It represented one of the most shameful of stories. Yet as is always the case with shameful stories, it soon made its way across America.
It seems an 11-year-old boy in Colorado had been suspended from school for failing to remove a t-shirt that school officials had deemed a disruption to the school's learning environment. According to MyFOXColorado.com, on a day that students had been asked to show their patriotism by wearing red, white, and blue, Daxx Dalton wore a home-made shirt that read, “Obama is a terrorist’s best friend.”
The fifth grade boy was asked to either change his shirt or turn it inside out. Then, at some point, an ultimatum came up.
If the shirt were not turned inside out or removed, the school would have to suspend him. The youngster chose suspension.
Father Insists He Will Sue
The boy’s father told the Colorado FOX affiliate that he, dad, is a “proud conservative.” He also insisted that the school was making a mistake by suspending his son. Dann Dalton went on to add, “It’s the public school system. Let’s be honest, it’s full of liberal loons.”
Dann Dalton also went on, “I didn’t expect (my son) to get what he got, that was ridiculously uncalled for.” He also announced his intent to sue the school district for violation of his son's first amendment rights.
At the same time, young Daxx did acknowledge that he had been “encouraged” to wear the shirt by his father. In a separate Chicago SunTimes article, it was noted that the t-shirt had been designed by dad as well. According to SunTimes.com, Dann Dalton offered, "I'm full of all kinds of anti-Obama cliches." Apparently he also helped with the message so that "he could easily capsulate it on a T-shirt."
School District Actions
Given that the situation involved the discipline of a student, the school district was not at liberty to discuss the case in detail with the media. However, the district did acknowledge the incident and noted that the suspension was for willful disobedience and defiance, not for the shirt's political message.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Ruvy
The painful truth of all this is that when you look at Obama's real record - his interference in Kenyan politics to help his and his father's native Luo, an act that resulted in the imposition of Sharia law in several parts of Kenya, his close relationship with Arab "Palestinians" whom he told to lay low after he was elected to the United States Senate, the fact that Hamas initially endorsed him, and now the fact that he is the Arabs' favorite in the American race - when you look at all that, you realize that he is indeed the terrorists' friend, just as the t-shirt accused him of being. Truth has a habit of upsetting people a great deal. Don't believe me. Ask Jeremiah - the prophet, not the bullfrog.
Obama has shown that it is possible to be a citizen of the world (he truly is one) and a low-life Chicago machine politician all at the same time. That conmcept will not be found on National Palestine Radio, I guarantee you that.
Commuity organizer for ACORN? I remember that bunch of sleazebags. Many years ago, I answered some job ads of theirs and they were nothing but scummy hustlers, no better than Amway distributors.
Let's see.... Who have I insulted more in this comment? Amway distributors, ACORN, Obomba, or scummy hustlers and sleazebags? Methinks the scummy hustlers and sleazebags should be most offended, having been compared to the likes of Barak Obama.
2 - Lisa Solod Warren
Well, Ruvy's off-topic post (for a change!!!) notwithstanding, thanks Tom, for this opinion article. It did what Maddy's didn't, and got to the core of the issue.
What a sad state of affairs when a father uses his little boy like this. If this isn't a form of parental abuse, I am not sure what is. I feel very sorry for the children of this man (and I wonder where the mother was).
This isn't about politics at all, is it? It's about parents using their children as message boards, and it is frightening.
I remember the first time my son came home from college and he sat down and said to me, "Mom, I need to tell you something." And I said, "Okay, fire away." And he said, "I don't think I believe in God any more." And I said, "All right. Tell me why." And we sat and we talked for over an hour (This the son I had to drive for ten years to Sunday School and had bar mitzvahed!) and, after we were finished, I said, "Philip, you are on your way to being an adult, you can think about things and make up your own mind about them. You don't need to share all my beliefs or opinions. But you can always change your mind, too."
I am sorry that this little boy will never be able to have that kind of relationship with his father, if this is any example.
3 - wdufkin
I say amen to Ruvys comment. What a shame for Ms. Warrens son that he has a parent who does not understand who God is or the eternal significance of unbelief.
4 - Joanne Huspek
One point the school's attorney could argue: they knew what they were doing. If told the consequence for the action was suspension and that's what the child chose, I'm wondering how the father could sue. In this case, if this is a rule and the rule was broken, that's the breaks.
If the father were really so interested, he could have worked with the school board (unlikely, but what the hell) to try to change the rule.
The child could have worn the shirt in off-school hours.
Perhaps the child DID know what he was doing and wasn't a pawn. Fifth graders have been known to form their own opinions.
I guess this needs further scrutiny. However, my gut says that the dad was trying to grab his 15 minutes of fame. Sad, but not unusual.
5 - Daniel Miller
Ruvy, re Comment #1
Question: do you still consider Senator Obama to be the best choice from the standpoint of Israel?
Dan(Miller)
6 - Daniel Miller
According to the "subhead" accompanying the title of the article, "Expressing politically incorrect opinions is unpatriotic and an insult to the red white and blue." I realize that titles and subheads are designed to get people to read an article. I write them for that reason as well. Still, the subhead accompanying this article was a total put-off for me and, I hope, for many others.
I basically agree that parents shouldn't try to foist their political views on their children, or use them as vehicles for expressing their own political views; ditto religious views, or, for that matter, even for chocolate versus vanilla ice cream, even though it happens quite frequently, on all sides of all issues. I am willing to assume, arguendo, but don't really know, that that is what happened here. Many years ago, when I was in fifth grade, I had political views (ill formed, perhaps, but still mine) which often differed from those of my parents. I expressed them. Political correctness had not then reared its ugly head, but even had it done so I hope that I would not have been dissuaded.
I disagree, vehemently, with the notion that "Expressing politically incorrect opinions is unpatriotic and an insult to the red white and blue." I also have substantial difficulty in accepting that the author intended that notion seriously.
Political correctness is, in my opinion, one of the greatest problems of U.S. culture. It trumps far right Christian views, far left political views, and just about everything else. Freedom of speech (and I recognize that it does not generally apply to children in grade school, and don't here argue that it necessarily should) is intended to protect the expression not only of popular or "politically correct" views. If it were, the First Amendment would be superfluous.
Views, politically correct or otherwise, should stand or fall on their own merits. To contend that the expression of politically incorrect views is wicked and unpatriotic and constitutes an insult to the "red, white and blue" is, to me not only unpatriotic and an insult to the red, white and blue but also downright absurd.
Dan(Miller)
7 - Arch Conservative
The subtitle sucked.
The guy is an idiot for using his young child to express his own political views.
The public education system in this system is for the most part dominated by intolerant, narrow minded leftists.
Nothing else needs to be said.
8 - Zedd
Living smack in the middle of suburbia, I see a lot of misparenting. Parents of my generation are so self consumed that they are failing to do the work of parenting. It seems that we are so entertainment oriented that we use our children to fuel our need to live a "Fast Times" or sit-com existence. We all want to be Bevis and Butthead, shucking off responsibility for cheap thrills.
I see it at cheer practice with the chorus of Jonbets and their mom's who conduct inappropriate conversations right in front of them. There are 5th graders who go on dates (pushed to). There is a slew of preteens with butt showing shorts who walk from their homes with Dad letting them out of the door; boys who don't play but abuse, reenacting a never ending episode of "Jackass".
Parenting many times means being boring and making decisions that are a drag. Parenting often means behaving smarter and wiser than you actually are. The power that that position gives is immense. It seems that many are not equipped for it.
Many times these parents look to institutions to fill in the gaps when they have left such gaping holes in their children's development.
In this case, it's obvious that this man is and embicile. Not for his political views but for not knowing just how stupid it was to do what he did. He however thinks he has grounds to celebrate his accomplishment, perhaps like Ferris Bueller.
Parenting is for grown-ups.
9 - Doug Hunter
"There is a slew of preteens with butt showing shorts who walk from their homes with Dad letting them out of the door;"
And to make it worse they usually have some catchy word or phrase emblazoned on the backside of the shorts. You kinda want to know what it says but dont want to be seen as a pervert staring at a 12yo backside. If I ever have a girl she certainly won't leave the house wearing that crap.
10 - Baritone
wdufkin,
I praise Lisa for having the courage and intelligence to freely allow her son to make his own decision about god. That the two of them could sit and discuss it calmly is a testament to the strength and level of trust of their relationship.
B
11 - Daniel Miller
According to Comment #2, This isn't about politics at all, is it? It's about parents using their children as message boards, and it is frightening.
According to Comment #7, The guy is an idiot for using his young child to express his own political views.
I agree. Here is an interesting link to a video of twenty-two sweet little children (said to be between five and twelve years of age) singing political statements while basking in the proud admiration of adults, possibly their parents. Apparently it is making its rounds on the internet.
The article does not indicate who made/paid for the costumes worn by the children. Query whether the comments cited above apply. Just curious.
Dan(Miller)
12 - Zedd
Dan,
That is neither scary nor creepy. The issue with this guy sending his kid with this t-shirt was not that his kid believes what he believes. The issue is that the t-shirt broke the school's rules and it was the father who made the kid do so AND he continues to speak out against authority when he is ridiculously wrong in his actions.
This is no more sick then kids singing church songs or any other song with ideals or beliefs that their parents espouse. Parenting involves indoctrination. Sounds creepy but that is what we do when we enculturate our children. We give them our values and beliefs. When they are old enough, they get to believe whatever they like. Nothing creepy about that. Kids singing about hope somehow doesn't scare me. A kid who's parent puts profane slogans on her t-shirt and sends her to school....
13 - Zedd
Baritone,
Lisa engages the way that she does with her son because she doesn't view her beliefs as a necessity. Parents who view their beliefs as a necessity to real happiness or salvation or redemption would not be so willy nilly about the matter. So you are in essence applauding the fact that she does not believe strongly in her religion. What's new?
14 - Clavos
Creepy video, Dan(Miller).
Very reminiscent of performances by ChiCom kids performing "patriotic" songs and dances back during the heyday of the PRC's "Great Leap Forward."
All that was missing was all of them brandishing Mao's Little Red Book.
Obama's very own Brave New World.
15 - Jordan Richardson
Zedd, that's a load of crap.
I'd imagine someone raising their children to be open-minded and to decide a personal religious path over mindless and gutless indoctrination would show more faith in one's religious beliefs and the strength of said faith to "find its way" to a child.
Parents who view their God as being big enough to reach their children are far from willy nilly, whereas those who believe that they must trap their children with gobs of religious doctrine are, I daresay, a little spiritually weak in the the knees.
16 - Lisa Solod Warren
Uh, Zedd...not sure what you are getting at...
And thanks, Bar and Jordan, for understanding.
My son was an adult, 18, when he came home and expressed his doubts, and I was glad he had the courage and trust to talk to me. When he was at home, I took him to synagogue, and he dressed as I told him to; he followed my rules as he lived under my roof.
I am happy to see that he still knows how to behave in company, has manners, and knows how to dress for occasions. As for G-d, that is a decision he will have to come to on his own. I raised him in a religion, but I view that as a personal decision. The Jewish religion is a religion(no matter how Ruvy views it) with a long history (witness the Talmud) of asking questions (the old saw: ask five Jews the same question and you will get six different answers!:)) and of intellectual discussion. I, myself, wandered away from Judaism as a religion (although not as a culture) and G-d for several years in my 20s and then came back to both. My daughter, 15, is very involved in both the Temple and the Jewish youth group, so she has a different take on it than her brother did (we lived in France for two of his high school years so he had a different experience). I have no idea where he will end up. Perhaps, when/if he marries and has children (something he says he wants) he may change again.
But I have always encouraged my children to talk to me about their feelings, life, sex, religion, and so on. And to not hold back.
Actually, Zedd, what I ultimately told him was that even if he did not love God, God loved him. And then we laughed.
Now some of you who are atheists may find that offensive. That is okay. My faith informs who I am but I do not allow it to spill over into my judgments of other people. I believe sincerely that one can be a good and moral person without a belief in G-d. My belief is personal only.
17 - troll
...wonder why the vid in Dan's link is "no longer available"
18 - Daniel Miller
Zedd, The issue with this guy sending his kid with this t-shirt was not that his kid believes what he believes. That may well be an issue, but it is not the issue I was addressing. I cited two comments to the effect that it is pernicious to use one's small children to make one's political statements, and asked whether those comments apply in the case of the linked video. I think they should, but I wanted to know what others thought.
I know that lots of young children go to Sunday School and sing all sorts of stuff, and that if not encouraged by their parents probably wouldn't. Whether religious indoctrination at a very young age is good or bad is another topic. An interesting one, perhaps, but not the one I was addressing.
Dan(Miller)
19 - troll
if it's not the parents' job to indoctrinate their little angels/monsters then whose is it - ?
kids I've known have been 'proud billboards' for their parents and other assholes with names like Tom and Cal
20 - Daniel Miller
Troll,
I don't know. I just checked and it was still there, along with 6,013 comments.
Dan(Miller)
21 - troll
I'll try again
22 - troll
hmmm - when I hit play I still get the message "We're sorry...no longer available"...how odd
23 - Cindy D
It appears that the video is not available anywhere.
24 - Daniel Miller
Yep, it seems to have been pulled. The still shot is still on the link I posted earlier, but when I tried to play I got the same message. I then "googled" it, and found several sites, including the MyObama site. However, in each case, when I tried to play it I got the message that it is no longer available. It was available on the posted link when I posted it, and evidently late last night when Clav (comment #14) watched it and apparently when Zedd (Comment #12) seems to have watched it at more or less the same time.
I wonder why it was taken down. Perhaps the vast right wing conspiracy didn't want to see a bunch of cute kids singing praises of Senator Obama? Yeah. That's probably it.
Dan(Miller)
25 - Ruvy
wdufkin,
Thank you. I appreciate your comment. Lisa can answer you. I notice she hasn't....