Archive for topic “quotable”

Quotable: Will Phillips

I’ve always tried to analyze things because I want to be lawyer. I really don’t feel that there’s currently liberty and justice for all.Will Phillips
Elementary school student, Age 10

This in response to why he won’t stand and say the pledge of allegiance in his elementary school class. You see, young Will, age 10, is upset that homosexuals in this country are treated as second-class citizens – denied marriage equality and adoption rights.

After asking his parents whether it was against the law not to stand for the pledge, Will decided to do something. On Monday, Oct. 5, when the other kids in his class stood up to recite the pledge of allegiance, he remained sitting down. The class had a substitute teacher that week, a retired educator from the district, who knew Will’s mother and grandmother. Though the substitute tried to make him stand up, he respectfully refused. He did it again the next day, and the next day. Each day, the substitute got a little more cross with him. On Thursday, it finally came to a head. The teacher, Will said, told him that she knew his mother and grandmother, and they would want him to stand and say the pledge.

“She got a lot more angry and raised her voice and brought my mom and my grandma up,” Will said. “I was fuming and was too furious to really pay attention to what she was saying. After a few minutes, I said, ‘With all due respect, ma’am, you can go jump off a bridge.’David Koon
Arkansas Times

This young man is the hope for tomorrow. The fact that he can exist in a country saturated by Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh is something to celebrate. Will Phillips, I salute you! Keep fighting the good fight!

Thanks, Shannon!

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Quotable: Matthew Hoh

[American families] must be reassured their dead have sacrificed for a purpose worthy of futures lost, love vanished, and promised dreams unkept. I have lost confidence such assurances can be made any more.Matthew Hoh
Former Senior Civilian U.S. Representative in Afghanistan

This is a must-read article for anyone seeking to understand the situation on the ground in Afghanistan. It delves into the resignation of Matthew Hoh, the Senior Civilian Representative of the United States in Zabul Province, Afghanistan. Hoh’s letter of resignation (PDF) is a striking condemnation of the war in Afghanistan from a highly regarded veteran of both the conflict there and Iraq and his words are rattling the administration, at least as far up as Richard Holbrooke. We can only hope Obama is shaken, too. But as Hoh said, “I’m not some peacenik, pot-smoking hippie who wants everyone to be in love…there are plenty of dudes who need to be killed…I was never more happy than when our Iraq team whacked a bunch of guys.”

He is quite an interesting fellow and this is definitely worth the read.

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Quotable: John Boehner

It would seem that the halls of Congress are even farther detached from the streets of these United States than one might think.

I’m still trying to find the first American to talk to who’s in favor of the public option, other than a member of Congress or the administration…I’ve not talked to one and I get to a lot of places…I’ve not had anyone come up to me — I know I’m inviting them — and lobby for the public option. This is about as unpopular as a garlic milkshake.Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio)
House Minority Leader

Well, mantra #4 applies here, but we are gonna try like hell anyway. Tweet Boehner directly, join a Facebook group of people that want to introduce themselves to Boehner so he can meet Americans who support a public option and then call his office directly at (202) 225-6205 and let him know that you support AT LEAST a public option. Remember, a single-payer system is the cat’s pajamas.

I’ve tweeted; I’ve Facebooked; I’ll be on the phone as soon as I hit publish here. Now you do the same. Game on!

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