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Valedictorian rips approved speech!

There are already two other threads about the same topic.
 
Viktyr Gehrig said:
Yes, you're all so ****ing persecuted for not being able to shove your religion down everyone else's throats.
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The issue is not "shoving religion down everyone's throat" but to get people back to God. We may be approaching the end of time when the government is moving away from constitutionality into corruption and favoritism.
 
Glowpun said:
The issue is not "shoving religion down everyone's throat" but to get people back to God.
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News flash: "getting people back to God" who don't worship your God and don't want to worship your God is shoving your religion down their throat.

Glowpun said:
We may be approaching the end of time when the government is moving away from constitutionality into corruption and favoritism.
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Constitutionality means protecting people from religion as much as it means protecting their freedom of religion.
 
Verthaine said:
But not those who's religions are different?

Is there somewhere in the bible prohibiting Christians from recognizing the achievement of someone from a different religion,giving them a pat on the back,and saying "good job,kid"?

Sounds real petty to me.
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Petty? Christians applauding a Christian message? And the likelihood that other religious people would've done the same thing about theirs?
 
Wiseone said:
A kid throwing out his graduation speech and going for something different is nothing new, why is it so special now?
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Because of the content of his message. A high school graduate publicly giving some credits to his parents, and full credit to his God.

Because, he's defending his freedom of religion.
 
Remington Reimer: Texas Valedictorian Microphone Silenced, Freedom Of Speech Called Into Question

Texas high school valedictorian had his microphone silenced during his speech on Thursday. Remington Reimer, from Joshua High School, had finished his preapproved speech when he began to deviate from the topic -- and then his microphone was cut off.

Students and audience members said Reimer’s speech was cut short when he started talking about the Constitution, Fox 4 reports. Others believe the school interrupted his speech due to religious reasons. Reimer reportedly finished the speech without the microphone turned on, so few could make out what he said.

Reimer’s sister posted the rest of her brother’s speech on her Facebook page, according to the Burleson Star:

“We are all fortunate to live in a country where we can express our beliefs, where our mikes won’t be turned off, as I have been threatened to be if I veer away from the school-censored speech I have just finished. Just as Jesus spoke out against the authority of the Pharisees and Saducees, who tried to silence Him, I will not have my freedom of speech taken away from me. And I urge you all to do the same. Do not let anyone take away your religious or Constitutional rights away from you. This will be the first and last time many of you will hear me speak. I wish you all the best, and let’s get this race going!"
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Remington Reimer: Texas Valedictorian Microphone Silenced, Freedom Of Speech Called Into Question [PHOTO]




:applaud
 
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tosca1 said:
I don't know if this has been posted already, if so please excuse me.
But I just want to share about this brave young man exercising his freedom to speak and express his belief.





:good_job:

:rock


I think we're starting to see our Christian youth and young folks really getting involved. From wearing a t-shirt that glorifies God, creating video games, to groups proselytizing in inner cities......etc..,

In this day and age of drugs and crimes, parents' best hope is to try their best to introduce their children - the younger the better - to Jesus Christ, and the Christian life..... and to teach by example.
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Blah blah blah, just some punk kid doing what punk kids have been doing for centuries. It will neither end nor start nor proliferate nor reduce any amount of controversy what so ever. Nor will is spur significant argument.

I wonder if you'd be so much of "free speech" if the kid rambled off atheist ideals. Probably not.
 
tosca1 said:
Because of the content of his message. A high school graduate publicly giving some credits to his parents, and full credit to his God.

Because, he's defending his freedom of religion.
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But it wasn't under attack :/
 
tosca1 said:
Petty? Christians applauding a Christian message? And the likelihood that other religious people would've done the same thing about theirs?
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Are you deliberately being obtuse?

Let me break it down to you real simple like.
If you are in the audience of a high school graduation,and the valedictorian talks about how Buddha and Buddhism helped him/her in life,would you applaud,yes or no?

If no,why not?
 
Verthaine said:
Has anyone else besides me notice that both the Costner and Reimer incidents happened in two very conservative,very christian Red States?
South Carolina and Texas.
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That should answer your question above.
 
Verthaine said:
Are you deliberately being obtuse?

Let me break it down to you real simple like.
If you are in the audience of a high school graduation,and the valedictorian talks about how Buddha and Buddhism helped him/her in life,would you applaud,yes or no?

If no,why not?
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Which part of this is hard to understand?


Originally Posted by tosca1

Petty? Christians applauding a Christian message? And the likelihood that other religious people would've done the same thing about theirs?
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Wiseone said:
But it wasn't under attack :/
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Yes it was.

Originally Posted by tosca1 View Post

Because of the content of his message. A high school graduate publicly giving some credits to his parents, and full credit to his God.
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Both valedictorians dared to invoke the word, God.

And Freedom of Speech, too.
 
As I have already replied in detail in the poll thread on this subject, I will limit my remarks to saying that there was nothing even remotely courageous or remarkable about what this bloke did. He ran no risk of censure by saying a Christian prayer in a strongly Christian gathering, and reciting perhaps the best known Christian prayer was hardly delivering a clever or original message. He was looking for approval and obtained it the easiest way possible.

Had he done the same thing at my school (except we do not have high school graduation ceremonies in the British world,) he would have had his audience jeering, or at the very least rolling their eyes in ridicule and/or embarrassment, so it might have been a courageous - if pointless - gesture.

But autres temps, autres moeurs.
 
tosca1 said:
Yes it was.

Both valedictorians dared to invoke the word, God.

And Freedom of Speech, too.
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No, religion is not under attack because a high schooler was required to follow a pre-approved script that he wrote. Drop the prosecution mentality.
 
tosca1 said:
Which part of this is hard to understand?


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The part where I having a hard time understanding is why you are refusing to answer a simple "Yes" or "No" question.

I'm beginning to suspect this isn't about "freedom of speech".I'm beginning to think this is a "look everybody at how we Christians are so horribly oppressed".
Now this is just my opinion,but I think if Costner and Riemer were Buddhist or,Muslim or atheists,you wouldn't have cared if their freedom of speech was attacked.
That is what is feel is petty.
I'm not a christian but I would have applauded their speeches.I couldn't have cared less what religion they were citing for helping them reach an impressive achievement,it is the fact that they made that achievement that deserves my respect.
Your refusal to answer my simple question is leading me to suspect that you believe the exact opposite.
That it is not the achievement they made,but what religion they cite that deserves your respect.
Hey,to each their own,right?

In both Costner and Reimer incidents,the real issue isn't WHAT they said,but if they broke school rules/policy while doing it.As I said before,I have absolutely no problem with what either Costner or Reimer said.I think they should have been allowed to say it.It was their moment in the spotlight,they worked hard for it,and deserved to be valedictorians.
But I'm one of those people that also believe that "if you are willing to do the crime,you better be willing to do the time".Nobody should get a free pass on that just because they belong to a certain religion or group.
 
tosca1 said:
Yes it was.



Both valedictorians dared to invoke the word, God.

And Freedom of Speech, too.
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Funny how you added the words "And freedom of Speech,too" almost as an afterthought.
 
Wiseone said:
No, religion is not under attack because a high schooler was required to follow a pre-approved script that he wrote. Drop the prosecution mentality.
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Seems I'm not the only one who suspects this is really a "how we Christians are so horribly oppressed in this country" disguised as a "freedom of speech" thread.
 
Verthaine said:
Seems I'm not the only one who suspects this is really a "how we Christians are so horribly oppressed in this country" disguised as a "freedom of speech" thread.
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What do you expect? She's also started threads complaining about Dawkins and "New Atheists."
 
afr0byte said:
What do you expect? She's also started threads complaining about Dawkins and "New Atheists."
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I saw that thread.
Tosca1 really should change her modus operandi.
She's becoming way too predictable.
 
samsmart said:
It is when it's done at a function of a public school paid for by tax dollars allocated by the government.



And that is a bet you would lose.
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Apparently you don't know what is involved in making a law in Congress. It doesn't happen by a student giving a speech.
 
windowdressing said:
hope the late Falwell and Pat Robertson are not the examples they follow ... in fact, I hope they follow Jesus Christ and become liberals ... he was everything cons are not ... "He rejected greed, violence, the glorification of power, the amassing of wealth without social balance, and the personal judging of others, their lifestyles and beliefs." Let's hope this young man truly knows what being a Christ follower really is and not what cons pretend he is ...
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Jesus wasn't into politics.
 
Verthaine said:
The part where I having a hard time understanding is why you are refusing to answer a simple "Yes" or "No" question.

I'm beginning to suspect this isn't about "freedom of speech".I'm beginning to think this is a "look everybody at how we Christians are so horribly oppressed".
Now this is just my opinion,but I think if Costner and Riemer were Buddhist or,Muslim or atheists,you wouldn't have cared if their freedom of speech was attacked.
That is what is feel is petty.
I'm not a christian but I would have applauded their speeches.I couldn't have cared less what religion they were citing for helping them reach an impressive achievement,it is the fact that they made that achievement that deserves my respect.
Your refusal to answer my simple question is leading me to suspect that you believe the exact opposite.
That it is not the achievement they made,but what religion they cite that deserves your respect.
Hey,to each their own,right?

In both Costner and Reimer incidents,the real issue isn't WHAT they said,but if they broke school rules/policy while doing it.As I said before,I have absolutely no problem with what either Costner or Reimer said.I think they should have been allowed to say it.It was their moment in the spotlight,they worked hard for it,and deserved to be valedictorians.
But I'm one of those people that also believe that "if you are willing to do the crime,you better be willing to do the time".Nobody should get a free pass on that just because they belong to a certain religion or group.
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agree ... what he did was engage in an act of civil disobedience and not only should he expect a penalty of some sort, but he should hope for it ... that's the point of civil disobedience after all ...
 
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