16-year-old faces threats after challenging Bachmann to a debate

Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn. gestures while addressing a Tea Party "Continuing Revolution Rally" on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, March 31, 2011.

/ AP Photo/Evan Vucci

A 16-year-old high school student says she is facing online threats after calling into question Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann's knowledge of the Constitution.

What started as a harmless -- if cheeky -- way of pointing out Bachmann's historical mistakes has turned darker for New Jersey high school sophomore Amy Meyers, the Courier Post Online reports.

Last month, Meyers posted an open letter online challenging Bachmann to a constitutional debate.

"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," Myers wrote. "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."

Several media outlets reported on Myers' challenge. As a result, she said, people have threatened violence against her and threatened to publish her address online, the Courier Post reports. Myers' high school has also reprotedly received inquiries regarding Myers' letter.

"A lot of them are calling me a whore," Myers said of the online remarks against her. Added her father Wayne Myers: "I personally did not think there would be a reaction like actual stalking and the vitriol that's coming out."

Myers has also seen a good deal of positive feedback online. Bachmann's office has said it would not respond to the debate challenge.

As leader of the House Tea Party Caucus, Bachmann has expressed an unwavering commitment to the Constitution, even organizing classes on the Constitution for members of Congress. She's used her platform as a Tea Party leader to build a national profile and may soon enter the race for the Republican presidential nomination.

Yet as Bachmann becomes a more prominent political player, she has been subject to more scrutiny. Websites like Factcheck.org have dinged her for untruthful statements, such as the claim that Democrats "secretly" hid $105 billion in spending in the health care reform bill. She also dubiously claimed last year that President Obama's trip to Mumbai was costing $200 million per day.

In March, Bachmann claimed that the battle of Lexington and Concord, which began the Revolutionary War, took place in New Hampshire. That battle actually took place in Massachusetts.

She has also wrongly claimed that America's founding fathers "worked tirelessly until slavery was no more."

[MarkInOhio]

Has Bachmann condemned the threats issued by her supporters against this young girl? I didn't think so. What filth.

[godzillamozilla]

The school has recieved threats. Are they supposed to present a long form to the public that a minor has been threatened? Also, proof or not it is easy to speak out against anyone that may be bullying this poor girl. It is NEVER ok to threaten a minor and disgusting. This is why we have a bullying problem in America. 'It's ok to use bullying/terroristic/torture tactics if it's ME' mentality here in America.

[duwaynea]

It's a shame that Amy Meyers is too young to run for president. She'd certainly make a better president than Bachmann. Given Backmann's deplorable lack of knowledge about the Constitution, it wouldn't be surprising if Backmann thinks Amy *is* old enough to run for President -- and thus thinks Amy is a competitor.

Sad, so sad what the Republican Party has become.

[Lindag10]

Even though Bachmann doesn't want to debate this girl (for obvious reasons) she should step up to the plate and condemn the threats against the young lady which I have yet to hear her do. That tells me a great deal about Bachmann and her "concern" for the citizens of this country.

[davidd5063]

Well if any of the GOP/Tea Party idiot minions left actually cared about facts or reason this would be the last straw for them - fortunately for Fox News, Glen B. and Rush L. facts and reason have no place in the GOP/Tea Party. Next week they'll be blaming the whole thing on Nancy P.

[formrusmcsgt]

16-year-old faces threats after challenging Bachmann to a debate
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She should be ashamed of herself. A 16 year-old picking on a grown neo woman like that.

[notreich]

I just can't believe the lovely Tea Party Republicans would threaten violence against a child. Just because they spew constant violent rhetoric, call everyone who disagrees with them traitors, carry violence threatening signs not to mention guns to political rallies? Or just because somebody like the Tea Party candidate running against Gabrielle Giffords last fall in advance of her attack had held a rally promising (and fulfilling) that attendees could shoot provided fully-automatic machine guns to "Target Gabrielle Giffords" to somehow help defeat her. On second thought, maybe they could do that.

[formrusmcsgt]

Bachmann's office has said it would not respond to the debate challenge.
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Easy to see why, eh?

After listening to Bachmann and reading how well this girl expresses herself, it's obvious that the girl would own Bachmann's ignorant ass inside of 5 minutes time.

[noloyalisti]

Fact, education and knowledge has no place in the Republicon Party of fear and hate and spending. Bachmann is na insult to the intelligence of my cat. How do you explain these ridiculous excuses of human life forms being elected? Must be the crooked corporate money.

[myth1958]

Ms. Condon does us all a service by revealing this story - which might have been back page otherwise, but now comes to the fore. Three cheers for student Amy Meyers, who shares an interest in the US Constitution (and what it actually means), politics, and the position women have in the world today vis a vis, well,... men. We need far more young people to be like her and demonstrate interest in politics, for they will be taking over when us older folks are gone. Unfortunately, too many of them are blind, deaf and dumb about anything adult - and happy to stay that way. Her challenge to Bachmann won't be dignified by an answer, though, because she would run rings around the unannounced presidential candidate - thereby embarrassing her. Too bad. Might put some fun in the GOP primaries. You go, Amy.

[CuriousServant]

More vitriol, both sides of the argument. People spray hate and believe they are engaging in discourse. This young lady is far more mature than most who comment here.