Jenna Bush not morally fit to teach kids at Harlem

[Steff]

New York, July 24 (ANI): Artists and Activists United for Peace, a black and Latino public-action group, have voiced their dissent over the US president George Bush's daughter Jenna teaching in a school at Harlem.

 

"We don't think she is of a high enough moral character to teach school, considering her past adventures," organizer John Penley was quoted by The New York Daily News as saying.

 

"Her taking this job is keeping a black person from getting the job. We think she and her sister should enlist in the military," he added. (ANI)

 

 

 

rolleyeyes.gif

[kapkomet]

Activists for peace... then telling people they should enlist. *cough cough cough*

 

And if this were just another "white girl" and not GWB's daughter, this wouldn't be news.

 

Politics suck.

 

(I think I am just going to put that in my sig.)

[Goldmember]

Politics suck.

well said...

[EvilMonkey]

I wonder if they think that Marion "The b**** set me up" Barry is morally fir to be Mayor of Washington DC. Or Jessie "Yup, I'm an out-of-wedlock dad" Jackson is morally fit to 'speak' for blacks? And last I heard, people of ANY color were not exactly beating down the doors for teaching jobs at inner city schools.

[southsider2k5]

New York, July 24 (ANI): Artists and Activists United for Peace, a black and Latino public-action group, have voiced their dissent over the US president George Bush's daughter Jenna teaching in a school at Harlem.

 

"We don't think she is of a high enough moral character to teach school, considering her past adventures," organizer John Penley was quoted by The New York Daily News as saying.

 

"Her taking this job is keeping a black person from getting the job. We think she and her sister should enlist in the military," he added. (ANI)

 

 

 

rolleyeyes.gif

She should sue for racial discrimination. Seriously. Reverse the colors of the skin, and tell me that there wouldn't be a firestorm going on. Why is it different when a rich white kid gets told they can't have a job because they are taking away from a black person?

[Yoda]

Politics suck.

 

(I think I am just going to put that in my sig.)

You're my hero

[cwsox]

I suspect the stated reason for objection is that she is a substance abuser.

 

I suspect the underlying reason is that she is the daughter of a certain someone.

 

That is the bad that goes with all the good. Between her trip to Europe and her Vogue sitting, I am sure she is not personally crushed here. But if her past legal conviction would not be an impediment to any other new teacher, it should not be to her either.

 

Evil Moneky, Marion Barry is a substance abuser. Jenna Bush is a substance abuser from a family with a history of substance abuse. The number of people born outside of marriage is ar more vast than you might imagine. I would not cast stones about the latter. As for the former, everyone deserves new opportunties, both Marion Barry and Jenna Bush (and her sister and her uncle and her cousin and her father and etc etc etc). Alcohol is a bad disease. I hope for Jenna's future personal happiness her prior experience with breaking the law has set her on a good course. But she does have a record. She should be treated the same as everyone else. Without knowing the standards for everyone that are applied in this situation, it is hard to comment but I would not want to hold a one time only mistake against her. Yet again, if she were Al Sharpton's daughter, would you be posting about alcoholics allowed to teach our children? Be fair.

[kapkomet]

I suspect the stated reason for objection is that she is a substance abuser.

 

I suspect the underlying reason is that she is the daughter of a certain someone.

 

That is the bad that goes with all the good. Between her trip to Europe and her Vogue sitting, I am sure she is not personally crushed here.  But if her past legal conviction would not be an impediment to any other new teacher, it should not be to her either.

 

Evil Moneky, Marion Barry is a substance abuser.  Jenna Bush is a substance abuser from a family with a history of substance abuse.  The number of people born outside of marriage is ar more vast than you might imagine.  I would not cast stones about the latter.  As for the former, everyone deserves new opportunties, both Marion Barry and Jenna Bush (and her sister and her uncle and her cousin and her father and etc etc etc).  Alcohol is a bad disease.  I hope for Jenna's future personal happiness her prior experience with breaking the law has set her on a good course.  But she does have a record.  She should be treated the same as everyone else.  Without knowing the standards for everyone that are applied in this situation, it is hard to comment but I would not want to hold a one time only mistake against her.  Yet again, if she were Al Sharpton's daughter, would you be posting about alcoholics allowed to teach our children? Be fair.

You suspect wrong. It is because it's Jenna Bush. Period. If this were a black person with the same "history", it wouldn't matter. That's what's BS about this... it's only news because it's Jenna Bush.

[cwsox]

You suspect wrong.  It is because it's Jenna Bush.  Period.  If this were a black person with the same "history", it wouldn't matter.  That's what's BS about this... it's only news because it's Jenna Bush.

What I suspect is neither right or wrong, merely what I suspect.

 

But didn't I state in my second sentence the same thing you just did?

 

If you want to state that you what it all is PERIOD then I think that is not true to human reality. In my human experience there are always a variety of reasons, never one Period. The human world is not 1 or 0 and no other choices, no matter IT tells us And I do not accept your if this were a black person theory. If it were the daughter of a prominent black politician, the same issues might be raised in an analogous position.

 

But that she is getting zoomed because she is the daughter of who she si the daughter of is in fact something that makes this newsworthy. I am said to say that for most of us, what our children do will neevr be news. But be it the daughter of G W Bush or the son of Al Gore, or a child of a Mick Jagger or Ted Williams, you get in trouble with the law or do something else, it is newsworthy.

[kapkomet]

And I do not accept your if this were a black person theory.  If it were the daughter of a prominent black politician, the same issues might be raised in an analogous position.

It wouldn't be news. No one would know. It's because it's Jenna Bush, not because she "has a record".

 

If this were Jesse Jackson's drunk illegitamate daughter (I don't know if he has an illegitamate daughter or not but I say this contrarily to make my point), this wouldn't even hit the radar screen.

[DBAHO]

Be warned children of Harlem, your teacher may stick her tongue out at you from time to time.

[southsider2k5]

I suspect the stated reason for objection is that she is a substance abuser.

Then don't mention that she is taking a job away from a black person. Talk about her other problems. Once you play the racecard, it is out there.

[EvilMonkey]

I suspect the stated reason for objection is that she is a substance abuser.

 

I suspect the underlying reason is that she is the daughter of a certain someone.

 

That is the bad that goes with all the good. Between her trip to Europe and her Vogue sitting, I am sure she is not personally crushed here.  But if her past legal conviction would not be an impediment to any other new teacher, it should not be to her either.

 

Evil Moneky, Marion Barry is a substance abuser.  Jenna Bush is a substance abuser from a family with a history of substance abuse.  The number of people born outside of marriage is ar more vast than you might imagine.  I would not cast stones about the latter.  As for the former, everyone deserves new opportunties, both Marion Barry and Jenna Bush (and her sister and her uncle and her cousin and her father and etc etc etc).  Alcohol is a bad disease.  I hope for Jenna's future personal happiness her prior experience with breaking the law has set her on a good course.  But she does have a record.  She should be treated the same as everyone else.  Without knowing the standards for everyone that are applied in this situation, it is hard to comment but I would not want to hold a one time only mistake against her.  Yet again, if she were Al Sharpton's daughter, would you be posting about alcoholics allowed to teach our children? Be fair.

If she were Al Sharpton's daughter, I would just want to know if she was qualified. But someone else mentioned that the big issue here is that the race card was played, and played fast. Does this group know for a fact that there is a QUALIFIED minority candidate that applied for that job, and didn't get it, because of her? Inner city schools almost have to beg to get teachers, so that dig about taking a job away from a black person is a crock.

 

Oh, I found this about Mr Bond also. I wasn't sure about this, but I remember hearing about it after he came to my college for a speech in 1987. In 1987, Bond's wife told police that he used cocaine daily, that he consorted with a woman who had prior convictions – a felon later convicted for possession and intent to distribute – and that this woman had assaulted her. Although charges were never filed against Bond, after the allegations hit, writer/commentator Juan Williams wrote, "A number of (Bond's) friends and political allies ... say they think Julian Bond uses cocaine. ... " Some good moral fiber there, as well.

[LowerCaseRepublican]

EvilMonkey, I concur that the job should go to the qualified candidate in any job. However, even though there have been leaps and bounds made in racial harmony in decades past, there are still many who are racist assholes.

 

Affirmative action is not perfect (then again almost nothing the government does is) but it is in place to fight off possible racism. I wish it were different and not necessary but as long as there are douches lighting crosses on fire, I think we're in for the long haul about this.

 

And yes, this is news because she's related to the Bush family. However, there is a point about the substance abuse history in being viable to teach. I don't know the NY laws but a lot of states have strict rules about criminal backgrounds of possible teachers they hire. That said, I applaud Jenna's efforts and I hope...damn the cynic in me, that this isn't some move by the Bush admin to pander to African Americans. Yes, they played the race card at an inopportune time (and didn't even need to play it unless they had documented evidence that a similarly qualified minority had been snubbed) but that doesn't take away from their point re: her substance abuse.

[southsider2k5]

EvilMonkey, I concur that the job should go to the qualified candidate in any job.  However, even though there have been leaps and bounds made in racial harmony in decades past, there are still many who are racist assholes.

 

Affirmative action is not perfect (then again almost nothing the government does is) but it is in place to fight off possible racism.  I wish it were different and not necessary but as long as there are douches lighting crosses on fire, I think we're in for the long haul about this.

 

And yes, this is news because she's related to the Bush family.  However, there is a point about the substance abuse history in being viable to teach.  I don't know the NY laws but a lot of states have strict rules about criminal backgrounds of possible teachers they hire.  That said, I applaud Jenna's efforts and I hope...damn the cynic in me, that this isn't some move by the Bush admin to pander to African Americans.  Yes, they played the race card at an inopportune time (and didn't even need to play it unless they had documented evidence that a similarly qualified minority had been snubbed) but that doesn't take away from their point re: her substance abuse.

Not at all. And if they had said "We won't hire Jenna Bush because of her arrest record" then fine, she would have been like every other American. It is just to me if we are going to get past racism in America, we need to stop using it whenever it is politically convient as well. Racism goes two ways.

[EvilMonkey]

1) EvilMonkey, I concur that the job should go to the qualified candidate in any job.  However, even though there have been leaps and bounds made in racial harmony in decades past, there are still many who are racist assholes.

 

2) Affirmative action is not perfect (then again almost nothing the government does is) but it is in place to fight off possible racism.  I wish it were different and not necessary but as long as there are douches lighting crosses on fire, I think we're in for the long haul about this.

 

3) And yes, this is news because she's related to the Bush family.  However, there is a point about the substance abuse history in being viable to teach.  I don't know the NY laws but a lot of states have strict rules about criminal backgrounds of possible teachers they hire.  That said, I applaud Jenna's efforts and I hope...damn the cynic in me, that this isn't some move by the Bush admin to pander to African Americans.  Yes, they played the race card at an inopportune time (and didn't even need to play it unless they had documented evidence that a similarly qualified minority had been snubbed) but that doesn't take away from their point re: her substance abuse.

On #1, I agree!!!

 

On #2, I agree!!!

 

On #3, I agree!!! However, since they did play the race card, it takes away from the credibility of the rest of their argument. YES, there are times when race is the deciding, or a major factor in decisions, issues, etc. but playing that game EVERY DAMN TIME is annoying, and frankly, just pisses me off. I tried to hire a press operator several years ago, had 2 guys I interviewed, one white, one black. They both had good references and experience, and passed the 'tests' on the press. The black guy said he wouldn't work for less than $18/hour, even when I told him upfront that the job paid less than that. I offered him the job at the max I was willing to go, he said no. I hired the white guy. I then proceeded to be called a racist by this guy in letters and emails for months, and had a local 'civic group' come and try to ask me questions about my hiring practices. I am in the business to make myself as much money as possible. If you can help me make money, I will hire you! I don't care what color or sex you are. I have had a deaf press operator, a militant lesbian designer (now THAT was an experience!) and a hispanic Customer Service person, as well as some women. Sorry for my rant, just got a little worked up there.

[cwsox]

Racism goes two ways.

 

It is a technical, academic, pendantic point and I know what you mean but just because I am pendantic...

 

No, it doesn't.

 

Racism's definition includes the power to enforce it in the society at large.

 

 

Bigotry and prejudice and stupidity and blindness can go both ways, but racism by definition goes only one way, from the one who has the means to enforce it in the culture.

[1549]

The topic of racism has been swept under the rug in our society. Many people freak out when called racists but at the same time they practice institutional racism and carry personal hatred toward black culture.

 

My boss says he is not a racist but he will lecture that rap music should be banned, baggy pants should not be allowed, and inner city kids should be forced to go to disciplinary schools. He complains that black people should do a better job of speaking the 'kings' english. The word culture is completely lost on him. When I try to say that 50 Cent is just as important to culture as Louis Armstrong, the idea is dismissed because 50 Cent is a bad role model for black kids who should be trying to 'assimilate'.

 

Chances are this same man would also be a lot less tolerant of a black employee than a white employee...even though he claims to carry no prejudice.

 

I would bet that the number of people that act the same way is staggering, it is a real shame.

 

The only way to eliminate this type of racism is to continue affirmative action so that black people begin to reach the peaks of society as often as white people. We must also showcase diversity on TV, so people become more and more familiar with black people and white people being equal.

 

Racism is still alive in this country, and I pray for the day racism dies and individual cultures are respected.

[YASNY]

Bigotry and prejudice and stupidity and blindness can go both ways, but racism by definition goes only one way, from the one who has the means to enforce it in the culture.

 

Anybody of one particular race that looks down or discriminates against anybody of a different race is a racist. So, yes, racsim goes both ways.

[YASNY]

He complains that black people should do a better job of speaking the 'kings' english.

 

So does that well known racist, Bill Cosby.

[southsider2k5]

Bigotry and prejudice and stupidity and blindness can go both ways, but racism by definition goes only one way, from the one who has the means to enforce it in the culture.

If this school district isn't hiring someone because of their race, they obviously have the means to enforce it...

[1549]

So does that well known racist, Bill Cosby.

I don't believe in making people speak in the 'kings' english all the time. Look at how people in the sixties spoke compared to the way their parents spoke. The difference is pretty significant. Did that stop people in the sixties from becoming doctors and lawyers.

 

People I know who speak rapper slang don't carry that over into important conversations. It is more of a thing they do around other kids.

[southsider2k5]