Student ad triggers debate Warwick High sophomore's ad 'undercuts military

[ElsewheresDaughter]

http://www.recordonline.com/archive/2005/10/18/dad18.htm



Warwick – If creating a buzz is rule No. 1 in advertising, then an anonymous Warwick Valley High School sophomore has a bright future.
Set on a backdrop of neat rows of tombstones, a full-page ad in October's The Survey, Warwick Valley High School's monthly student-run newspaper, reads:
"You can't be all that you can be if you're dead. There are other ways to serve your country. There are other ways to get money for college. There are other ways to be all you can be.
THINK ABOUT IT. Before you sign your life away."
The ad was created and paid for by a Warwick student who is a member of the Bruderhof community, a Christian-based communal order in Sugar Loaf that preaches pacifism. And since appearing last week, the ad has sparked controversy in the school district and the community and provoked lively First Amendment debates among students and teachers in the classroom.
The ad was approved by the school's journalism teacher and faculty adviser for The Survey, Denise Markt, and Randy Barbarash, the school's principal.
"I knew the ad would be controversial, but we felt it had a place in our publication as a matter of free speech," Barbarash said. "It has definitely been the source of some lively discussion in the classrooms."
Chris Zimmerman, a member of the Bruderhof community, said the order, while it supports the student's effort and the ad's message, played no role in the ad's creation or placement.
Calling it a political ad with religious ties, some parents, faculty members and students say the ad undercuts those serving in the military and shouldn't have appeared in a tax-funded public school newspaper.

[Richard Steele]

1. NOW they're suddenly concerned about their "tax-funded newspaper"?

Well, cry me a river!

It's a PAID advertisement; and every statement in it
is quite obviously TRUE.

TRUTH HURTS, doesn't it?
At least it does when your DELUSIONAL worldview
gets too close to some FACTS.

[tk2kewl]

That should run in every paper in the country!

This kid should stand up and take credit for a great message!

[jedicord]

2. Tax-funded public school newspaper?

It's a PAID ad for chrissake. AND all of the students at that school get their names and phone numbers given to US military recruiters.

And it's funny how "religious ties" is suddenly a bad thing.

Great ad, by the way. Wish I could find out who this kid is so I can get permission to recreate it. That's an ad with a bang for its buck!

[ElsewheresDaughter]

3. i know the kid and the community....if you want permision IM me....

and i will see what i can do...his parents are friends of mine

[redwitch]

7. he is terrific, please tell him from me.

He may be saving a life or two, bless his caring heart and great graphic design skills. I would love to plaster this as a poster and billboard all over the country!

[ElsewheresDaughter]

8. i can say that i know that the zimmermans and chris would love it & allow

it

[redwitch]

11. Would MoveOn or some other organization be interested?

Maybe the American Friends Committee? Or their own religious organization? What is the cost to put up a billboard ad for a month? On the New Jersey turnpike! (Sure to be seen by millions of young people).

[kath]

21. It fits in very well with the pamphlets that Project YANO puts out. Maybe

they would be interested.

http://www.projectyano.org/

[Massacure]

9. I want to hang some of those as posters at my school.

We have recruiters here about every two weeks during lunch. They always announce a representantive of such and such a branch of the military is around the day before, so I'll be sure to plaster the cafeteria with them when we get word again.

[mike_c]

20. please give this young man my regards and my gratitude....

I have immense respect for him.

[leQ]

35. mine too.... what a great poster that would make (eom)

[phylny]

42. Ah, you may live close to me.

I drive through Sugar Loaf twice a week, and Warwick is two towns south of here.

I heard about this on WCBS radio, and the announcer sounded either amused or not bothered by this at all.

[okieinpain]

5. yeah, I noticed that. christ sucks when he isn't on your side.

[warrens]

32. Religious ties?

Where in the ad does it even mention religion? They mean, the kid is religious? Are they really that stupid?

Hats off to that principal. Sane and intelligent. Wish I had had a principal like that when I was in high school.

[yellowcanine]

39. Yeah that's rich. Would they holler about an ad telling girls not to get

abortions because it was motivated by religion? I think not.

[sniffa]

4. undercuts the miLitary?

they mean "undercuts their abiLity to recruit impressionabLe high schooL kids."

which i'd say is the point.

nominated

[The_Casual_Observer]

10. GIs would still be getting killed in Vietnam if protesters

hadn't "undercut the military" - same argument used back then too.

[NoAmericanTaliban]

6. Surprised the right wingers don't burn down the school newspaper

room. What about 1st amendment rights - Freedom of Speech! Typical fascists move by calling the ad un american, helping the enemy, etc. This is a good ad & should be run all across the nation. Oh, & since when are religious ties bad - if they don't believe what you believe - aka religious fanatics like the Christan Right or the Taliban.

[knitter4democracy]

12. Yet another attack on students' rights.

Why am I not suprised? :eyes: I gave up being the student newspaper moderator as soon as I could. I hated that job--the kids wanted more freedom to do good pieces, and the admins wanted fluff pieces that made the school look good. I was in the middle. I will add that journalism teacher to my prayer list tonight.

[trogdor]

31. That's probably why my son's school doesn't have a paper.

More aggravation than it's worth. Of course, there's nothing keeping groups of students from starting blogs, which AREN'T subject to censorship by school admins.

[knitter4democracy]

33. That doesn't mean they're not trying.

Some schools are trying to make blogs come under their censorship rules. Schools, even public ones, have to worry about bad PR, just like anyone else, so they're worried about blogs and all.

School newspapers should have more leeway, though. The admins always worry about them getting out into the community, but there isn't much the community doesn't already know from the gossip network. It's just putting it in print that freaks them out.

[BrklynLiberal]

13. What a great kid. That ad should definitely be seen nationwide.

[MADem]

14. Send it to KO!!!!!!

That kid has a BRIGHT FUTURE!!!

[BrklynLiberal]

18. Done!

[superconnected]

15. So it'll probably get removed but the Army can put a recuriting ad in.

" Army Capt. William Bliss, in charge of recruiting at Warwick High, said the ad was misleading and the Army is exploring placing some of its own ads in The Survey.
"It's disappointing when you see something that blatantly attacks what you do and what you believe in a school newspaper," Bliss said. "But it's free speech, ideas and thoughts like that, whether you agree or not, the military is fighting to protect."
"

If I were a parent of those kids, I'd be all over that. This kid has a right and paid for the space.

[brainshrub]

16. The war in Iraq has nothing to do with our rights.

If you die in Iraq, you have wasted your life.

A million US soldiers could die in Iraq, and it wouldn't make us any more free.

[TechBear_Seattle]

17. The war in Iraq has EVERYTHING to do with our rights

I mean, come on! Because of this war, our rights keep getting more and more restricted. We see with this story how some people are trying to put the squeeze on our right to free speech and the right to a free press "in the national interest." If we don't fight back, the squeeze could easily become a stranglehold.

[saigon68]

34. Army Capt. William Bliss is an enabler for Murder and War Crimes

I wonder how he can sleep at night.

Oh yes in a heated waterbed


HIS QUOTE-------

"It's disappointing when you see something that blatantly attacks what you do and what you believe " (IE KILLING RAGHEADS FOR HALLIBURTON)

What an ASSCLOWN

[Miss Chybil]

19. This is an AWESOME f*cking ad. nt

[sendero]

29. No kidding..

.... that ad is BRILLIANT

[fed-up]

22. Awesome ad, would creator give blanket approval for copying/distributing??

I'm sure my son would love to spread some of these around his high school, heck, I would even post some around town!

Great Job!!!

What a clear message!!!

[ElsewheresDaughter]

24. i will be seeing the zimmermans tomorrow.and i know the answer is yes

[JerseygirlCT]

23. I don't understand this weird idea that

because something is tax-supported, it must be pro-military.

And because the person who placed and paid for the ad has a certain religious affiliation, this is now a religious ad?

[Usrename]

40. Just suspend all rational thought for a moment..

then I'm sure it will sink in. Just OBEY....

Kicked-

[BiggJawn]

25. "I refuse to believe what the ad says..."

"I understand the right to free speech and I support that. But I don't think it's appropriate for a school newspaper," Adams said. "I refuse to believe what the ad says. I refuse to believe those people who choose to join the military, like my two sons, are wasting their lives."

Maggie, perhaps you should talk to Cindy Sheehan? I hope her sons get home in one piece. Her FAUX-Nooz-rotted mind would probably flip out if she had 2 Marines at the door some evening...

"Army Capt. William Bliss, in charge of recruiting at Warwick High, said the ad was misleading and the Army is exploring placing some of its own ads in The Survey.
"It's disappointing when you see something that blatantly attacks what you do and what you believe in a school newspaper," Bliss said. "But it's free speech, ideas and thoughts like that, whether you agree or not, the military is fighting to protect.""

Yeah, really sucks when somebody points out that the used car you're trying to sell still has Lake Ponchatrain dripping out of the trunk, doesn't it?

Awww, Bill, why didn't you just go ahead and say "They got troops fighting for their right to Free Speech over there, so they just need to shut the fuck up!"

And finally...
MAJOR props to the young fellow who created that ad! You got a calling, dude!

[Hissyspit]

26. And now that they've raised a fuss, the ad is ALL OVER THE INTERNET

and not just in some high school newspaper. Good going, folks!

[Mad_Dem_X]

30. Exactly - it's getting more exposure

now that people have made a stink over it.

It's a great ad. Kudos to that student.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

27. Pat Robertson needs to talk with this kid

to teach him how REAL Christians think. :sarcasm:

[dalaigh lllama]

28. They called it a political ad with religious ties?

I see NO mention of religion in that ad. Hmmm, it does show a religious dedication to truth and common sense, however.
That ad is AWESOME. Kudos to the kid who came up with this.

[QuettaKid]

36. Let me just add as well....

AWESOME!!!

:toast: :toast: :toast:

[0007]

37. Absolutely fucking outstanding! Please dear student whoever you

are, you have a brain and will be heavily sought by the Republicans, they'll offer you a ton of money. Please, please give them a pass.

[Mairead]

38. So much for political freedom

"Zimmerman said the student has been told by school officials the district was pulling the ad for future issues."

How can anyone see something like this and STILL believe that minority rule is better than majority rule?

[Miss Chybil]

41. Freedom? If you want freedom,

you've got to move to Iraq. I think that's where they said they were sending ours - to Tikrit and areas east, south, north and west of there.