50 high school students, designated as Presidental Scholars, were in the White House yesterday, invited there to be backdrops for a Bush fluff speech about his No Child Left Behind policy.
The students, however, had other plans. Saying that they had a responsibility to voice their convictions, the students handed Bush a hand-written letter urging a halt to torture and violations of human rights committed by his regime.
A quote: “We do not want America to represent torture. We urge you to do all in your power to stop violations of the human rights of detainees, to cease illegal renditions, and to apply the Geneva Convention to all detainees, including those designated enemy combatants.”
Bush, of course, lied to them. He said that “the United States does not torture.”
But damn — hijacking a bullshit propaganda session, making a principled stance and speaking truth to power…. the parents of these kids should be proud as hell. In fact, we should all be proud of them.
