H.S. GIRLS'S BASKETBALL: TECHNICAL FOUL??? OR JUST POLITICALLY CORRECT???????????????

[AQUAMAN]

LOCATIION; HIGHLAND PARK, IL.: PROBLEMO??? After a 26 year absence from girl's high school basketball playoffs in the finals, the Highland Park High School officials/administration has decided to CANCEL the games/attendance to be played by students in the Arizona locale due to differences with "Values and Beliefs". In other words, all the hard work and sacrifice by those young female students is being nulled and void to proceed as Champions, due to adult political correctness dogma. Can you EVEN believe this is happening in our USA? Sorry, YES!  My dumb question is: why punish such accomplishment and good behavior with this Cancellation? Over an Illegal Immigrant Law that adults are debating around the country? Because Eric Holder, AG, says he doesn't like it and Obama also doesn't agree it is fair? And both men, have openly stated they haven't even read the 10-16 page bill passed there? But dwell and push a 2,000 pg. bill they also haven't read as gospel? Is this right in you guys opinions? Well? In my opinion, the youngsters here need to proceed, and achieve, and at least be permitted to compete, and NOT be PUNISHED for political expediency on the administrators of the HS. It's getting harder and harder to not watch the Tigs. and NBA playoffs these days. But, that's just me.

[Dave]

I think it was pretty unfair for the school to take the action that they did. Those girls worked hard to make the money so that they could go on the trip in the first place and to have it all taken away on the basis that according to this statement from Superintendent George Fornero, "We cannot commit at this time to playing at a venue where some of our students' safety or liberty might be placed at risk because of state immigration law".... which is pretty much one of the lamest excuses i've heard in awhile. The same school let a group of students go to China a few years ago, there was a lot better chance of something happening to those students going to China then these young ladies going to Arizona. For all we know, the law might not ever actually go into effect with all the court battles on the horizon and this whole silly cancellation of the trip will be for naught. If as an individual a person wants to speak out/protest what they did in Arizona, fine, do what you want.... your personal opinion on the subject shouldn't affect any decisions that will effect others like with these young ladies in Highland Park. I'm somewhat interested to see what would happen if the Arizona law did go into effect... see if everything the people protesting actually comes to pass. I got a feeling that if the law did pass all court battles that most people would hardly notice any change at all. Hopefully our president does take the time to actually read the law before he makes further comment on it... his analogy about a family going to get some ice cream and getting harassed by the cops is a bunch of rubbish. Unless that family was speeding or robbing a bank on the way to get ice cream, they shouldn't and wouldn't be bothered. If by some chance they did get bothered, the officer should be fired... end of story.

[Guidothesemipsuedocaptitalistpig]

Is it not the liberal mentality, that it is not effective to place sanctions on countries like Iran as it only hurts the innocent business owners and the people of Iran. Yet they are quik to do the same thing to there fellow countrymen yes? And yes those same schools allow overseas trips to countries with far poorer human rights poicies... what a joke.

[Mary A.]

Good points, Dave and Guido.

Women are overshadowed enough in sports by men. To have this happen has got to be heartbreaking to the team. I guess you could rationalize that disappointment helps one build character, but my heart goes out to the young ladies. I wonder how many of their parents side with the superintendent.

[Dave]

From the sounds of things very few if any agree with the superintendent. From most reports, they seem to be just as confused as to why the trip was canceled as most people were, specially when they look back to the China trip taken by students a few years ago.

Some of the people supporting the school on TV are not helping the schools cause either. Seen a woman on TV last night that was basically saying that if a student got hurt or something while in Arizona, what would the poor parents do? I don't know about anyone else but i'd much rather have something happen to my kid in Arizona then I would in China... so that explanation doesn't wash with me. Anyway, its not like any of these kids are illegals... nor does it even look like there is even a hispanic girl on that team... so I just don't see what the schools point is here.

[AQUAMAN]

I was wondering if I live in Cuckoo land now, or is someone going to wake me up from this day after day nitemare of events in the USA. This High School team of female athletes at this juvenile age could care less about national politics, and want to win a basketball championship, that's it, end of story. Why would selfish self-centered administrators take their political woes out on innocent children that just want to play bball? "Beliefs and Values": personally, I don't think they have any christian beliefs and values at all, if they did, this wouldn't have even entered their minds. All they are doing is promoting more hate. And that is not what we as taxpayers should be getting in school administrators is any shape, way, or form. As stated by the Az. Governor, the law mirrors existing Federal Law. It even singles out profiling of anyone as illegal and not to be tolerated under any conditions. They looked into every possible angle for the law to be unconstitutional, and avoided every single pitfall that might come along in advance. It was a well thought out document, short and concise, and with teeth to make it work for all the people. I have heard the tournament could take place in another State, maybe Florida. We will see. In the mean time, the parents and athletes are very unhappy and perplexed at best as to why this even happened to them.

[Sweater Cows!]

wow, I hope whoever made that decision gets fired. No public school officials should be mixing there personal beliefs with their job.

They are really short changing those girls. I bet if it was a boys bball team they would never get denied going to finals.

[XLFD]

It's a dumb decision. It brings to mind the 1980 Olympics, where President Carter decided to make a statement by not sending our athletes over to the USSR. Keeping the politics out of the sports arena is the best policy. The only statement that you wind up making is that the chief executive of the country/institution does not respect the hard work and dedication of their athletes.

I hope the next runner-up team is invited to Arizona to take Highland Park's place, and shows true class by accepting the invitation and doing well.

[Sweater Cows!]

yeah, poor kids, that's who really is being hurt.

[Dave]

I don't think i'd be bothered so much with the whole Arizona thing if those protesting actually had some sort of tangible evidence to show that what they believe is true.... if you listen to the protesters you'd think the gestapo was out rounding people up. Having read the law myself (funny that i've read it and our federal Attorney General hasn't and sounds like he wont.. he's apparently going to have some of his aides do it for him.. you'd think though that with all the hubbub going on with the law and that the law its self is less then 20 pages long that he'd could find the time to read it... the president to for that matter, but I digress), I found no passage in there giving police authority to simply walk up to anyone and ask for the ID's. Anyway, i'm rambling a little to night so i'm going to hit the sheets... but for anyone that would like to read the law, follow this link:

http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/49leg/2r/bills/sb1070s.pdf

That is the actual law from the state of Arizona website, no blog or other website.

[AQUAMAN]

Big tip of the hats off to Dave for posting the actual law so all can read it. I was hoping someone with the time could do this. Sad and stupid thing is, the media and latino protestors are hyping this law up to no end, with the backing of the Feds at the highest levels, same as the TEA party goers. On this one, the Prez. needs to be ashamed of himself imho, esp. for not even reading the bill before he passes judgement. Is that what Harvard taught him? What does this say about his true character now?

[Dave]

Here's a Google search of related stories... I figure it will give you a few choices so that you can pick a story that comes from what you feel would be an unbiased source.

http://www.google.com/search?q=highland+park+girls+arizona&ie=u...

[Dave]

Here's something else to keep in mind... the girls are more likely to get hurt running around Chicago then they are going to Arizona. It wasn't that long ago that a couple of Chicago lawmakers were asking for the National Guard to be brought in to help try and stop the violence happening in Chicago. Even with all the protest in Arizona, I don't recall there being any request to send in the National Guard... so what's safer? Chicago or Arizona?

http://www.aolnews.com/crime/article/chicago-pols-want-national-gua...