Jacobsen should not be silenced
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Gayla Bastas
Published: April 16, 2008
I am amazed that those who disagree with Mr. Jacobsen would have him silenced; what an undemocratic and officious thought. Mr. Jacobsen has the courage of his convictions and he offers himself as a target for the tirades of those who would silence all but those who agree with their point of view.
Everyone abhors the thought of abortion but it is the horrors of the alternative that give us pause.
Many churches, which hysterically oppose abortion, will further their cause by working to forbid the practice of birth control once they have succeeded in overturning Roe v. Wade.
Many people who do not even want a stem cell injured seem to feel that the toll in death and impaired mental/physical health of young soldiers returning from war is acceptable so long as they are safe and secure.
There are no black and white answers to imponderable questions, but silencing Gary Jacobsen’s well written and thought provoking columns should not be a consideration.
GAYLA BASTAS
Woodbridge
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Reader Reactions
Posted by ( barnun ) on April 18, 2008 at 11:00 pm
pedee, I wonder what that poor old share cropper would think about Johhny law and the tax man turning a blind eye to the illegals. I wonder what he’d think about making up all kinds of special rules and programs in the schools for the illegals when many of the schools throughout the poor areas of the south still today dont get half what the children of the illegals get. Being pro legal is also a feeling of protecting and looking out for OUR citizens.
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Posted by ( barnun ) on April 18, 2008 at 10:25 pm
pedee, thanks for clearing this up. so now your story has changed from seeing blacks denied school by whites to meeting blacks the grew up poor and their parents kept them home to work. I’ve known a lot of white guys that didn’t finish school. my kids could write their name before they started kindergarten. Home schooling has gotten to be a big thing and these kids end up with a better education than most in public schools. that would depend on the parents though.
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Posted by ( phdee ) on April 18, 2008 at 2:06 pm
Barnum, I can’t say I have ever seen an article that a black kid was denied the opportunuty to go to school. Why would anyone write such anyway. The south didn’t even write that it discriminated. It claimed separate but equal. But I can sassure you I have met blackx who had not been allowed to get schooling. As a young man, I measured crops and land for federal ag. programs. The landowner or farmer had to sign the papers. It was amazing how many had to use the X as a signature. So I asked them questions.. These people were older than me, yes, but they had not been allowed to go to school. If you were a sharecropper working for a white farm owner, you bred kids to work on the farm, not to go to school. Besides, whites didn’t want any smart or educated blacks around. I had the fortune or maybe it was misfortune to grow up in a segregated 50/50 black v. white southern racist farm territory, where everyone - black or white - was poor.
You get information and impressions that leave lasting “learnings”.
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Posted by ( barnun ) on April 18, 2008 at 12:29 pm
pedee, I am well aware of slavery and segregation. The chinese were used as slaves on the railroads too. I just said i dont beleive you saw that as you stated you did. I’m sure this would have made national news. please point us to an article stating a black child was prevented from going to a public school. The resolution is enforcement of the law. I’m not sure what the problem with that is. Until recently, local governments have chosen to ignore the law, which is wrong. Crossing the border illegally may be a federal issue, but pretty much everything they do from that point on is illegal. Working, not paying taxes, identity theft etc I do fully agree that pressure needs to be kept on the federal government to lead and deal with this issue. turning a blind eye is never a solution.
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Posted by ( phdee ) on April 17, 2008 at 6:31 pm
Barnum, I don’t know where I
ve changed any of my views. Maybe you never knew them or read so ething into them that wasn’t there. If you are speaking of the resolution, my vsiew is that it is racist and was passed to do some ethnic cleansing of Hispanics, regardless of what one dislikes about them. I have always believed the fed govt is responsible for immigrfation, and the local boys should keep their noses out of it. I find it lawless - and illegal that because someone b elieves the fed is doing a job correctrly, then the locals can just take over. Talk about law abiding citizens!!! Sounds like insurrection, overthrow of govt, etc to me.
You’re right. I have newver seen anyone REFUSE and education, but I have seen lots of blacks who were REFUSED (i.e. not allowed) an education. You must not understand discrimination, segregation, slavery, etc.
And the intimidation has not ruined my life. I ignore it. I offered it as an explanation of what is going on with regard to Jacobsen.
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Posted by ( RonCharest ) on April 17, 2008 at 5:25 pm
Barnun,
It is my opinion that the First Amendment right of Free Speech is an absolute right. The right to having a platform for Free Speech is not a right, and should not be given lightly.
Here in this newspaper we see a platform for Free Speech given to the likes of James Simpson, used to call other people who exercise their rights of Free Speech “Traitors.” (November 23, “Give thanks to the troops.") What I see is platforms being given to those people most willing to claim “Free Speech” as a right for only those opinions (or facts) they happen to agree with.
And yes, this is a partisan issue - I’d be interested in seeing an example where a Democrat/Liberal called “Treason” against a Republican/Conservative exercising their rights of Free Speech.
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Posted by ( barnun ) on April 17, 2008 at 4:13 pm
now that phdee has changed his veiws, the emotional irrational aruements should end. Now we can all agree to just enforce the law and leave race out of it.
Posted by ( phdee ) on April 17, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Jefferson said, Wazhington said, Adams said, Joe blow said, etc etc. Who cares. What was said is irrelevant. All that matters is what’s in the law, not what was said while in a bar.
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Posted by ( barnun ) on April 17, 2008 at 2:46 pm
Ron,
I do beleive in the right to bear arms as well as the right to free speech but there is a difference in the 2 crowds you mention. I’d guess the majority of americans own atleast one firearm but you dont see them running around sticking it in everyones face and trying to intimidate, berate, or belittle those they dont agree with. The crowd that cries Freedom of speech far to often abuse and push the boundries of their rights.
Phdee, first I dont beleive you’ve ever seen anyone refuse the right to go to school based on their race. Second, I’ve experienced all of this that you stated ““I’ll have you fired”, “where do you work”, “boy”, - and lots of racial slurs, profanities, obscenities, etc.” dont let it ruin the rest of your life, really ..
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Posted by ( phdee ) on April 17, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Ron, these aren’t true conservatives you read on this website. They give conservatives a bad name. You’re reading stuff from some of the dregs of our society.
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Posted by ( phdee ) on April 17, 2008 at 1:17 pm
Godsaveus. You totally miss the point of what I wrote about Jacobsen. “Intimidation” was the key. I try not to insult; however, I believe that insulting someone could be considered an act of free spoeech. Goes on all the time everywhere.
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