The Median Sib

There’s a fascinating story in the news.  One account, in the Post-tribune and written by Danielle Braff, illustrates just how bizarre our society has become. 

Vikram Buddhi, a Purdue University graduate student wrote in an online message board that he wanted to kill George Bush, Laura Bush, Dick Cheney, and  Donald Rumsfeld.  He also wrote calling on his readers to bomb the United States, kill ALL Republicans, and rape and mutilate white women.

Here’s the kicker: 

Since this is a very busy time for college students, being immersed in studying for their upcoming finals, Buddhi’s attorney John Martin said he hopes his client will be released from jail Wednesday following his detention hearing so he can return to studying.

Buddhi told investigators he posted the message, along with other derogatory messages aimed at the president, but Martin said Buddhi’s actions should be covered by the First Amendment since Buddhi would have never actually carried out his threats.

“What was allegedly said certainly is derogatory and may be inflammatory,” Martin said. “But there’s no real serious threat more than it was chat on the Web.”

Buddhi is a teaching assistant at Purdue University in the industrial engineering department.

Buddhi was arrested Friday and told investigators he is not suffering from any mental illnesses nor is he taking any illegal or prescription drugs.

How much you want to bet he not only gets off but keeps his job at the university?

Others: Random Thoughts of Yet Another Military Member, The Dread Pundit Bluto,

It’s TCAP (Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program - i.e. standardized testing) week, and that means the special area teachers (of which I am one) handle recess duty each day in order to give the classroom teachers a much needed break and planning period.  There were three recess sessions, and I helped supervise the one for the second and third graders.

Today was a stormy day, weather-wise, and that meant recess was in the gym rather than on the playground.  It wasn’t bad.  There were games, drawing paper, crayons and markers, large sheets of paper for murals and a video.  Some children sat with friends and chatted.  There were six classes of children in the gym - it was loud but organized.

As I walked around the gym watching the children as they played and stopping to chat occasionally, I started noticing t-shirt slogans - not the typical sports or restaurant shirts, but the ones that “make a statement.”  I swiped a sheet of the drawing paper and a marker and started copying them.  Here’s a sampling:

Warning!  Attitude Out of Control!

For Sale:  Parents - Buy 1, Get 1 Free

Tough Enough to Wear Pink (on a third grade boy in a bright pink shirt)

I DIDN’T DO IT!

Wanted:  Parents who let me shop as often as I want - Never ask me to get off the phone - and Always give me money for the mall!

Thankfully there were no rude or off-color slogans on any of the shirts.  However,these children were all in the 7 - 9 age range which means their parents were almost certainly the ones who purchased the shirts for them.  It gives one pause, doesn’t it?

NOTE: added Friday, 4/21/06 - Today was another stormy day - another recess in the gym.  The children were decidedly more “restless” the second day of inside recess.  More t-shirt messages.  Here are today’s”

Blame my sister

Sassy

I’m a ‘lil Redneck

(front) Angelic Outside  (back) Devilish Inside

Hottie!

Future Hall of Famer

School Computers are fun!  (Hmmm — so funny/dorky I had to include it)

Yeah yeah!  I know I’m a Princess

Then there was the assortment of Gap, Bugle Boy, XBox, Spiderman, school shirts and teams shirts. 

The pièce de résistance for the day was when a third grader came up to me to tell me his throat was hurting and declared:

“It hurts when I swallow my spit.”

My day was complete.

Thirteen Things Carol Loves About Spring

1. Forsythia

2. all the different shades of green as leaves start appearing on trees again

3. sandals

4. no socks

5. air conditioning

6. daylight savings time

7. white and pink dogwood trees blooming

8. hours of daylight after work

9. did I mention sandals?

10. spring break

11. fresh, clean air

12. new life everywhere

13. Daffodils and Tulips

Other Thursday Thirteens (Leave your name in comments, and I’ll add your link here)

Chaotic Mom

Wystful 1

Joan

Mom Nancy

Melli

Kelly

angie

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