Manhattan — High school students attending Kansas Boys' State in Manhattan have received some serious advice from Gov. Sam Brownback: Develop strong friendships. Find worthy mentors.
And the governor also jokingly pushed a piece of legislation for consideration during the week of mock government activities: Do something about pop superstar Justin Bieber.
KMAN-AM reports the governor drew cheers and applause with the suggestion Wednesday night.
Brownback mentioned he has a 14-year-old daughter, then added, "I would love you guys to outlaw Justin Bieber or something like that."
Boys' State brings together young men entering their senior year of high school for a weeklong exercise in creating a mock society and government and learning how to run it efficiently. This week's session is the 75th anniversary of the event in Kansas.
Comments
JackMcKee 1 year, 10 months ago
as a previous Boys State representative let me add. : heblowsalot
DillonBarnes 1 year, 10 months ago
Wow, I dislike brownie as much as the next guy, but jumping on him for the Bieber thing makes you look like a lunatic.
Lane Signal 1 year, 10 months ago
Did anyone in the audience tweet about what an idiot Brownie is? Did they get chased down and berated by his staff? #Brownback_is_lame
question4u 1 year, 10 months ago
"I would love you guys to outlaw Justin Bieber or something like that."
This is Brownback talking, the man who singlehandedly cost the arts in Kansas $2.4 million dollars for reasons that even he couldn't ultimately justify. Regardless of what anyone might think of Justin Bieber, why assume that Brownback was joking? What if a bill from the Kansas Legislature to "outlaw Juston Bieber" came to his desk? Who can really feel confident that he wouldn't sign it? It would be unjust and foolish to do so, but would that really be a surprise from the man who signed legislation that is projected to create a $2.5 billion deficit in six years and to shift the tax burden to the poorest Kansans? Logic and justice don't really figure into Brownback's actions. Even his jokes have a sinister, oppressive cast.
fu7il3 1 year, 10 months ago
Do you really hate Brownback so much that you are defending Justin Beiber by comparing him to The Beatles, Elvis, and Michael Jackson? That's some blind hate.
bobberboy 1 year, 10 months ago
let's go ahead and outlaw free speech while we're at it !
mikekt 1 year, 10 months ago
Well, what boy in the Kansas Boy's State wouldn't like to outlaw Justin Beiber? Unlike them, or sam, Justin gets all the girls & they scream for him everywhere he goes, as if he were The Beatles, Elvis or Jacko. His tours stimulate the economy & Create Jobs He has made more cash this year than most of those guys will ever make in a lifetimes, including sam. Shows you what people really value & political players & their operatives are always up for vilifying rock stars to appeal to the wing nuts to side step the audience noticing what the emperor is or isn't wearing.
DillonBarnes 1 year, 10 months ago
He appeared at Girls' State today at the Lied Center, sounds like it was a similar speech.
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