Boulder High group drops bid for Barack Obama High

By Alan Gathright, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published February 12, 2009 at 3:56 p.m.

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Barry Gutierrez © The Rocky

From left, Emma Marion, Junior, 16, Ben Raderstorf, Junior, 16, Meagan Mahaffy, Junior, 16, members of the group Student Worker, a student-based activist club at Boulder High School, address the media during a press conference held by the group as they announce the end of a campaign to change the name of Boulder High School to Barack Obama High School.

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February 12, 2009

4:06 p.m.

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KW writes:

Ratz! What will the neo-dems do now?
February 12, 2009

4:08 p.m.

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HisPrinceMichael writes:

Barack Obama high? Just say NO.
The Battle, has just BEGUN:
http://www.all4webs.com/q/f/love4yahweh
February 12, 2009

4:11 p.m.

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BHS1976 writes:

"It's become a lot more controversial than we wanted to. It's garnered a lot of negative reactions," said 16-year-old Ben Raderstorf, president of the school's Student Worker Club

I didn't think the RMN could publish bald faces lies, it was exactly as controversial as this punk wanted it to be and was thanks to the RMN
February 12, 2009

4:14 p.m.

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leavemealone writes:

Boulder.....about has much common sense as a boulder!
February 12, 2009

4:18 p.m.

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Who_Me writes:

Still throwing up a bit inside my mouth just thinking about how stupid this was to begin with.
February 12, 2009

4:23 p.m.

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mokey writes:

From my memory only personality cults and dictatorships memorialized leaders while they were in office.

In this country, it has been appropriate to make such tributes after the person has left office (U.S.S. Reagan) or is deceased (all the Kennedy schools). Obama's election was historic. His performance in office or ranking among presidents has yet to be determined. So far, I'm not so impressed.

Besides, Boulder High School has been around for a long time and this small group of kids tried to go around the student council and any existing alumnist groups. I applaud their motivation, but they certainly learned a lesson in diplomacy, politics and marketing.
February 12, 2009

4:29 p.m.

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bph writes:

Once renamed they could start teaching the students that no matter how hard they work they will all get the same grade. That is Obamanomics. We don't want to make any kiddies feel like they aren't as good.
February 12, 2009

4:29 p.m.

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kwood1125 writes:

Publicity for his group's personal agenda, pure and simple. You know it was a bad idea when a city as liberal as Boulder didn't even like the idea. Wait four years, and IF he ends better than he is starting...well, rethink the idea then.
February 12, 2009

4:36 p.m.

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Denver7 writes:

I hear that the name Ward Churchill High School is available.
February 12, 2009

4:46 p.m.

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rapelje writes:

"We were somewhat naive about it." Raderstorf said. There should have been a LOT more thought about it before they came public and should have asked adults BEFORE they went public.

There is a VERY good reason why there has been an unwritten rule in this nation why President's still in office are NOT given honors. Our ancestors lived under a monarchy and they didn't want the leaders of this country to have the idea like they were some how ABOVE the people. Evidently there are many in this country that have forgotten or lost this lesson. So many people are treating Obama like he is some messiah, if you don't believe this, read the main stream press, "he just gives me shivers down my leg", etc. and in the African American press they have literally made him into someone coming down from heaven! From some of the stuff that is coming out of the White House, it appears that Obama is beginning to believe all this stuff. The difference between a Democracy and a Dictatorship is, in a Democracy the President is NOT above the people and answers to the people, but in a Dictatorship, the Dictator treats the people as if he is BETTER than the them and the people answer to the Dictator! It appears that many have forgotten this basic essential part of a Democracy and are turning it around like Julio Osegueda in Florida the other day at an Obama rally, the man was an embarrassment. He about went liquid down his leg and how about all of the stories lately in the press about how so many women are dreaming of sleeping with the President. This has reached the level of insanity with certain segments of the American Society. When people act like this, they lose all sense of reality and put the President on some pedistal and above everyone, which leads to problems, which our ancestors knew all too well!

We have had an unwritten rule in this country that you do not honor President's while they are still in office, as they need to prove that they are worthy of the honors. There have been a number of President's that have received honors after they left office, then there are the Jimmy Carter's, who have been virtually ignored for good reasons in the way of Presidential honors since they have left office. Let us NOT lose sight of the lessons that our ancestors learned or we will be forced to relive them. Our children need to be taught these lessons and it appears in Boulder that there are valuable lessons that are being left out of the curriculum!
February 12, 2009

4:47 p.m.

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fubarcirca1985 writes:

Ben:
Dumba$$ ideas typically do garner negative reactions
February 12, 2009

5:04 p.m.

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HankReardon writes:

RE: A-Rod,
I hear they are going to name a brand of steroid after George W. Bush. Remember how he paraded Tom Brady and spoke out against steroid use during his State Of The Union address in his first term (was it 2002 or 2003?)? The A-Rod cover-up happened under GW's watchful eye. More lies surfacing everyday.

What should we call this new steriod?
February 12, 2009

5:08 p.m.

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KW writes:

They most likely decided to give up once they saw the amount of work involved.
February 12, 2009

5:08 p.m.

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flamingzebra writes:

"...then there are the Jimmy Carter's, who have been virtually ignored for good reasons in the way of Presidential honors..."

I bet Jimmy Carter does more good for humanity and the world in one month than George W. Bush will do in the rest of his life.
February 12, 2009

5:09 p.m.

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squeakywheel writes:

"Honor the momentous achievement of his election as an African-American"

Poor Dr. King must be rolling in his grave.
February 12, 2009

5:10 p.m.

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KW writes:

Maybe they can name a Habitat Community Center after ol' Jimmy Cahtuh.
February 12, 2009

5:10 p.m.

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bph writes:

If Biden gets sworn in this year then there will be no controversy about naming the school after Obama
February 12, 2009

5:58 p.m.

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benzoo writes:

Hey Hank,

Please explain to me how Pres. Bush, who sold the Rangers in 1998, somehow covered up A-Rod who didn't join the team until 2001? I'm not a fan of Pres. Bush either, but give me a break. Yet another crazy conspiracy that holds no water. I thought he was busy planning 911 by then. Most of us adults can control their own lives without having to blame someone else for their shortcomings.
So in four years when you still live in your mom's basement, will you then blame Pres. Obama? And further more, where in the Constitution does it say the President needs to oversee Major League Baseball?
February 12, 2009

6:02 p.m.

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dragonfly writes:

Wise decision, Ben. There's hope for you.
February 12, 2009

6:14 p.m.

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HankReardon writes:

Hey Benzoo,
You reading comprehension isn't so good. If you recall, President Bush (not Ranger's owner Bush) made a huge deal during one of his STATE OF THE UNION speeches about how steriods are bad, m'kay. He even had Tom Brady, a fresh Super Bowl champ from 2002, present in the audience and prominent on camera as an example of a 'clean' athlete. This speech happened before A-Rod's coverup. You don't even know your proper timelines. Clown.
And what the heck does this drivel mean:
"Yet another crazy conspiracy that holds no water. I thought he was busy planning 911 by then. Most of us adults can control their own lives without having to blame someone else for their shortcomings."

I was just pointing out the LIP SERVICE that we've had to deal with the past 8 years. AND my mother is dead. Are you happy now? We didn't even have a basement in PA, just a crawl-space. A good place for parasites like yourself.

Anytime you would actually like to match wits, I'm game. You'll have to borrow from Rush or Rosen, I guess.
February 12, 2009

6:20 p.m.

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The_Punnisher writes:

Time to call these SOCIALISTIC STUDENTS what they are:

A branch of the Young Pioneers...waving the banner of the FAILED USSR...

Tovarisch, the USSR is dead. Unfortunately, the arm called the ACLU is not..

Google the ACLU HISTORY to see the truth.
February 12, 2009

6:20 p.m.

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rapelje writes:

Well flamingzebra, Jimmy Carter could spend several lifetimes building homes for others and not pay back all the harm he has done this country.

I voted for the man, and I quickly learned that he was a naive incompetitent who was way in over his head. I learned from voting for him, and I am afraid that the younger voters are going to learn the same lesson today from voting for Obama.

Jimmy Carter came in with this mantra of honesty and integrity and while personally I think he is a good guy, in EVERY WAY possible he was an incompetitent fool and still is. The economy was not good, just like it is for Obama right now, and Jimmy Carter promptly took it into the tank with high inflation and high unemployment and never made a good decision economically during his whole Presidency. Frankly speaking the economy was the "highlight" of his Presidency as his foreign affairs were even worse with the Iran Hositage situation while he was President and he only proved to embarrass the U.S. with his incompetitency even more. The nation was sooo glad to get rid of Jimmy Carter, who gave us a "Misery Index" (Inflation + unemployment) of 21.98% his last year in office that he was voted out of office in one of the most embarrassing lopsided losses for an encumbant in the history of this country. Since leaving office, he has met with terrorists and created issues between the U.S. and other countries because he can't keep his mouth shut and a good portion of his staff quit because his book about the middle east was such a propaganda piece for the Palestinians that they didn't want to be associated with him.

I do not think that it would be wise to get into the Bush and all the things about knowledge about WMD's etc. Not because I am bothered by it, but it would start a whole new discussion and frankly speaking there are a lot of Democrats in my opinion that should be investigated right now as well.

The history is that both parties have blocked investigations into their dirty history and I hate hypocrits big time, so don't get me started on that. It is sufficent to say that John Conyers (D-MI) who wants to investigate Bush for unprovable offenses was willing to fall on his sword and block all investigations of Bill Clinton for provable offenses, and even a few that hadn't been investigated and should have, like how Bill Clinton's friends sold secrets to China during his time as President. The bottom line is that there are a lot of other things that the Congress should be spending their time and our tax dollar on that political paybacks of investigating Bush. To be fair, if we are to investigate Bush we would have a number of Democrats to investigate as well, but we know how far that will go. Do the work for the people Congress, and stop playing so much politics!
February 12, 2009

6:21 p.m.

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HankReardon writes:

BENZOID: the steroid that pumps you up and clouds your memory.
February 12, 2009

6:33 p.m.

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bagwan writes:

Hank ---- maybe my reading comprehension is as bad as Benzoo's. Are you actually criticizing Bush because A-Rod was covering up his steroid use during his presidency? If that is so, you might have set a new standard for stupidity for your fellow BDSer's to try to top.
February 12, 2009

6:35 p.m.

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Now_You_Know writes:

Neocons are out in full force today!
February 12, 2009

6:38 p.m.

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ATC writes:

I doubt this proposal will go through, but you guys should think about it and see what Obama's term will be like. He could fail, then you would feel bad because you graduated from a high school that is named after a bad president. This proposal sickens me and scares me. Obama is just another person on this planet, not a god who will make your mortgage payments go away. Then again, I'm just talking to a bunch of liberals who are worshipping the coming of the Messiah, and who won't listen to me no matter what I say.
February 12, 2009

6:40 p.m.

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HankReardon writes:

Bags,
Bush came aggressively out against steroid use in sports. He was cracking down on it. It was just 'feel-good' lip service, but I guess you don't recall recent events either. Sorry for that. Maybe it's the Bagzoid that makes you forget history so quickly. Bush took it upon himself to attack doping. I didn't ask my President to get involved in this.
February 12, 2009

6:43 p.m.

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HankReardon writes:

Gotta run. You should search out that speech, though. But really, I thought y'all had all of his speeches memorized. Shame on you.
February 12, 2009

6:45 p.m.

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rapelje writes:

I guess Hank that since you said "I didn't ask my President to get involved in this." Bush shouldn't have? Is that the mistake that Bush made, was not getting your permission first? Well I haven't asked Obama to get involved with a number of his decisions already. But I guess it is different between you and Bush and me and Obama?
February 12, 2009

6:50 p.m.

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HankReardon writes:

Bush didn't get involved. That's the point. It was LIP SERVICE just like the WMDs. How in the heck to you wipe yourself, rapelje? Still using fig leaves?
February 12, 2009

6:54 p.m.

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leavemealone writes:

Now_You_Know writes:
"Neocons are out in full force today!'

yes we are boy!

& you ain't seen nothing yet.
February 12, 2009

7 p.m.

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Uno writes:

I’d recommend these Student Worker(?) group move to a communist country to get the real taste of it, and do it without daddy’s money, on their own. That would teach them more than any school.
February 12, 2009

7:01 p.m.

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Now_You_Know writes:

sleepalone
What are you crazy white boys so mad at? You lost by a landslide boy.
I be here to remind you that you voted for Jr. (TWICE)
the one that is known as one of the worst pres we ever had!
February 12, 2009

7:06 p.m.

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leavemealone writes:

Now_You_Know writes:

"sleepalone"

Now I'm crying out loud....Hee Hee

:-)
February 12, 2009

7:10 p.m.

Suggest removal

BHS1976 writes:

Marie Morrow gets trashed by the liberal school union and the rmn SIMPLY REPORTS ON THE LYNCHING and Alan Gathright and the crack RMN editorial staff puts these buffoons on the front page with video and pictures for the stupifying achievement of seeking and being granted the lime-light. Congratulations I just cancelled my subscription to the RMN after 11 years you finally got to me. This will make refundind my subscripiton easier than when you go bancrupt. Do you and the editors wake up each day and plan to be so wasteful of the pulpit you occupy? What have you done today for the city the state or someone like Marie other than ignore a lynching and elevate boors from BOulder?
February 12, 2009

8:29 p.m.

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rapelje writes:

Hank, you know how I do that, as you do it for me.

The whole point that YOU missed was the play on your own statement, which you ignored, as usual!
February 12, 2009

9:07 p.m.

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whatsupjay writes:

This whole story exposes the liberal bias of these lunatics. I don't ever recall this same kind of effort by these people to rename their school after George W. Bush when he won his first election..
February 12, 2009

9:17 p.m.

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Timberline writes:

Now_You_Know writes:

"sleepalone
What are you crazy white boys so mad at?"

Why the racist bigotry & hate? remember without us crazy white boys/ladies, your holier the thou prez would have never been elected.

83% approval 3 weeks ago, 67% currently......enjoy
February 12, 2009

9:53 p.m.

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johnson writes:

The kids had their fifteen minutes, now they have to run over to CU and get in on the Great Gay Spit Swap.
February 12, 2009

9:56 p.m.

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Barron writes:

whatsupjay, i'm curious as to why you would refer to a bunch of teenagers as "liberal bias lunatics?" What's wrong with you, are you dim? When dubya won his first election they were, like, seven years old or so. I suppose they should have been political activist toddlers? LOL! Good grief people, lighten up. They are idealistic kids. They admitted they acted impulsively, you want to knock them down and then flog them? That's what bullies do, kick kids around. I hope you aren't parents, you'll knock the spirit out of your kids.
February 12, 2009

10:08 p.m.

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LoneTreeLady75 writes:

These are kids that want to feel important...want to have some kind of voice. Being politically involved is currently the "in" thing for todays generation. My guess is that the past election was the first time these kids even THOUGHT about politics seriously -they probably do not have a fully grasp of Americas dirty two party system, so calling them "liberal bias lunatics" is a pretty childish thing.
February 12, 2009

10:20 p.m.

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PaleoConservative writes:

Maybe they could just rename Boulder. Obamagrad has a nice ring to it.
February 12, 2009

10:33 p.m.

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rapelje writes:

Barron, I am sure he was talking about the kids that were Juniors and Seniors at Boulder High at the time, not the kids that are there now.

It might be harsh calling the kids lunatics, but don't try to insult our intelligence and say that the "Student Workers Club" is anything else but a Marxist student club. I have lived and worked in Russia and the Ukraine and this is the exact language that is used in the "Party" line in a communist country. Tell me, where does the word "Workers" apply or is used with any student group in America other than a Communist organization? Wonder where a Communist students group comes off having so much power and public exposure in any other place than in the USSR of Boulder?

Lighten up on these kids....that is the EXACT problem with these kids...people have been too light on these kids. These naive and spoiled and probably pretty arrogant "kids" have NO clue what it is to live and work in a Communist country, how it is to have no water because the water and sewer systems are so antiquated that they only work for acouple of hours a day, or how it is to have to share a school book with five other kids because there are so few of them and then the school book is 15 years old, or have to be a member of the "ONE AND ONLY PARTY" to get any type of decent job, or how you can't travel just because you want to because the government controls that as well as food rationing, or how Jews in Russia are NOT considered as Russians they are a separate group and don't have a chance for the same jobs as other people born in Russia. Yet these kids espouse a system that does that and a WHOLE bunch more to its citizens and they have NO real clue about. These kids live in a country that allows a huge amount of freedoms and they have no clue as to how precious this really is. Each of these kids should be taken to a small city in Russia and then dropped off with a family and forced to live there a year at least, and it doesn't matter if they get homesick that is too bad. I guarantee it that these "kids" would come back with a MUCH different viewpoint on the world and appreciation for the freedoms that they now take for granted and don't appreciate. These are the lessons that their parents and the school are failing miserably to teach!
February 12, 2009

10:33 p.m.

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darkman writes:

Now_You_Know writes:

"Neocons are out in full force today!"

Wow...another thoughtful, constructive post. Ouch! We were called "neocons"...we should go home and pout or cry now.

But seriously, can't we just keep the discussion to the merits or lack of for naming a school after a sitting (barely three weeks) president? Does the discussion HAVE to turn into the usual right .vs. left / Bush .vs. left bashing session?

My personal opinion is that schools, roads, airports, etc. should not be named after a sitting president. Actually, I would probably prefer not even after a LIVING president, but surely at least we can wait until they are out of office? I agree with the poster above that likened it to the kind of honor that was forced upon the subjects in a kingdom.
February 12, 2009

10:41 p.m.

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Barron writes:

wow, rapelje, you just took a youthful act of impulsiveness and ran all over the block with it. Something tells me that these kids are not dangerous communist conspirators. In fact, I'm sure of it..
February 12, 2009

10:47 p.m.

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Shaupeen writes:

Hope meets reality.
February 12, 2009

11:12 p.m.

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Achilles writes:

Who really gives a sh!t about what a handful of 16 year olds have to say about anything? This is a non-story.
February 12, 2009

11:54 p.m.

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Frank25 writes:

Just proves the old adage. "Sap rises in the spring". Like a frog opening eyes in the pond, have a whole new world and new idea. After all James Carville, Paul Begalo, and Bob Beckel will need to be replaced someday, so someone has to be in training now.
February 13, 2009

12:09 a.m.

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spelvin2002 writes:

HisPrinceMichael writes: Barack Obama high? Just say NO.
The Battle, has just BEGUN: http://www.all4webs.com/q/f/love4yahweh

Here we have a dedicated apocolipticist telling us the the end is near. This individual has been reading too much of the backside of the bible, and has been snorting just a little too much of the Jim Jones joy juice.

Tell us something we haven't already heard, sir.
February 13, 2009

12:19 a.m.

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spelvin2002 writes:

Uno writes: I’d recommend these Student Worker(?) group move to a communist country to get the real taste of it, and do it without daddy’s money, on their own. That would teach them more than any school.

Uno, why do you even bother? Your incoherent right wing blathers make no sense whatever. Get a life and get off that couch.
February 13, 2009

12:22 a.m.

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rapelje writes:

Barron, I never said or even suggested that these kids are dangerous communist conspirators, so tell me about someone that took something and stretched it all out of shape, that is what you just did! You say that you are SURE that they are not communist conspirators, so I take it that you are either one of the kids, friends with them or family.

If you are a parent, sorry but you have failed miserably to teach them a true appreciation of what freedoms are all about. How precious they are, how easily they are lost, and how you do not take them for granted or treat them with contempt. Yes they have treated their freedoms with contempt, because they have been bashing the VERY people and country that protects their freedoms and then promoting (based upon the Marxist name of their club) a system of government that would take it away in a heart beat.

If you are one of the students or one of their friends, then all I have to say, is that you have an incredible amount of things to learn and you won't learn them by constantly talking about what you want. An old adage I used the other day and is appropriate here is, you can not learn if your too busy talking. These kids need to be quiet more and listen more and experience more and they will learn a whole lot more in the long run.

Don't insult my intelligence and try to tell me that the name "Student Workers Club" is anything but a Marxist group. If these kids are not Marxists then they need to change the name of their group, because it is a name that comes DIRECTLY out of the Communist publications. Besides this, I attempted to give you, them or the reader a small and I do mean a very small taste of what it would be like living in a Communist controled country. There is NO tolerance there for differing viewpoints, you think it is bad here, it is marvelous here.

The bottom line is that these kids spout off without thinking and in a fashion that is arrogrant...they don't ask, they DEMAND that things be done their way. They don't ask if it is a problem, they don't care if it is a problem, they just want it done. They don't care if it angers people, they just want it done. These kid's parents should have taught them a lot more before they are at this stage in life. Like how to work with people, that being arrogrant and demanding things is NOT the way to get things accomplished. That maybe what they wanted was not appropraie at this time and they should think about it some more. All things that should have taken place long BEFORE they came out, but didn't. The kids and their parents brought this on themselves for acting without thinking. They can't blame anyone else. Whereas "lunatics" is harsh. These are kids are students and NOT in charge of the school and demanding that changes be done was premature, immature and naive and showed a real lack of learning in certain areas of their education.
February 13, 2009

12:50 a.m.

Suggest removal

rapelje writes:

spelvin2002, UNO is absolutely right. On the job experience of living in a small town in a communist controlled country would give these kids a lot more worth while education than what they are learning at Boulder H.S.. I have gotten off that couch you are talking about and lived this life, maybe it is time for YOU to get off that couch as well, it would probably do you A LOT of good. Think about it, getting up early in the morning and walking outside and having to hold your breath as you walk by the dumpsters at the end of your apartment building (no one owns a detached home in this city) as they haven't emptied them in months and actually you can't see the dumpsters anymore as they are totally covered by the trash but you know they are under the huge mound of rotting stinking trash that by the way stray dogs are going through.

You would appreciate grocery stores more especially if you didn't get to the market before noon, since all the food that was good was sold by noon. You would appreciate getting up at 3 am to fill plastic containers full of water, since water only ran in your district of the city between 3 and 4 am! This is water of course that is not fit to drink and you wouldn't even want to brush your teeth in it until it is boiled and if you wanted a hot bath, your wife has to heat water on the stove and bring it in and pour it over your head one pot at a time.

You would appreciate your TV more if all you had were several stations and most of them were government stations that gave you only what they wanted you to see. You would appreciate the U.S. a little more if you couldn't travel to certain cities or towns unless you had a special permit and leaving the country was out of the question. You would appreciate the U.S. a little more if basically everything that you did involved either working with a friend to get something done or if it was not a friend, say a government office a bribe would many times be involved if you wanted things to get done. You would also appreciate the U.S. a little more if you hadn't got a paycheck from your job in 3 months and you didn't know when you might get paid. You might appreciate your car in the U.S. if you had to take your car and park it in a locked compound at night and then still have to take the windshield wipers off because they would be stolen in a heart beat.

This is an educated that would help a lot of Americans appreciate what they have here, and it also appears that these students at Boulder H.S. would learn the most from an education of living in a small town in a communist controlled country!
February 13, 2009

8:07 a.m.

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FlyfishDude52 writes:

I can appreciate the energy this group of 16 year old kids are putting into their club, but seriously wonder that their parents beliefs are that would allow them to protest anything to do with the Pledge of Allegiance. And yes, highly inappropriate to bestow any type honors on a president while in office.
February 13, 2009

11:10 a.m.

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HankReardon writes:

I'm back now.
Hey rapelje,
Rememeber this Bush speech?
"If you harbor a terrorist, you are a terrorist.
If you fund a terrorist, you are a terrorist."

How's that working out for Pakistan (harboring) and Saudi Arabia (funding)?
More LIP SERVICE.
February 13, 2009

11:17 a.m.

Suggest removal

HisPrinceMichael writes:

Smellvin2002, Your effeminate and extremely disrespectful
tone, is noted. WHO said "the end" is near? Again, your
personal "struggles" are displayed.
February 13, 2009

11:47 a.m.

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NotUrFriend writes:

How freakin stupid. I don't see the point in 'naming' any educational center after a standing president until history has time to judge his impact, good, bad, or indifferent.

Let him stand on his own legs first and see if this guy can run.

I.

PS, no I am not anti-Barack but it's as stupid as naming school's after Palin if she won with McCain. Let history judge how well they do.
February 13, 2009

2:18 p.m.

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rapelje writes:

Hank, there is a huge difference between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

As far as Pakistan is concerned, the U.S. HAS been working with the Pakistan government, and the Pakistan government has been working to help identify the terrorists and to get them arrested. As a matter of fact, there have been some arrests in Pakistan just recently of several that were terrorists. The situation is not as black and white as you make it seem. The issue is that there are people in the Pakistan government that are sympathetic to radical Muslims so you have to be VERY careful who you deal with and how the information is kept, because these people that are sympathetic to the radical Muslims will inform the Muslims of pending military movements.

Saudi Arabia is another situation. EVERY government that the U.S. has had, Democrat or Republican has had friendship with the Saudis. I personally have a problem with this, as I know that they fund terrorism on a quiet level. There is a real mixture in Saudi Arabia as there are areas where this a fair amount of tolerance and then there are areas where it is much more fundamentalist. I personally would like to see us not be so accommodating, and this is NOT just Republicans, Clinton's White House was JUST as accommodating! You have to think though of what the ramifications are of breaking off ties or angering the Saudis. It has NOTHING to do with oil, as this is sold on a world market, but it has to do with the security of the Middle East, as we have some REALLY important military bases in Saudi Arabia.

Are you willing to anger the Saudi's and possibly alienate one of our closest allies in the Middle East and lose the security agreement with them?

As far as Pakistan is concerned, I do not know what we could do different with them. They are a nuclear power and it is important to keep good relations with them for this reason alone, but they are assisting us on the Terror Front, so what would you do differently?
February 13, 2009

5:25 p.m.

Suggest removal

HankReardon writes:

Well rapelje,
I think we agree. I am pointing out Bush's double speak or lip service. He calls people out and then realizes that he was just a little bit over the top. What you are saying, I think, is that these situations are extremely complex. Not black and white or cut and dry. But Bush thought he could accomplish things with 'sound bites'. "Gonna smoke 'em out!" Weak.

Home › News › Local News

Boulder High group drops bid for Barack Obama High

By Alan Gathright, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published February 12, 2009 at 3:56 p.m.

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