# Censored Poets Society meeting in New Mexico - WHAT THE FUCK, AMERIKKKA!?! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 18, 2004, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/censored-poets-society-meeting-in-new-mexico-what-the-fuck-amerikkka/245738 "2004-05-18T10:19:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/censored-poets-society-meeting-in-new-mexico-what-the-fuck-amerikkka/245738/1 "2004-05-18T10:19:37Z")
[Hard lessons from poetry class: Speech is free unless it’s critical](http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/Opinion/Editorials/03OpOPN62051504.htm) “Bill Nevins, a New Mexico high school teacher and personal friend, was fired last year and classes in poetry and the poetry club at Rio Rancho High School were permanently terminated. It had nothing to do with obscenity, but it had everything to do with extremist politics.” Two teachers at this school were fired for not censoring their students’ poetry. Was it obscene? No. Was it violent? No. It was critical of Bush. That’s enough to get it ground into the dust under the heel of the American stormtrooper’s jackboot. Now all poetry is banned (except if it praises the Bush regime), and the principal who fired the teachers and censored the poets shouted “Shut your faces” to anyone who disagreed with him. Is this the America I grew up in? The neocons say they want to bring “freedom” and “democracy” to other countries. How about starting with this one, shitheads? :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/censored-poets-society-meeting-in-new-mexico-what-the-fuck-amerikkka/245738/2 "2004-05-18T10:40:44Z")
another story about the same school: > [@The Albuquerque Tribune](#): > > [http://www.abqtrib.com/archives/opinions03/052003\_opinions\_teachers.shtml](http://www.abqtrib.com/archives/opinions03/052003_opinions_teachers.shtml) > > Geoff Barrett, a teacher at Albuquerque’s Highland High School, was suspended after refusing to remove student-made artwork expressing views on the recent U.S. war against Iraq. The artwork was completed as part of an optional assignment in Barrett’s Contemporary Issues class. > > When Barrett pointed out that the views expressed were divergent and included both pro- and antiwar views, he was advised that the “pro-war” posters were not “pro-war enough.” all in all, looks like the school has opened itself up to a whole mess o’ lawsuits. ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/censored-poets-society-meeting-in-new-mexico-what-the-fuck-amerikkka/245738/3 "2004-05-18T10:45:47Z")
\*Bill Nevins has gained some fame from the reading of poetry quite lame If he was not such a tool of the Left of his job he would not be bereft. \* What can I say. The Muse is obviously with me. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/censored-poets-society-meeting-in-new-mexico-what-the-fuck-amerikkka/245738/4 "2004-05-18T10:58:53Z")
:smack: How can a regime and its followers so opposed to our own constitution and bill of rights consider itself so patriotic? :mad: :mad: :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/censored-poets-society-meeting-in-new-mexico-what-the-fuck-amerikkka/245738/5 "2004-05-18T11:02:43Z")
It was little by little over time. You’ve been kept busy fretting over piddly shit while pickpockets stole your freedom. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/censored-poets-society-meeting-in-new-mexico-what-the-fuck-amerikkka/245738/6 "2004-05-18T11:10:54Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > It was little by little over time. You’ve been kept busy fretting over piddly shit while pickpockets stole your freedom. Civil rights is one of the most important political issues to me. Unfortunately it’s also one of the least mentioned. And you know if it’s not on the boob tube us ‘Merkins don’t cur nuthin’ 'bout it. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/censored-poets-society-meeting-in-new-mexico-what-the-fuck-amerikkka/245738/7 "2004-05-18T11:21:44Z")
I do not encourage Dopers to interrupt the patriotic, hard-working principal of Rio Rancho High School, by calling him at {deleted. Lynn}. That would be un-American. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/censored-poets-society-meeting-in-new-mexico-what-the-fuck-amerikkka/245738/8 "2004-05-18T11:25:24Z")
> [@](#): > > What can I say. The Muse is obviously with me. Of course, you’re trying to write poetry and you’ve picked Thalia for your Muse. “Tool of the Left”? > [@](#): > > At a hearing regarding his suspension with the Albuquerque Public Schools Personnel Department, he was accused of grade-shading - that is, giving higher grades to students who held antiwar views. In the hearing, Barrett produced conclusive evidence establishing that students supporting the war were doing as well as, if not better than, students opposing the war. Unlike **Brutus** (who seems to have fled to the U.S. so that he could champion denying other people freedom), it appears that the teacher has no problem dealing fairly with _all_ of his students. ---
**Author:** ![absoul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@absoul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/absoul)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/censored-poets-society-meeting-in-new-mexico-what-the-fuck-amerikkka/245738/9 "2004-05-18T11:36:17Z")
Continuing on… (first verse is Brutus) Third Verse! Same as the First! Bill Nevins has gained some fame from the reading of poetry quite lame If he was not such a tool of the Left of his job he would not be bereft. He walked the path of the right Only to find a horrible sight WHY OH! WHY! He cried! Did I stand by why others died! OHHH mighty Jesus came down. …And He stated with a horrible frown… Why did you use me in your war? Can’t you see its all about oil! If your can’t, it’s tough to imagine. Why would anyone care about black smudges of passion? If you can than it’s easy to see. We’re all being blinded by Mr. Lefty. (I am quite proud of it. Its twisty) ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/censored-poets-society-meeting-in-new-mexico-what-the-fuck-amerikkka/245738/10 "2004-05-18T12:01:51Z")
Before too many panties are twisted beyond recognition, here is a snippet of the rant in question: > [@](#): > > This is the Land of the Free . . . > Where the statute of limitations for rape is only five damn years! > And immigrants can’t run for President. > Where Muslims are hunted because > Some suicidal men decided they didn’t like > Our arrogant bid for modern imperialism. > This is the Land of the Free . . . > You drive by a car whose > Bumper screams > God bless America! > Well, you can scratch out the B > And make it Godless > Because God left this country a long time ago." For fucks sake, it doesn’t even rhyme. But regardless, it this isn’t the sort of crap that should be pushed over a school cctv system. Mssr. Nivin, as a supposedly responsible adult, should have known better. If young Courtney feels the need to glurge, she could have done so at her ‘Poetry Slam’ meetings. Not just any old poetry club. A poetry _slam_. (Though it appears Nevins was canned for a unapproved field trip or something like that.) **Absoul** , I would change the 3rd stanza to: > [@](#): > > OHHH mighty Jesus came down. > …And with vengeful fire he smote the town. > Why not use me in your war? > Then we shall quickly settle this score! ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/censored-poets-society-meeting-in-new-mexico-what-the-fuck-amerikkka/245738/11 "2004-05-18T12:09:11Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > :smack: How can a regime and its followers so opposed to our own constitution and bill of rights consider itself so patriotic? :mad: :mad: :mad: What “regime” is it exactly that controls schools right down to individual principals? You can’t blame Bush for some dumbass local school matter like this, any more than the (teacher) mother of a friend of mine can blame Clinton for being reprimanded in-writing and threatened with suspension for putting up a “Dole 96” poster on her classroom door when _ordered_ to put up a “Clinton 96” poster instead. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/censored-poets-society-meeting-in-new-mexico-what-the-fuck-amerikkka/245738/12 "2004-05-18T12:26:14Z")
> [@Una Persson](#): > > What “regime” is it exactly that controls schools right down to individual principals? Did you read the part where I typed _and its followers_? ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/censored-poets-society-meeting-in-new-mexico-what-the-fuck-amerikkka/245738/13 "2004-05-18T12:38:23Z")
> [@Brutus](#): > > For fucks sake, it doesn’t even rhyme. But regardless, it this isn’t the sort of crap that should be pushed over a school cctv system. Mssr. Nivin, as a supposedly responsible adult, should have known better. If young Courtney feels the need to glurge, she could have done so at her ‘Poetry Slam’ meetings. Not just any old poetry club. A poetry _slam_. (Though it appears Nevins was canned for a unapproved field trip or something like that.) Why shouldn’t it be pushed over a school’s cctv system? I’m just curious to know on what basis you would consider it “crap” or “glurge.” (Helpful hint, though, for future reference: Not all poetry rhymes.) ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/censored-poets-society-meeting-in-new-mexico-what-the-fuck-amerikkka/245738/14 "2004-05-18T13:00:33Z")
> [@](#): > > This is the Land of the Free . . . > Where the statute of limitations for rape is only five damn years! Well, I disagree that that’s any great injustice. > [@](#): > > And immigrants can’t run for President. I’m not sure I want immigrants running for president. > [@](#): > > Where Muslims are hunted because > Some suicidal men decided they didn’t like > Our arrogant bid for modern imperialism. I don’t know of any Muslims that have been “hunted.” > [@](#): > > This is the Land of the Free . . . > You drive by a car whose > Bumper screams > God bless America! > Well, you can scratch out the B > And make it Godless > Because God left this country a long time ago." I’m not really sure what she’s trying to say there. I don’t believe in god so I guess I wouldn’t understand. Oh well, as you can see, I pretty much disagree with everything this girl has to say but I fully support her right to say it. How hard was that? > [@](#): > > Helpful hint, though, for future reference: Not all poetry rhymes. Exactly. Haikus are just like American poems except they don’t rhyme and they’re totally stupid. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/censored-poets-society-meeting-in-new-mexico-what-the-fuck-amerikkka/245738/15 "2004-05-18T13:13:53Z")
I think haikus generally _are_ stupid, because any midget with a keyboard can bang one out in no time. A true poem is crafted over time and can be read on more than one level. Limericks and haikus - for the most part - are entertaining, nothing more. ---
**Author:** ![Kymodoce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8797f3/32.png) [@Kymodoce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kymodoce)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/censored-poets-society-meeting-in-new-mexico-what-the-fuck-amerikkka/245738/16 "2004-05-18T13:15:08Z")
Why ‘midget’?? ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/censored-poets-society-meeting-in-new-mexico-what-the-fuck-amerikkka/245738/17 "2004-05-18T13:19:04Z")
"The teachers union has been joined in a legal action against the school by the National Writers Union, headquartered in New York City. NWU’s at-large representative Samantha Clark lives and works in Albuquerque. The American Civil Liberties Union has become the legal arm of the lawsuit pending in federal court." Yes, this sort of response is typical of nations dominated by the stormtroopers’ jackboots. “Is this the America I grew up in?” Yes, as far as I know there have always been school principals who fancy themselves as little dictators. ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/censored-poets-society-meeting-in-new-mexico-what-the-fuck-amerikkka/245738/18 "2004-05-18T13:31:58Z")
> [@Una Persson](#): > > What “regime” is it exactly that controls schools right down to individual principals? You can’t blame Bush for some dumbass local school matter like this, any more than the (teacher) mother of a friend of mine can blame Clinton for being reprimanded in-writing and threatened with suspension for putting up a “Dole 96” poster on her classroom door when _ordered_ to put up a “Clinton 96” poster instead. **Una** , I don’t think **Cisco** claimed that the ruling regime controlled much of anything. _You_ were the one who used the word “controlled.” **Cisco** simply remarked that for such a “patriotic” bunch, they sure seem determined to chisel away at the foundations of the individual freedoms of Americans. So… is Bush to blame? Yes and no. I don’t think he’s individually controlling any mind-controlled zombie slaves or anything. I don’t think he sets policy for individual schools. On the other hand, he sure as hell sets up an icon for vapid morons who, politically speaking, prefer sound-bites and bumper-sticker slogans to anything requiring any real evaluation or thought. “Uh! Uh! Patriotism good! Bush good! America good! Anything against Bush bad! Uh! You not like Bush? Uh! You traitor! You bad! You … um… COMMIE! Yeah, that’s it! COMMIE!” Or, actually, these days, “terrorist.” Then again, under the circumstances, the army of vapid morons would likely hang their rabid, mindless support on anyone who talked big and tough and had some swarthy people blown up, so it’s hard to blame Bush directly. As to the schools: nothing new there. Mom used to tell me about how in the late fifties, the Duke of Duval (a county in south Texas) literally sold political influence by having all teachers in all the districts he controlled fill out absentee ballots and submit them to a central office. It was explained how they would vote. Anyone not wishing to do so would face non-renewal of contract, and perhaps a few broken windows and slashed tires. This was one of the contributing factors to Kennedy’s Presidential victory, btw; the Duke was connected with LBJ’s political machine. I have known more than a few school officials who were downright autocratic, and not real inclined to brook political argument from mere teachers. Sometimes, this became a policy of “no politics in the schools.” More often, it became “Only approved politics in the schools.” Occasionally, it becomes “MY politics WILL be taught in the schools, whether the faculty agrees with them or not.” And that’s where the lawsuits come in. Admittedly, the teachers in question face the possibility of becoming pariahs in the local job market; no administrator likes the idea of hiring a “troublemaker,” sometimes even if the “trouble” in question was a perfectly legitimate legal action to protect the “troublemaker’s” rights. But when good folk do nothing, evil is triumphant. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/censored-poets-society-meeting-in-new-mexico-what-the-fuck-amerikkka/245738/19 "2004-05-18T14:44:11Z")
**Brutus** , I couldn’t be arsed to slog through your posts. Give me the Reader’s Digest version – what the fuck are you babbling about this time? On second thought, nevermind. I can’t be arsed to read your reply either. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/censored-poets-society-meeting-in-new-mexico-what-the-fuck-amerikkka/245738/20 "2004-05-18T14:54:28Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > Did you read the part where I typed _and its followers_? Did you read the part where you typed “and”? And typically means “both”, or at least it does in most dictionaries. Of course, some want to argue over such things as what “is” means, so maybe we’ll get into that too. My question stands. How is that post defensible given that the “regime” has little to nothing to do with the actions of a local school principal? Master Wang-Ka, you really think an off-the-cuff statement about the “regime” which I called Cisco on, clearly in reference to the content of the OP, is so defensible you need to write that much to try to justify yet another “Bush == evil” post? Really now? Or did you just feel like talking to me for some reason. Here, Cisco _et al_, I made a parody of Bloom County strip just for you guys. I release this derivative work parody into the public domain. Copy it and host it on your own site and link to it whenever you feel that raging urge to post: [http://65.69.77.33/files/Pictures/BushFault.gif](http://65.69.77.33/files/Pictures/BushFault.gif) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/censored-poets-society-meeting-in-new-mexico-what-the-fuck-amerikkka/245738.md?page=2)