Students rebuked for singing National Anthem

What a wonderful tribute to our nation by these young people. They took time out this summer to go to the California Capital and sing two songs. You would think they would be praised, not rebuked. After all, I thought this was a country of freedom of speech.

"The patriotic expression was apparently so egregious that state troopers were called in to the rotunda to rebuke the students," a statement from The Capitol Resource Institute said today.

"This was a ghastly overreaction to some students expressing their patriotism in the seat of government," said Karen England, executive director of CRI, and director of the youth conference. "These young leaders have sacrificed a week of their summer to come learn about our government system and this is the 'welcome' they receive from the government."

This was a group of 4 5 patriotic students, 14-18 year old, who came to Sacramento from all over California to take part in the Hill Youth Leadership Conference. They were excited to be there, but had to be met with the unwelcome act.

Officials said, however, it was a good lesson in liberty for those students, especially the two young participants whose father was held in a Communist prison in Romania and another student who is a Russian immigrant.

"These future leaders have seen first-hand how we are losing our liberties – including simply expressing our patriotism in public," said Meredith Turney, the legislative liaison for CRI Impact and a graduate of City on the Hill.

Turney is correct. What a terrible lesson to learn. We all know our freedoms are surely being taken away from us. When you can't be a patriot in your own country, where do you go? It sure is giving a terrible message to those that see Ameria as the land of freedom and want to move here because of it.

Linked at Conservative Cat

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