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Re: Charles Epps Jr. calls today's "bad" young girls the community's "worst enemy
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Home away from home
 
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http://www.jerseycityindependent.com/ ... power-nice-going-dr-epps/
Mamarama: GIRL POWER! Nice Going, Dr. Epps By Jayne Freeman ? Apr 15th, 2011 ? ?Young ladies? are the community?s ?worst enemy,? Schools Superintendent Charles Epps said Wednesday to group of Jersey City pastors. Thank you, Dr. Epps ? for your sensitivity and support toward the young women who are a part of the Jersey City community. Thank you, for imparting this particular wisdom to the clergymen and women who counsel and spiritually guide the very youth you speak of. Thank you, for the respect and compassion you show to your future constituents, for tomorrow?s local residents and potential taxpayers. Thank you, for singling out the women. Though the details on this bizarre speech are somewhat sparse, it seems that Epps was making some sweeping judgments about today?s troubled youth. He is quoted as saying: ?The young girls are bad. I don?t know what they?re drinking today, but they?re bad.? As far as corporate mentoring programs coming from Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan, Epps is also quoted as saying: ?They?ve signed up to help even the dirty, nasty, bad kids.? We all know there are plenty of disadvantaged young people in Jersey City. The city does pay about a million dollars a year to keep what looks like a mini police precinct within some of our larger high schools. There is a sophisticated network of cameras and video surveillance on the streets around the schools so that students can be closely monitored as they exit and walk along the avenues. We understand that there is the potential for fighting and violence; the city probably does its best to keep incidents at a minimum for the protection of its students. But comments like Epps? ? coming from the TOP of the school board hierarchy ? are just flat out hateful and demeaning, and worse, show not an ounce of compassion or hope toward helping this situation. To single out ?young women? in particular has raised the ire of women all over our community, and rightly so. It feels like a personal attack ? a sexist personal attack. Epps, in case you?re not aware, has been widely criticized for a number of choices he?s made, especially the controversy over his dual role as a state Assemblyman AND the superintendent of schools (he is no longer an Assemblyman). Predictably, Epps claims that his comment about ?young women? was really him speaking ?metaphorically.? Though he wrapped up his speech to clergy by saying, ?we need to support our children,? the damage has been done. One gets the feeling that Epps? viewpoint is to stamp out ?the vermin? like they were a bunch of disagreeable cockroaches. I?m sure he?d like to add to the list those young women who are having babies, draining the welfare system, and otherwise contributing to a cycle of poverty. What?s disheartening is that this is our schools superintendent ? a role that should revered by young people. Yet, what we hear is condemnation with a lack of empathy. School teachers have been fired for far less infractions ? maybe it?s time to unseat Epps from his throne.
Posted on: 2011/4/15 14:58
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Re: Charles Epps Jr. calls today's "bad" young girls the community's "worst enemy
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Home away from home
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no one called/reported/turned over to the police? no police report/investigation/charges? did the BoE agree to investigate failings?
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Posted on: 2011/4/15 14:56
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Re: Charles Epps Jr. calls today's "bad" young girls the community's "worst enemy
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Just can't stay away
 
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jerseymom wrote: Sadly, many of our community leaders would like our neighboring cities to believe that all community members are supportive of Epps for his unacceptable behavior. Just look at how Mariano Vega was defended for his actions. This is the culture that most of Jersey City's leadership has been promoting for years, decades, and maybe even longer.
Posted on: 2011/4/15 13:54
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Re: Charles Epps Jr. calls today's "bad" young girls the community's "worst enemy
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Just can't stay away
Joined:
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Shelley Skinner wrote: I was there as well and was shocked at the treatment that the young girl and her mother received from administrators. Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the mother say that a boy beat her daughter up (black eyes, bloodied face, and all)? This behavior by the boy, plus the story about the 12 year old boy exposing himself and groping girls NJ.com article, has me thinking what type of culture are we raising our children in? If we do not hold Epps accountable for his comments, we will continue to teach the youth that women should not be treated with respect. As a father of two girls, I would hope that we can all work together to change this culture of disrespect that we have accepted as the status quo for so long.
Posted on: 2011/4/15 13:50
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Jay Res
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Re: Charles Epps Jr. calls today's "bad" young girls the community's "worst enemy
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Home away from home
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Yes, but high level federal officials and US Attorneys are serving their country with the expectation of some other long term career advancement. Like for instance, moving from US Attorney to Governor, and then maybe running for President. Or look at how many Goldman Sachs employees jump between the Federal government and private sector employment; again, with all of these positions, there is a major career payoff when the individual finishes serving.
Posted on: 2011/4/15 13:20
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Re: Charles Epps Jr. calls today's "bad" young girls the community's "worst enemy
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Home away from home
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I want to see our community show more outrage and concern for my daughter- all of our daughters. +1 I was a bit surprised by the "slant" of the Channel 7 news coverage I posted above. While they had feedback from parents that were against what Epps said, it seemed that the "community" was supportive of his comments. I find that difficult to believe. He should not be protected. Enough is enough.
Posted on: 2011/4/15 13:13
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Re: Charles Epps Jr. calls today's "bad" young girls the community's "worst enemy
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Not too shy to talk
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How can someone who has so little regard for our children be the one who is responsible for their education? As a mother of an 8 year old daughter, this is the stuff that keeps me up night thinking that she will have to face this kind of discrimination throughout her life. I want to see our community show more outrage and concern for my daughter- all of our daughters.
To put this in even greater perspective, at last night's meeting we heard a mother from Lincoln HS talk about how her daughter was brutally beaten up and it took 27 days for the school to respond to her demands to know what happened. 27 days. This total lack of respect for children and their parents is wholly unacceptable. Time for Dr.Epps to resign. Shelley Skinner
Posted on: 2011/4/15 13:03
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Not too shy to talk
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Personally, I am still looking for some sort of censure or reprimand from board members, including those who are running for re-election. The public should ask them how they feel on this issue, now, and during the next campaign debate.
Also, every candidate should chime in on this subject either on this venue or another. I'd like to hear what they all have to say about this. I sincerely hope this just doesn't disappear as most things this idiot has done over the years.
Posted on: 2011/4/15 12:36
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Re: Charles Epps Jr. calls today's "bad" young girls the community's "worst enemy
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Home away from home
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+ 1. Well said. I also find the language he used later, describing children in his school system as "dirty, nasty, bad" reprehensible. I don't care what they do, they are children, and what happens at school happens on Epps's watch. These are people to be educated and helped, not "dirty" creatures to be ignored.
Posted on: 2011/4/15 12:17
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Fair enough and I think generally I agree on this point. Though when I look at the federal government (for example US Attorneys office) or even professors at universities, I always am surprised at the quality of professionals who enter those fields and get paid relatively poorly compared to their talent and what they could get on the market.
Posted on: 2011/4/15 9:25
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Re: Charles Epps Jr. calls today's "bad" young girls the community's "worst enemy
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As long as you have a disparity in pay, you have a disparity in the quality of people managing your schools, and for that matter, teaching in your schools. If you are going to complain about his performance, you need to recognize that you get what you pay for.
Posted on: 2011/4/15 6:39
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Re: Charles Epps Jr. calls today's "bad" young girls the community's "worst enemy
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Just can't stay away
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I was the last person to "speak" tonight at the board of education meeting. I couldn't actually speak because although I called to get on the list, no one answered the phone at that time. Peter O'Reilly was gracious enough to read my words for me. My words are below - for all stats please go to Catalyst.org, my dear friend Sheila Wellington led the creation of this research.
"47% of the US workforce is women. 51% of management level positions in this country are women. But that?s where it stops. Only 15% of public board positions are held by women, only 15% of corporate officer level positions are held by women, and less than 15% of fortune 500 companies have women at the helm. Sounds pretty bad, right. It get?s even worse when you begin to look at the statistics for women of color. The causes of this disparity are many, not the least of which are those of misogyny perpetuated by males in leadership positions in this country. To say, and I quote Dr Epps 'Our worst enemy is the young ladies. The young girls are bad. I don't know what they're drinking today, but they're bad.' To say this is not defensible. It is not excusable to use hate language in 2011. Until we can show love and compassion for every child, regardless of their life circumstances, we cannot progress. To plant 8 girls in the audience does not excuse you.* Dr Epps, your words have cut and the wounds are deep. It is time to be responsible and to step down." * Approximately 6-8 girls stood up and thanked the board of education for something or another. I was told after my statement that this was not a plant. It seems fishy to me that after the holistic denigration of women by Dr. Epps, a large group of women would stand up as a group and thank the board of education that oversees some 30 (or is it 31) failing schools (out of 37). But that's fine I will take everyone at their word, it doesn't change the fact that what was said was said. What I couldn't say, because I didn't have a chance to write it down, is that I know when I get up everyone looks at me and sees a "white girl" from "downtown". What no one in the room realizes is that I hail from a poor rural community down south. Until junior high, I attended a school where for the entire town there was one school and one class for every grade. One teacher for every 36 students and no teaching assistant. I made it through because people cared for me. I am successful because I had an opportunity to receive a good education even when there were little means. The fact that we refuse to give every child in Jersey City an equal opportunity to education is a form of both racism and classicism. This is the ONE thing that we can control for and we are failing or children miserably. I'm sick and tired of hearing people complain about crappy parents and crappy students. This is something that cannot be controlled. What we can control is what we offer our children. And what we offer our children today is unacceptable. I'm sure no one on this message board needs to worry about their children because they can supplement their education...but what about the other kids?
Posted on: 2011/4/15 3:37
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Shelley - if you're checking back here, it would be helpful to know what happened at tonight's rally. Are you planning additional demonstrations? Kindly post the info on JCList.com. I wish I had known about this sooner. THANK YOU for raising your voice about this matter.
From JCIndependent:
Jersey City education activist Shelley Skinner is spearheading a protest at tonight?s Board of Education meeting to respond to superintendent Charles Epps? comments made to a group of clergy members Wednesday, in which he said ?our worst enemy is the young ladies? and called some students ?dirty, nasty, bad kids.?
?Nothing short of his resignation is acceptable,? Skinner writes in an email sent around this afternoon. ?How can we have a Superintendent who has this little respect for our students? For our daughters? Every single child in our city deserves a leader who believes in their inherent intelligence and promise to reach their fullest potential life anything short of that is unacceptable.?
According to the Journal, Epps ?apologized? today for the comments ? kind of. ?He was referring to all boys and girls,? district spokesperson Paula Christen tells the JJ.
The protest, and the board meeting, is scheduled for 6 pm this evening at PS #11 (886 Bergen Avenue).
[img align=left][/img]
Posted on: 2011/4/15 2:44
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Re: Charles Epps Jr. calls today's "bad" young girls the community's "worst enemy
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Home away from home
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To me the only thing that would explain what he said would be that it was designed to have a desired effect on all or some members of that particular audience. Epps was speaking to a group of clergy when he made the preposterous statement. Was he trying to gain favor from a clergyman, perhaps a clergyman Epps knew to be a misogynist? I can?t imagine what the clergymen would be able to do for him though, assuming it was a strategy to help him gain influence
Posted on: 2011/4/15 1:02
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Re: Charles Epps Jr. calls today's "bad" young girls the community's "worst enemy
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Correction: $268,000 + pension + car and driver. Yes people in the private sector can make more, but those are for profit companies that are not funded with tax dollars. The president only makes $400,000 a year and he manages billions and billions in budget. Also, CEOs never manage failing companies for 10 years - board of directors (and shareholders) don't let them get away with blaming everyone else for their problems. It's not my fault, I just have bad employees. It's not my fault, I just have bad customers. Give me a break. His comments were sexist and in my opinion, enough to get him removed from office.
Posted on: 2011/4/14 17:46
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Re: Charles Epps Jr. calls today's "bad" young girls the community's "worst enemy
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Home away from home
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Wait, maybe this is what he was talkin bout:
Posted on: 2011/4/14 17:29
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Re: Charles Epps Jr. calls today's "bad" young girls the community's "worst enemy
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Just can't stay away
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Is this a NEW issue? Pre$ume this is not played to take the focu$ away from $omething el$e!
Posted on: 2011/4/14 17:03
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Probably not the best choice of words, but I do agree with him that teenage girls behave terribly now. I am not sure what has happened in the last 20 or so years but girls have become meaner and ill behaved.
We go to Liberty Science Center a lot and see a lot of middle and high school students there. The girls are always the ones who are screaming and cursing and not holding the door for people behind them. The boys on the other hand are always courteous and will hold open the door for me and my kids. The last time we were there a girl was cursing and screaming at another student and a boy said to her "hey, watch your language, there are kids here," to which the girl replied "I don't give a sh!t about the kids." Nice.
Posted on: 2011/4/14 16:59
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Re: Charles Epps Jr. calls today's "bad" young girls the community's "worst enemy
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Yeah, its pretty pathetic that the highest executive position in the Jersey City schools only earns $200,000. But it makes a lot of sense since any qualified applicant could make twice that in the private sector.
Meanwhile, Epps was probably speaking to some statistical data. Its totally possible that the girls in the school system are statistically in trouble more often or cause greater damage. Its also possible that a select number of specific girls are responsible for the vast majority of the problems and thus are the "bad girls." It is hard to assess without the available data.
Posted on: 2011/4/14 16:51
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Re: Charles Epps Jr. calls today's "bad" young girls the community's "worst enemy
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Not too shy to talk
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We all know that parents should take blame for ther kid's actions and are at fault. Not much argument there.
But the bottom line is Epps and the Boe do not regulate or control homes. They do schools and a very poor job of it. It is a joint effort but we pay this fool a kings ransom for horrendous results. Stop the madness!
Posted on: 2011/4/14 15:48
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Re: Charles Epps Jr. calls today's "bad" young girls the community's "worst enemy
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Home away from home
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Great job of almost everyone going off topic, but he's right. All these girls care about is being hood and who they can spread their legs for next. Their parents are useless as they did the same thing. Its a cycle that needs to be broken.
Posted on: 2011/4/14 15:08
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Re: Charles Epps Jr. calls today's "bad" young girls the community's "worst enemy
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Home away from home
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How is "Our worst enemy is the young ladies," speaking metaphorically?
What a back tracker - then he resorts to typical talking points. "education is the key blah blah blah." Would be laughable if it wasn't my city . or the salary he's making. or if he had a winning rather than embarrassing record.
Posted on: 2011/4/14 15:02
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Re: Charles Epps Jr. calls today's "bad" young girls the community's "worst enemy
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Newbie
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Perhaps he just rode the HBLR to get to the meeting. I feel that way every time I pick up a train, especially as I hit the Newport Mall stop area.
Posted on: 2011/4/14 14:46
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Re: Charles Epps Jr. calls today's "bad" young girls the community's "worst enemy
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Home away from home
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Here is the phone number for the Jersey City school superintendent:
(201) 915-6201 I find his comments to be outrageous and offensive. He should not be at the helm as the leader of one of New Jersey's largest school systems.
Posted on: 2011/4/14 14:25
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Re: Charles Epps Jr. calls today's "bad" young girls the community's "worst enemy
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Just can't stay away
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I just called his office . I demanded he step down. I urge others to do so.
Posted on: 2011/4/14 14:17
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Re: Charles Epps Jr. calls today's "bad" young girls the community's "worst enemy
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Not too shy to talk
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Again Dr Epps is correct. These same female students are responsable for most of our Teen pregnancy.
Posted on: 2011/4/14 14:17
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Re: Charles Epps Jr. calls today's "bad" young girls the community's "worst enemy
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Just can't stay away
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He earns over $200,000. He gave himself a raise in an environment where classroom staff will be laid-off and taxes are going to go up. And now he has publicly revealed how deeply unsuited he is to address the issues of poverty and neglect that plague the lives of the children to whom he is providing a FAILING SCHOOL SYSTEM! 37 of Jersey City schools are FAILURES, really?
He's not suited to clean the lunchroom floor (no offense to custodians). Our dollars can buy better quality than this boor. I believe it is time to picket, rally and call for his immediate resignation. We must act, because the hierarchy in this city -- in county, will never act substantively.
Posted on: 2011/4/14 14:08
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Re: Charles Epps Jr. calls today's "bad" young girls the community's "worst enemy
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Epps has a funny way about going at things. This doesn't address the issues at hand. Empty name calling.....Come on?! Mentors are essential but where are the parents? Where is the finger pointing from Epps about them? Where is the drum beat for all the parents who are having these "dirty, nasty, bad kids?"
When will these administrators and government officials get to the real core of the problem and start holding parents acountable? When will there be some sort of penalty that really stings and makes these parents take the negative actions of their children more seriously? Where is the incentive for the parents to take notice and make positve changes in their children? Obviously many parents do not care. Does it take a juvenile court date for them to finally see the problem? It doesnt need to get to that point. Parents, community leaders, volunteer groups, mentors, church pastors all have to rally around to mentor these kids from the very start and keep them moving on a postive path to adulthood. There are lots of programs out there for young parents who are at risk. Do the schools recommend these programs? I have said before that these types of parenting classes need to be manditory for certain at risk parents. Pastors and parent mentors should be able to determine who these at risk parents are. For example, if one or more of your parents have been convicted of a serious crime that would immediately enroll the parents into a class.
Posted on: 2011/4/14 13:29
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Re: Charles Epps Jr. calls today's "bad" young girls the community's "worst enemy
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Newbie
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what epps should have said was the HE is the community's worst enemy.
a do nothing superintendent that has presided over mass failure for over 11 years and has directly contributed to the increase in gang numbers and under age street urchins. who could care less about these so called "bad girls" or boys in the school system but only his kingdom and closest confidants.
Posted on: 2011/4/14 13:27
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Re: Charles Epps Jr. calls today's "bad" young girls the community's "worst enemy
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I'm sure the "Global oppression of women" is exactly what's causing these girls to act out.
Putz.
Posted on: 2011/4/14 13:20
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