[Vision2020] Devisiveness Must Stop

Tue, 11 Nov 2003 12:36:31 -0800

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Don writes:

> But I wouldn't blame "government" for the fact that "public
> schools" is the widely accepted term. Governments have a
> long record of trying to change language, and I suppose
> there have been some successes, but when you blame
> "government" for everything you sound a little like the
> county supervisors in Grangeville.

Do I blame civil government for everything? Certainly not! However, the more
statist we become, the more problems are the result of that centralization. 

Don, here's an anecdote of how government schools subtly indoctrinate. This
is from the Libertarian commentator, Neal Boortz. 

  _____  

First of all, let's get this out of the way in the first paragraph. They are
not "public schools." They are government schools. They are owned and
operated by government. Every employee, from the superintendent to the
dishwasher in the cafeteria, is a government employee. So, let's call them
what they are. Government schools. 

Being government employees, you would expect those who work in government
schools to have the same behavioral characteristics as other government
employees. You would be right. They react to the threat of privatization
with the ferocity of a cornered bobcat and to the threat of accountability
with the evasiveness of cockroaches. 

The truth, though, is that these are not so much schools as they are
indoctrination centers. If your child is attending a Catholic school, you
should expect that your child would be taught that the Catholics pretty well
have this religion thing down cold. Ditto for a Jewish school, or one
operated by a Christian fundamentalist church. Question: Will a government
school be any different? Why would you expect a government employee in a
government institution to tell your children that government is not
necessarily the answer to every problem or critter that goes bump in the
night? 

The new school year has been underway for several weeks now. Maybe it's time
to give you a hint of what your child has been through. 

Do you remember those weeks before school started for your first grader?
There you were, you and your proud new student walking the aisles of the
local Costco with your list of school supplies in hand. You checked off the
pencils, a ruler, a compass, paste, construction paper, a pencil holder,
notebooks and erasers. 

At home, your first grader takes the supplies into his room and spreads
everything out on the bed. Arranges them this way - then that way. Pencils
next to the erasers, glue and construction paper lined up over here, compass
and ruler lined up over there. These are his supplies. His! Do you hear? And
tomorrow he is going to take them to school. He couldn't be more proud. 

Finally, the first day of school arrives. The night before all of the school
supplies are packed, repacked, unpacked and repacked again. Then, that
morning, just one more unpacking and repacking to make sure everything's
still there and undamaged. OK! It's off we go to school! Apprehension mixed
with pride. Your young man or woman is taking another grand step toward
adulthood! What could go wrong? 

Plenty. Remember, it's a government operation. 

The students are seated, the bell rings. As fast as you can say the Pledge
of Allegiance without the "under God" part, the indoctrination begins. The
government teacher steps in front of her virtual hostages and promptly
delivers the first raw lesson in the power of government. The students are
instructed to bring all of their precious school supplies - their property -
to the front of the classroom and put them into a huge box. They are told
that the supplies belong to all of the class now, and the teacher will
assume the responsibility of distributing the supplies as they are needed. 

"Whoaa! Hold on a minute here! These are my supplies. My daddy bought them
for me. You can't have them! They're mine!" 

Nope. Sorry! They were yours. Now all those supplies belong to - guess who?
The government! 

There's a method to this madness. Your child is being taught that there are
some severe limits to the concept of private property. It is perfectly OK,
for instance, if the government just steps up and seizes your property if
there are other people who might need some of your stuff. After all, it's
just not right for you to have something that other people don't have or
can't share in, is it? 

This whole "dump your supplies into this box" is not an innocent exercise.
Your child's teacher might not even be aware of it, but this lesson in
government power is a time-honored method of introducing your child to the
concept that there is something basically wrong with owning private property
- but everything will be OK if you just let your superiors even things out a
bit by taking some stuff from you and giving it to someone else. 

How did Marx present this concept? I think it was something like "From each
according to his ability; to each according to his need." 

Day number one, lesson number one: Your rights to your property exist only
so long as government will allow, and it's just not fair to have more stuff
than someone else. 

And this is just the first week! More surprises in store! Wait until you get
that call from your child's teacher with vague, dark hints of a better world
for your child if only he was on Ritalin.

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Don writes: &gt; But I wouldn't =
blame=20
"government" for the fact that "public &gt; schools" is the widely =
accepted=20
term. Governments have a &gt; long record of trying to change =
language, and I=20
suppose &gt; there have been some successes, but when you =
blame &gt;=20
"government" for everything you sound a little like the &gt; county=20
supervisors in Grangeville.
Do I blame civil government for =
everything?=20
Certainly not! However, the more statist we become, the more problems =
are the=20
result of that centralization. 
Don, here's an anecdote of how =
government schools=20
subtly indoctrinate. This is from the Libertarian=20
commentator, Neal Boortz. 

<HR>

First of all, let's get this out of the way in =
the first=20
paragraph. They are not "public schools." They are =
government=20
schools. They are owned and operated by government. Every employee, from =
the=20
superintendent to the dishwasher in the cafeteria, is a government =
employee. So,=20
let's call them what they are. Government schools. 
Being government employees, you would expect =
those who=20
work in government schools to have the same behavioral characteristics =
as other=20
government employees. You would be right. They react to the threat of=20
privatization with the ferocity of a cornered bobcat and to the threat =
of=20
accountability with the evasiveness of cockroaches. 
The truth, though, is that these are not so =
much schools=20
as they are indoctrination centers. If your child is attending a =
Catholic=20
school, you should expect that your child would be taught that the =
Catholics=20
pretty well have this religion thing down cold. Ditto for a Jewish =
school, or=20
one operated by a Christian fundamentalist church. Question: Will a =
government=20
school be any different? Why would you expect a government employee in a =

government institution to tell your children that government is not =
necessarily=20
the answer to every problem or critter that goes bump in the night? =

The new school year has been underway for =
several weeks=20
now. Maybe it's time to give you a hint of what your child has been =
through.=20

Do you remember those weeks before school =
started for=20
your first grader? There you were, you and your proud new student =
walking the=20
aisles of the local Costco with your list of school supplies in hand. =
You=20
checked off the pencils, a ruler, a compass, paste, construction paper, =
a pencil=20
holder, notebooks and erasers. 
At home, your first grader takes the supplies =
into his=20
room and spreads everything out on the bed. Arranges them this way =
&#8211; then that=20
way. Pencils next to the erasers, glue and construction paper lined up =
over=20
here, compass and ruler lined up over there. These are his supplies. =
His!=20
Do you hear? And tomorrow he is going to take them to school. He =
couldn't be=20
more proud. 
Finally, the first day of school arrives. The =
night=20
before all of the school supplies are packed, repacked, unpacked and =
repacked=20
again. Then, that morning, just one more unpacking and repacking to make =
sure=20
everything's still there and undamaged. OK! It's off we go to school!=20
Apprehension mixed with pride. Your young man or woman is taking another =
grand=20
step toward adulthood! What could go wrong? 
Plenty. Remember, it's a government operation. =

The students are seated, the bell rings. As =
fast as you=20
can say the Pledge of Allegiance without the "under God" part, the=20
indoctrination begins. The government teacher steps in front of her =
virtual=20
hostages and promptly delivers the first raw lesson in the power of =
government.=20
The students are instructed to bring all of their precious school =
supplies &#8211;=20
their property &#8211; to the front of the classroom and put them =
into a huge=20
box. They are told that the supplies belong to all of the class =
now, and=20
the teacher will assume the responsibility of distributing the supplies =
as they=20
are needed. 
"Whoaa! Hold on a minute here! These are =
my=20
supplies. My daddy bought them for me. You can't have them! They're =
mine!"=20

Nope. Sorry! They were yours. Now all =
those=20
supplies belong to &#8211; guess who? The government! 
There's a method to this madness. Your child is =
being=20
taught that there are some severe limits to the concept of private =
property. It=20
is perfectly OK, for instance, if the government just steps up and =
seizes your=20
property if there are other people who might need some of your stuff. =
After all,=20
it's just not right for you to have something that other people don't =
have or=20
can't share in, is it? 
This whole "dump your supplies into this box" =
is not an=20
innocent exercise. Your child's teacher might not even be aware of it, =
but this=20
lesson in government power is a time-honored method of introducing your =
child to=20
the concept that there is something basically wrong with owning private =
property=20
&#8211; but everything will be OK if you just let your superiors even =
things out a bit=20
by taking some stuff from you and giving it to someone else. 
How did Marx present this concept? I think it =
was=20
something like "From each according to his ability; to each according to =
his=20
need." 
Day number one, lesson number one: Your rights =
to your=20
property exist only so long as government will allow, and it's just not =
fair to=20
have more stuff than someone else. 
And this is just the first week! More surprises =
in store!=20
Wait until you get that call from your child's teacher with vague, dark =
hints of=20
a better world for your child if only he was on=20
Ritalin.</BODY></HTML>

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