Principal said Bush portrait must go

[Karin]

legeorge:

Karin, with all due respect, you may want to reread your posts. You have made it seem (key word…bu tI did not STATE…I DONT LIKE AMERICA DID I???) as if you having nothing good to say about America. You think you have no “fruits” from living here. I only asked what those “fruits” where… You have thrashed both of the latest presidents, **(Please CLinton was more interested in his intern and telling lies as to Bush I am not impressed-please note also many americans are not impressed with either president also)and you have scoffed at your American education That doesn’t sound like you like America very much. No I dont care for certain things in this country and I voice my opinion on them…believe me if I hated America I would leave but I dont I am disappointed in certain aspects of it…there is a difference between dislike and disappointment, no?? Sorry if I was mean, but, although I sometimes am disappointed in the decisions of my government, I know that I have not lost my patriotism. Otherwise, why would I get so upset by someone denegrating life in our country? I dont know…do you also get mad at Americans bashing their own country?? **

I’m sorry, I thought you were defending the position of removing the picture. Removing a picture of President Bush from a display depicting the succession of American Presidents would be altering history. Yes, remove all picutres…no just his. But how does removing a photo alter history…he is still president is he not…photo on the wall or not!!!

Do we need holiday decorations up in the classroom do we need corporate labels advertised in the classroom??

Actually, I fully believe in immigration. That is how we all got here. I am grateful that my ancestors chose to come here. America may not be perfect, but I would rather live here than any other country I can think of. The difference is that I do not deny to belong to my country. See you are American…how can you deny you belong to this country (USA) **I am not American…I am Austrian so this is not MY country. I have the honor of paying taxes while I live here and being protected by the USA laws right or wrong…but I am not American so I do not belong to this country.*You say that this is not your president ***he is the president of the USA not Austria so I do not view him as my president. **and you claim that you are not an American.How can I be an American when I hold only one citizenship (Austrian) I have not given it up and I am not allowed to have dual citizenship. Should I think of myself as American just because I live here??? Yet, you feel that you have every right to trash our government. **Your goverment (USA) has given me that right via the laws that it has **

 

[Karin]

**As long as the decorations in the classroom have some educational quality to them …leave them! **A copy of the ABC’s…a world map…reading incentive charts…math & english basic skills posters. These things I find to be great tools for kids.
**My problem lays with the holiday and corporate sponsored decorations that are plastered over many classrooms (not all). **

 

[legeorge]

I only asked what those “fruits” where…

Insinuating that you have no clue as what they are. That’s called sarcasm and most thinking people can read between those lines!

I am Austrian so this is not MY country.

Precisely. Are you a visitor or a citizen? Since you are not a citizen maybe you should not be so hyper-critical of the country providing you with rights, priveleges and freedoms not present in other countries of the world.

See you are American…how can you deny you belong to this country (USA) I am not American…I am Austrian so this is not MY country.

Then why do you think we should care about your opinion on what we do or do not have in our schools? I wouldn’t go to Austria and bad-mouth your government. Nor would I presume to tell Austrians that they shouldn’t have a picture of the Austrian president on the wall of an Austrian classroom. You are not American, yet you want to degrade our government and schools, etc. while living here and enjoying all the rights and freedoms of a citizen.

do you also get mad at Americans bashing their own country??

Yes. Many Americans don’t know how good they have it. Disagreeing and bashing are two different things.

My problem lays with the holiday and corporate sponsored decorations that are plastered over many classrooms (not all).

And the succession of American Presidents is history not holiday. This article is about a picture of the US President (part of a display of US presidents throughout history) and not about some ghosts hanging from the ceiling on halloween.

 

[Karin]

legeorge:

Precisely. Are you a visitor or a citizen? Since you are not a citizen maybe you should not be so hyper-critical of the country providing you with rights, priveleges and freedoms not present in other countries of the world. Can I stop paying taxes then since you feel I am not allowed to voice my opinion.

Then why do you think we should care about your opinion on what we do or do not have in our schools? **I care about what happens in the schools because as I have stated I pay taxes to support those schools…also I have kids in the schools(AMERICAN KIDS)…well Catholic schools not public anymore! As to should you care about my opinion…I dont care either way. **I wouldn’t go to Austria and bad-mouth your government. **Well if you paid taxes or had kids in the schools etc. I would hope that you would if you found something that you did not like !!! **You are not American, yet you want to degrade our government and schools, etc. while living here and enjoying all the rights and freedoms of a citizen. **AH…back up a sec. I have all the rights and freedoms of a citizen, yes…but for two…I can not vote and I can not be president. I foyu dont like that perhaps you should write your senator or congressman! **Yes. Many Americans don’t know how good they have it. Disagreeing and bashing are two different things. Well many Americans do both…disagree and BASH!

And the succession of American Presidents is history not holidayCorrect…American Presidents and their succession is history but IMO pictures of presidents are not history.** The actions of the President(s) past and present are what makes the History…not what they looked like!**

Today, 02:56 PM
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http://forums.catholic-questions.org/images/icons/icon1.gif Re: Principal said Bush portrait must go
**As long as the decorations in the classroom have some educational quality to them …leave them! **A copy of the ABC’s…a world map…reading incentive charts…math & english basic skills posters. These things I find to be great tools for kids.
**My problem lays with the holiday and corporate sponsored decorations that are plastered over many classrooms (not all). **

 

[legeorge]

Well, I see some value in being able to recognize the persons we read about in history. It drives me crazy when I see someone on Leno who can’t identify a picture of George Washington, for crying out loud. So matching peoples’ names to their faces doesn’t count in your opinion. That doesn’t mean they should be excluded. **And that doesn’t mean that a teacher should be able to lose her job because she had pictures of the American presidents in her classroom, right? ** We do still live in America, whether the liberals believe we have a right to an opinion or not.
And I was thinking about why I had such a strong reaction to you, Karin. Seems that I understand Americans who have a problem with America because I believe that comes from a genuine concern for their country, which they love. Even if they are misled in their ideals. On the other hand, most foreigners who bad talk America do so out of hatred and a desire for us to be eradicated from the face of the earth. Even while they are here, enjoying our Universities or tax-exempt business status. So, your willingness to bad-mouth America and insistence on not being identifies as an American, automatically made me think of you as belonging to the second category. Because, (even though I joke about moving if Hillary gets elected), I would never go to another country and put down everything they do. Just as I wouldn’t go to someone else’s house and tell them they are doing everything wrong. It’s their house, not mine. So it was surprising and off-putting to me to hear such criticism from a non-American living in this country. I take it too personal. Does that clear it up?

 

[Karin]

legeorge:

Well, I see some value in being able to recognize the persons we read about in history. It drives me crazy when I see someone on Leno who can’t identify a picture of George Washington, for crying out loud. So matching peoples’ names to their faces doesn’t count in your opinion.**LOL!!! OF COURSE IT DOES COUNT… but do we need pictures on a wall? Last time I looked at my sons history book it had photos of ALL presidents in it. ** That doesn’t mean they should be excluded. **And that doesn’t mean that a teacher should be able to lose her job because she had pictures of the American presidents in her classroom, right? I agree that she should not of lost her job over a photo…unless she was preaching her political views! **We do still live in America, whether the liberals believe we have a right to an opinion or not.
And I was thinking about why I had such a strong reaction to you, Karin. Seems that I understand Americans who have a problem with America because I believe that comes from a genuine concern for their country, which they love. Even if they are misled in their ideals. On the other hand, most foreigners who bad talk America do so out of hatred and a desire for us to be eradicated from the face of the earth. Even while they are here, enjoying our Universities or tax-exempt business status. So, your willingness to bad-mouth America and insistence on not being identifies as an American, automatically made me think of you as belonging to the second category. Because, (even though I joke about moving if Hillary gets elected), I would never go to another country and put down everything they do. Just as I wouldn’t go to someone else’s house and tell them they are doing everything wrong. It’s their house, not mine. So it was surprising and off-putting to me to hear such criticism from a non-American living in this country. I take it too personal. Does that clear it up?**Well I can understand that…but let me clarify something here…I have lived here in the USA for 20+ years…paid taxes for many of those years. I do not bad mouth everything about this country…just the education system which you have to admit needs help…and certain things that the goverment does. Do you get put off when AMericans tell you there are problems with the goverment or education system (you yourself admit you dont agree with everything)? If the ansewr is NO then you should not be put off when a non-american says the same thing. Or is it, and i think this is the case here, that only people that are American should be able to voice their opinions?? **/QUOTE]

 

[Karin]

legeorge:

On the other hand, most foreigners who bad talk America do so out of hatred and a desire for us to be eradicated from the face of the earth.** That is not true…there are many foreigners that bad-talk etc. this country out of concern…not ALL of them want you guys eradicated from the face of the earth**. Even while they are here, enjoying our Universities or tax-exempt business status. First…yes we enjoy your universities but we do PAY the tuitions just like American Citizens they are not free last I checked, I also pay property taxes for the privilage of my kids (americans) to attend public elemantary schools (I choose to send them to Catholic school) so once again I am not getting a *FREE RIDE *here either. … Please also note that while we foreigners are here, we like American Citizens must obey the all laws and pay taxes (the ones that are here legally at least)…we are not here on a FREE RIDE. **And please can you clarify the *tax-exempt business status *comment. So, your willingness to bad-mouth America and insistence on not being identifies as an American, automatically made me think of you as belonging to the second category. Because, (even though I joke about moving if Hillary gets elected), I would never go to another country and put down everything they do. Just as I wouldn’t go to someone else’s house and tell them they are doing everything wrong. It’s their house, not mine. So it was surprising and off-putting to me to hear such criticism from a non-American living in this country. I take it too personal. Does that clear it up?

The only other question I have is how do you classify an American…this is where I think we are having a problem. I think our definitions are different.

 

[legeorge]

And please can you clarify the tax-exempt business status comment.

Sure. Ever seen all those foreign owned gas stations? They get tax-exemption for opening a business in the US. Then they take their money and send it back home to their families. And God only knows what it is being used for in some cases. If I were to open my own business here, however, I have to pay through the nose because I am a citizen. Have you noticed how all our American companies are going overseas? Same principal. They can get breaks in those countries they can’t get here.

And that doesn’t mean that a teacher should be able to lose her job because she had pictures of the American presidents in her classroom, right? I agree that she should not of lost her job over a photo…unless she was preaching her political views!

See, I knew we would agree about that!

The only other question I have is how do you classify an American…this is where I think we are having a problem. I think our definitions are different.

Actually, I think the problem was my knee-jerk reaction to your posts. This thread is the only time I ever read your posts and so this was my only impression of you. With all the horrible things going on in the world and all the anti-American propoganda being bandied about in the media, I guess I am just on the defensive. Sorry!

 

[Karin]

legeorge:

Sure. Ever seen all those foreign owned gas stations? They get tax-exemption for opening a business in the US. Then they take their money and send it back home to their families. And God only knows what it is being used for in some cases. If I were to open my own business here, however, I have to pay through the nose because I am a citizen. Have you noticed how all our American companies are going overseas? Same principal. They can get breaks in those countries they can’t get here. **I am bit confused still…I see gas stations where foreigners work…but as they (gas stations and workers) are based here in the States…they have to pay taxes (federal state income etc.) What the workers or gas station owners due after paying taxes with their money cant be controlled does not matter if they are American or not. **

See, I knew we would agree about that!
**LOL!!! your right we can agree on some things **

Actually, I think the problem was my knee-jerk reaction to your posts. This thread is the only time I ever read your posts and so this was my only impression of you. With all the horrible things going on in the world and all the anti-American propoganda being bandied about in the media, I guess I am just on the defensive. Sorry!
Legeorge: Please no offense was taken on my part, but apology accepted I to apologize for thinking in my mind that you were racist or hostile towards foreigners. I too have only read your posts via this thread…I have since gone on to read other posts you have made and see I was wrong in my impression.