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DFA wants feedback on Michele Bachmann debate with Cherry Hill High School girl

by: Rosi Efthim

Tue May 24, 2011 at 05:04:05 PM EDT



Democracy for America, which has long tracked Michele Bachmann and got behind her opponent Tarryl Clark in the last election (to see Bachmann raise money on the spectre of DFA founder Howard Dean) is reaching out to supporters across the country to ask whether they should get behind an effort to pressure the Minnesota congresswoman with the shiny, righty future to debate Cherry Hill, NJ teen Amy Myers on the Constitution.

You've heard about this. Myers, a 16-year-old Cherry Hill High School sophomore, was troubled by inaccuracies in Bachmann's claims - about the Constitution, public school education, women and the kind of basic civics questions most intelligent school kids know by heart. Her letter to Bachmann, with its invitation to debate her on these issues, a hot feature story, went national.

For her initiative, Amy, a very smart cookie, got called a whore and worse by the stupid cookie's Tea Party supporters. There were threats of rape, and threats to publish Amy's home address, the better to harm her. But Amy Myers is one brave citizen.

This is a homegrown story for New Jerseyans. DFA is asking, so I'm going to ask you: Should Democracy for America support Amy's campaign to get Michele Bachmann to debate her?

Did you miss Amy's letter to Michele Bachmann? You can see it after the jump.

Rosi Efthim :: DFA wants feedback on Michele Bachmann debate with Cherry Hill High School girl
   Here's the complete letter that high school student Amy Myers sent to Michele Bachmann:

   Dear Representative Bachmann,

   My name is Amy Myers. I am a Cherry Hill, New Jersey sophomore attending Cherry Hill High School East. As a typical high school student, I have found quite a few of your statements regarding The Constitution of the United States, the quality of public school education and general U.S. civics matters to be factually incorrect, inaccurately applied or grossly distorted. The frequency and scope of these comments prompted me to write this letter.

   Though I am not in your home district, or even your home state, you are a United States Representative of some prominence who is subject to national media coverage. News outlets and websites across this country profile your causes and viewpoints on a regular basis. As one of a handful of women in Congress, you hold a distinct privilege and responsibility to better represent your gender nationally. The statements you make help to serve an injustice to not only the position of Congresswoman, but women everywhere. Though politically expedient, incorrect comments cast a shadow on your person and by unfortunate proxy, both your supporters and detractors alike often generalize this shadow to women as a whole.

   Rep. Bachmann, the frequent inability you have shown to accurately and factually present even the most basic information about the United States led me to submit the follow challenge, pitting my public education against your advanced legal education:

   I, Amy Myers, do hereby challenge Representative Michele Bachmann to a Public Forum Debate and/or Fact Test on The Constitution of the United States, United States History and United States Civics.

   Hopefully, we will be able to meet for such an event, as it would prove to be enlightening.

   Sincerely yours,
   Amy Myers

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A lose-lose situation for Bachmann.. (0.00 / 0)
..if she agrees to this debate.

She would either suffer a humiliating defeat (unlikely) or, if she wins, as a lawyer and member of Congress, beating a high school kid would be nothing to brag about.

Bachmann can either:
a.) Write a condescending letter to Ms. Myers, praising her citizenship (perhaps comparing her to the Founding Fathers)
b.) Invite Ms Myers for a dialog, not a debate, about the Constitution and policy. In my opinion this would be a win-win for both parties and put this situation to rest.

What Bachmann MUST do is denounce the disgusting behavior of her right-wing lunatic supporters.

As for an actual debate, I do not see this happening. Imagine the resources that would have to be spent by the DFA and its GOP counterparts on negotiations over logistics and ground rules.

Blog: Pick's Place


Important that the story now go national (0.00 / 0)
AP ran a few hundred words on the story, which WaPO picked up, but I don't know whether it will get any more national coverage based only on that. Best possible outcome would be Rachel Maddow picking it up and interviewing Amy Myers. Rachel knows exactly how to knock a story like this out of the ballpark. As for supporting the debate itself, that seems less useful to me, because it will not happen. What I would very much like to support is Myers' right to make a public statement without being called a whore and receiving threats of rape and other violence. The response to date casts extreme discredit on Bachmann's supporters, whoever they may be. I personally see no benefit in referring to them as Tea Party because that is not particularly relevant. It is the conduct and ideology of Bachmann's supporters, and Bachmann's reaction to it, that is extremely important right now.

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