A student of uncommon courage

[Guest Guest]

You're entitled to your opinion, no matter how wrong it may be.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Really? Why sould anyone listen to any thing spewed from a no good son of a B**ch like you? Either take YOUR ass in to combat or STFU!

[Guest Guest]

So enlighten us if you can, on what you think it means to be an American. Don't just criticize others and call names, which then have to be removed by a moderator who hardly ever removes anything. Set Bern straight, and be specific, because when a person is as confused as you think Bern is, you have an opportunity to present that person with new information and help him or her become a better citizen. So don't make nasty remarks. When you do that, you only give the impression that you have nothing of value to offer. Since that can't be true, fill this forum with your wisdom. Tell us where Bern went wrong, and what you think being a good American means in light of Bern's remarks. We'll all be waiting to gain the benefit of your wisdom.

By the way, Bern is not Mrs. LaClair. Bern and I have never met. My only acquaintance with and knowledge of Bern is through this forum.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Being an American is not tossing the Constitution in everyone's face for the purpose of your and your "precious son's" personal gain.

[Guest Guest]

Exactly. How dare he out-think and outmaneuver the teacher. How dare he stop him from getting away with abusing young minds. How dare he challenge those minds to think in a way they've apparently never been asked to think before, and obviously don't wish to think. How dare he have a different idea, and horror of horrors, use that idea to beat the odds and challenge the assumptions of nearly everyone else in that building. How dare he stand up to power. How dare he face down the administration, the Board of Education and his classmates. How dare he challenge the educational system to keep its promises.

The least he could do is have the decency to lose. How dare he win.

"And after it rains there's a rainbow,

And all of the colors are black.

It's not that the colors aren't there.

It's just imagination they lack."

  ---  Paul Simon, "My Little Town"

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How did young Matthew Win? YOU little piece of dog poo. Mr. P, which he sought so much to dismiss, is still teaching and all you can do is write your little piddley posts here and you and precious Matthew have done NOTHING. I am sure the scholarship money he received does feel good in your bank account.

[Guest Guest]

Understand what? It's not true.

I know you people are close-minded, but are you so close-minded that the only way you can explain the outpouring of support for my son from all over the world is to imagine some nefarious motive or family connection behind it all? How, then, do you explain the four hundred posts of support Matthew received from all over the world last December when this story hit the NY Times? How do you explain a well-known, prominent, highly respected head of a major financial house offering Matthew a summer internship because he was impressed by what he did? How do you explain the numerous, nationally-known organizations that have publicly backed him, and continue to back him? How do you explain why one of the world's major law firms, named for a former Republican presidential candidate, has put three of its lawyers on Matthew's case for free? How do explain why all the press coverage was strongly in Matthew's favor --- you can't explain that by a supposed liberal bias in the media, because there is a conservative press, too, and you can't explain its silence.

So because you can't explain it, you make things up and you call names. That's the truth of what's going on here. Prove me wrong if you can. But you never do. All you keep doing is saying what you want to believe, even though you know you can't support it with any facts. There's a word for that. It's called lying.

Shame on you.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The people of this town already know the facts. What you post here is pure lies. You say Matthew got well know organizations to back him. I am sure you are most proud of JEWSONFIRST.COM article. That is very acclaimed. The only one who is yapping is you. You can sell Matthew to anyone you wish. Nice to know I won't be seeing you in hell.

[Guest Guest]

Those who put their lives on the line in military service are heroes.

Those who risk their safety to stand up for what is right here at home are also heroes.

The mere fact that the behavior was well-known only enhances the quality of Matthew's actions, because that says that according to the culture in our schools and in town, the intent was to allow it. Matthew did something about it, no easy task when everyone around him was trying to look the other way. It's far harder to overcome intent than it is to prove a fact, as the inane posts from people who still support Paszkiewicz demonstrate.

As for out-thinking: Paszkiewicz thought he would get away with denying the truth. He thought the students in his class would support him, and that would carry the day. He thought the administrators would side with him, which they would have done had Matthew not recorded. At every turn, Matthew foiled Paszkiewicz's plans. By any reasonable standard, that's out-thinking.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Wow Paul you have done it....

No matter what you come back with when you quote my post and rebuttle it..

This man just compared his sons' actions to those of 18 and 19 year olds in Iraq and Afghanistan. He said they are both Heroes...

This proves he is a sick man... kool-aid drinking sick man...

A soilder who risks or gives his life is a hero. NYPD and FDNY who ran up the stairs at the WTC on 9/11 are heroes.

Matthew LaClair is not,

You are a sick man Paul LaClair. Sick.

[Strife767]

I would hardly call secretly recording a teacher, who was well known to go off on religious tangents, out-thinking.

I think the 'out-thinking' part is more him having the evidence handy in the meeting, and then recording that since he saw Paszkiewicz's dishonesty coming and wanting to have evidence of that, too.

I do give Matthew credit for fueling the converstaion.  You really need to check the definition of what a hero is, especially at a time when men and women your son's age are sacrificing so much.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The same thing is being defended in both cases. The Constitution is the cornerstone of this nation, and I'll call anyone willing to stand up for it, especially when that means taking a stand against most of an entire community, a hero. That isn't exactly easy to do either, you know--if it was, someone would have done it in the fourteen years prior to Matthew's exposition.

[Guest Paul]

How did young Matthew Win?  YOU little piece of dog poo.  Mr. P,  which he sought so much to dismiss, is still teaching and all you can do is write your little piddley posts here and you and precious Matthew have done NOTHING.  I am sure the scholarship money he received does feel good in your bank account.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

He won because Paszkiewicz was not allowed to continue his misconduct, and because the teachers and the students will receive appropriate training in these subjects this school year. That is what he wanted, it has nothing to do with personal gain for him, and that is what he achieved.

Matthew never once suggested that he wanted any personal gain from this, even while it was coming in. If you lived with him, you would know that, and you wouldn't make your nasty remarks. The fact that he ALSO was rewarded by people and organizations who ADMIRE what he did is after the fact and unpredictable. That's not the victory. The victory is standing up for and achieving what was right.

So I've answered your question. Do you have the character to listen, and apologize?

[Guest Paul]

The people of this town already know the facts. What you post here is pure lies.  You say Matthew got well know organizations to back him. I am sure you are most proud of JEWSONFIRST.COM article. That is very acclaimed. The only one who is yapping is you. You can sell Matthew to anyone you wish.  Nice to know I won't be seeing you in hell.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Winston Churchill had a running feud with Lady Astor. The above post reminds of the following exchange:

Lady Astor: "Sir, were I your wife I would feed you poison!"

Sir Winston: "Madam, were I your husband I would gladly take it."

[Guest Paul]

Wow Paul you have done it....

No matter what you come back with when you quote my post and rebuttle it..

This man just compared his sons' actions to those of 18 and 19 year olds in Iraq and Afghanistan. He said they are both Heroes...

This proves he is a sick man... kool-aid drinking sick man...

A soilder who risks or gives his life is a hero. NYPD and FDNY who ran up the stairs at the WTC on 9/11 are heroes.

Matthew LaClair is not,

You are a sick man Paul LaClair. Sick.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have many heroes. A few of my teachers from years ago, though many of them never served in the military, the police or fire department.

Family members, many of whom who never served in the military, the police or fire department.

If you ask people who their heroes were, many will say their father and/or their mother. I can say the same.

You don't have to risk your life to be a hero.

There are many ways to be a hero; and many ways to serve good and to serve evil.

There is nothing heroic about wrapping yourself in anger and desperately trying to denigrate someone else.

I'm very sorry that it bothers you so that people all over the world have called my son a hero, but I can't help you with that. Your anger is your own. I don't choose to be consumed by it.

Is there no way you can share a kind word with me? Does your pastor know about your anger? If so, what does he say about it? WWJD?

Or are you the pastor?

[WilliamK]

This man just compared his sons' actions to those of 18 and 19 year olds in Iraq and Afghanistan. He said they are both Heroes...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

They are. Just because they differ in magnitude, does not mean they aren't both heroes.

This proves he is a sick man... kool-aid drinking sick man...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A dishonest and dishonorable assessment. What it proves is your own lack of character.

[Guest Guest]

I think the 'out-thinking' part is more him having the evidence handy in the meeting, and then recording that since he saw Paszkiewicz's dishonesty coming and wanting to have evidence of that, too.

The same thing is being defended in both cases. The Constitution is the cornerstone of this nation, and I'll call anyone willing to stand up for it, especially when that means taking a stand against most of an entire community, a hero. That isn't exactly easy to do either, you know--if it was, someone would have done it in the fourteen years prior to Matthew's exposition.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And you would know this first hand since you are Matthew LaClair. In this blog you have pissed so much on Constitution trying to defend this boy that you forget what it really stands for.

[Guest Guest]

Wow Paul you have done it....

No matter what you come back with when you quote my post and rebuttle it..

This man just compared his sons' actions to those of 18 and 19 year olds in Iraq and Afghanistan. He said they are both Heroes...

This proves he is a sick man... kool-aid drinking sick man...

A soilder who risks or gives his life is a hero. NYPD and FDNY who ran up the stairs at the WTC on 9/11 are heroes.

Matthew LaClair is not,

You are a sick man Paul LaClair. Sick.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Try the following search, if you can bear it.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=ISO-...Clair%22+-+hero –›

Results 1 - 10 of about 788 for "Matthew LaClair" - hero.

“Matthew LaClair, student Ethical Culture hero”

http://ethicalstl.org/blogs/?p=90

“I have a new hero. Strangely enough, he's a braces-wearing high-school student from New Jersey.”

http://obscenedesserts.blogspot.com/2006/1...new-kansas.html

“Matthew was awarded the “Humanist Hero Award” from the American Ethical Union at this event . . .”

http://www.essexethical.org/mar07.pdf

“Matthew LaClair is not the villain of this story, he’s the hero – the classic whistleblower. LaClair saw something going on that was wrong and took steps to correct it.”

http://blog.au.org/2007/02/26/tale-of-the-...ds-his-actions/

“Matt, you rule. I commend your bravery in the face of the opposition of the entire town.”

http://forums.kearnyontheweb.com/lofiversi.../t3239-400.html

“Matthew LaClair is a hero!”

http://www.soapchat.net/showthread.php?p=1860148

“So good for Matthew LaClair. Not only did he stand up for the principle of separation of church and state, he also stood up against junk science in the classroom. He’s a hero!”

http://www.glendalenewspress.com/articles/...-intheory15.txt

“A Student of Uncommon Courage --- Matthew LaClair”

http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default.aspx?oid=24210

“Matthew LaClair is a hero.”

http://www.bodhipaksa.com/blog/archives/ch...n-the-classroom

“Matthew will be receiving the Thomas Jefferson Student Activist Award.”

http://ffrf.org/events/2007/speakers.php

“Let's be clear about this: Matthew LaClair is an American hero.”

http://www.pookastew.com/k123/2006/12/world-gone-mad.html

“Matthew LaClair = Badass!”

http://newplasticmusic.blogspot.com/2007/0...air-badass.html

And that’s just a start. Whine all you want. It won’t change anything.

[Guest Guest]

Understand what? It's not true.

I know you people are close-minded, but are you so close-minded that the only way you can explain the outpouring of support for my son from all over the world is to imagine some nefarious motive or family connection behind it all? How, then, do you explain the four hundred posts of support Matthew received from all over the world last December when this story hit the NY Times? How do you explain a well-known, prominent, highly respected head of a major financial house offering Matthew a summer internship because he was impressed by what he did? How do you explain the numerous, nationally-known organizations that have publicly backed him, and continue to back him? How do you explain why one of the world's major law firms, named for a former Republican presidential candidate, has put three of its lawyers on Matthew's case for free? How do explain why all the press coverage was strongly in Matthew's favor --- you can't explain that by a supposed liberal bias in the media, because there is a conservative press, too, and you can't explain its silence.

So because you can't explain it, you make things up and you call names. That's the truth of what's going on here. Prove me wrong if you can. But you never do. All you keep doing is saying what you want to believe, even though you know you can't support it with any facts. There's a word for that. It's called lying.

Shame on you.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Good questions. So where are the explanations?

Typical.

[Guest Guest]

Wow Paul you have done it....

No matter what you come back with when you quote my post and rebuttle it..

This man just compared his sons' actions to those of 18 and 19 year olds in Iraq and Afghanistan. He said they are both Heroes...

This proves he is a sick man... kool-aid drinking sick man...

A soilder who risks or gives his life is a hero. NYPD and FDNY who ran up the stairs at the WTC on 9/11 are heroes.

Matthew LaClair is not,

You are a sick man Paul LaClair. Sick.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually, you're the one who brought up the comparison, and you're the one who keeps insisting on it. Paul just observed that both are heroes, each in his own way. He even put each case in its own paragraph, presumably to make the point that each case stands on its own merit. That's the right way to do it.

The reason he can "rebuttle" you so easily is that you don't think.

[Matthew LaClair]

Thank you Mrs. LaClair for being ** ******* ** *** ****. When you do talk, it does show your complete ignorance to what it means to be an American.

KOTW Note: The above post was edited for content.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I am not sure if any of you have seen the movie "Saved." There is one part in the movie where a girl screams at another girl saying "I am filled with Christ's love," and then proceeds to throw the Bible at her, literally.

Your post just reminded me of that. I can only imagine the words that you used in the deleted section. What a great show of American patriotism.

[Guest Guest]

Being an American is not tossing the Constitution in everyone's face for the purpose  of your and your "precious son's" personal gain.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The problem with this is that either you want the Constitution ignored or you don't understand it. There's no other explanation for remarks like yours. Enforcing it is not "tossing it in everyone's face." It's enforcing the Constitution. You're not saying anything. You're just revealing your biases.

The other problem is that you don't know their motives. They say they did it for principle, and everything they've done is consistent with that. Decent and honorable people respect other people's motives unless there's clear proof that their motives are not what they claim. I see no evidence that their motives are not what they say. If you have any, present it. If you don't, stop making charges you can't back up. That's called bearing false witness, a/k/a lying.

[Guest Guest]

How did young Matthew Win?  YOU little piece of dog poo.  Mr. P,  which he sought so much to dismiss, is still teaching and all you can do is write your little piddley posts here and you and precious Matthew have done NOTHING.  I am sure the scholarship money he received does feel good in your bank account.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Matthew never sought to dismiss the teacher. The family went out of their way to say that was not their issue.

From the beginning Matthew wanted the situation corrected. My understanding is that the school district is finally doing that. That's how he won.

Ignoring the issue doesn't speak well of you, and neither does your name-calling.

[Guest Guest]

The people of this town already know the facts. What you post here is pure lies.  You say Matthew got well know organizations to back him. I am sure you are most proud of JEWSONFIRST.COM article. That is very acclaimed. The only one who is yapping is you. You can sell Matthew to anyone you wish.  Nice to know I won't be seeing you in hell.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You say that, but you don't give any details. How is he lying? If you can't tell us, then you're the one who is lying.

Why is it that you nutcakes never get the simple point that when you accuse someone you're supposed to back it up with facts? You scream at the rest of us about things like bearing false witness and tell us how we're all going to hell because we aren't as pure as you seem to think you are, but you're the first ones to violate the most basic rules, and even after you're called on it over and over and over, you still keep doing it. Apparently you don't think the rules apply to you, and you do think we don't notice what you're doing.

As for yapping, I think that means making noise without saying anything. Look at what you wrote. How does it add to this discussion, such as it is? It doesn't. That's where the yapping is coming from: from you.

Oh, and it's interesting how you talk about hell. I'm sure you're right, Mr. LaClair and his son won't be there to see you.

[Guest Guest]

Wow Paul you have done it....

No matter what you come back with when you quote my post and rebuttle it..

This man just compared his sons' actions to those of 18 and 19 year olds in Iraq and Afghanistan. He said they are both Heroes...

This proves he is a sick man... kool-aid drinking sick man...

A soilder who risks or gives his life is a hero. NYPD and FDNY who ran up the stairs at the WTC on 9/11 are heroes.

Matthew LaClair is not,

You are a sick man Paul LaClair. Sick.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ooooh, he got rebuttled!! ROFLMAO! What a babboon!

A kid stood up to authority and his peers and got the better of it, and someone's really, reeeaaaalllly mad about it.

Someone needs a nap.

. . . .

Oh, and a brain, too.

[Guest Guest]

Try the following search, if you can bear it.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=ISO-...Clair%22+-+hero    –›

Results 1 - 10 of about 788 for "Matthew LaClair" - hero.

“Matthew LaClair, student Ethical Culture hero”

http://ethicalstl.org/blogs/?p=90

“I have a new hero. Strangely enough, he's a braces-wearing high-school student from New Jersey.”

http://obscenedesserts.blogspot.com/2006/1...new-kansas.html

“Matthew was awarded the “Humanist Hero Award” from the American Ethical Union at this event . . .”

http://www.essexethical.org/mar07.pdf

“Matthew LaClair is not the villain of this story, he’s the hero – the classic whistleblower. LaClair saw something going on that was wrong and took steps to correct it.”

http://blog.au.org/2007/02/26/tale-of-the-...ds-his-actions/

“Matt, you rule. I commend your bravery in the face of the opposition of the entire town.”

http://forums.kearnyontheweb.com/lofiversi.../t3239-400.html

“Matthew LaClair is a hero!”

http://www.soapchat.net/showthread.php?p=1860148

“So good for Matthew LaClair. Not only did he stand up for the principle of separation of church and state, he also stood up against junk science in the classroom. He’s a hero!”

http://www.glendalenewspress.com/articles/...-intheory15.txt

“A Student of Uncommon Courage --- Matthew LaClair”

http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default.aspx?oid=24210

“Matthew LaClair is a hero.”

http://www.bodhipaksa.com/blog/archives/ch...n-the-classroom

“Matthew will be receiving the Thomas Jefferson Student Activist Award.”

http://ffrf.org/events/2007/speakers.php

“Let's be clear about this: Matthew LaClair is an American hero.”

http://www.pookastew.com/k123/2006/12/world-gone-mad.html

“Matthew LaClair = Badass!”

http://newplasticmusic.blogspot.com/2007/0...air-badass.html

And that’s just a start. Whine all you want. It won’t change anything.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Okay, that was weird.

If that wasn't a LaClair, they should call the FBI because he has a stalker.

[Guest Guest]

Matthew never sought to dismiss the teacher. The family went out of their way to say that was not their issue.

From the beginning Matthew wanted the situation corrected. My understanding is that the school district is finally doing that. That's how he won.

Ignoring the issue doesn't speak well of you, and neither does your name-calling.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No one really ever wins a dispute that gets this ugly.

[Guest Guest]

I am not sure if any of you have seen the movie "Saved." There is one part in the movie where a girl screams at another girl saying "I am filled with Christ's love," and then proceeds to throw the Bible at her, literally.

Your post just reminded me of that. I can only imagine the words that you used in the deleted section. What a great show of American patriotism.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And what a great show of patriotism when the people of this country stand and remove our hats for the Pledge of Allegiance to show support of the United States of America and all that it has done for us and one snot nosed individual and his unruly parent sits and does nothing to try to make a name for themselves. That is not what the forefathers of this country would have ever tolerated. Then they try to toss the Constitution in our faces and call them heroes? There are certain moral and ethical issues of yours that no matter what money or fame you are going after make people so very sick of Matthew and Paul LaClair. Put that in your movie.

[Guest Guest]

Matthew never sought to dismiss the teacher. The family went out of their way to say that was not their issue.

From the beginning Matthew wanted the situation corrected. My understanding is that the school district is finally doing that. That's how he won.

Ignoring the issue doesn't speak well of you, and neither does your name-calling.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Its nice to know that Paul LaClair is now cowardly hiding under the guest logo. This must be a town hero?

[Guest Guest]

They are. Just because they differ in magnitude, does not mean they aren't both heroes.

A dishonest and dishonorable assessment. What it proves is your own lack of character.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sorry, I like my heroes a little less self centered and not out for personal gain.

[Guest Guest]

You say that, but you don't give any details. How is he lying? If you can't tell us, then you're the one who is lying.

Why is it that you nutcakes never get the simple point that when you accuse someone you're supposed to back it up with facts? You scream at the rest of us about things like bearing false witness and tell us how we're all going to hell because we aren't as pure as you seem to think you are, but you're the first ones to violate the most basic rules, and even after you're called on it over and over and over, you still keep doing it. Apparently you don't think the rules apply to you, and you do think we don't notice what you're doing.

As for yapping, I think that means making noise without saying anything. Look at what you wrote. How does it add to this discussion, such as it is? It doesn't. That's where the yapping is coming from: from you.

Oh, and it's interesting how you talk about hell. I'm sure you're right, Mr. LaClair and his son won't be there to see you.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Mr. LaClair and junior are such cowards.