153 Comments

Nothing say freedumb like enforced flag worship.

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"River Bluff is a school where 73% of students are white, and Marissa believes she was singled out (despite not being the only student walking during the Pledge) because she’s Black."

Now 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 while black is an offense? WTF white people? (And I am a white people).

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But... but... if we 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 loudly, forcefully remind kids what country they're in, every single day, then they might occasionally spare a thought for 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 countries!

...and if they spare a thought for 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 countries, they might compare those countries to 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 country!

...and if they compare other countries to 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 country, they might realize there are some shockingly huge 𝘧𝘭𝘢𝘸𝘴 with this country!

...and if they realize that there are shockingly huge 𝘧𝘭𝘢𝘸𝘴 with this country, they might start thinking they can 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 this country for the better!

...and if they start thinking they can 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 this country for the better, they might... um... what was I getting upset about again?

Oh, right. '𝐌𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐀 𝐅𝐋𝐀𝐆𝐒 𝐏𝐀𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐓𝐈𝐒𝐌 𝐄𝐀𝐆𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝑮𝑶𝑻𝑻 𝑴𝑰𝑻 𝑼𝑵𝑺 ...𝑤𝑎𝑖𝑡 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑑𝑖𝑑 𝐼 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑠𝑎𝑦?

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Welcome to the difference between patriotism and JINGOISM, never mind the blind determination on the part of some people to get EVERYONE to conform TO THEM, to their sensibilities and points of view, individuality and rights be damned. Ms. Livingston was so far out of line in her interactions with Ms. Barnwell that the distance could be measured in light-years, yet she has paid no price for her ill-considered behavior.

To my mind, this is clearly one for the ACLU ... and the River Bluff school system had better be prepared to ante up.

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South Carolina is ranked 42nd Overall as "Best State to Live In."

Even worse, they're ranked 44th Overall in Education. This article is one illustration as to why.

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A bigger issue than the idiotic Pledge is going on here. Why does the school think it's okay for a teacher to shove a student for any reason?

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I hate to say this, but we need to face reality. In the Red states where so-called "Republicans" hold a political trifecta or have a veto-proof majority, they cannot be stopped from enacting their fascist, white Christian nationalist policies. Racial, religious, and gender minorities in those states are in the same position as Jews in 1930s Germany. They should get out now at any cost.

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Disgusting. That teacher should be fired and have her license taken away. You simply should not be allowed to behave this way. But since it's SC, well, I expect the only problem the powers that be have is that she didn't do it in the cameras blind spot. Which probably has a racist nickname.

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Repeat anything enough times and it becomes meaningless. Why would anyone ever need to pledge allegiance more than once? Patriotism, of course, is not the issue. It's all about rote conformity, and woe be unto whomever gets out of line. I'm a third generation war veteran who descends from at least six men who fought in the American revolution, and I've no use for the pledge.

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Good for her for having the great courage to stand up against the school and teacher who did this. Faktrism is a scourge our county is fighting and it seems to be even more difficult to eradicate than Covid.

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I wonder if this faketriot is going to pull out the "I'm a veteran and I won't stand for anyone disrespecting this country" card. Or even "My father fought in Vietnam/Iraq/Afghanistan..."

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Go Marissa, you have rights and it''s time they are respected.

"though none that involved a TEACHING physically attacking them."

Shouldn't be "Teacher' ? 🤔

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An aside from an outsider on the inside of Southern Christianity. Not only is this woman racist and nationalistic she is a sectarian Pentecostal. Her hairstyle (because of the angels, as Paul would say) and her dowdy "modest" skirt give her away. Her husband probably wears Wranglers and a ball cap. Jesus does not care if men hide their glory in a cap.

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You shouldn't be laying hands on a student unless there is some danger involved. The only time I ever did it was to break up a fight, and even then apparently it was only marginally okay. I was a volunteer at the time, and obviously things had changed in the 20 years or so I had been out of education.

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I'm not surprised it was a special Ed teacher. That profession tends to attract a lot of really shitty people because it gives them access to extremely vulnerable kids who get ignored and disregarded even more than regular kids tend to be. They're also much more isolated.

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Mar 11·edited Mar 11

To Nicole "Muscles" Livingston:

Dear Dodo...

It seems the teacher is in need of an education. Look up West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624 (1943) and read what it has to say. That SCOTUS decision is still the law of the land, even in the little fascist dreamworld you exist in.

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