First, I am going to quit again soon. This is just a temporary diversion to keep my mind off my troubles. Second, saying something to you and Jay is hardly saying it to everyone. Let's just say, you two share some of the same bothersome characteristics. And it ain't your political viewpoints!<img goomoji="32B" style="margin: 0pt 0.2ex; vertical-align: middle;" src="cid:32B@goomoji.gmail"><br>
<br><div class="gmail_quote">On Wed, Jan 11, 2012 at 1:24 PM, Donovan Arnold <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:donovanjarnold2005@yahoo.com">donovanjarnold2005@yahoo.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div><div style="font-size:18pt;font-family:times new roman,new york,times,serif"><div><span>Jeez Joe,</span></div><div><span></span> </div><div><span>You really ought not participate in V conversations if you're just going to end every post with a, "Tell it to the hand <span>cuz</span> the face ain't listing."</span></div>
<div><span></span> </div><div><span>Donovan Arnold</span></div><div><br></div> <div style="font-family:times new roman,new york,times,serif;font-size:18pt"> <div style="font-family:times new roman,new york,times,serif;font-size:12pt">
<div dir="ltr"> <font face="Arial"> <div style="margin:5px 0px;padding:0px;border:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);min-height:0px;line-height:0;font-size:0px" readonly></div> <b><span style="font-weight:bold">From:</span></b> Joe Campbell
<<a href="mailto:philosopher.joe@gmail.com" target="_blank">philosopher.joe@gmail.com</a>><br> <b><span style="font-weight:bold">To:</span></b> Jay Borden <<a href="mailto:jborden@datawedge.com" target="_blank">jborden@datawedge.com</a>> <br>
<b><span style="font-weight:bold">Cc:</span></b> Donovan Arnold <<a href="mailto:donovanjarnold2005@yahoo.com" target="_blank">donovanjarnold2005@yahoo.com</a>>; Tom Hansen <<a href="mailto:thansen@moscow.com" target="_blank">thansen@moscow.com</a>>; Art Deco <<a href="mailto:art.deco.studios@gmail.com" target="_blank">art.deco.studios@gmail.com</a>>; <a href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com" target="_blank">vision2020@moscow.com</a> <br>
<b><span style="font-weight:bold">Sent:</span></b> Wednesday, January 11, 2012 2:15 PM<div><div class="h5"><br> <b><span style="font-weight:bold">Subject:</span></b> Re: [Vision2020] Lets' Be Ignorant<br> </div></div>
</font> </div><div><div class="h5"> <br>
<div>Dude, you need to chill out. I didn't say anything like what you think I said. And you don't know me, so please don't try to speculate about my intentions. I was trying to add some clarity but in the future I'll just avoid you. Joe<br>
<br><div>On Wed, Jan 11, 2012 at 12:32 PM, Jay Borden <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:jborden@datawedge.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">jborden@datawedge.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;padding-left:1ex;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-width:1px;border-left-style:solid">
<div lang="EN-US"><div><div><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt">No, it went down the OTHER way…<u></u><u></u></span></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt"><u></u> <u></u></span></div><div><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt">Wayne Fox posted an article demonstrating <span>Santorum</span>’s ignorance. <u></u><u></u></span></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt"><u></u> <u></u></span></div><div><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt">Tom Hansen them posted a reply that read like something from “Song of the South”… linking it to bigotry.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt"><u></u> <u></u></span></div><div><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt">I am saying that these are not the same thing.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt"><u></u> <u></u></span></div><div><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt">(And now you’re blurring my point and trying to trap me even further by adding more words into the mix…. like “well-founded views”).<u></u><u></u></span></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt"><u></u> <u></u></span></div><div><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt">Being BIGOTED <span>doesn</span>’t mean you’re STUPID… it means you’re IGNORANT. <u></u><u></u></span></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt"><u></u> <u></u></span></div><div><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt">Being STUPID <span>doesn</span>’t mean you’re BIGOTED. <u></u><u></u></span></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt"><u></u> <u></u></span></div><div><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt">If it worked like that, then we could simply draw a line on a chart and say, “everyone who has an IQ below 70 must be a racist, and all racists have an IQ below 70”.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt"><u></u> <u></u></span></div><div><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt"><u></u> <u></u></span></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt"><u></u> <u></u></span></div><div><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt">Jay</span><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt"><u></u><u></u></span></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt"><u></u> <u></u></span></div><div style="border-width:1pt medium medium;border-style:solid none none;border-color:rgb(181,196,223) currentColor currentColor;padding:3pt 0in 0in">
<div><b><span style="font-size:10pt">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10pt"> Joe Campbell [<span>mailto</span>:<a href="mailto:philosopher.joe@gmail.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">philosopher.joe@gmail.com</a>] <br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, January 11, 2012 12:12 PM<br><b>To:</b> Jay Borden<br><b>Cc:</b> Donovan Arnold; Tom Hansen; Art Deco; <a href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">vision2020@moscow.com</a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Vision2020] Lets' Be Ignorant<u></u><u></u></span></div>
</div><div><u></u> <u></u></div><div style="margin-bottom:12pt">I agree, Jay. But I think Tom's point went in the other direction. Being a bigot or racist makes one stupid or ignorant. You don't want to argue against that do you? Or do you think that some bigots and racists have intelligent, well-founded views? Joe<u></u><u></u></div>
<div><div>On Wed, Jan 11, 2012 at 11:57 AM, Jay Borden <<a href="mailto:jborden@datawedge.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">jborden@datawedge.com</a>> wrote:<u></u><u></u></div><div><div><div><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt">This is getting into a level of semantics too inane even for me…</span><u></u><u></u></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt"> </span><u></u><u></u></div><div><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt">My only point is that being STUPID or IGNORANT does not necessarily make you a bigot or racist… as Tom Hansen seemed to be alluding to in his post.</span><u></u><u></u></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt"> </span><u></u><u></u></div><div><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt">Being called either into today’s world both takes power away from TRULY exposing those with these types of opinions, as well as unfairly damages folks in the process.</span><u></u><u></u></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt"> </span><u></u><u></u></div><div><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt"> </span><u></u><u></u></div>
<div><div><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt">Jay</span><u></u><u></u></div></div><div><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt"> </span><u></u><u></u></div>
<div><div style="border-width:1pt medium medium;border-style:solid none none;border-color:rgb(181,196,223) currentColor currentColor;padding:3pt 0in 0in"><div><b><span style="font-size:10pt">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10pt"> Donovan Arnold [<span>mailto</span>:<a href="mailto:donovanjarnold2005@yahoo.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">donovanjarnold2005@yahoo.com</a>] <br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, January 11, 2012 11:26 AM<br><b>To:</b> Jay Borden; Tom Hansen; Art Deco<br><b>Cc:</b> <a href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">vision2020@moscow.com</a><br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [Vision2020] Lets' Be Ignorant</span><u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div><div> <u></u><u></u></div><div><div><div style="background:white"><span style="font-size:18pt">Jay,</span><u></u><u></u></div></div><div><div style="background:white">
<span style="font-size:18pt"> </span><u></u><u></u></div></div><div><div style="background:white"><span style="font-size:18pt">If someone is stupid, you cannot change their ignorance. </span><u></u><u></u></div>
</div><div><div style="background:white"><span style="font-size:18pt"> </span><u></u><u></u></div></div><div><div style="background:white"><span style="font-size:18pt">Donovan Arnold</span><u></u><u></u></div>
</div><div><div style="background:white"><span style="font-size:18pt"> </span><u></u><u></u></div></div><div><div><div><div style="background:white"><b><span style="font-size:10pt">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10pt"> Jay Borden <<a href="mailto:jborden@datawedge.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">jborden@datawedge.com</a>><br>
<b>To:</b> Donovan Arnold <<a href="mailto:donovanjarnold2005@yahoo.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">donovanjarnold2005@yahoo.com</a>>; Tom Hansen <<a href="mailto:thansen@moscow.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">thansen@moscow.com</a>>; Art Deco <<a href="mailto:art.deco.studios@gmail.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">art.deco.studios@gmail.com</a>> <br>
<b>Cc:</b> <a href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">vision2020@moscow.com</a> <br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, January 11, 2012 11:54 AM<br><b>Subject:</b> RE: [Vision2020] Lets' Be Ignorant</span><u></u><u></u></div>
</div><div style="background:white"> <u></u><u></u></div><div><div><div><div><div style="background:white"><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt">No, I believe that ‘bigotry’ is a product of ignorance, not stupidity.</span><u></u><u></u></div>
</div><div><div style="background:white"><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt"> </span><u></u><u></u></div></div><div><div style="background:white">
<span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt">You can’t change stupid… but you can educate yourself to a different degree of understanding.</span><u></u><u></u></div></div>
<div><div style="background:white"><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt"> </span><u></u><u></u></div></div><div><div style="background:white">
<span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt"> </span><u></u><u></u></div></div><div><div><div style="background:white"><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt">Jay</span><u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div><div><div style="background:white"><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt"> </span><u></u><u></u></div></div><div><div style="border-width:1pt medium medium;border-style:solid none none;border-color:currentColor;padding:3pt 0in 0in">
<div><div style="background:white"><b><span style="font-size:10pt">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10pt"> Donovan Arnold [<span>mailto</span>:<a href="mailto:donovanjarnold2005@yahoo.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">donovanjarnold2005@yahoo.com</a>] <br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, January 11, 2012 9:32 AM<br><b>To:</b> Jay Borden; Tom Hansen; Art Deco<br><b>Cc:</b> <a href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">vision2020@moscow.com</a><br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [Vision2020] Lets' Be Ignorant</span><u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div></div><div><div style="background:white"> <u></u><u></u></div></div><div><div><div><div style="background:white"><span style="font-size:18pt">So you think bigotry is branch of intelligence, Mr. Borden?</span><u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div><div><div><div style="background:white"><span style="font-size:18pt"> </span><u></u><u></u></div></div></div><div><div><div style="background:white"><span style="font-size:18pt">Donovan Arnold</span><u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div><div><div><div style="background:white"><span style="font-size:18pt"> </span><u></u><u></u></div></div></div><div><div><div><div><div style="background:white"><b><span style="font-size:10pt">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10pt"> Jay Borden <<a href="mailto:jborden@datawedge.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">jborden@datawedge.com</a>><br>
<b>To:</b> Donovan Arnold <<a href="mailto:donovanjarnold2005@yahoo.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">donovanjarnold2005@yahoo.com</a>>; Tom Hansen <<a href="mailto:thansen@moscow.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">thansen@moscow.com</a>>; Art Deco <<a href="mailto:art.deco.studios@gmail.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">art.deco.studios@gmail.com</a>> <br>
<b>Cc:</b> <a href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">vision2020@moscow.com</a> <br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, January 11, 2012 9:58 AM<br><b>Subject:</b> RE: [Vision2020] Lets' Be Ignorant</span><u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div><div><div style="background:white"> <u></u><u></u></div></div><div><div><div><div><div><div style="background:white"><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt">No.</span><u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div><div><div><div style="background:white"><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt"> </span><u></u><u></u></div></div></div><div><div><div><div style="background:white">
<span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt">Jay</span><u></u><u></u></div></div></div></div><div><div><div style="background:white"><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt"> </span><u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div><div><div style="border-width:1pt medium medium;border-style:solid none none;border-color:currentColor;padding:3pt 0in 0in"><div><div><div style="background:white"><b><span style="font-size:10pt">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10pt"> Donovan Arnold [<span>mailto</span>:<a href="mailto:donovanjarnold2005@yahoo.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">donovanjarnold2005@yahoo.com</a>] <br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, January 11, 2012 7:14 AM<br><b>To:</b> Jay Borden; Tom Hansen; Art Deco<br><b>Cc:</b> <a href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">vision2020@moscow.com</a><br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [Vision2020] Lets' Be Ignorant</span><u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div></div></div><div><div><div style="background:white"> <u></u><u></u></div></div></div><div><div><div><div><div style="background:white"><span style="font-size:18pt">Isn't bigotry just a particular brand of stupidity?</span><u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div></div><div><div><div><div style="background:white"><span style="font-size:18pt"> </span><u></u><u></u></div></div></div></div><div><div><div><div style="background:white"><span style="font-size:18pt">Donovan Arnold</span><u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div></div><div><div><div><div style="background:white"><span style="font-size:18pt"> </span><u></u><u></u></div></div></div></div><div><div><div><div><div><div style="background:white">
<b><span style="font-size:10pt">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10pt"> Jay Borden <<a href="mailto:jborden@datawedge.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">jborden@datawedge.com</a>><br>
<b>To:</b> Tom Hansen <<a href="mailto:thansen@moscow.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">thansen@moscow.com</a>>; Art Deco <<a href="mailto:art.deco.studios@gmail.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">art.deco.studios@gmail.com</a>> <br>
<b>Cc:</b> <a href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">vision2020@moscow.com</a> <br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, January 10, 2012 10:18 AM<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [Vision2020] Lets' Be Ignorant</span><u></u><u></u></div></div></div></div><div><div><div style="background:white"> <u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div style="background:white"><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt">Uh… what? Don’t blur stupidity with bigotry.</span><u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div></div><div><div><div><div style="background:white"><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt"> </span><u></u><u></u></div></div></div></div>
<div><div><div><div style="background:white"><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt"> </span><u></u><u></u></div></div></div></div><div><div><div><div>
<div style="background:white"><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt">Jay</span><u></u><u></u></div></div></div></div></div><div><div><div><div style="background:white">
<span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:11pt"> </span><u></u><u></u></div></div></div></div><div><div style="border-width:1pt medium medium;border-style:solid none none;border-color:currentColor;padding:3pt 0in 0in">
<div><div><div><div style="background:white"><b><span style="font-size:10pt">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10pt"> <a href="mailto:vision2020-bounces@moscow.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">vision2020-bounces@moscow.com</a> [<span>mailto</span>:<a href="mailto:vision2020-bounces@moscow.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">vision2020-bounces@moscow.com</a>] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Tom Hansen<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, January 10, 2012 8:42 AM<br><b>To:</b> Art Deco<br><b>Cc:</b> <a href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">vision2020@moscow.com</a><br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [Vision2020] Lets' Be Ignorant</span><u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div></div></div></div><div><div><div><div style="background:white"> <u></u><u></u></div></div></div></div><div><div><div><div><div style="background:white"><span>Yesirree</span>, <span>Bubba</span>.<u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div></div></div><div><div><div><div><div style="background:white"> <u></u><u></u></div></div></div></div></div><div><div><div><div><div style="background:white">I mean . . . Doesn't that <span>Prezdint</span> <span>Obommer</span> know that them black folk have a ingrown <span>hankerin</span>' to shine shoes at the local mall and <span>workin</span>' them fields <span>jus</span>' like their great <span>granpappies</span> did <span>yearin</span>' ago . . . back on them warm, cozy plantations.<u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div></div></div><div><div><div><div><div style="background:white"> <u></u><u></u></div></div></div></div></div><div><div><div><div><div style="background:white">They don't need no <span>collidge</span> no how.<u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div></div></div><div><div><div><div><div style="background:white"> <u></u><u></u></div></div></div></div><div><div><div><div><div style="background:white"><span>Seeya</span> later, Moscow.<u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div></div></div><div><div><div><div><div style="background:white"> <u></u><u></u></div></div></div></div></div><div><div><div><div><div style="background:white">Tom Hansen<u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div></div></div><div><div><div><div><div style="background:white">Spokane, Washington<u></u><u></u></div></div></div></div></div><div><div><div><div><div style="background:white"> <u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div></div></div><div><div><div><div><div style="background:white">"If not us, who?<u></u><u></u></div></div></div></div></div><div><div><div><div><div style="background:white">If not now, when?"<u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div></div></div><div><div><div><div><div style="background:white"> <u></u><u></u></div></div></div></div></div><div><div><div><div><div style="background:white">- Unknown<u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div></div></div></div><div><div style="margin-bottom:12pt"><div><div><div style="background:white"><br>On Jan 10, 2012, at 8:08 AM, Art Deco <<a href="mailto:art.deco.studios@gmail.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">art.deco.studios@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div></div></div><blockquote style="margin-top:5pt;margin-bottom:5pt"><div><div><div><div style="background:white"><b><span style="font-size:24pt"><a title="Go to Campaign Stops Home" href="http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="padding:0in;border:1pt solid windowtext;text-decoration:none"><img alt="Image removed by sender. Campaign Stops - Strong Opinions on the 2012 Election" src="cid:1.2264856640@web38107.mail.mud.yahoo.com" border="0" height="100" width="100"></span></a></span></b><u></u><u></u></div>
</div><div><div><div><div><div style="background:white"><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/adx/bin/adx_click.html?type=cookie&pos=Position1B" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="padding:0in;border:1pt solid windowtext;text-decoration:none"><img alt="Image removed by sender." src="cid:1.2264856640@web38107.mail.mud.yahoo.com" border="0" height="100" width="100"></span></a><u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div></div></div></div><div><div><div><div><div style="background:white">January 10, 2012, 12:13 am<u></u><u></u></div></div></div></div><div><div style="background:white"><b><span style="font-size:13.5pt">Rick <span>Santorum</span>’s Anti-College Rant</span></b><u></u><u></u></div>
</div><div><div style="background:white"><i>By <a title="See all posts by CHARLES M. BLOW" href="http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/author/charles-m-blow/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">CHARLES M. BLOW</a></i><u></u><u></u></div>
</div><div><div><div><div><div style="background:white">Hey, I get it: Republicans have to reject and condemn virtually everything President Obama proposes, no matter how noble, to satisfy their base. This is our political predicament.<u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div></div><div><div><div><div style="background:white">Rick <span>Santorum</span>, however, has followed that logic out the window. In New Hampshire last week <span>Santorum</span> accused President Obama of “<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c65WNw84HRY" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">elitist snobbery</a>” and “<a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/videos/2012/01/07/santorum-obama-s-a-snob.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">hubris</a>” for suggesting that “under my administration, every child should go to college.”<u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div></div><blockquote style="margin-top:5pt;margin-bottom:5pt"><div><div><div><div style="background:white">Who are you? Who are you to say that every child in America go … I mean the hubris of this president to think that he knows what’s best for you. I … you know there is … I have seven kids. Maybe they’ll all go to college. But, if one of my kids wants to go and be an auto mechanic, good for him. That’s a good-paying job – using your hands and using your mind. This is the kind of, the kind of snobbery that we see from those who think they know how to run our lives. Rise up America. Defend your own freedoms.<u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div></div></blockquote><div><div><div><div style="background:white">First, the facts: I can’t find a single instance where the president has actually said that. The president has consistently <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/us-falls-in-global-ranking-of-young-adults-who-finish-college/2011/08/22/gIQAAsU3OK_story.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">framed the discussion</a> as one of making high school graduates both college- and career-ready. And even when speaking about learning <i>after</i> high school, he has often included both higher education and vocational training.<u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div></div><div><div><div><div style="background:white">For instance, during a joint session of Congress in February 2009, the president said:<u></u><u></u></div></div></div></div><blockquote style="margin-top:5pt;margin-bottom:5pt">
<div><div><div><div style="background:white">It will be the goal of this administration to ensure that every child has access to a complete and competitive education – from the day they are born to the day they begin a career.<u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div></div></blockquote><div><div><div><div style="background:white">He continued:<u></u><u></u></div></div></div></div><blockquote style="margin-top:5pt;margin-bottom:5pt"><div><div><div><div style="background:white">
And so tonight, I ask every American to commit to at least one year or more of higher education or career training. This can be community college or a four-year school; vocational training or an apprenticeship.<u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div></div></blockquote><div><div><div><div style="background:white">A question, Rick: How does a person become an auto mechanic without either vocational training or an apprenticeship? Does he just spring forth from the womb knowing how to drop the transmission on a Dodge <span>Durango</span>? I <span>didn</span>’t think so. Moving right along …<u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div></div><div><div><div><div style="background:white">The president has <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/president-obama-calls-new-steps-prepare-america-s-children-success-college-and-care" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">called for the <span>reauthorization</span> of</a> the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and challenged states to “develop standards and assessments that will help America’s children rise to the challenge of graduating from high school prepared for college and the workplace.”<u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div></div><div><div><div><div style="background:white">The president has also <a href="http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=106636657&m=106658845" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">unveiled plans</a> to help more students graduate from community college, a main tenet of his education agenda, saying,<u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div></div><blockquote style="margin-top:5pt;margin-bottom:5pt"><div><div><div><div style="background:white">We know that in the coming years, jobs requiring at least an associate degree are projected to grow twice as fast as jobs requiring no college experience. We will not fill those jobs or even keep those jobs here in America without the training offered by community colleges.<u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div></div></blockquote><div><div><div><div style="background:white">Now that we’<span>ve</span> established some facts, let’s turn to the larger question: Is it a bad thing to want more students to be prepared for college, to have access to college and to in fact attend college? Of course not.<u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div></div><div><div><div><div style="background:white">As The Washington Post <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/us-falls-in-global-ranking-of-young-adults-who-finish-college/2011/08/22/gIQAAsU3OK_story.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">pointed out </a>in September, an Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development report released that month found that<u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div></div><blockquote style="margin-top:5pt;margin-bottom:5pt"><div><div><div><div style="background:white">America’s global rank in college completion among young adults is slipping, according to a report released Tuesday, signaling that the higher education ambitions of other nations are progressing at a swifter pace.<u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div></div></blockquote><div><div><div><div style="background:white">The Post continued:<u></u><u></u></div></div></div></div><blockquote style="margin-top:5pt;margin-bottom:5pt"><div><div><div><div style="background:white">
Instead of gaining ground, the United States has fallen from 12<span>th</span> to 16<span>th</span> in the share of adults age 25 to 34 holding degrees, according to the report from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. It trails global leaders South Korea, Canada and Japan and is mired in the middle of the pack among developed nations.<u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div></div><div><div><div><div style="background:white">The stagnant U.S. performance on this key international benchmark reflects at least two trends: the rapid expansion of college attendance in Asia and Europe, and the continuing emphasis on four-year degrees in the United States while other nations focus far more on one- and two-year professional credentials.<u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div></div></blockquote><div><div><div><div style="background:white">Sounds to me like the president’s plan is designed to address this. But then again, I’m applying regular logic, not “I-hate-Obama, stick-my-fingers-in-my-ears, say ‘la-la-la-la-la’ ” logic.<u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div></div><div><div><div><div style="background:white">An even more disturbing finding in the O.E.C.D report is how poorly Americans perform in the job market without a college degree. Among Americans aged 18 to 64 whose highest level of education is “upper secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary” — the equivalent of high school and perhaps some vocational or community college training — the percentage of the employed is among the lowest of all O.E.C.D. countries. We rank 30<span>th</span> out of 34 countries, just above Greece, Hungary, Poland and Turkey.<u></u><u></u></div>
</div></div></div><div><div><div><div style="background:white">Oh, the hubris and elitist snobbery of wanting a more educated, more highly employed work force.<u></u><u></u></div></div></div></div></div></div>
<div><div><div><div style="background:white"><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Art Deco (Wayne A. Fox)<br><a href="mailto:art.deco.studios@gmail.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">art.deco.studios@gmail.com</a><u></u><u></u></div>
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