THE SNEEZE

[brokenbit]

They walked in tandem, each of the ninety-two students filing into the already crowded auditorium. With their rich maroon gowns flowing .. and the traditional caps, they looked almost . as grown up as they felt.


Dads swallowed hard behind broad smiles, and Moms freely brushed away tears.


This class would NOT pray during the commencements----not by choice, but because of a recent court ruling prohibiting it.


The principal and several students were careful to stay within the guidelines allowed by the ruling. They gave inspirational and challenging

speeches, but no one mentioned divine guidance and no one asked for blessings on the graduates or their families.


The speeches were nice, but they were routine.....until the final speech received a standing ovation. A solitary student walked proudly to the microphone.


He stood still and silent for just a moment, and then, it happened. All 92 students, every single one of them, suddenly SNEEZED!!!!


The student on stage.. simply looked at the audience and said, 'GOD BLESS YOU, each and every one of you!' And he walked off stage...


The audience exploded into applause. This graduating class had found a unique way to invoke God's blessing on their future with or without the

court's approval.


Isn't this a wonderful story? Pass it on to all your friends.........and GOD BLESS YOU!!!!


This is a true story; it happened at the University of Maryland
*****************
How sad very sad indeed that this politically correct nonsense has been allowed to go this far. God forbid we offend anyone. Slowly our rights are being taken away one by one.

 

[wdcav1952]

An interesting story, Bernie. The real version of what happened is even more impressive than the version you posted.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/sneeze.asp

 

[Fred]

Hurray for these young folk. Even if the tale is a bit stretched. Kids these days sure will be inheriting a Country that has changed from what many of us grew up in.

 

[Tea Clipper]

Let's nip this in the bud.

Acceptable use Policy
...
Discussions of politics and religion are not allowed.
...

 

[mwenman]

Oh Good God!!

Why is there always that ONE person that has to take exception to an interesting story, in this case young adults graduating in a unique way, and then try to puff out their chests and quote forum policy?

Can't you just accept the story in the Casual Conversation section as just that, Casual Conversation???

In this case, nobody was trying to force their beliefs on anyone, but was just sharing something they found interesting and humorous with the community whom may have missed this or other similar versions of this.

I am sure that we are all quite aware of the policy regarding the discussion of sex, politics, and or religion, but it's not like the original poster or those replies were engaging in a heated debate.

If one finds exception to such posts, they have the option of changing to a different message thread, simple as that!

Good day!

Originally posted by Tea Clipper

Let's nip this in the bud.

Acceptable use Policy
...
Discussions of politics and religion are not allowed.
...

 

[Daniel]

I suggest there be a policy against spamming threads with acceptable use policies. at the very least remindeers of the policies should be left up to those qualified to enforce them.

 

[rjwolfe3]

Tea Clipper,

Can we discuss free speech here are is that not acceptable?

 

[rincewind03060]

Originally posted by Tea Clipper

Let's nip this in the bud.

Acceptable use Policy
...
Discussions of politics and religion are not allowed.
...

I'm a life-long atheist, and I gotta say, LIGHTEN UP!

This was not a religious "discussion" until you made it one. I remember a time in this country when "tolerance" wasn't just an obscure word in the dictionary.

Do you want to ban the use of "our prayers are with you" when someone has reported a tragedy in their life? Believers "casually" refer to their beliefs; it is an integrated part of their lives. I think that the spirit of the policy is to ban verbal "flame wars" not to prevent people talking about things they would normally talk about in casual conversation in person.

I took the story as an example of a clever conspiracy by a bunch of students to get around a controversial rule. The reasons for the conspiracy implicitly touch on both politics and religion, but those aspects were not stressed. Let's not start seeing problems that aren't there.

 

[sbell111]

There is no such thing as the right to free speech on a forum such as this, nor should there be.

Further, I fully support not discussing religion or politics here. If we allow such discussion, it will only create angst that will spill into other areas of these forums.

 

[Russianwolf]

Actually the last line in the post is clearly meant to make it a political/religious post IMO.

And the claim that it happened at UMD was funny as all get out. Those kids are more likely to be vandalizing the streets after their football team wins a game (happens much too frequently, the vandalizing not the winning).

 

[sbell111]

I thought the amusing part of it supposedly happening at teh Universoty of Maryland was the fact that the story included a principal and only 92 students. The University of Maryland has over $36,000 students. I assume that more then 92 of them graduate at a time.

 

[Russianwolf]

Hey Steve, take a look at this.

http://silverchips.mbhs.edu/inside.php?sid=4991

Some of the responses to the article are outrageous. "We will keep rioting because it's what we do".

With that mentality 92 of 36000 graduating per semester might actually be possible. []

 

[Blind_Squirrel]

Originally posted by mwenman

Can't you just accept the story in the Casual Conversation section as just that, Casual Conversation???

Not when it involves politics or religion, which in this case it does.

 

[Tea Clipper]

Guys...guys...guys...please. If you would read the Snopes report that Cav linked to, you will find that the story as presented is NOT TRUE. I found the original story to be funny and clever, however the current version is a twisted manipulation of the facts. And the posting of such propaganda is against the forums policy, plain and simple.