Jun 19, 2012
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UPDATE: Mega-dittos to Rush Limbaugh for reading our story on the air Tuesday. Here’s a link to Rush’s commentary.
A group of New York City children banned from singing “God Bless the USA” at a graduation ceremony were heckled by adults when they sang the song at a nearby playground.
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The protest had been organized by parents at PS 90 in Coney Island. They were outraged after principal Greta Hawkins banned kindergartners from performing the song at their graduation ceremony. Staffers said the principal was worried the patriotic anthem might offend other cultures.
She also feared that the Lee Greenwood song would not be age-appropriate for the youngsters – concerns shared by the New York City Dept. of Education.
Among those attending the protest was Rep. Bob Turner (R-NY) who had been invited by parents. Turner is running for the U.S. Senate against Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).
“I thought it would be a great idea,” Turner said. “The kids were a delight.”
According to video of the incident, boys and girls were waving American flags and singing “God Bless the USA” when adults began swarming and shouting.
They were shouting down the kids as they were singing,” Turner told Fox News Radio. “This was really bad form.”
The website Politicker transcribed some of the protest.
“You Republicans come go to a Republican area and do that, we don’t do that here,” one of the hecklers said. “This is ridiculous, this is sad. This is so crazy. This is sad.”
A Turner staffer can be heard off camera asking the protesters to stop – and to “let the kids sing.”
“The kids don’t even know what they’re singing,” the unidentified protester replied. “They got something you tell them to say. It’s ridiculous. It’s sad, sad, sad. You all are going to burn in hell. You all burn in hell. Shame on you. Shame on you.”
At one point, a tattooed protester cursed.
“You got a right to make noise, I got a right to make noise,” the protester said.
The video shows boys and girls as they began chanting, ‘USA USA” in an attempt to drown out the protesters.
Turner accused the Gillilbrand campaign of orchestrating the hecklers. He said at least one “tracker” from her campaign was present filming the altercation.
“These people were doing some provocative things to get some sort of a news story,” Turner told Fox News Radio. “We can have our political differences, but I thought this was over the top.”
Glen Caplin, a spokesman for the Gillibrand campaign said it was outrageous to think that they had anything to do with the incident.
“This is a bizarrely-false claim,” Caplin said in a statement to Fox News Radio. “No one from our campaign had anything to do with the mayhem of this event. Young schoolchildren know the difference between the truth and make-believe, so it’s too bad Congressman Turner didn’t learn anything from the kids.”
Turner said Gillibrand needs to explain herself.
“That would be a good starting point,” he said.
Todd Starnes is the author of “Dispatches From Bitter America.” Get your copy by clicking here!
FOX News Talk
Delores Vann is a disgusting excuse for a human being. They are offended by patriotism? What is wrong with these people? "Go sing that in a republican area! We don't do that here." Is it the mentioning of God? Is it being proud to be an American? And what is with the accusations of racism? It seems that the protesters don't know what the song is about. Those people heckling those children should be ashamed of themselves.
That one guy was such a hypocrite. He is spouting off about his right to speak while trying to deny that right to others and had the nerve to shout "don't shush me"
Those Stupid Republicans! They don't believe in KILLING BABIES, I believe it's called an Abortion, now why would those stupid Republicans be against that..And they tell me they're even against that SAME SEX MARRIAGE thing, you know, where… a man and a man and a women and a women get married. Now what kind of MAN or WOMEN would be against that…especially when Mr. Obama approves it! I heard it's because they believe in GOD and HIS Word, something they call the BIBLE..Those Republicans, I tell you what..and they don't even think it's right for Illegal Immigrants to come across the US borders Illegally because they say it's against the LAW…How Stupid…They even think the US should protect the American Citizens and their FREEDOM no matter what! WOW Stupid again.. OH YES…those stupid Republicans, they didn't even want to go after Bin Laden…that is why they let Mr. Obama do it..That was sorry of them..Poor Mr. Obama, he had to do it all by his self…and the Republicans, they're so stupid they didn't want Obamacare just because most of the American people was against it… but Mr. Obama, bless his heart he pushed it right on through.. All I have to say is…Those stupid Republicans, they don't know wrong when it's starring them in the face.
What a shame. Just a silly, silly shame. Protesting a bunch of school children. I don't care if it was politically based or not. They're just kids.
Let me see if I have this right, kids were taught in school to sing "Barack Hussein Obama, mmm, mmm, mmm", and these people have a problem with "God Bless the USA." Who is actually being indoctrinated, kids learning a song that is about loving a country, or kids being led by their teacher to sing a song praising Obama? Then you have the guy walking around screaming about how this is racist. There wee kids of many races there. The fact that someone is afraid of "offending' someone of a different culture, because kids are going to sing a patriotic song in AMERICA, is what is screwed up. If someone is offended because a song praises our country, perhaps, they are in the wrong country. I just have the words to Merle Haggard's song running thru my head; from "Fightin' Side of Me" "If you don't love it, leave it."
GOD BLESS AMERICA! The video is o most to much to watch Very sad.
I read a comment to the effect that kids shouldn't be used for politics or as a musical instruments. I wonder if these were the same people who taught all the children in our public schools to sing songs praising obama or the same people in OWS using their children as shields during the protests. these people are no different than radical islam hiding their missile bases in schools.
Todd Starnes and his army of idiots. I love the comments! Don't ever stop Starnes. Herp Derp 4 life!
All those Democrats ought to be rounded up and shipped off to Cuba where God and America aren't present since they hate it so much. Bunch of delusional, idiotic, BRAINWASHED, nitwits.
HOW ARE THESE THUGS ALOUD TO GET NEAR CHILDREN? SOMETHINGS REALLY WRONG!
It's :ALLOWED", Brent-not "aloud" as in "Rush Windbag read this article "aloud" to further distort the truth of this story; i.e., that it had NOTHING to do with "God" but was in fact good parenting"
Oh, don't be a grammar Nazi. It is a cheap way to make yourself feel superior to others so you don't have to debate the substance of what they have to say.
A valid argument would be that the first amendment protects the free speech of rude, loud-mouthed, uncivil jackasses as much as it does children singing harmless patriotic songs. The parents took their kids to the park to be free of the school's rules. As a trade off they also did not have the protection of the school to keep thugs and miscreants away from their kids.
i support the first amendment , it just when kids are in the situation we should not act like idiots . you can't fight little kids trying to sing a song,
Zizzer Zazzer Zuzz drink the kool-aid , and shut up
Zizzer Zazzer Zuzz drink the kool-aid , and shut up
Brent, Kool Aid is a Konservative drink. Go change your Depends.
Brent, Kool Aid is a Konservative drink. Go change your Depends.
James Lightfoot Can't argue about that First Amendment thang, James. Unfortunately though, you seem to be stuck on stupid–I have repeatedly said that I don't support the protesters.
HOWEVER, a much MORE responsible parenting move would have been not to USE and EXPLOIT their children to further their misinformed agenda.
And James? I've been arguing that content of what you've been saying all along now. Somehow, YOU can't seem to process the facts that I've presented. Either that, or you're simply not interested in the Truth? Is it more comfortable inventing this alternate reality where this silly issue has something to do with patriotism or God? Cuz it doesn't. It was a decision to protect the kids. Why don't you come over to the side of the Truth?
thang is not a word grama nazi! haaahaa you hide behind a avatar , who cares what you say?
zizzer, what you call truth makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. You keep saying that the evil right wing conspiracy did some despicable deed by gathering children to sing in a park. I believe you think it is true, but that doesn't make it true. You just sound ridiculous to keep repeating that. If you want to defend the principal's decision to cut the song, I'm fine with that. Reasonable people can disagree. But why you keep trying to demonize the parents who disagreed with that decision and decided their kids could sing the song anyway is beyond me. Look at the facts rather than the twisted left wing propaganda machine sin on it. There is nothing sinister here except in those hecklers. The parents and the principal had a difference of opinion on what songs are appropriate for their children. That's all there is to this.
That's so RUDE… and HORRIBLE… this IS America, right? Why would AMERICANS be offended by a positive song about AMERICA? How freaking STUPID is that, first of all? Second of all, why would they attack a bunch of grammar school children that way? That's just… sick and tacky. Something is WRONG with those people…
That's so RUDE… and HORRIBLE… this IS America, right? Why would AMERICANS be offended by a positive song about AMERICA? How freaking STUPID is that, first of all? Second of all, why would they attack a bunch of grammar school children that way? That's just… sick and tacky. Something is WRONG with those people…
Stay classy, liberals.
Our country is FUCKED..
buy ammo.
BUY CHEESE!
These children are proof that there are wonderful God fearing parents teaching their children the truth about how blessed they are to be Americans. It is an encouragement to all thankful Citizens of the USA. Those who neither respect it or are not thankful to be here should leave, I agree. They are a stench to the true fabric that makes a strong and moral society. Father thank you for these children and their parents, bless them and give them courage and strength to continue to take a stand for what is good and right and true. Help us all to be willing to do the same at every opportunity for we know that all it takes for evil to prevail is for good people to do nothing, in Jesus, Amen.
Wow! Ditto! God bless the USA!
Isn't the first time conservatives hosted a fake "Protest" to prove a "point", Won't be the last.
Facpalm. What a bunch of jerks to do that to the kids. Way to make your cause look better idiots.
first of all id like to know what kind of a society we live in that allows adults to scream in the face of young children to express their unsolicited opinions. I saw the look on the kids faces. some of them were terrified and others were totally stunned that adults were shouting at theM, One of the protest participants is a known street agitator and one was a wino with a harmonica. why did the police just stand there and make no attempt to remove the adults from close proximity to the children?
WHAT KIND OF ADULTS TREAT KIDS THE WAY THESE SO CALLED PROTESTERS DID? OUR COUNTRY IS SICK SICK SICK AND THE LACK OF WILLINGNESS OF THE AUTHORITIES TO ENFORCE THE LAW IS APPALLING. THE KIDS HAD EVERY RIGHT TO BE PROTECTED FROM SCREAMING ADULTS LESS THAN TWO FEET FROM THEIR FACES.
i don't know what kind of mayor NYC has now or what kind of idiots run the NYPD but I am sure as hell glad I moved to Oklahoma. if a group of adults pulled this crap in front of young children, they would be seeking medical attention and then going directly to jail.
Neck tats..'nuff said.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/17/nyregion/greta-hawkins-a-principal-trampled-in-the-rush-to-vilify.html?_r=4
Where are the Americans? Screw the MUSLIMS! We were here before them. Keep it up you politically correct whackos! Those religious zealots will soon be controlling America! Mark my words! I cannot go in a store all covered up or they think I will rob the store! You let these women or men dressed in those long black robes with covered faces who can bomb the store you are in at anytime. I see one and I leave the store and everything in the basket!
Zizzer- how can you say the right is pursuing a "destructive, self-enriching agenda" when the democrat agenda since 2006 has been to destroy any vestige of traditional Americana (illustrated by the protesters in this video) and to spend us into oblivion with new entitlement programs and by enriching their cronies in the failed green energy business (Obama with Solyndra)? That sounds pretty destructive and self-enriching to me.
The left DOES NOT own compassion or altruism. In fact, they're not even borrowing it! You wanna talk about politicians using angry people to shore up a voting bloc? How about Obama's comments toward the gay community? Or his unilateral amnesty for illegal immigrants? The democrat party has used people, like union workers, for GENERATIONS to manufacture outrage, fill their campaign coffers, and secure disgruntled votes. Now, I don't believe at all that that's what these children were used for but, even if they were, it's funny to see how outraged most liberals become when they perceive their own tactics being used against them.
Round up all those people who were disrespectful and un-American as the kids tried to sing. Then put them on a plane and air drop them into Iraq or Afghan and let them see how far they get. They would all be dead in a few short hours. I, personally would love to get my hands on the bastdard who was standing to the left, yelling at the kids. He would never do it again.
These people who were yelling and protesting our flag would also protest our Military members, so I must ask just where do they think all of their freedom comes from? The freedom they take for granted, the freedom to face those Brave children to act UnAmerican, the Freedom to speak their mind(what little they may have,) I wonder would they stand next to a service member and fight for those rights, or would they turn and run like cowards? This is what angers me, these people who mock our flag, who hate our anthem, why are they here? Why don't they leave go to the countries who will allow them to live in the Conditions they so obviously want to live in? I'm quite sure there are many Americans who would be very happy to help buy them a ONE WAY TICKET to the Country of their Choice so our Nation can get back to Healing, and Remembering what this Once Great Nation was Founded On! So I have an idea! Leta start our own "DREAM ACT" lets form a Facebook page for all of these people so they can log on choose the Country they want to relocate to then help them, "Help Us" finally have our Dream come true and they can have theirs as well! God Bless those Children and thier Parents, and God Bless our Military and their Families and GOD BLESS AMERICA!
Ive got a great idea, and I learned this from the neo-cons. Get a bunch of atheist kids. Have them stand in front of a public school and sing a song titles "Godless America: True Americans don't believe". Then, when the religious right wingers show up to complain and froth at the mouth, we question their patriotism, because our innocent children are obviously singing a patriotic song, and therefore the religious people are screaming at the kids because they hate America.
I though Imagine by John Lenin was the communist, atheist, anarchist, Utopian anthem. It is a song very insulting to people of faith. Feel free to sing it to your heart's content. That's what freedom is all about. Free speech only matters when it protects the things you don't want to hear.
Atheist? Yes = Anarchist? Yeah, pretty much accurate there. = Communist? Not authoritarian "Soviet" style, but more "Syndicalist" anti-authoritarian style. We prefer, as always, the word "Cooperative". Utopian? Absolutely not. Those of us, like John Lennon, on the Left Libertarian scale of politico-social thought, do not promise pie in the sky. In fact we Anarcho-syndicalists were the ones who came up with the phrase "pie in the sky" to describe Communism and capitalism (We oppose both on different grounds) and especially Christians who take advantage of both to make themselves look helpful and "meek". Who gives a fuck if it insults people of faith. Fuck them. they are part of the problem, encouraging the vicious circle of slave/master. That isnt freedom! …you have much to learn about real freedom.
What's so offensive about this?
If tomorrow all the things were gone,
I’d worked for all my life.
And I had to start again,
with just my children and my wife.
I’d thank my lucky stars,
to be livin here today.
‘ Cause the flag still stands for freedom,
and they can’t take that away.
And I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘ Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.
From the lakes of Minnesota,
to the hills of Tennessee.
Across the plains of Texas,
From sea to shining sea.
From Detroit down to Houston,
and New York to L.A.
Well there's pride in every American heart,
and its time we stand and say.
That I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘ Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.
And I’m proud to be and American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘ Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.
WTH?! What is wrong with these people? Since when is this a Republican song? And since when is it wrong to sing it or show your patriotism? If they hate this country so bad maybe they should just leave!
GET BACK TO WORK PEOPLE AND STOP WASTING TIME POSTING COMMENTS, MILLIONS ON WELFARE DEPEND ON YOU!
A little 4th of July fodder, and a reminder that our Independence is determined upon not only what our founding fathers put in place, but our ability to make sure we uphold The Constitution – the greatest written document for life, liberty, prosperity and pursuit of happiness ever created. Our President thinks the "document" is "limiting to our detriment." I believe it's the greatest blue print of Liberty and is divinely inspired. If the Supreme Court can't get it done, we'd better be damn clear come November that We The People CAN get it done. We don't need another Regime "change." We need to do some serious house cleaning.
How many of you attended a 4th of July parade today, and while watching it had prevailing discourse that you were looking into the past rather than the present, as people lined the streets to somehow touch the past of our Great Nation? You think the idiots in this video attended along side you today? They probably did. These morons are among us. While watching the Model T's drive by in the parade, how many of you felt it slipping away and are resolved to truly make a difference at the polls this year? You need to get five people to the polls this year. Five people who would normally not go. If we ALL do that we will get it back. We're primed for a bullish market if the right administration makes the right decisions. Otherwise, if we keep going the direction we're headed, we'll look back on this 4th and this video tape and have only ourselves to blame. The idiots are running the asylum. Time to take it back. We need to roll tape back another 100 years to get it done. Our children and grand children depend upon it.
And yet when children sing Obama's praises, and sing HIS songs of praise, perhaps they should have Greenwood declared a bigot if he doesn;t change the song to Obama bless the USA!
I don't understand. people come to the U.S.A to get away from their miserable country's. Then they are offended by our country's songs. If they hate it so much they can go back where they came from.