MORE PROOF OF KELLEY'S NAZI COMMENTS
Minnesota Left Liberal is apparently so shocked at Senator Kelley's comments that he is challenging my facts.
I'm good, but not good enough to create fictional news articles and pass them on as legitimate.
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Pledge legislation gets double boost
A bill requiring Minnesota students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, given new momentum after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, took two major steps toward becoming law Wednesday.
The full House voted 114 to 11 in favor of the requirement, reaffirming a position taken a year ago, while the Senate Education Committee endorsed a companion measure by a vote of 24 to 4.
The legislation stalled last year after the Senate panel declined to consider it. In advocating support, House and Senate members spoke of the patriotic fervor of recent months, saying that the pledge was a reminder to students to value freedom.
But Rep. Alice Hausman, DFL-St. Paul, said that requiring students to recite the pledge cheapens that "outburst of patriotism." "It's the opposite of a free country," Hausman said.
Rep. Mark Olson, R-Big Lake, reminded colleagues that some districts don't allow students to recite the pledge. "Antipatriotism has got to stop," he said. Earlier this week, Gov. Jesse Ventura questioned the patriotism of legislators in relation to budget matters. Those comments were referred to just once during the House and Senate debates.
But the politics of pledge votes were cited by DFLers who said they wouldn't be surprised to see campaign opponents portray votes against a mandate as a vote against the pledge.
Throughout the House chamber, tiny flags dotted the desks of members as they discussed the bill sponsored by Rep. George Cassell, R-Alexandria, a former school superintendent. About a dozen veterans were on hand for the Senate panel's deliberations.
Waivers possible
Both the House and Senate bills require at least weekly recitation of the pledge. Any student or teacher who objects could be excused. In addition, a school board or charter-school board could vote to waive the requirement.
The House bill would require annual board votes, but the Senate panel said the vote need not be taken annually.
Minnesota is one of about a dozen states that has no law addressing the Pledge of Allegiance, said Sen. Mady Reiter, R-Shoreview, the chief Senate author. After Sept. 11, she said, she has heard from teachers, business people and children who have wondered why the pledge wasn't being recited.
Reiter took offense when Sen. Steve Kelley, DFL-Hopkins, compared a Pledge of Allegiance requirement to the rituals of Nazi Germany.
Kelley said he believes the veterans in the committee room fought to ensure that the United States never would see the "lack of liberty" that Nazi Germany imposed upon its people.
Many of his fellow DFLers, however, teamed with Republican panel members to turn back efforts to remove the once-a-week requirement.
Sen. Steve Murphy, DFL-Red Wing, a former Marine who objected to Ventura's comments, said that while he doesn't want to dictate what children think, he does not believe it's "out of line" to teach them about the flag and other patriotic symbols.
Added Sen. Deanna Wiener, DFL-Eagan, "I take this bill as a little 'nudge, nudge' " for patriotism in the schools. Source: Star Tribune, February 28, 2002
I'm good, but not good enough to create fictional news articles and pass them on as legitimate.
##
Pledge legislation gets double boost
A bill requiring Minnesota students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, given new momentum after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, took two major steps toward becoming law Wednesday.
The full House voted 114 to 11 in favor of the requirement, reaffirming a position taken a year ago, while the Senate Education Committee endorsed a companion measure by a vote of 24 to 4.
The legislation stalled last year after the Senate panel declined to consider it. In advocating support, House and Senate members spoke of the patriotic fervor of recent months, saying that the pledge was a reminder to students to value freedom.
But Rep. Alice Hausman, DFL-St. Paul, said that requiring students to recite the pledge cheapens that "outburst of patriotism." "It's the opposite of a free country," Hausman said.
Rep. Mark Olson, R-Big Lake, reminded colleagues that some districts don't allow students to recite the pledge. "Antipatriotism has got to stop," he said. Earlier this week, Gov. Jesse Ventura questioned the patriotism of legislators in relation to budget matters. Those comments were referred to just once during the House and Senate debates.
But the politics of pledge votes were cited by DFLers who said they wouldn't be surprised to see campaign opponents portray votes against a mandate as a vote against the pledge.
Throughout the House chamber, tiny flags dotted the desks of members as they discussed the bill sponsored by Rep. George Cassell, R-Alexandria, a former school superintendent. About a dozen veterans were on hand for the Senate panel's deliberations.
Waivers possible
Both the House and Senate bills require at least weekly recitation of the pledge. Any student or teacher who objects could be excused. In addition, a school board or charter-school board could vote to waive the requirement.
The House bill would require annual board votes, but the Senate panel said the vote need not be taken annually.
Minnesota is one of about a dozen states that has no law addressing the Pledge of Allegiance, said Sen. Mady Reiter, R-Shoreview, the chief Senate author. After Sept. 11, she said, she has heard from teachers, business people and children who have wondered why the pledge wasn't being recited.
Reiter took offense when Sen. Steve Kelley, DFL-Hopkins, compared a Pledge of Allegiance requirement to the rituals of Nazi Germany.
Kelley said he believes the veterans in the committee room fought to ensure that the United States never would see the "lack of liberty" that Nazi Germany imposed upon its people.
Many of his fellow DFLers, however, teamed with Republican panel members to turn back efforts to remove the once-a-week requirement.
Sen. Steve Murphy, DFL-Red Wing, a former Marine who objected to Ventura's comments, said that while he doesn't want to dictate what children think, he does not believe it's "out of line" to teach them about the flag and other patriotic symbols.
Added Sen. Deanna Wiener, DFL-Eagan, "I take this bill as a little 'nudge, nudge' " for patriotism in the schools. Source: Star Tribune, February 28, 2002
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