Wow. I couldn't believe how many replies my last post got. I never thought anyone would want to read it, let alone offer up such wonderful commentary. The more I read about IBS, the more I'm sure that's it. It just makes too much sense and sounds too familier. Now it's just a waiting game (as always) until someday perhaps I might have the money to see a doctor about it. I guess though it's a small comfort to know that someone can understand and relate. I think I might make some more posts about it, but either over in my LJ or other so that those who don't want that kind of information can avoid it.
The Lightning go to game seven
Dammit! Last night was an intense game. Game six of the conference finals and the Lightning had a chance to win and move on to play Calgary for the Cup. They made a big mistake with a pass to no one in front of the net which was quickly grabbed by a Flyer who proceeded to score. They were winning though, 4-3 when, with only 1:49 left on the clock for the entire game, the Flyers snuck in a goal to tie it up. Which took us to overtime. In overtime, it was tied - though the Lightning had a few good chances, the Flyers were just all over the puck - until 1:42 left when they scored and won the game. Dammit. So, they're back here in FL for game seven. Whomever wins that one, goes on to play for the Cup. Come on 'Bolts, you can do it!
Welcome to Nazi Fucking Germany
Orb found one of the most scary stories yet in this wash of New American Censorship that's sweeping the country. Hard lessons from poetry class: Speech is free unless it's critical
A high school student wrote a poem that was critical of Bush, the war in Iraq, and the condition of schools. She was called "un-American" by a military liason at the school. Her teacher was fired for it. Her mother (also a teacher at the school) was told to destroy the poem and is risking termination for her denial to. They've also banned the reading, writing and teaching of poetry in the school. And the principal's educated response to people disagreeing with his decision and his political viewpoint? Screaming "Shut your faces!" at them.
Are we living in fucking Nazi Germany? This all happened in a New Mexico school. A school in the United States of America who's very foundation was based on freedom and liberty and the protection of speech. Who's founding fathers not only recognized that it was the right of every citizen to question the government, but that it was their duty. And now we have military officers in schools, chastising kids, firing teachers and imposing the most absurd restrictions on people's basic, core rights? Book burning isn't far behind in a world like this.
I am sickened by this. Utterly, utterly made ill.
I'm going to copy her poem here as well because I feel it deserves to be read by as many people as possible.
Revolution X by Courtney
Bush said no child would be left behind
And yet kids from inner-city schools
Work on Central Avenue
Jingling cans that read
Please sir, may I have some more?
They hand out diplomas like toilet paper
And lower school standards
Because
Underpaid, unrespected teachers
Are afraid of losing their jobs
Funded by the standardized tests
That shows our competency
When I'm in detox.
This is the Land of the Free ...
Where the statute of limitations for rape is only five damn years!
And immigrants can't run for President.
Where Muslims are hunted because
Some suicidal men decided they didn't like
Our arrogant bid for modern imperialism.
This is the Land of the Free ...
You drive by a car whose
Bumper screams
God bless America!
Well, you can scratch out the B
And make it Godless
Because God left this country a long time ago.
The founding fathers made this nation
On a dream and now
Freedom of Speech
Lets Nazis burn crosses, but
Calls police to
Gay pride parades.
We somehow
Can afford war with Iraq
But we can't afford to pay the teachers
Who educate the young who hold the guns
Against the "Axis of Evil"
Land of the Free ...
This is the land
If you're politically assertive
They call you a traitor and
Damn you to ostracism.
Say good-bye to Johnny Walker Lindh
And his family.
Bye Bye
American Pie.
So maybe
My ideas about this nation
Don't resolve around perfection
But at least I know
Education is more important
Than money.
Land of the Free . . .
If this was utopia
We'd have to see each other naked
Before we got married
But instead, we see each other naked all the time
Because the government has my social security number
And the name of my dog!
And then we make babies,
But don't worry, they won't be left behind
And they grow up saying
God bless America!
But they don't know who Bush is
Because they never learned the Presidents.
And they will ride the ship Amistad
To our dreamland shores
Bearing the same shackles as us.
I'm here to say that
Generation X
Is pissed and we are taking over,
Ripping down the American illusion of perfection
We are the future generation
I have my qualifications
I know it looks like Angel Soft paper,
But don't worry
It's a diploma
Do I look qualified?
You can take our toilet paper,
But you can't take our Revolution.
Yeah, that's worth taking a shit on the Bill of Rights for isn't it?
~ flowers bloom near Memory and Dream
at 5/21/2004 11:23:25 AM ~
~
