a McCain presidency. I voted against Obama and not for McCain. I suspect many people did the same. I have said many times before that choosing between two evils still gives us evil.

We had a choice of Democrat Liberal and Democrat Liberal/Lite. It’s a wonder McCain could get anyone to run with him, and now spreading this trash trying to make it look as though Palin is the one who is responsible for the loss is more than I can stomach.

Who drew the crowds I ask the people who are spreading this stench. It certainly wasn’t the “Mac”. The only time he drew a crowd was when Palin was with him.

This woman did nothing to deserve what the liberals and the press (but I repeat myself) did to her in eight weeks. She is not an idiot. I don’t believe she is not aware Africa is a continent. When speaking of South Africa is a person speaking of the countries in the southern continent of Africa or the specific country of South Africa?

Why was the McCain campaign going to Carl Cameron with this vicious attack a week or two before the election? Because they had to keep McCain’s credibility with the press intact as much as possible.

Why did McCain people ask Sue to do more phone calls in Pennsylvania, saying it was so close, when they lost that state by 16 points? If their pollsters didn’t tell them the real numbers they should have spread the word on that firm so no one else would use them.

Why did McCain run such a sloppy campaign? Why did Cindy McCain chew on her lip everytime he was speaking for the last two weeks if they didn’t know the outcome already?

McCain was a victim of his own stupid legislation to regulate the money in the campaign process. How could he have raised private funds when he is the one who championed campaign finance reform and putting restrictions on what people could say about incumbents before an election? Don’t think he wasn’t tempted, but it would have been too obvious.

Now he spends a few days or weeks (who cares?) in Sedona so he can recharge. Not one word from this man I at least once thought was honorable in the defense of the one person who brought his sorry campaign of old fogeys to life. This is the thanks she gets. Why?

It’s time to stop being quiet to make sure Obama doesn’t win. He won and I’m giving you some straight talk. Only mine is sincere. I was taken in by McCain, just as surely as I personally fear the American electorate was taken in by the promises of the new president. Already expectations are being lowered by the Obama people. He cautioned against optimism in his victory speech. He’s right to lower expectations but I think a lot of people will be disappointed. (This is not intended to take away the thrill of his victory or to turn anyone against giving his administration a fair chance.)

We tried Democrat Liberal/Lite and, as predicted, it didn’t work. If the Republican party wants to win again they had better get real republicans running and not the fake kind. The kind who love the president while he’s popular but do everything in their power to undermine him and make him less popular at the same time.

It’s also time for us to start to look back at the GWB presidency with clear eyes and stop trying to convince ourselves he’s the incarnation of Satan himself. He’s not and neither is Sarah Palin.

McCain, if you want to keep any credibility with the American people, put a stop to this back-stabbing by your hand-picked staff YESTERDAY!

In the meantime, you have proven correct my belief that voting for the lesser of two evils is still evil. I won’t make the same mistake again.

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In September the Pew Research Center ran a poll asking people to define the presidential and vice-presidential candidates in one word:

In the latest survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press (a national survey of 2,509 voters interviewed Sept. 9-14) registered voters were asked what one word best describes their impression of the candidates for president and vice president.

Responses were tallied to show which words were most commonly associated with the candidates. (Figures shown are actual numbers of respondents not percentages.)

Now that the election is over it is interesting to look back and see what this small percentage of the electorate was thinking:

Now the Vice Presidential candidates:
Joe Biden
48 Experienced
14 Liberal
12 Old
11 Arrogant
10 Knowledgeable
10 Unknown
8 Confident
8 Qualified
8 Strong
7 Honest
7 Intelligent
6 Politician
5 Idiot
5 OK
5 Old-school/Old-guard
5 Unimpressive/Unimpressed
4 Alright
4 Good
4 Interesting
4 Socialist
4 Who

Sarah Palin:
24 Inexperienced
18 Conservative
18 Strong
16 Fresh/Refreshing
16 Interesting
11 Good
11 Great
11 Unknown
10 Smart
9 Aggressive
9 New
8 Confident
8 Energetic
8 Honest
8 Impressive
6 Dynamic
6 Unqualified
5 Feisty
5 Female/Woman
5 Intelligent
5 Likable/Like her
4 Amazing
4 Excellent
4 False
4 Hot
4 Phony

If we look at the election results and the polling done here it appears the electorate would much prefer fresh young faces with energy to the more seasoned, Washington long time insider.

Perhaps this is something for the powers to be in both parties to consider when searching out candidates for any office. Maybe the days of the “old boys (woman’s) club” are becoming a thing of the past.

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