This is what America's public schools have taught your kids...America's future. If one doesn't know one's history, one can be really, really dependent, stupid..........and what some would call "Progressive"..
Today's Lesson: Dream, but not at government's expense
The first part of all of their essays was pretty standard stuff. They wanted to have a good job, a home, a family and enough money to enjoy their lives for decades to come.
It was the second part of the majority of these essays (from a population of 180 students) that left me discouraged and bewildered.
When contemplating the role of Washington, D.C., in helping them achieve their goals in life, my students — most of whom were educated in America's public schools — wrote that they wanted government to "pay for my tuition," "provide me with a job," "give me money for a house," "make sure I get free health care," "pay for my retirement," "raise taxes on rich people so that I can have more money" and so forth.
One student who thought her American Dream could be best achieved with more government regulations went so far as to say, "We all know that there are many bad side effects when regulations take place, but as human beings, we are not really responsible for our own acts, and so we need government to control those who don't care about others. It makes sense that our freedom is reduced every day with the new regulations."Recently, The Wall Street Journal reported that for the first time in our nation's history, 51 percent of Americans will not pay income taxes this year. It should also be noted that in 1983, just over 29 percent of Americans received some form of government assistance. Today the figure is 44.4 percent.
These figures are noteworthy and arguably linked to my students' concept of what the role of government should be in their lives.
After all, it makes intuitive sense that in a nation where fewer and fewer Americans are net contributors to our prosperity, the children of those who increasingly live off their fellow citizens would develop the perception that part, if not all, of the American Dream involves taking money away from a working, productive American in order to fill the financial gaps in our lives.On the second day of class, I asked my students to pull out their purses and wallets. In each class, I approached one student, grabbed his wallet, opened it and took out all of the cash.
I then told the shocked student that part of my American Dream is to have a cabin on a lake in northern Minnesota some day so that I can enjoy my retirement in this beautiful part of the country.
My students listened to a mini-lecture on our Founding Fathers' view of our rights — especially as it pertains to the pursuit of happiness.
Many seemed to comprehend, perhaps for the first time, that all of us have every right to pursue access to high-quality health care, a good job, a home, cars, retirement and whatever else we might want to peacefully acquire, but that no one has an inherent right to use the arm of government to forcibly take the private property of another citizen in order to obtain our desires.
Z: So, how do we teach kids the truth? How do we undo their American public school educations so that they have respect for success, set their own goals dependent on their own talents and, (gasp) hard work, don't expect handouts, and understand the self-reliance and independence which founded this country?
27 comments:
We need to do a heck of a lot more than we have been doing. Progressives have completed a stealthy takeover of our schools. We must retake school boards and review textbook and curriculum decisions.
The cat is out of the bag. It is up to us what we do about it. If we are too complacent or wait around for someone else to take care of it, then only those who have designs on our children will exert themselves, as they have been doing for decades.
How about a free market based education via online specialization courses taught by actual leaders in every field of industry and finance?
Oh wait, it isn't the 21st Century yet.
On the second day of class, I asked my students to pull out their purses and wallets. In each class, I approached one student, grabbed his wallet, opened it and took out all of the cash.
And lived to tell about it? Man, schools really are worse than when I was a kid.
I'd say you could make them read an Ayn Rand book but that would expose them to scary ideals of self reliance and achievement.
Try a second opinion
http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/
Scroll down to:
Reporting from the edge of catastrophe
... and remember, much of this is from conservative sources like Bloomberg News.
It will give you an idea why the "productive" segment is disappearing. I would also like to know something about the students.
What is their day to day reality? Do they believe they'll be able to manage tuition. What do they anticipate.
Could be that they know a little more about their condition than you and it may explain their attitudes.
But there are always easy answers ... not necessarily correct but easy.
George, it would also expose them to poor prose and quack economics.
Seems like a mixed bag but most things are.
Z:
You're right. I read down to the part where these kids wrote that they wanted the government to give them houses, and I stopped.
The rest doesn't matter. These kids are in for a rough life. They don't seem to know that THERE ISN'T ENOUGH MONEY to take away from producers anymore and give it to you, doofus!!!
Europeans are finding that out now.
It's why I pulled my kids out of public education years ago, but that's not to say their parochial ed has been perfect. It's a big enough job seeing to the education and raising of my own children, let alone wasting any time worrying about these occupy kiddies. That's why I ignore them.
Yeah, Ducky! NEed more big government cowbell!
The progressive indoctrination of our nation is almost complete
Opus, I think it's a little late, don't you?
"We must retake school boards and review textbook..." ? REALLY? How and when?
I'm with you but we're NOT doing it.
They're NOT learning about this country.
A friend's at Pepperdine; the textbooks for AMERICAN HISTORY (from the earliest days) mention the Revolutionary and Civil Wars but give NO DETAILS..NONE. NONE.
Plenty on slavery, by the way, and our treatment of the Indians. To the point that my friend's study partner said "Does it sound here like they're siding against the country and for the Indians?"
Ya, they are, and we're DONE because of liberal stupidity.
Ducky, when you start your own blog, I won't come but at least you'll be able to change subjects and post your own stuff, okay?
By the way, what does this have to do with these students' situations? You think students haven't always had a rough time putting themselves through school, considering marriage and families on small incomes, etc...? it's only the idiots today who can't figure out how to work hard and go to school? Oh, ya...maybe you're right; they're liberals now. You may have a point; maybe it IS impossible for them to do on their own the same things that Great Americans have done on their own for 250 years?
See, Ducky, life isn't perfect; not everybody can fit into a Mao Jacket let alone the same SIZE Mao jacket, whether you and your ilk like it or not.
They can't even 'explain their attitudes' because all they can do is regurgitate their leftist professors' viewpoints.
Explain their attitudes...:-)
Fredd...no Europeans ever gave anybody a house, either, but they are learning that Socialism doesn't work..finally.
And yes, all a normal, thinking American has to read is that these kids want tuition free and homes, etc., and know something's deeply wrong with them, not US.
Well, read Ducky's comment if you can; maybe it's just our ATTITUDES!
DaBlade...just keep on those textbooks; you're right; parochial schools aren't much better.
Silverfiddle; think we can undo it? What's your childrens' future look like?
all we have to do is remind them of this famous quote "
A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have."?
Besides the wallet scenario,to explain it to them by saying if the government runs out of bread to feed you,where will you get more bread from?
The 'truth?' The truth is the tax cuts to the wealthiest 1% is greater than the combined income of the rest of us!
They're all set for generations. Why aren't the rest of us? Stop being a sheep and wake up.
The mainstream media was declaring continually "OWS has no message". Here it is:
The No 1 agenda item: get the money out of politics. Most often cited was legislation to blunt the effect of the Citizens United ruling, which lets boundless sums enter the campaign process.
No 2: reform the banking system to prevent fraud and manipulation, with the most frequent item being to restore the Glass-Steagall Act – the Depression-era law, done away with by President Clinton, that separates investment banks from commercial banks. This law would correct the conditions for the recent crisis, as investment banks could not take risks for profit that create kale derivatives out of thin air, and wipe out the commercial and savings banks.
No 3 was the most clarifying: draft laws against the little-known loophole that currently allows members of Congress to pass legislation affecting Delaware-based corporations in which they themselves are investors.
"These kids are in for a rough life. They don't seem to know that THERE ISN'T ENOUGH MONEY to take away from producers anymore and give it to you, doofus!!!"
I think they all need a mandatory 1 year service in not the "Peace Corp"...but the GREECE CORP!
Let them see first hand what the silly, greedy, lazy socialists have wrought up close and personal.
And take away all of their handy dandy electronic devices and let them exist on the bare essentials.
Imp is brilliant. Now let's donate the funds to ship this tails over there. I'm in.
*their*, not this.
liberaldude, what a silly comment!! You used three examples of things Republicans want, too, and you know that very well (though you might not, since it appears to me you read nothing BUT liberal crapola).
How about $20 minimum wage? the dopes want...
How about completely free tuition?
There are so many more insane ideas your dopes are getting high at the park for, believe me.
If you're going to argue, at least give us something to argue with; don't slam us and then agree with us, okay? Thanks.
Oh, and don't look now, Libdude, but you want to do your homework and find out what percentage of taxes the RICH pay?
:-)
Another leftist myth: "...much of this is from conservative sources like Bloomberg News."
He'll next argue that the wellspring of progressivism is something other than Marxism.
LOL
This, Recently, The Wall Street Journal reported that for the first time in our nation's history, 51 percent of Americans will not pay income taxes this year., should wake people up. At one point do we simply run out of people to pay the bills?
"And the stench...the corruption..the filth of this "Congress" gets shittier than a pigs offal....
Question: Can Maxine Waters please follow Barney Frank out the Capitol Hill exit door?
Speaking of Mad Maxine and Barney Frank, how’s that OneUnited congressional ethics trial coming along?
Chilling words of the morning: “Maxine Waters (D) is next in line to become ranking member of the [House Financial Services] committee.”
“Ranking”…or “Reeking?”
Filthy disgusting POS's that reak of corruption and special interests to what
end?
Why do we put up with this shit?
I think we can describe the Liberal philosophy in one short statement: People are too stupid to take care of themselves so, we must take care of them, for them.
I believed this many years, until I spent a little time to think about it. That day, I became a Conservative.
To turn this disturbing trend around, we must teach personal responsibility. And, when I say teach, I mean HAMMER!
Just make sure that hammer is covered with Nerf padding, Mark, or you might get accused of attempted genocide by entitlement junkies.
Z:
I can't read Ducky's stuff anymore, it makes me want to puke, regarless the topic du jour. He's a liberal troll of the worst magnitude and is only interested in muddying the waters, and not any type of reasonable discourse. That, and he's and idiot.
Thank you for including my article from the Orlando Sentinel. Your followers had some good comments. I should point out that it takes about 3 weeks on average before almost all of my students have changed their minds. Once they find out what they will pay in taxes 20 years from now for our entitlement culture they decide that liberty and limited governmente is pretty good stuff.
Jack Chambless
www.jackchambless.com
Thank you for including my article from the Orlando Sentinel. Your followers had some good comments. I should point out that it takes about 3 weeks on average before almost all of my students have changed their minds. Once they find out what they will pay in taxes 20 years from now for our entitlement culture they decide that liberty and limited governmente is pretty good stuff.
Jack Chambless
www.jackchambless.com
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