[Vision2020] Devisiveness Must Stop
Jim Meyer
m1e2y3e4@moscow.com
Mon, 10 Nov 2003 23:27:32 -0800
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A few thoughts:
Divisiveness =
Must Stop
It is shocking that anyone would vandalize a downtown business. The =
reason people feel driven to resort to such behavior is because they =
feel threatened and impotent. In this case, the main reason people feel =
threatened is because a small but vocal part of a certain group of =
people has painted their group as clearly intolerant to those who don't =
belong to the group. They use buzzwords like "heathen" and "government =
school" in a sanctimonious way that can only be view as divisive. They =
make it entirely clear that they are only concerned with themselves, and =
not (at all) with the members of the community outside themselves. They =
do things like talk about slavery in a way that anyone outside the group =
would consider, if not racist, then interpretable as racist in modern =
society. They run for the public office of school board but have =
obviously no intent of improving the education of students outside the =
group. In fact, to those outside the group, they make the whole group =
appear downright mean-hearted, selfish, and now, as subtle racists.=20
For example, although the budget of the Moscow School district is a =
concern, it reprehensible for anyone connected with Christ Church or =
Logos School to be overly concerned. When Logos didn't have a gym, they =
used the Moscow Junior High. When Christ Church didn't have a big enough =
facility, they used the Moscow High School. Yes, they paid rent, but =
instead of saying thanks, a small but vocal number of supporters of =
these two groups have gone out of their way to be negative about the =
public school system. They use negative buzzwords and offer continuous =
negative comments. They whine about taxes but offer no productive =
solutions. Without pitching in and working to help the entire community, =
it is obvious that some group members are only concerned for themselves. =
To be blunt, until Logos accepts all students, including those with =
serious mental, physical, and behavioral handicaps, then those vocal =
group members have absolutely nothing to say worth hearing about the =
cost of public education.=20
As I write this, I truly believe that almost nobody in Moscow has =
anything against religious schools or private schools or vigorous church =
groups, but what almost EVERYONE objects to is a group trying to =
recreate Moscow in it's own selfish image--based clearly on =
intolerance--and at the expense of non-group members. AND IT REALLY =
DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER THIS IS TRUE OR NOT, BECAUSE IT IS THE APPEARANCE =
OF IT BEING TRUE THAT COUNTS.=20
As I see it, there is only one solution to the problem of divisiveness =
in Moscow, and that is for Christ Church, Logos, and New St. Andrews to =
remove from any position of importance, any persons who would apologize =
for slavery or who coin such divisive terms as "government school." That =
is, of course, if they want to have any respect at all from the greater =
community of Moscow.=20
Perhaps, however, a week or two should charitably be given to the =
divisive person to decide for himself if his place in the community and =
his job security wasn't worth reexamining his more strident views. If, =
for instance, there is a clear repudiation of the co-mingling of =
religion and politics and a clear repudiation of a certain pamphlet on =
slavery, and an end to divisive rhetoric, then perhaps that person =
should stay. Everyone makes mistakes, after all.=20
Sincerely,=20
Jim Meyer
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<DIV><FONT size=3D2>
<P>A few thoughts:</P>
<P> =
=20
=
=20
=
=20
<FONT =
size=3D5><STRONG>Divisiveness Must=20
Stop</STRONG></FONT></P>
<P>It is shocking that anyone would vandalize a downtown business. The =
reason=20
people feel driven to resort to such behavior is because they feel =
threatened=20
and impotent. In this case, the main reason people feel threatened is =
because a=20
small but vocal part of a certain group of people has painted their =
group as=20
clearly intolerant to those who don’t belong to the group. They =
use buzzwords=20
like "heathen" and "government school" in a sanctimonious way that can =
only be=20
view as divisive. They make it entirely clear that they are only =
concerned with=20
themselves, and not (at all) with the members of the community outside=20
themselves. They do things like talk about slavery in a way that anyone =
outside=20
the group would consider, if not racist, then interpretable as racist in =
modern=20
society. They run for the public office of school board but have =
obviously no=20
intent of improving the education of students outside the group. In =
fact, to=20
those outside the group, they make the whole group appear downright=20
mean-hearted, selfish, and now, as subtle racists. </P>
<P>For example, although the budget of the Moscow School district is a =
concern,=20
it reprehensible for anyone connected with Christ Church or Logos School =
to be=20
overly concerned. When Logos didn’t have a gym, they used the =
Moscow Junior=20
High. When Christ Church didn’t have a big enough facility, they =
used the Moscow=20
High School. Yes, they paid rent, but instead of saying thanks, a small =
but=20
vocal number of supporters of these two groups have gone out of their =
way to be=20
negative about the public school system. They use negative buzzwords and =
offer=20
continuous negative comments. They whine about taxes but offer no =
productive=20
solutions. Without pitching in and working to help the entire community, =
it is=20
obvious that some group members are only concerned for themselves. To be =
blunt,=20
until Logos accepts all students, including those with serious mental, =
physical,=20
and behavioral handicaps, then those vocal group members have absolutely =
nothing=20
to say worth hearing about the cost of public education. </P>
<P>As I write this, I truly believe that almost nobody in Moscow has =
anything=20
against religious schools or private schools or vigorous church groups, =
but what=20
almost EVERYONE objects to is a group trying to recreate Moscow in =
it’s own=20
selfish image--based clearly on intolerance--and at the expense of =
non-group=20
members. AND IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER THIS IS TRUE OR NOT, =
BECAUSE IT IS=20
THE APPEARANCE OF IT BEING TRUE THAT COUNTS. </P>
<P>As I see it, there is only one solution to the problem of =
divisiveness in=20
Moscow, and that is for Christ Church, Logos, and New St. Andrews to =
remove from=20
any position of importance, any persons who would apologize for slavery =
or who=20
coin such divisive terms as "government school." That is, of course, if =
they=20
want to have any respect at all from the greater community of Moscow. =
</P>
<P>Perhaps, however, a week or two should charitably be given to the =
divisive=20
person to decide for himself if his place in the community and his job =
security=20
wasn’t worth reexamining his more strident views. If, for =
instance, there is a=20
clear repudiation of the co-mingling of religion and politics and a =
clear=20
repudiation of a certain pamphlet on slavery, and an end to divisive =
rhetoric,=20
then perhaps that person should stay. Everyone makes mistakes, after =
all. </P>
<P>Sincerely, </P>
<P>Jim Meyer</P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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