Home › Forums › West Seattle Rants & Raves › Rant: Proseletyzing outside Madison Middle School
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June 14, 2013 at 5:34 am #607898
35this35mphParticipantMy daughter came home today from school (Madison) with a little comic book style booklet about “Bad Bob” who blasphemes, uses, drugs, hates god etc. In the end he gets turned around (accepts Jesus) after watching his cousin burn to death in jail. It is published by “Chick Publications” in Ontario CA. Here’s the thing: she was given this by an adult outside Madison Middle School. She says there was a group of folks handing these to the kids on the school property. She thinks (although she can’t say for certain) that some were parents. People can hand out whatever they want of course, but I do not want them coming on to school property to spread this drivel, and if it truly was parents I will be doubly offended. I have some memory of reading a similar complaint here in the past but I couldn’t find it. I will be in contact with the school tomorrow, but I anticipate little traction with it being the last day of the school year.
June 14, 2013 at 6:25 am #791786
Kbrt1200MemberI am a mom at madison and I confronted one of the 4 men handing out the literature today. I asked him to take his message off of the sidewalk which is public property, in front of the school. He reufused and insisted that he was going to continue exercicising his first amendment rights. So I exercised mine and said to every child that walked by ” this man is a stranger, do not take anything from him” the police were called, and when I left as I had to go to work he arrogantly said” see you tomorrow” I replied you better believe I will be here. There were four men. 4 CREEPY men. Frankly, I think that when it comes to our children, advocate your agenda through appropriate channels, not behind the backs of parents. This is predatory behavior. Anyway, I have asked, and am now asking anyone who reads this ito come tomorrow to madison middles school around 7:15 7:20 and similarly warn the kids. I will be there after I drop off my high schooler. There were 4 men along the front of the school, only one of me. My daughter told me today after school, that these folks have been brazen enough to stand on the school steps. If we have a strong showing, this will hopefully deter them. The teaching point her is that you just don’t mess with our children!
Kelly B ( oh my kids are are mortified with my behavior!)
June 14, 2013 at 6:39 am #791787
TraciMemberOh gross. That’s so creepy.
June 14, 2013 at 8:57 am #791788
singularnameParticipantActually, Chick pubs go back to the 70s and we always found them hysterical. Yeah, they’re creepy, but on the same level as ALL groups that prey on our kids with any message. Counterbalance with a trek to Fantagraphics in Georgetown. ;-7
June 14, 2013 at 12:53 pm #791789
amaliaParticipantDid you bring it to the attention of management ;)?
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I agree, this is horrifying. If someone tried to tell my child that some awful god lets children burn, I would be furious. In fact, any proselytizing would infuriate me. I’ll brainwash my own children, thank you very much. I will go by today and add my voice if they are there between 6:00 and 6:30.
June 14, 2013 at 1:07 pm #791790
TanDLParticipantGood for you Kelly B and 35this. Those guys need to peddle their beliefs away from schools. With a group of concerned parents out there, at least the kids will get the message that these creepy guys are just that… creepy guys, and their message will be diluted. I remember those silly little comics showing up at schools when I was a kid, but at least they weren’t handed out by people lurking outside.
June 14, 2013 at 2:13 pm #791791
anonymeParticipantThis is no less disturbing than a stake-out by Westboro Baptist – probably more so, as children are being targeted.
Call some bikers to help these morons ‘exorcise’ their first amendment rights…
June 14, 2013 at 2:56 pm #791792
GinaParticipantI remember the fake Archie comics that were left around playgrounds.
June 14, 2013 at 3:19 pm #791793
Kbrt1200Memberwell I am happy to report that they did not show up this morning. I was there about 7:20 until 7:45. I decided to leave as it looked pretty quiet… like a regular school day. I do appreciate all of your support, and I would love to throw a RAVE out to the man on the corner who stood protectively on his porch this morning and waved to me.
Anonyme… I have to laugh at your post… I am a biker… my log on is my bike type! :-) BMW RT1200
June 14, 2013 at 3:30 pm #791794
brittlestarMemberChick Publications is classified as an “Active General Hate Group” by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
http://www.splcenter.org/node/105/activegroups
http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2011/11/02/pastor-apologizes-for-hate-filled-halloween-hand-out/
June 14, 2013 at 4:06 pm #791795
datamuseParticipantActually, singularname, they go back even earlier, to about 1960. One of my friends in high school used to collect them because they were so weird and espoused such a bizarre worldview. (As a former Catholic my personal favorite was one of the many anti-Catholic tracts called “The Death Cookie”. Because…yeah.)
Speaking of Fantagraphics, one of the issues of Daniel Clowes’s The Imp that they published is all about these tracts’ equally strange publisher. It’s free online–note that’s a PDF.
They are very creepy. There’s a whole line of them specifically targeted–and I use that word advisedly–at kids, which is pretty messed up.
June 14, 2013 at 4:26 pm #791796
35this35mphParticipantMy daughter forbade me to come (I think she is pretty discerning and I was not worried that they would “get to” her). She reported that yesterday two men flanked the doorway of the schoolbus as they were being dropped off and held the booklets out in front of the students as they walked off. She said she felt compelled to take one to get their hand out of the way. She planned today, if it happened again to walk through without accepting one but if they touched her to yell, “He touched me with that booklet, and it BURNS!” I love my kid! Alas, she texted me that they were not there today. What a bunch of maroons!
June 14, 2013 at 4:36 pm #791797
SueParticipantI haven’t seen those booklets since the NYC subways. As an adult, I thought they were hysterical. But I agree that it’s not cool what they’re doing. Glad people are standing up to them. Is this something that can be reported to school authorities? Or even police? It seems very inappropriate for strange men to be approaching young children like this, for whatever reason.
June 14, 2013 at 4:58 pm #791798
Kbrt1200Memberyesterday, I was told by one of the mom’s that she called the school and was told that they cannot do anything about it. If fact, when the police arrived yesterday, they confirmed that. Since I observed these men aggressively approaching the kids as your daughter described 35 (she is absolutly correct – they were also blocking the crosswalks so that the children could not easily pass by)this discussion has raised my awareness that this is happening at other middle schools in our area as well.
June 14, 2013 at 9:26 pm #791799
anonymeParticipantWhat’s the difference between these creeps flanking a school bus door so that physical contact is unavoidable, and a pedophile initiating passive contact? NONE. The stuff they’re handing out is really a form of pornography.
Kbrt1200, bikers are pretty awesome when it comes to social issues. They’ve stepped forward to challenge Westboro, and I LOVE the animal rescue biker guys who get right up close and personal with animal abusers. It’s really something to see a massive, tattooed, muscle-bound, leather-clad dude comforting a little kitten…
June 14, 2013 at 10:11 pm #791800
SmittyParticipantSad to say, I think they are legally within their rights to stand on sidewalks and preach their drivel, just like the anti-(Bush)war folks used to do in the junction. Talk about irritating.
That said, I don’t think I ever saw one of them get in my way or block my path. They were always civil and never got in my way to force me to take a handout of any kind.
June 14, 2013 at 10:37 pm #791801
EdSaneParticipantThey’re annoying and harmless. When I was in middle and high school we would set fire to the booklets as soon as they handed them over. Honestly, I think it sounds like a great opportunity to teach children about activism. Both the good and bad side to it.
June 14, 2013 at 10:45 pm #791802
CaitParticipantI used to rip them up right in front of them. Kids can smell bullshit better than you think (thank goodness, right? lol) But it’s still awfully young to know what to do when someone approaches you like that and it makes you uncomfortable. Worth having a talk with your kids about it.
June 14, 2013 at 11:21 pm #791803
JanSParticipantteach your kids to say ” No, thank you” and to keep walking.
Luckily, school is now out…no need to worry about this until September
June 14, 2013 at 11:42 pm #791804
mrhinehMemberYou mean the drivel by the Obama Hitler’s too?
June 15, 2013 at 12:36 am #791805
SmittyParticipant“You mean the drivel by the Obama Hitler’s too?”
Can you translate that into English, please?
June 15, 2013 at 12:53 am #791806
elikapekaParticipantSmitty, I believe the reference is to the LaRouche people that set up their little card table with a picture of whoever the current president is with a Hitler mustache. I’ve seen it done with both Bush and Obama, but I don’t remember the tactic being used before then. They are unfailingly obnoxious.
And in all fairness, the anti-war folks in the Junction were there after Bush left office too. They are unfailingly polite.
My experience only – your mileage may vary.
June 15, 2013 at 8:18 pm #791807
SmittyParticipantI could not agree more, e.
June 15, 2013 at 11:39 pm #791808
wsn00bParticipantTo be fair, handing flyers to people (including kids) whether it is about girl scouts cookies or religious “information” is technically the same (first amendment, etc). One man’s “logic” is always is somebody else’s drivel :)
On a lighter note:
“…Bad Bob” who blasphemes, uses, drugs, hates god etc. In the end he gets turned around (accepts Jesus) after watching his cousin burn to death in jail… “
This always reminds me of http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZ8hefESt7c
(Now I command you to spend the rest of the weekend catching up on some good ol’ George Carlin on youtube )
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