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

Ya'll have a pretty weird idea of what 14 year olds are like. That's not too young to be aware, interested, or even engaged in politics. They're already learning politics in Social Studies and writing essays in English class. These are teenagers who are beginning to shape into the adults they'll eventually be, not little kids on a playground. Sure, at that age, your world view is still greatly informed by your family, but you're also at a prime age for challenging the values you were raised with and developing your own beliefs. Not hard to believe at all that these kids have already realized that Paul Ryan is a dildo.
 
Plenty of people have pointed out that South Orange is nowhere near South Jersey, but I'd also point out that it isn't remotely red either. Trump got like 10% of the vote
Also makes no sense to point that out since the 8th graders aren't the ones voting but uh
 

Rentahamster

Rodent Whores
I'm not making assumptions lol. I'm going by what I'm reading, that's it. You're the one talking about the quotes obviously being from a longer conversation that we can't see. And then you assume the mother's political affiliation and biases that we have no idea about. Like come on man.

As am I, and apparently I've read more about this than you have.

https://villagegreennj.com/towns/so...th-orange-students-refuse-photo-speaker-ryan/

Matthew’s mom said she supported her son’s decision. “I am proud of my son and all the other students who chose to respectfully not to participate in the photograph with Speaker Ryan,” wrote Elissa Malespina, in a message to Village Green. “My son does not believe in the policies that Speaker Ryan believes and does not want to be associated in any way with him or his policies. It is his right as a citizen to do so and I commend him and his fellow students for doing so in a respectful way. Listen to the children they get it.”

1. His mom doesn't like Paul Ryan (understandably)

2. Most kids get their politics from their parents.

3. It's possible he's the exception and not the rule, but probably not.

4. What a coincidence that his mom's speaking career and public visibility also depends on her social media presence which, surprise surprise, got a nice bit of visibility after this story broke.

https://twitter.com/elissamalespina

5. She told him to do it.

http://abc7ny.com/politics/half-of-nj-8th-grade-class-refuses-to-pose-with-speaker-ryan/2041987/

pnioR3A.png


Guys, like three of you have replied to Rentahamster after he got banned lol. I know it's easy to overlook, though. Kind of weird that he got banned for this, but dude picks some really weird hills to die on.
I pick the hills because I'm (usually) right. It's not some irrational need to argue. Believe it or not, but I honestly care about analysis and discourse.

I don't get the "respect for the office" arguments. Respect for the office is precisely why I have no respect for these people.

Well said response to that discussion hampering statement.
 
This is the kind of shit my daughter would pull for sure. Good on them.

I love when kids get political and it feels genuine (rather than like they're parroting their parents).

edit: lol, and just then I see his mom told him too.
 

Shouta

Member
As am I, and apparently I've read more about this than you have.

https://villagegreennj.com/towns/so...th-orange-students-refuse-photo-speaker-ryan/



1. His mom doesn't like Paul Ryan (understandably)

2. Most kids get their politics from their parents.

3. It's possible he's the exception and not the rule, but probably not.

4. What a coincidence that his mom's speaking career and public visibility also depends on her social media presence which, surprise surprise, got a nice bit of visibility after this story broke.

https://twitter.com/elissamalespina

5. She told him to do it.

http://abc7ny.com/politics/half-of-nj-8th-grade-class-refuses-to-pose-with-speaker-ryan/2041987/

pnioR3A.png



I pick the hills because I'm (usually) right. It's not some irrational need to argue. Believe it or not, but I honestly care about analysis and discourse.



Well said response to that discussion hampering statement.

I highly doubt the mom got her kid to do this for the publicity unless there's some strong evidence to show that. At worst, she thought doing the interview might get her a signal boost but that's an entirely separate thing from her son not wanting to take a picture with Ryan. She benefited from it but it's unlikely she instigated beyond helping to shape her son's views. It's a leap of logic to think without some more stuff.
 

Rentahamster

Rodent Whores
I highly doubt the mom got her kid to do this for the publicity unless there's some strong evidence to show that. At worst, she thought doing the interview might get her a signal boost but that's an entirely separate thing from her son not wanting to take a picture with Ryan. She benefited from it but it's unlikely she instigated beyond helping to shape her son's views. It's a leap of logic to think without some more stuff.

I'm not making the case that she did it because she wanted publicity. There's no way to know why without being a mind reader. The argument I'm making, which was the response that I gave to Oblivion, is that most kids that young are heavily influenced by their parents/teachers/peers, and that it's not unreasonable to think that their parents had some kind of influence over this too.

The fact that she's getting visibility on social media from this story isn't some sort of smoking gun designed to impugn their motives. It's to show that these actions don't exist in a vacuum.
 

Shouta

Member
I'm not making the case that she did it because she wanted publicity. There's no way to know why without being a mind reader. The argument I'm making, which was the response that I gave to Oblivion, is that most kids that young are heavily influenced by their parents/teachers/peers, and that it's not unreasonable to think that their parents had some kind of influence over this too.

The fact that she's getting visibility on social media from this story isn't some sort of smoking gun designed to impugn their motives. It's to show that these actions don't exist in a vacuum.

Fair enough. However, I do feel like that specific argument isn't necessary to what you're discussing. It just kind of makes it a bit more murky.

Parents do have influence on their kids, good or bad. That's pretty undeniable. So I feel like pointing out that the mom told him to do it before he said he didn't want to is more than enough to suggest the kid was influenced by his mother. Not that that it's a bad thing or anything. If anything, it at least shows his Mom is engaged with her kids in that area on some level, lol.
 

psyfi

Banned
You know what, I'll tolerate a lot, but that's just disrespectful to try and make kids pose with a man partially responsible for the death and hardship of millions.

Kids made me proud though :)
 
Kids marching in some anti-LGBT thing: "Omg brainwashing, the kids don't know what they're doing, the parents are garbage"
Kids doing the non-garbage version of the same thing: "Wow, so aware, so smart, oh my god"

Okay. And then little Matthew gets rejected by a girl he likes and is a regular at redpill three weeks later.

"Party before country" especially is just a fun catchphrase that the kid remembered hearing from their parents/TV, but I'd bet that if you asked the kid to explain what he means by that, he'll start stuttering.
 

rjinaz

Member
Kids marching in some anti-LGBT thing: "Omg brainwashing, the kids don't know what they're doing, the parents are garbage"
Kids doing the non-garbage version of the same thing: "Wow, so aware, so smart, oh my god"

Okay. And then little Matthew gets rejected by a girl he likes and is a regular at redpill three weeks later.

"Party before country" especially is just a fun catchphrase that the kid remembered hearing from their parents/TV, but I'd bet that if you asked the kid to explain what he means by that, he'll start stuttering.

Your comparison is ridiculous. One is teaching a child discrimination, another is teaching a child not to have a photo done with a politician, a piece of shit that created a bill that will kill off poor people at that. I'm also laughing at the idea that you think girls or women aren't interested in men with progressive views seeing as how women tend to lean that way in general. And last, he's 14. I'm pretty sure he can understand what putting your own beliefs above the good of the country means. Jesus.
 
Your comparison is ridiculous. One is teaching a child discrimination, another is teaching a child not to have a photo done with a politician, a piece of shit that created a bill that will kill off poor people at that.

Yeah, but both of those situations are the kid parroting what their parents taught them. The parents making their kids march at anti-LGBT eventts aren't literally teaching them "Hey Timmy, now let's do some discrimination", they're teaching them about the horrifying evil menace of "People being different" that is destroying the country.

They're wrong, obviously, but the situation is the exact same thing of kids just following their parent's example without fully understanding it. The Matthew of this story isn't necessarily a smart kid worth praising, it's his parents who have the right beliefs here.

I'm also laughing at the idea that you think girls or women aren't interested in men with progressive views seeing as how women tend to lean that way in general.

Didn't say that, and I don't believe that. (Also what kind of an idiot would honestly make such a claim, seriously?)

I just think that whatever beliefs the kid is expressing now aren't set in stone and something like having a girl reject him could easily be enough to undo everything. Or maybe a summer spent with a racist grandfather or something. Most of the reason he currently believes what he does is because believing it has worked out for him pretty well so far. His parents are really happy about it, etc.

And last, he's 14. I'm pretty sure he can understand what putting your own beliefs above the good of the country means. Jesus.

A man went on stage and said "I am an evil piece of shit garbage person who hates all of you, vote for me for president" and half of the adults in the country went "Yep, sounds good, let's go", so I don't share your optimism about this one.
 

Brinbe

Member
The value of good fucking education right there. Which is why the GOP is trying to dismantle it!

Put two and two together, GAF.
 

Saganator

Member
Education funding seems to be too high in that district, better cut it. Also, critical thinking being taught in the curriculum needs to go.
 
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