Constitutioning America

Janine Turner's Constitutioning America contests are now over.  Here is a taste of some of the winners:

Best PSA



Best High School Song



Best Poem K - 2

See more winners here.

American Heart - Support Our Troops

Jon David appeared at the DC 9/12 March.  You can down load the song on itunes and a portion of the proceeds goes to Ride 2 Recovery, which helps injured servicemen. 

Mission of R2R


To improve the health and wellness of injured veterans by providing a life changing experience that can impact their lives forever.



"Getting together in groups and the resulting social connection is the royal road to recovery for combat veterans with psychological injuries", Dr. Jonathan Shay (PTSD expert and VA psychiatrist). Quoted in NY Times 1/2008



Program

R2R supports Spinning® Recovery Labs and outdoor cycling programs at Military and VA locations around the U.S. to help injured veterans overcome obstacles they face. Cycling is an important part of the recovery and rehabilitation program for two reasons:



1.Cycling is an activity that almost all patients with mental and physical disabilities can participate.

2.Participation in the Ride 2 Recovery Program helps speed up the recovery and rehabilitation process.

Program provides Regional Training Clinics and Morale/Fundraising Events



Military and VA Gov’t will receive special discounted pricing on best-in-class Spinners and Recumbent



Bikes by Star Trac, road bikes by R2R, and specially adapted bikes by Alternative Vehicles. For all equipment sold, Companies will make a donation to R2R to expand the cycling programs in military and VA locations across the US



Morale, Welfare Benefits

The R2R Cycling program strengthens the body. It can reduce the experience of stress, depression, and anxiety. Dozens of scientific studies have demonstrated the relationship between exercise and mood. Exercise promotes arousal and relaxation, and improves quality of sleep. These conditions help the body recover from the stress response. The program also has many health benefits, including overall physical fitness.

No Flag for you Young Man - Students Sent Home For Wearing American Flag on Cinco de Mayo

The Live Oak High School Administrators have lost their minds. Yesterday five students were sent home; their offensive was wearing American Flag T-shirts on Cinco de Mayo. During a brunch break (brunch break?) five boys were sitting at some tables minding their own business when an assistant principle approached them and asked them to turn their T shirts inside out and to remove the American flag bandannas, he told them wearing the flag on Cinco de Mayo was "incendiary".


The school has a large Mexican-American population and he felt it could cause fights. When the boys refused they were brought to the principal’s office. The boys were then told that they could either go home or be suspended. The boys called their parents and went home. The parents did meet with the school district office which did apologize and release a statement that said that the school was wrong to send the boys home.

A student who is of Mexican heritage believes she is owed an apology:

"I think they should apologize cause it is a Mexican Heritage Day," Annicia Nunez, a Live Oak High student, said. "We don't deserve to be get disrespected like that. We wouldn't do that on Fourth of July."

Umm, Annicia, The Fourth of July is not American Heritage day.  It is Independence Day; two very different things.  What is really infuriating is the fact that Cinco de Mayo is not really celebrated in Mexico.  It is a bigger deal in this country. 


One of the boy’s mother said "Fat Chance"  Good for her.






I am a firm believer that people should take pride in their culture and pass that onto their children. It is important to know where you came from. But this is clearly crossing a line.






If wearing American Flag T-shirts is going to cause a fight, the school has much bigger problems and maybe that is where they should be putting their energies rather than sending home five boys for having pride in being an American.


 
Video here and here

More discussion at Memeorandum