Note Found In Vandalized Classroom: "A Republican Was Here."

[paft.livejournal.com]

Boston Herald.com

When the teacher, Paul Clifford, returned to his classroom Monday morning, he discovered that a collage depicting the history of the labor movement was missing. In its place, someone had left a bumper sticker reading: 'Working People Vote Republican.'

Caucus members also apparently looked inside a closed cardboard box near Clifford’s desk that contained copies of the U.S. Constitution donated by the American Civil Liberties Union. Clifford later discovered a note left behind reading, 'A Republican was here. What gives you the right to propagandize impressionable kids?' according to an account in the Portland Press Herald.

A public school in Maine allowed a contingent of Republicans to meet in their classrooms over a weekend. The result was a rifled and vandalized classroom and stolen materials.

It’s nice to know that the Maine Republican Party had the grace to apologize:

Villagesoup:

The Maine Republican Party does not condone the destruction of property nor does it encourage the lack of tolerance that these people demonstrated. Over 900 other people attended these caucuses without incident and I hope that the actions of few do not tarnish the image of many. We appreciate the hospitality of the staff from the King Middle School and hope to work with them again in the future. We sincerely apologize to the faculty and student body at King Middle School.

The problem is, that same contingent rooting around and looting the classroom – the Knox County Republicans -- is influential enough to have replaced the Republican Party Platform with one more to the liking of Tea Party activists.

In short, the vandals are the ones writing the party platform in that state.

But they're just a fringe group right? I mean, just because they're actually writing the Maine Republican Party platform doesn't mean anything. Right?

Comments

[a-new-machine.livejournal.com]

Fair point, and not one I've considered. I mean, the Republicans have always had their useless shows of support for doomed "small government" measures (somebody always introduces a doomed bill to kill the IRS or the Dept of Education or something), so I'm not sure that'd work for me. Perhaps such a measure getting the majority of the elected Republican caucus that was up for reelection in any given cycle. Or a large number of insurgent Tea Partiers getting elected to federal rep slots in 2010. What "a large number" is, I'm not certain. It's honestly not something I'd thought about.

[paft.livejournal.com]

Why not?

[a-new-machine.livejournal.com]

I tend towards political observer, rather than political activist. Whatever happens in politics, white male lawyers (which I hope to end up as) tend to do pretty well. I'm also skeptical of my impact on any of these movements, on how effective I can be at "fighting" it.

Not that I'm indifferent to causes I like. I'm spending much of this summer doing appellate work for indigent clients. I'm just disenchanted with the political process in general. Guess that's why I'm not so annoyed by "activist" judges. *shrug*

[paft.livejournal.com]

???

What does this have to do with "activist judges?"

[a-new-machine.livejournal.com]

They bypass the political process to enact policy. That's kinda the whole point. It was mostly unrelated. Sorry, I do that.

[paft.livejournal.com]

If it's unrelated, why bring it up?

[a-new-machine.livejournal.com]

Because I like rambling? And looking back on it, I was probably trying to say that I prefer judicial change, due to its direct effect and generally binding character, but then got distracted and forgot what I was talking about. That's depressingly common.