Before I write what I am going to regarding whether or not liberals can just have a good time or not, I want to be clear about the target of this post.
I am certain that the high schooler in question, Josephine Kinney, is a nice young lady who means well.
But what she is promoting, a "green" prom is just, well ridiculous and making this blogger wonder this.
Can liberals just have fun? Or does everything have to have some meaning? Some social context?
Young Miss Kinney is the chair of her high school prom at Marshall Fundamental High School here in Pasadena, California.
And she is making the most of it by promoting a favorite theme of hers.
I'm sorry, Miss Kinney, but it is what I will write.
Environmentalist Whackiness.
Instead of having a prom in which high school students can go, have a good time, Miss Kinney is going to force her personnel agenda down their throats.
And, sadly, she is not alone.
Miss Kinney enlisted the help of her friend and student body president, Veronica Ota, to promote her vision of a "green" prom.
Here is a direct quote from Miss Ota:
"I think by incorporating something really fun like prom and putting a green spin on it, it would do justice to our efforts of being environmentally friendly."
A green spin? On a high school prom?!
I must write this disclaimer.
I never attended a prom when I attended Schurr High School in Montebello, California, many a moon ago. It was not my thing. I did not get the point what seemed like then spending a lot of money to rent a tux, rent a limo, go to a hotel and do something I still do not do. Dance.
The point is, I am not bitter about never attending a prom. I know many who have and they really loved it. And the stress of doing the above things was more than enough.
So, while pursuing an agenda, these young girls are not even thinking about the stress this adds to many who are not environmentally aware. Or, I am sure worse in these girls eyes, non-believers in the cult of Globaloney Warming.
Here is some of the approaches our young girls are trying to impart on their fellow students.
1) Collecting recycled materials for decorations.
2) Hiring a local organic caterer.
3) Considering holding a drive in which prom attendees can donate items that could be used as party favors as a way to get people involved.
4) Advising prom attendees to carpool.
5) Advising the purchase of sustainable products and clothing for the festivities.
Good Lord! Is this supposed to be a prom or a pity party for the Mother Earth?
Here are a few things that I would like to advise our young friends about their little politically correct checklist.
On the first count, there is no problem with using recycled materials for decorations. The free market that I am sure these gals have no concept of is heavily involved in promoting and selling such items.
Secondly, an organic caterer? Please! Recently, a study basically said that there is no difference in organic food vs. non-organic foods. Essentially, once again, the free market has found a niche, promoted the perceived benefits of organic foods, charged an arm and a leg (a $48,000,000,000 a year industry!) and taken such people for a good ride.
Third point. Again, I do not think it is all that bad of an idea for the students to be more involved and I think that using recycled party favors and it being donated is a good thing.
Forth. Have these youngsters ever heard of a limo? It is the best carpool and the prom industry essentially invented this carpool approach. Usually, a group of prom attendees get together, pool their financial resources and rent a limo. And, DA HORROR!, sometimes parents take their children and others to and fro. How embarrassing is that?!
Fifth. Look, do these gals realize that the prom industry makes a ton of money? Mostly on young girls (courtesy of their parents) spending money on the clothes that they think will make them look like little hotties? In the print edition of the Pasadena Star-News, Miss Kinney said that she is looking for a hemp dress for the event. Hmm, I am sorry but I just can not see the vast majority of young girls, or young boys for that matter, worrying about the material in their clothes. They will spend a lot of money on clothing that they may wear once and that they think they look good in. In the case of the boys, they will rent their clothes. Usually that is a tux and the accouterments that go with it.
Dear Miss Kinney and Miss Ota.
I know that in your mind and your heart of hearts, you think this is a great idea.
But it is not.
It is caving into and agenda that you have been taught is real when it is not.
Repeat after me.
THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS MAN-MADE GLOBAL WARMING!
Is there a time to be concerned about the environment? Of course there is.
But a high school prom is not one of them.
Again, most of the attendees have other stressers about the event. To have to think if their good time depends on whether or not the event has saved the Mother Earth should not be an additional stresser.
Which goes back to the original question.
Do liberals have any clue as to just having fun? Not thinking about a certain social issue near and dear to their hearts?
I guess not according to Josephine Kinney and Veronica Ota.
My wish for their prom is that they should relax, have great food and music and have a good time. Without the politically correct lecture.
5 comments:
well i respectfully depart from your disclaimer and declare, josephine kinney a friggin retard. as a matter of fact, she might be related to obama.
i hate proms. but for the people who love them, it should be a fun affair. i can't believe that the rest of the student body hasn't challenged this green monster.
Political Viability.
Sadly, some adult may have told the prom chair and student body president that a "green prom" will be good for their futures.
The system already has them under pressure to write on their their college applications to UCLA, Wellesley or wherever... and their applications for government and NGO
internships... that they are committed and have already helped save the world.
This event could put them on the map!
I seriously doubt that hijacking the prom for a political agenda was these young women's idea, although I'm sure some of the creative points are their additions .
I'm most afraid that these two are already being held hostage to the idea that "everything is political"
I'm curious to know which adults fed them this idea: parents? [it's their right, actually] "educators"? media?
I'm agreeing these two young women should have more fun in their lives and not get in the way of others enjoying theirs.
Full disclosure: 35 years ago, the prom wasn't my thing either. I didn't take my then girlfriend to the 1974 Millikan High School (Long Beach, CA) prom ... and she won't return an email to this day.
Hmm, I have no problem with "Going Green" as a prom theme at all. You're making an assumption that one can't have fun if there's a "cause" involved. If by 'having fun' you mean doing something you enjoy and makes you feel good while doing it -- then it qualifies as much as a "50's" theme or any other activity organized by teenage minds.
Actually, the whole purpose of hosting something as foreign as an "environmentally friendly prom"is to change a stereotype proven true time and time again: that teenagers are selfish. But the thing is, we do care. As we sit through our science classes that often remind us of the threats of exploiting the earth's resources, we realize that this is a problem we contribute to unconsciously. As a group, we decided to have a prom that PROMOTED some greener alternatives, but you incorrectly assumed that the options we want to offer students will make the prom unentertaining. We actually hope it will increase our class' spirit BEFORE prom night. We are giving prizes for our recycling drives, and raffling off extra party favors for those who those who donate to our fundraisers. We still have a standard theme for our posters, portrait backgrounds, tablecloths, etc.
Here's the thing, you guys are assholes. Seriously, you have nothing better to do than to pick on high school seniors? Namaste, do you realize you called one of my best friends a "friggin retard" who "might be related to obama" because she supported something she believed could help improve awareness of environmental impact? Oh, that makes us all respect your opinion. You go around degrading kids, you must be a highly regarded professional.
Honestly, none of you know anything about us so why do you feel the need to butt in? In fact, no ADULT suggested this idea, and no senior has expressed disapproval. Maybe if you all still had the passion of youthful optimism in you, you'd see that there is nothing negative about supporting a prom that promotes alternatives to the norm. But I'm pretty sure you're a bunch of adults that know everything about the world because you've sat on your ass long enough to become pessimistic. I just think it's terrible that you would write things about seventeen year old girls. Since you obviously have a need to criticize liberal ideals, why don't you waste your hot breath on Gore and not a high school prom committee?
In presenting a general admonition of environmental sensationalism, you have crossed a personal boundary in your criticism. I, being a classmate and good friend to both of these girls, feel that the actions taken are in no way motivated by agenda. Your nearly paranoid rejection of pragmatic environmental practices casts doubts on your understanding of the article, and thus your understanding of this event in the first place.
If you study the article, or talk to the girls yourself, you will find that the theme of the prom is not green. The theme will be voted on by the student body in coming weeks (it's between Masquerade and Mid-summer's Night dream). Josephine Kinney is advocating smart and easy ways for students to lessen our environmental footprint, and she is doing so by appealing to the informed volition of our students, not the indoctrinating forced compliance you seem to be implying.
The intention is to inform and advocate easy ways to be more environmentally friendly. Regardless of your position on Global warming or the Obama administration, for the same reason I would expect you not to dump waste in the river or flick cigarette butts in the street, there exists an expectation to not overtly attack our inherently scarce resources. If this can be done by carpooling or buying local foods or recycling glass bottles, upon what platform do you base your environmental disdain? Global Warming (perhaps) has some room to argue, but respecting our shared resources seems like an agenda that everyone understands.
And your assumptions about their education go well beyond political food for thought, rather becoming more akin to the blatant journalistic hackery one would expect from... well... a seventeen-year old.
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