Why is an 18-year old high school student drawing the ire of Governor Sam Brownback (R-KS)? Did she lie about anything the Governor did? Lord knows we have had enough scandals in the Governor's mansions in our country. Did she lie about something he said? Plenty of examples of politicians putting their foot in their mouths. DId she hurl a shoe at his head while he was speaking at her school?!?!?
No, what this young woman did, probably not for the most political of reasons and not in any elegant way, was to tweet that she had said a mean comment at him. She said he sucked. And she used the twitter-verse hashtag of #heblowsalot.
Was it true? Did she say it? No. But she wanted to because she was mad at him for saying he was going to cut the entire arts budget for the state.
Who cares, you ask? Who would care what an 18-year old girl tweets, out of the millions of tweets out there? Apparently the Governor's staff cares. They actually contacted the girl's school and demanded a letter of apology from her.
Okay, lets take a moment to raise our collective jaws off the floor.
She has since decided not to write the letter. In a tweet she writes, "I've decided not to write the letter but I hope this opens the door for average citizens to voice their opinion & to be heard! #goingstrong."
And bravo for her for doing so. First, the only thing she MAY have done to warrant anyone being upset is that she was tweeting during a school event. No biggie. Slap on the wrist from the school. Second, no one should tell another person that they have to apologize when they did nothing to warrant an apology.
Third, well third, shame on Brownback, his staff and the school administration.
Shame on the Governor's staff for thinking this young girl's tweet, which meant nothing until they decided to attack - would never have even seen the light of national attention (equating to national attention of the Governor's plans to cut the arts), had they just shook their heads and moved on.
Shame on Governor Brownback for allowing his staff to take this action and to continue allowing them to attack a young woman's freedoms.
Shame on the school for going along with the members of the Governor's staff in demanding the letter of apology. Going so far as to tell her what talking points she should use in it. They should be protecting her rights, not allowing some gung-ho toehead to bully her. And that is just what this is. Bullying. By a government official.
Shame on the lot of them and cheers for Ms Sullivan for standing up for herself.
Agree or disagree, I don't really care. Just as long as I get you to think for yourself on the issue of our freedoms and who is in the right in this case, then I have done my job. Either way, this is just me, Thinking Out Loud.
Have a great day.
Charles
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