Paige Sorry, Meant to Call NEA 'Extortionist Cabal'

Scrappleface.com ^ | 2-24-04 | Scott Ott

[mamaduck]

(2004-02-24) -- U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige issued an apology today for joking that the nation's largest teachers' union is a "terrorist organization."

"It was an inappropriate choice of words to describe the NEA as a 'terrorist organization'," said Mr. Paige. "I consulted a dictionary today and found several more appropriate terms to describe the highly-paid Washington lobbyists who masquerade as altruistic advocates for America's children. Therefore, I revise my previous remarks. The NEA is not a terrorist organization. The NEA is an extortionist, obstructionist, monopolistic cabal."

Mr. Paige added that his remarks did not necessarily apply to America's hard-working public school teachers, who he described as "NEA victims and conscripts."

[anniegetyourgun]

LOL! It is a more appropriate term!

[Gil4]

I'm sure we could find enough evidence to support the terrorist charge as well, although the new terms are on the whole much more accurate.

[Cicero]

The NEA is definitely more in for corruption and swilling in the public trough than blowing themselves up. Hardly any of them strap on the dynamite these days.

[Tax-chick]

Hardly any of them strap on the dynamite these days.

Right ... if they wanted anything blown up, they'd get some brainwashed kids to do it for them, like the rest of the terrorist "leaders."

[highnoon]

I like a story with a happy ending.

[mamaduck]

It's the brainwashing part that's so scary!

(You have the happiest tag-lines!) :-)

[Tax-chick]

It's the brainwashing part that's so scary!

Yes, it is! Gotta love Rod Paige, though ... a man with a thesaurus!

[Bonaparte]

No self-respecting terrorist would tolerate being compared to NEA members. I think Paige owes his apology to them, not to the NEA. Terrorists are evil, but they are at least marginally competent at what they do.

[Fred Hayek]

Either way, I'd like to see RICO invoked on the NEA.

[workerbee]

Sweet! Now THIS is the kind of apology more conservatives should give (vs. the Orrin Hatch snivel-grovel-hold-your-ankles type)!

[mamaduck]

oh, yes!

[Marie]

I love this man!! LOL!

[BlueNgold]

This is a parody not a news story.

Paige should be fired. Yesterday!

[Diva Betsy Ross]

Did you forget to tell people this is satire, or are you intentionally trying to deceive people?

[mamaduck]

Did you forget to look in what topics this was posted in and with which keywords, or are you intentionally trying to bait me?

[Diva Betsy Ross]

Funny...and then no answer to the question. Why you think that is baiting is beyond me.

FYI- It is posted in news - and when you see the headline on the sidebar there is no way of seeing the keywords.

SO I will assume you are intentionally trying to mislead people.

BTW- Not everyone is looking for your brand of humor when trying to look for real NEWS.

Most people here know to add that to the headline so others can find what they are looking for.

Just a bit of advice for an unexperienced ,thread posting freeper , like yourself,is all.