Subject: "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington"

From: Truwe Family--Now With Baking Soda <truwe@mind.net>

Date: 1997/01/15

Message-ID: <32DD6B74.720E@mind.net>

Newsgroups: alt.slack.goathead,alt.slack

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This is just a long story about why I hate teenagers. You don't have to

read it.

My A.P. Government class is required of all the "gifted" students. It's

only offered as an Early Bird class, 7:15-8:35. The teacher is a nice

guy but a bad teacher. He'll ramble on for two weeks about nothing in

particular, demand we all bring in magazine articles and never ask for

them, then all of a sudden we get a two-page list of subjects and

vocabulary words for a test on Wednesday.

Well, luckily, it's a semester class. Since we've a block schedule at

South Medford High School that means we meet four more times before

we're outta here. Teacher (first name: Jim) announces we're going to

watch a movie. "Great," I think. "A movie. How about a bunch of

PACIFIERS AND SLEEPING PILLS, JIM?" But he goes on to warn the class

that it's a "really old movie." Turns out it's "Mr. Smith Goes to

Washingon."

I'm happy. Usually, when we see a movie, it's some Disney piece of crap

that not only doesn't teach us anything but also puts me to sleep.

So the next time we meet, we watch the movie. Before he puts the tape

in, however, he has to EXPLAIN how to WATCH A MOVIE. Ay! "Now, some of

the lines may not seem to be important yet...you have to remember them,

they may be important later."

Ok. So I figure Jim's just underestimating us again. Fine. We see the

first 75 minutes, then he stops the tape and asks how we like it. My

"peers" start whining that they can't understand it, that too much is

happening, that there are too many characters. I am mortified and the

bell rings.

The next time we meet, we watch the end. At the conclusion, as

Jefferson Smith filibusters his Junior Rangers heart out because he

believes in America, the class is snickering. When he passes out from

exhaustion, they laugh. They LAUGH! They're unmoved when Sen. Payne

breaks down and admits Smith is right and that he is corrupt. Then,

after the credits, they spend the last 10 minutes of class loudly asking

each other "What the HELL was that about, anyway?" "Huh, I dunno."

I HATE these people. These are the HONORS STUDENTS.

Oh, well. Only two more days of this class. Still enough time for him

to give us a test.

Anna Truwe