I found your examples of liberal control amusing, simply because they can be so easily reversed to provide examples of conservative control.
Your examples:
I can just see it now....Ok, (little 7 year) Mikey, I know your parents taught you the pledge of allegiance by saying "So help me God", but we don't allow that here. And if you say it, we might have to suspend you from school.
Mrs Carmichael, I know you've had this moment of silence in your class for quite a while, but us liberals don't support this anymore. And we now have passed a law which would fire or arrest you for continuing the practice.
Reversed:
"Mikey, maybe your parents don't believe in God, but in this classroom you can either worship my God or get your little Commie butt out of here"
"Mrs. Carmichael, you may not want a moment of silence in your classroom, but us conservatives have decided that you need one, and if you don't like it we'll fire you"
At either extreme, there is unacceptable intrusion. I consider my point well illustrated. Thank you.
PS. In the first case, I don't see why a teacher couldn't simply say "Mikey, we are all in America, so we all pledge allegience to the flag, but some people believe in very different Gods, and some people don't believe in God at all. It isn't right to force anyone to swear by what they don't believe in, so we aren't going to say "so help me God". But you are welcome to say it to yourself if you like."
Wouldn't that be a nice little lesson in fairness and tolerance? |
