Harvey Newstrom wrote:
>
> "Michael S. Lorrey" <retroman@turbont.net> wrote on Saturday, April 08, 2000
> 2:06 PM,
> > I would argue that the best way to decrease gun abuse would be to
> > re-invigorate people's sense of citizenship.
> > [....]
> > I would propose that civics courses be moved up to junior and/or
> > senior year, and passing with a grade of C+ or higher be mandatory in
> > order to register to vote, buy a gun, etc., that the curriculum be set
> > as a nationwide standard for national citizenship issues, and statewide
> > to deal with state issues. THis makes the democracy a bit of a
> > meritocracy, but I don't see that as a bad thing.
>
> Mike,
>
> I'm suprised to hear you propose letting a low-paid, public school teacher
> instill the government's version of patriotic values into your kids' heads.
> What if your kids don't buy the party line? Do you really want them to lose
> their right to vote or buy guns because their school teacher doesn't like
> their political beliefs?
>
> Doesn't this whole plan go against the idea of keeping big government out of
> people's lives?
Teachers are hardly low paid. The median teacher salary for a job that
only takes 3/4 of the year (and provides over a month of vacation during
the school year), is above $30,000, for an annualized salary of
$40,000.00. Not bad at all. The only problem with the plan is letting
the NEA get to meddle in the curriculum. I would not accept a plain old
teacher for such an important job. Anyone who teaches such a course must
have training in constitutional law, be a veteran, etc. Keeping big
government out of people's lives can only occur when the people are
educated enough to take care of themselves and be responsible citizens.
The civics courses in this country have been gutted by the NEA et al
over the past 40 years in order to make the population ignorant,
pliable, and easy to program with propaganda.
Since the Constitution is not a matter of partisan politics (anyone who
attempts to subvert it is, in fact, committing treason), then there
would be no such thing as 'buting the party line' by the kids. If they
want to be enfranchised, they pass the course, just as if they want to
drive a car, they pass a course. Don't like it? Why not? You folks are
arguing the same thing for carrying a gun. Majority rule has killed more
people in the last century than anything else.
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