Sam Brownback's Office Upset Over Teenager's Tweet
Once upon a time, Kansas's new governor, Sam Brownback, wanted to lead the free world. He hated gays and their "marriages," he was dog-tired of America's long moral decline, and most importantly, he was on a first-name basis with the Supreme Creator of The Universe. God, as Sam called him, really wanted Sam to be the President of The United States of America. And so, in 2008, then-Senator Brownback ran for that office on a platform of All Jesus, All The Time.
But Sam was wrong about God's plans for him, and now the governor's ambitions are more modest. Mostly, it seems, he just wants high schoolers to stop making fun of him. This week, Gawker reports on Kansas high school senior Emma Sullivan, who visited Topeka on a field trip to see the governor speak. After her visit, Emma Tweeted of her time with the anti-gay, anti-Palestinian, anti-evolution, anti-stem-cell-research governor:
just made mean comments at gov brownback and told him he sucked, in person #heblowsalot
Apparently, Emma Sullivan didn't actually tell Gov. Brownback that he "sucked, in person." Still, she thinks he sucks. So -- how did Gov. Brownback respond to this teenager's assault on his non-sucktitude?
His staff contacted her school's principal. Now, Emma's got to write a letter to the governor apologizing for voicing her opinions.
"I'm sorry that I live in a country where a grown man in a position of political power can promote bigotry and hatred and prejudice and be celebrated for it, and a child is punished for responding to said bigotry, hatred and prejudice"
werk.
Posted by: Little Kiwi | Nov 26, 2011 1:06:39 PM
Is the principal spineless, dickless, or both? Caving into the demands of the deeply offended Governor Brokeback childishly redefines terms like "weak" and "misguided". The principal needs to grow a pair.
So much for teaching the kiddies about free speech or any other constitutional right.
Posted by: Bobby | Nov 26, 2011 1:13:21 PM
To CANDIDEINNC,
Oh, yes. "just made mean comments at gov brownback and told him he sucked, in person #heblowsalot" gets write to "the heart of the matter." Let's hope that all high school students are this eloquent. Just think of the sophisticated heights that political discourse will reach in 20 years!
She made a throw-away tweet to which the governor has stupidly responded by opening the door for more criticism. The governor demands satisfaction? She has the choice to whine about her first amendment rights or she can use her first amendment rights to further explain why he sucks.
I know which one I hope to see.
Posted by: Anon, anon | Nov 26, 2011 1:22:28 PM
This from the party that doesn't believe that bullying is harmful...
Posted by: Rob | Nov 26, 2011 1:44:07 PM
Dear Bareback or Brownback, whatever your name is. You do suck. Don't bother having your staff (what are you too much of a little b*tch to do it yourself?) contact me, because I'd tell them that they suck and they work for a guy who sucks. And obviously the state of which you are governor is as flat as your intelligence. Which also sucks.
Go suck. Bart
Posted by: Bart | Nov 26, 2011 2:00:17 PM
please tell me why all these bigots when criticized get all hurt and bent out of shape. they then resort to playing the viccard. they all whine so loudly challenged. i hope the girls parents march right into an aclu office and sue gov dickwad for violating her free speech. i also hope the people of kansas see what an ass their governor is.
Posted by: walter | Nov 26, 2011 2:12:59 PM
@Jason: Freedom is slavery? Da fuq....
Posted by: Jesus | Nov 26, 2011 3:05:06 PM
I have an idea. Maybe Emma and The Roots should get together and draft a formal apology to the crybabies. For a group of people that can sling mud at everyone other than white Christian males, they sure can't take it when anyone tells the truth about them. I'm with Emma and the Roots .... she's probably right he sucks and I know the Roots were right!
Posted by: Kim | Nov 26, 2011 3:16:16 PM
As a Conservative it pains me to see that another Republican representative is afraid to hear what the populace has to say. It is this teenagers right to speak up, and say what she wants.
This is another sad day for our party.
Posted by: Concerned Conservative | Nov 26, 2011 4:15:50 PM
I'm wondering if there isn't more to this story than we're being told. I can see why no one likes being told that they suck, but I mean..come on. People write negative things about politicians all the time. Hard to believe that Brownback is this sensitive and making a fuss about one teenager's tweet. Not calling anyone a liar or anything, but I'd like to hear more details before I make up my mind. But certainly this kid has a right to her free speech without being hassled by anyone.
Posted by: Mary | Nov 26, 2011 4:40:15 PM
Does the governor have to write a letter to the rest of us apologizing for being an ignorant wingut a-hole?
Posted by: Greg | Nov 26, 2011 5:17:57 PM
If I were her that letter would be full of malicious compliance pointing out every single one of his douchebaggery positions, but stating that he 'couldn't be that' because he's supposed to be a leader of all people that he represents, not some special interest that lines up with designated HATE GROUPS - oh no because he's the governor.
Honey, SNARK the hell out of that. The school can NOT suspend you. If the governor threatens to cut funding it's tantamount to blackmailing and should be pointed out by school officials.
I highly doubt the school has a twitter clause.
Posted by: Chris | Nov 26, 2011 5:23:47 PM
sociopathic meglomania -- he obviously feels he is above society and only he can say anything about anyone.
Posted by: woodroad34d | Nov 26, 2011 5:33:36 PM
I'll admit to having never tweeted anything in my life, and don't understand the intricacies of how it works and who would be privy to her tweets outside of those being tweeted, but I find it troubling that her tweet was even brought to the governors attention in the first place. Big Brother anyone? A real man, would have just brushed it off. Says all I need to know about him. Glad he's not my governor.
Posted by: mytwocents | Nov 26, 2011 6:13:34 PM
Dear Governor Browneye,
I am so sorry that you have a very thin skin and the words of a High School student has sent you into such a state. I'm sorry that you forced me to Tweet that you sucked, and that you haven't been more of a responsible government official. In the future, I hope that you only see positive things said about you, unlike the hateful things you say about the LGBT community.
In closing, I'm sorry that you're such a "sorry" human being.
Signed,
Emma Sullivan
Posted by: Hollywood, CA | Nov 26, 2011 6:14:58 PM
He just looks foolish and childish by picking on a child.
Posted by: arch | Nov 26, 2011 6:24:52 PM
Don't 9 Republicans running for President find new ways to blame Obama and say he sucks every day in every way in every debate and sound bite? Where is their apology letter?
Posted by: Greg | Nov 26, 2011 6:36:07 PM
What are they going to do, expel her for exercising her first ammendment rights? Bring it on!
Posted by: Harry | Nov 26, 2011 6:55:29 PM
I find it very odd that the governor's office would just happen to find the tweet of a teenager. Given the millions (billion?) of tweets sent every day, how did that happen?
Posted by: Paul R | Nov 26, 2011 7:02:37 PM
anon--Her vulgar little tirade got a damned better response than I imagine any well thought out letters of outrage have. As I said, all the polite, sensible arguments for our cause would have resulted in a form letter response from the fu*kwads in Brownback's office. I like the fact she got under his skin. Suits me fine. Shove the sophistication part. Conservatives are too dumb to respond to logic. They only respond to insults. Your arguments are what they would argue come from pantywaist pansies.
Posted by: candideinnc | Nov 26, 2011 8:03:32 PM
We need less Freedom of Speech, not more.
Now that's deliberately inflammatory, but I wanted to make a point. This "knee-jerk" reaction to all issues concerning the First Amendment has got to stop. Yeah, as an American Citizen everyone is allowed to express their views regardless of their political, religious, economic, social and (unfortunately) intellectual backgrounds. Free speech exists so that the American people are able to voice their dissent without fear of censorship.
It doesn't exist so that ungrateful teenagers can spew ignorance and hate from their cell phones about a man whose policies they don't agree with.
In this case its actually worse than that because the student failed to make a valid political complaint. It would be one thing if she had given a specific policy that she didn't agree with, but saying "heblowsalot"
What I'm trying to get at here is that instead of leaping to the defense of free speech, people should exercise a bit of common sense. Is it truly necessary that everyone hear how much Emma thinks Senator Brownback blows?
Of course, I'm of the opinion that the Senator's office should have left the reprimanding up to the girl's parents (If she was my child, I would have demanded that she apologize). But that's a different matter entirely.
Posted by: Reid Johnston | Nov 26, 2011 9:13:56 PM
The Kansas governor and former US Senator is well known for his "Wide Stance" in the mens' room of Washington DC, especially the Reagan Airport there. He's a bible pounding ape and honestly Toto, We're not in Kansas anymore.
Posted by: Jim | Nov 26, 2011 10:18:52 PM
BROWNBACK SUCKS!!!!
Posted by: Maurice | Nov 26, 2011 10:26:11 PM
This is for you, Sam, about you:.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTVpxxzb2Dc
Posted by: Scott Alloway | Nov 26, 2011 11:07:26 PM
Political speech is BROADLY protected under the law. Nobody can legally force her to apologize. Brownback should cut his losses. This is a PR disaster in the making.
Posted by: Rob | Nov 26, 2011 11:34:28 PM