Booman Tribune ~ A Progressive Community

Be All You Can Be

by susanhu
Wed Oct 19th, 2005 at 10:35:13 AM EST

A Warwick, NY high school student -- and member of the Bruderhof community -- created this stunning graphic for his school's newspaper. From the Oct. 18 Times Herald-Record:

Set on a backdrop of neat rows of tombstones, a full-page ad in October's The Survey, Warwick Valley High School's monthly student-run newspaper, reads:

"You can't be all that you can be if you're dead. There are other ways to serve your country. There are other ways to get money for college. There are other ways to be all you can be.

THINK ABOUT IT. Before you sign your life away."

The ad was created and paid for by a Warwick student who is a member of the Bruderhof community, a Christian-based communal order in Sugar Loaf that preaches pacifism. ...

And, reports the newspaper for the Hudson Valley and Catskills, "[T]he ad has sparked controversy in the school district and the community and provoked lively First Amendment debates among students and teachers in the classroom."

-- Sent to me by Norma who spotted it at Blah3.

Be All You Can Be | 27 comments (27 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Be All You Can Be (4.00 / 2)

It's amazing to me that this is so controversial. High school papers take paid advertisements, just like real papers do. There's no profanity. There's nothing offensive. Just a different viewpoint. If we cant encourage healty discussion and dissent in high school, when can we? Wouldn't we rather raise a generation of thinkers rather than young adults who blindly follow along without ever asking why?

"Don't waste your time on the clowns, watch the real show"

by Second Nature on Wed Oct 19th, 2005 at 10:54:43 AM EST

Welcome to Bush's America (none / 1)

Hi, my name's Omir the Storyteller. You must be new here.</snark>

What you describe is the way a high school should be, and in the best cases still can be. That's the way I like to think it was in my high school some 30 years ago. Unfortunately the trend in all too many schools has been to change the curriculum from English, Math, Civics, History, Art, Music and Physical Education to Sitting Still, Passivity, Paying Attention, Conforming and Doing Well On The Standardized Test.

What's remarkable isn't that this student spoke up. What's remarkable is that nowadays we find the fact that he spoke up remarkable.

----------------------------------------------
Our Man In Redmond is now Omir the Storyteller

by Our Man in Redmond (omir.the.storyteller -DORT- gmail -ART- com) on Wed Oct 19th, 2005 at 11:03:05 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Welcome to Bush's America (none / 1)

THat's what I mean. My son is the editor of his high school newspaper and basically it's just football, popular music, what's in the cafeteria and a student or teacher profile.

Right now, my kid is working on a short article about the CIA leak, which he had to TALK his advisor into letting him do. Not that anyone will actually read it, but I'm awfully proud that he wanted to do it.

"Don't waste your time on the clowns, watch the real show"

by Second Nature on Wed Oct 19th, 2005 at 11:14:28 AM EST
[ Parent ]

"He thinks too much -- (none / 0)

such men are dangerous." -- Shakespeare, Julius Caesar

What, are you nuts? You let them think...next thing you know, they'll start questioning authority...and before you know it, they'll start voting and all sorts of other subversive activities...hell, they might even turn off the video games and start READING, bless their hearts...

"Mr. Bush, you do not own this country!" -- Keith Olbermann, 1/2/07

by Cali Scribe on Wed Oct 19th, 2005 at 11:11:03 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: "He thinks too much -- (none / 0)

Think about it: why would you, as a teenager today, be encouraged to take an interest in political discourse when all you see is infighting, backstabbing, rigged elections, power grabs, dishonesty, bloviating...etc...

Now, you might think that's EXACTLY why they should be engaged; to make the world a better place for themselves and their eventual children. But most teenagers are so turned off by the state of the country today that they have no interest in trying to change it, it seems fruitless to them.

If abortion rights get rolled back, or if the draft returns they'll get a big wake up call. But for them right now, life is pretty damn comfortable.

"Don't waste your time on the clowns, watch the real show"

by Second Nature on Wed Oct 19th, 2005 at 11:18:29 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Be All You Can Be (none / 1)

I work in the county goverment of Orange county, New York, where Warwick is located. It's a very red county. I am amazed. Kudos.

Fear will keep the local systems in line. -Grand Moff Tarkin Survivor Left Blogistan

by boran2 (blogistan@yahoo.com) on Wed Oct 19th, 2005 at 10:39:51 AM EST

Re: Be All You Can Be (none / 0)

Interesting. Have there been LTEs about this ad?

Hickok: "You know the sound of thunder. Can you imagine that sound if I ask you to? Ma'am, listen to the thunder."

by susanhu (susanhuatearthlinkdotnet) on Wed Oct 19th, 2005 at 10:42:49 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Be All You Can Be (none / 0)

I'll have to check for that.

Fear will keep the local systems in line. -Grand Moff Tarkin Survivor Left Blogistan

by boran2 (blogistan@yahoo.com) on Wed Oct 19th, 2005 at 11:38:28 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Be All You Can Be (none / 0)

It's a tremendous ad - but frankly I'd rather it was running in other areas. That area sounds more like a place to run ads for Operation Yellow Elephant.

Join Soulforce-seeking Justice for God's GLBT children.

by its simple IF you ignore the complexity (simplecomplexity AT mac.com) on Wed Oct 19th, 2005 at 11:24:18 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Be All You Can Be (none / 0)

Those are great...and so, so true.

"Don't waste your time on the clowns, watch the real show"

by Second Nature on Wed Oct 19th, 2005 at 11:26:15 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Be All You Can Be (none / 1)

Bravo to this student for the courage and talent it took to do this ad. Let the children rise!

Frodo failed...Bush has got the ring.

by alohaleezy on Wed Oct 19th, 2005 at 10:42:37 AM EST

Re: Be All You Can Be (none / 1)

Let's not forget the newspaper's faculty adviser. S/he must have a lot of guts to back something like that in today's climate.

"Blow up the TV. Throw away the Papers." - John Prine

by Dvx (dvx.clt ät gmail dotcom) on Wed Oct 19th, 2005 at 10:45:55 AM EST

Re: Be All You Can Be (none / 0)

Thanks Susan, I was so discouraged by the response to Second Nature's diary for her son's HS newspaper yesterday. This story cheers me with the thought that at least some high schools are encouraging their students to think and discuss.

What would it cost to put that ad in every school paper in the country?

by Alice on Wed Oct 19th, 2005 at 10:46:16 AM EST

Wow! (none / 0)

Amazing ad.

(Though I'm not sure there are always other ways to get money for college.)

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

by Bearpaw on Wed Oct 19th, 2005 at 10:47:06 AM EST

Re: Wow! The kid's got talent! (none / 0)

This is a killer ad (pun unintended).

Knut

by Knut Wicksell (b_didnn@hotmail.ca) on Wed Oct 19th, 2005 at 10:48:24 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Be All You Can Be (none / 0)

I grew up on the other side of the Hudson and much much closer to NYC and I know that that area isn't all to friendly to messages like this. I'm amazed that this got printed, even in a student high school paper.

--
Albert Yee
Philadelphia, PA
http://dragonballyee.com/blog

by albert (dragonballyeeATgmail.com) on Wed Oct 19th, 2005 at 10:58:56 AM EST

This is a great ad (none / 0)

Maybe this kid has a future ahead of him doing ads for people like the Gold Star Families for Peace. I certainly hope so.

Unfortunately speaking out seldom goes unpunished, by the kid's peers if not the administration.

----------------------------------------------
Our Man In Redmond is now Omir the Storyteller

by Our Man in Redmond (omir.the.storyteller -DORT- gmail -ART- com) on Wed Oct 19th, 2005 at 11:08:18 AM EST

Re: Be All You Can Be (none / 1)

Great ad. How do we get this story on Olberman tonight (assuming there are no idictments today and he has time to talk about anything else).

Thanks susanhu.

"Have you no sense of decency, sir. At long last, have you left no sense of decency?" -- Boston Attorney Joseph Welch, taking down Sen. Joseph McCarthy.

by BostonJoe on Wed Oct 19th, 2005 at 11:10:22 AM EST

Re: Be All You Can Be (none / 0)

BJ...email Olberman at the MSNBC site under Countdown. It has worked a couple of times and he seems to be hot right now to get to this administration. Go for it.

Frodo failed...Bush has got the ring.

by alohaleezy on Wed Oct 19th, 2005 at 11:17:06 AM EST
[ Parent ]

I Sent This (none / 1)

Dear Mr. Olbermann and Staff,

I have become a pretty big fan of your show, as you appear to be the only main stream media personality willing to report stories that challenge the government and corporate America (your employing network notwithstanding).

I was recently made aware of a story that might interest you. I read about it here:

http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2005/10/19/103513/09

Basically, from my read on things, a young person at a high school has put forth a strong anti-war message and has been besieged for his or her efforts. As a person opposed to the war, and favoring free speech, I naturally tend to favor the young person's point of view. I would love to see this young person be vindicated with some national media coverage on a show as entertaining as Countdown.

Thank you for taking the time to review my request. Keep up the good work.

Sincerely,

"Have you no sense of decency, sir. At long last, have you left no sense of decency?" -- Boston Attorney Joseph Welch, taking down Sen. Joseph McCarthy.

by BostonJoe on Wed Oct 19th, 2005 at 12:09:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I Sent This (none / 1)

fabulous BJ! Will follow up with one of my own once things settle down here at work. have a marvelous day!!!

Frodo failed...Bush has got the ring.

by alohaleezy on Wed Oct 19th, 2005 at 12:23:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I Sent This (none / 1)

I just sent off an email also with the link. That is an amazing ad and I'd certainly like to see it get some national exposure and generate some 'thinking'.

I see by following the link that this high school student is Christian belonging/believing in pacifism...helping to remind me that not all Christians are of the Robertson/falwell/dobson ilk.

'Poverty is the worst form of violence'--Gandhi

by chocolate ink on Wed Oct 19th, 2005 at 08:37:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Be All You Can Be (none / 1)

That's just fucking amazing and poignant (yes, I used fucking and poignant in the same sentence...). Wow.

by spiderleaf (spiderleaf at gmail dot com) on Wed Oct 19th, 2005 at 11:15:02 AM EST

Re: Be All You Can Be (none / 1)

This really pisses me off.

We need a strong, dedicated VOLUNTEER military, and that volunteer military should be filled with young men and women dedicated to the honorable cause of serving their country.

But the Bush Administration has changed everything. In the post-9/11 era, it should be as honorable as any time in history to serve. Instead, one has to be worried about dying for a dishonorable war. The harm this continues to cause to our national security in the form of a military stretched to its limits with soldiers, sailors, and airmen desperately wanting out cannot be overstated.

I am proud to have six years in the military, and angry that I cannot in good faith encourage young men and women to make the same commitment.

by paulucla on Wed Oct 19th, 2005 at 11:29:46 AM EST

Re: Be All You Can Be (none / 1)

Exactly. What honor is there in dying for a dishonorable war?

I would lay down my life to ensure a safer world for my children, but this war isn't that cause.

"Don't waste your time on the clowns, watch the real show"

by Second Nature on Wed Oct 19th, 2005 at 11:33:35 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Be All You Can Be (none / 0)

Good one Susan. I loved this one.

Nothing pisses off faux Christians more than pacifism.

by wilfred on Wed Oct 19th, 2005 at 11:52:06 AM EST

Re: Be All You Can Be (none / 0)

Excellent ad. I've always loathed the military "be all you can be" propaganda. Because, very often, all the modern military makes you into is an obedient, authoritarian drone. That's what the entire training system is designed to create. And that's exactly the wrong thing for modern warfare and modern society.

Kill because somebody was killed. Get killed because he killed. Do you think peace will ever come like that?

by Egarwaen on Wed Oct 19th, 2005 at 06:35:48 PM EST

Be All You Can Be | 27 comments (27 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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