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Eighth graders refuse to pose with Paul Ryan for photo-op

B

Brandon F

Well congratulations! You got yourself caught!
‘I don’t want to be associated with him’: 100 eighth graders refuse to pose with Paul Ryan during DC trip

SOUTH ORANGE, New Jersey (WABC) -- A group of middle school students from New Jersey caused quite a flap, after half of them refused to take a picture with Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan.
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"It's not just a picture," said Matthew Malespina, a student.
Matthew says he couldn't go through with it.
"It's being associated with a person who puts his party before his country," Matthew said.
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Hope for the future yet. Though half the class did decide to take the photo anyway...
 
A

ArchedThunder

Banned
Smart kids. Good job!
rs1V96W.gif
 
O

Oblivion

Fetishing muscular manly men in skintight hosery
As much as I enjoy seeing Paul Ryan being unpopular with the kids, I'm honestly surprised that mere 8th graders would be so politically aware.
 
E

Extra Sauce

Member
Oblivion said:
As much as I enjoy seeing Paul Ryan being unpopular with the kids, I'm honestly surprised that mere 8th graders would be so politically aware.
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This generation of 8th graders kinda have to... what with politicians playing with their ability to even live on this Earth.
 
B

B-Dubs

No Scrubs
Oblivion said:
As much as I enjoy seeing Paul Ryan being unpopular with the kids, I'm honestly surprised that mere 8th graders would be so politically aware.
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Kids are more aware than we give them credit for. The rise of Trump caused a bunch of problems with some kids being more into hateful ideas and another bunch being afraid they wouldn't be able to live in the country anymore. It was generally under-reported, but it was a common story from teachers.
 
S

SandwichMeat

Member
skimming through the wikipedia page for South Orange and it seems like it is a super liberal and decently wealthy area, so not surprising that the kids would not be big Paul Ryan fans

still, nice to see them stand up for their beliefs
 
L

Lulubop

Member
"It's not just a picture," said Matthew Malespina, a student.
Matthew says he couldn't go through with it.
"It's being associated with a person who puts his party before his country," Matthew said.
Click to expand...

giphy.gif
 
L

Loxley

Member
"It's being associated with a person who puts his party before his country," Matthew said.
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It's sad that a fucking eighth grader understands this and recognizes why it's a bad thing but a generation of grown-ass adults just can't.
 
M

Media

Member
Oblivion said:
As much as I enjoy seeing Paul Ryan being unpopular with the kids, I'm honestly surprised that mere 8th graders would be so politically aware.
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My son just graduated 8th grade, turns 14 in August. He's very aware of Trump and how shitty he is, mostly through friends and social media.
 
B

Bronx-Man

Banned
Not surprised that these kids are pretty aware of what's going on, especially since they're about to enter high school. When Obama got elected, I started watching the Daily Show & Colbert every night in 6th Grade. Didn't understand a goddamn word of either until 7th grade.

Also between this and those protests in Harlem, Paul Ryan needs to just stay away from schools.
 
O

Omadahl

Banned
Oblivion said:
As much as I enjoy seeing Paul Ryan being unpopular with the kids, I'm honestly surprised that mere 8th graders would be so politically aware.
Click to expand...

Buddy this past election had me honestly hopeful for the future after the way my 4-6th graders handled themselves. I saw a lot of them at protests and actively engaging other students in discourse. One kid tried to defend Trump and I had to save him from an ass beating. These kids are poor and first generation Americans (dreamers). They know first-hand what it means to have ICE kick in your door to take a family member. I keep hoping this was the election that finally gets young people engaged.
 
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Brandon F

Well congratulations! You got yourself caught!
Oblivion said:
As much as I enjoy seeing Paul Ryan being unpopular with the kids, I'm honestly surprised that mere 8th graders would be so politically aware.
Click to expand...

Heh, I know 5-year olds that will give Trump shit.

I mean they are informed by friends and mostly their parents, but they are very much aware and they absorb more effectively than adults give them credit. If their parents are frustrated, annoyed, and upset, they will figure it what is behind it pretty easily and quickly.
 
B

banktree

Banned
Seems like every time kids state a Republican point of view its because their parents brainwashed them, but every time they do something against Republicans they're praised as being smart.

Don't do this.
 
K

killer rin

Member
Oblivion said:
As much as I enjoy seeing Paul Ryan being unpopular with the kids, I'm honestly surprised that mere 8th graders would be so politically aware.
Click to expand...

You'd be surprised how politically aware children can be. Yeah they aren't experts and chances are they can't explain why they hold their positions nor will they recognize their views are mostly formed from their own families, but if you dumb down the question they know where they stand on issues.
 
B

BriGuy

Member
banktree said:
Seems like every time kids state a Republican point of view its because their parents brainwashed them, but every time they do something against Republicans they're praised as being smart.

Don't do this.
Click to expand...

Certainly possible. Without having a frank discussion with them, it's hard to determine what the kids actually know and believe and what they're just parroting back from the dinner table. I'd like to believe they're that socially and politically aware, but then I remember eighth grader me whose horizon ended at Super Nintendo vs. Genesis.
 
B

Brandon F

Well congratulations! You got yourself caught!
banktree said:
Seems like every time kids state a Republican point of view its because their parents brainwashed them, but every time they do something against Republicans they're praised as being smart.

Don't do this.
Click to expand...

The real consideration is that these children took a stand on their own terms. They weren't pushed or badgered to do so by their parents. They actively refused to participate in a school-sanctioned activity for a guest on their own accord. And they did so peacefully. This isn't a college campus, these are eighth graders. The article even goes into detail on this from the perspective of both sides.
 
RPGCrazied

RPGCrazied

Member
BriGuy said:
Certainly possible. Without having a frank discussion with them, it's hard to determine what the kids actually know and believe and what they're just parroting back from the dinner table. I'd like to believe they're that socially and politically aware, but then I remember eighth grader me whose horizon ended at Super Nintendo vs. Genesis.
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Times changes. When I was a kid I was never thinking about politics. But I grew up in the 80's/90's.
 
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