FRONT PAGE
THE TIMES THEY ARE A CHANGIN’
There’s an old song that has words that made sense back then, as so many of them do: “If your breath to you is worth saving, then you better start swimming or you’ll sink like a stone…for the times they are a-changing.”
The change in the times is being felt deeper and deeper in this culture, and illustrated by a recent incident that happened on Veteran’s Day last week. The Traver Elementary School, located in town of Linn was having a special appreciation event where many students and parents were gathered to hear the patriotic comments of a former Air Force Officer, long since retired. The band played and the colonel spoke, and then the floor was opened for questions. A young lady, known for her work with disabled children (she is the sole delivery person for one disabled child brought to the school by her, every day), asked if she could ask a question. The colonel said she could.
Here was her question: “In your opinion, do you believe President-elect Trump can handle the military even though I think he may be assassinated, anyway?” That was the question, and the asking of it created first a small series of local social explosions; the choir director immediately cut off the question and answer session, and said that the question was inappropriate and then Traver School director moved to sit down right next to the questioner in an act of direct physical intervention. The session was over, but not the incident. The woman left the school and went home. The police were called in by the school. The police went to the woman’s home to inform her that her presence on school grounds would no longer to be tolerated. She was banned from the grounds and buildings of Traver school for asking the question.
Her church was called; the Presbyterian Church located by the fire station over there by Luis’s Restaurant. Her pastor listened to the ‘voices’ about their opinion of the woman’s question and the pastor promptly fired the woman from her job as a Sunday School teacher. With that trauma, and the trauma of the police presence at her front door, the woman now lives in terror of strangers, or the police, coming to her door to either arrest her, do violence to her or her pets.
What happened that Friday at Traver Elementary School which brought about such a heated and hard-bitten response? In again reading the question that the woman asked of the Air Force Colonel, is the substance of it sufficient to have generated such punitive actions? Has the public become totally immune to the messages it receives twenty-four hours a day that are much more descriptive, threatening and even down right disgusting, then asking a question, that certainly has some thread of culpability on the part of the questioner, and treating it as if it is a psychologically harming statement made to the sheltered ears of a student body? A student body of children escorted by their parents, with teachers and educational managers on hand? Have the times already changed, following this most contentious and controversial election of everyone’s lifetime, to such an extent that all verbal and written expression, bar that of the candidate who won that election, is to be taken for the intrinsic truth, even when no search for that meaning is ever conducted?
Are the Town of Linn, Traver School, the Presbyterian Church and even the police authorities going to follow a template laid down and repeated in many cultures of the distant and recent past where the right to ask a question is limited to what might be in the question, with a resulting punishment for asking it without prior approval draconian? No matter who is elected president in the United States the rights of all citizens, according to the constitution, are to be upheld. Where is the line to be drawn? Was it the word “assassination” that kicked off this seeming over-reaction, or was it something deeper and darker. If we silence those we do not agree with, then eventually we silence ourselves.
There’s another spin to this story. If the person had simply asked the question “In your opinion, do you believe President-elect Trump can handle the military?” that would have been a perfectly acceptable and pertinent question. The problem was that she just couldn’t help herself and threw in the assassination quip. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that a smarmy comment such as that would evoke some ruffled feathers.
One has the right to speak their peace. One has the right to say what they wish. Others also have the right to hold you accountable for what you said and take actions they deem appropriate.
I agree with you Michael, she could easily have left off the assassination part of the question, considering the state of our country right now, I found it inflammatory and I believe she intended it to be that way. Imagine if the shoe were on the other foot and someone had asked the same question about president elect Obama. What an uproar there would have been. Of course she should be able to ask a question, at the same time she could have used a little common sense while asking it. Trump has been receiving death threats already, we don’t need to add gasoline to the fire.
Well stated Grace.
The article focuses on the Right to say it,
not whether it was appropriate and were the reactions in best interest of a Free Society?
I think you hit the nail on the head with your shoe on the other foot comment. I’d be willing to bet that this same woman would have been outraged if a person would have asked the same question the same way about Obama.
And that brings up the real point, that being that just because you have the “right” to do something doesn’t mean you should exercise that right. That question could have been asked in a civil manner that would have allowed for a free and open discussion but she CHOSE to turn it into a veiled cheap shot. She had the right to ask, but a little common sense and common decency would have steered her away from adding the unnecessary assassination part.
A really great example for the kids present don’t ask the wrong question or maybe don’t ask questions at all? I see nothing wrong with her question considering the tone of the ongoing demonstrations in our country. America is not Normandy Rockwell’s Apple pie land anymore. And the current revelations about how our government operates should make that clear to everyone. I’m sorry this poor lady had to be terrorized and punished just because she asked a question.
Your story is missing so many facts. How dare you slander an amazing school, police department, and community. Have you done any research besides a one-sided story? It’s because of people like you this nation is so divided, and then to delete comments on your story because you don’t like what’s being said is violating my first amendment right. Your double standards are unbelievable! I hope people will see the truth about what you’re doing to our community and stop taking your fake words as gospel!
Where was any Slander in the article.
We delete Foul Language and direction that is not germane to the story.
Jen-
Half of what gets reported in this paper is usually missing facts and truth to the situation. It’s always been that way and always will be that way, until it gets shut down. They don’t care who they may offend or hurt in the process, as long as they can have their free speech, and others cannot. Very sad..
Isaiah,
How would this paper get “Shut Down”?
Is there a new program on the books we are not aware of?
No one is forced to read anything printed, at least not so far in this Country.
Which words did you deem Fake?
And your rights have nothing to do with it.
Read it or not…
Currently there are no laws forcing you to read, follow or communicate anything.
Might not be true in the future?
I think there was a more appropriate way to ask the question at an elementary school. Asking a question and sharing your opinion are two different things!
This was a presentation at an elementary school, not a political venue. In my opinion it was not appropriate to ask a veteran for his opinion on the current political state of our nation nor was the assassination comment appropriate. It put the veteran in a very awkward situation at best, and completely changed the tone of the assembly.
If she would’ve asked a question about the veteran’s military service or another question appropriate for an elementary-school audience, great. Politics does not belong in the classroom at the elementary level, especially interjecting opinions in the middle of a non-political discussion.
Kudos to the various administrators who showed her that we have the right to free speech but also consequences for our choices.
Leigh,
You can’t have war and veterans without the politics that put them there.
If the children have family members that have been lost or broken because of war, they know what the assembly is about. This is an assembly about war and the causalities of it, along with its effect on the community and country. It’s of remembrance and respect to those who have been there, for those who live here. It’s all about politics and the causalities of it, that is a fact.
They opened the mic for questions and comments. She asked a question. She was not wrong.
The children should feel safe to ask questions, it is how we grow into a community of understanding.
“Nobody told me there’d be days like these”!
This sounds like inverted totalitarianism. We can’t question authority, in our community? WOW!
To have an answer, we must first question…
She may not have phrased the questioned correctly or should I say without opinion, but she didn’t call on his assassination, she thinks he could be assassinated, and the fact IS every president has had that threat, so she is not off base with assuming that, and she only asked about the military chain of command because he is so volatile. I think there were enough educated people in that room that could have answered that question, and I’m sorry no one stepped up to that teaching moment for all.
I think the police, church, school and a couple citizens should bring the women a casserole and apologize, she didn’t deserve that kind of treatment from her community. This is the time we PROVE OUR CHARACTER, do the right thing.
As a member of “the Presbyterian church on the hill” I was saddened to read only one side of the story as presented by your report. It was not about free speech but about the appropriateness of the words spoken when they were that caused her censure. Perhaps a little more investigative reporting on the part of the paper, like speaking to all the people directly involved in the this unfortunate incident would have given a more even picture of not only the incident itself, but of the subsequent actions taken. As to the person herself, “the Presbyterian church on the hill” has not and will not turn away from her. She is a loved and cherished member of our family.
We thank you for that update and commend the congregation for being so generous with your understanding.
We are sure the person will be enjoying the warmth and love.