By MELISSA DIPENTO
Sixteen-year-old Amy Myers doesn’t quite know what to expect these days. As of Friday, she was still waiting on the edge of her seat to hear from Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachmann.
Three weeks ago, the Cherry Hill East sophomore sent Bachmann a letter that said she was displeased with the way the Minnesota congresswoman was speaking about historical events, and that most of all, she was getting them wrong.
So, she asked her to participate in an old-fashioned debate to find out who knows their facts about history and politics.
“I’ll wait and see,” Myers said. “I just don’t get why she doesn’t have the courage to debate.”
Three weeks later, Myers doesn’t have a response from Bachmann; her congressional spokesman, Doug Sachtleben, declined to comment on the matter last week.
But what Myers does have is a good amount of feedback from the public on her letter. Myers said some people are proud and impressed with her courage to address a prominent congresswoman, while others are not quite as supportive of her recent actions.
“Some are impressed,” Myers said. “A lot of them think I’m doing it for attention, though.”
Myers said she’s received messages from people around the world on her Facebook and Twitter pages and said she’s encouraged by the support she’s received.
At school, some kids support her. But some kids are starting to ignore her, she said.
One Web site Myers and her dad Wayne Myers visited, did not speak about Myers in a positive way. In the comment section, Myers and her dad saw a username that looked similar to one they knew their neighbors to have.
Myers and her dad aren’t sure that the family down is involved with the negative commenting, but Myers said she wonders why the kids, whom she goes to school with, have stopped talking to her.
Myers does have some supporters at the school. Some classmates on staff with her at the school newspaper have supported her ideas.
Andrew Adler, also a sophomore at East and son of the late John Adler, who most recently represented the 3rd Congressional District, has applauded Myers’ letter to Bachmann, she said.
Despite some support, Myers said that recently she’s been nervous to go to school because of a number of threats she’s received online. Wayne Myers said the high school is aware of the threats.
Wayne Myers said receiving this kind of attention is new to his family.
“It’s the first time we’ve had attention like this. We’re pretty much keeping abreast of the situation by keeping up with the Internet stories,” Wayne Myers said.
Myers’ father said in no way was his daughter’s letter a stunt or an opportunity to get political attention. Myers said he considers himself independent in thought politically, and typically votes based on the candidate, not party affiliation.
“I was undeclared up until Obama. (I voted for him because) I wanted to support the economy. I also voted for Chris Christie,” Wayne Myers said.
With blogs and news sources starting to report that Bachmann may run for president in 2012, Myers said she is concerned.
“Oh boy,” she sighed.
