Dorks...

Sure we have a right to free speech and all, but the planned walkout is going to do absolutely nothing. The free speech thing should be revised to state "effective free speech," because this will just make everybody look like morons. First of all, walking out in the middle of school will do nothing. Supposedly the "media" will be there... do you honestly think they would actually air an event in which **gasp** kids are skipping school? Like that never happens! Second, marching on the gas station will do nothing as well. The gas station isn't responsible for the oil crisis, it's just a small franchise. If anything, business and the owner would be hurt. How effective is a political statement if, at the same time, it is saying, "We have no idea what the real cause of the problem is, so we'll just go to the nearest gas station!" How much do you want to bet that half the kids will just trot on down and buy a Code Red and a bag of Doritos? Then, there's this whole notion that the day is supposed to not be "Business as Usual." (the supposed slogan for this "nation-wide" event) What about all the teachers and administrative officials who are paid by the very government the protest is againist? What if they don't want war? If they skip school, the don't get paid. Sure you can think of the school as an extension of the government, but it's fairly ironic that the institution that is educating these students for free is getting the shaft. If anything, public schools are probably the part of the government that is most opposed to the war. Why should the institution be hurt by a protest against something it is also opposed to? There are also a bunch of students who will take this opportunity to skip school, students who have absolutely no interest in the cause.
I could keep going on and on about how stupid this walkout will be. I'm neither radically opposed nor radically against the war (I haven't heard a convincing enough argument from either side yet) but this is just ridiculous. Exercise effective free speech, and get your message across in an accurate, visible manner, not just an excuse to skip school and hang out at the gas station.