That seems reasonable enough, and about what I would have anticipated. I disagree, of course, but that's okay, too. You say "that won't work", but that is not self- evident. So far, nothing much is working, if your measure is reaching agreement on issues, or persuading someone to rethink their position. I am as patient, knowledgeable, and logical as I can be, and it hardly seems to matter. On the other hand, it may be that speaking in a more heartfelt way, rather than dispassionately, will make more of an impression. The pinheads think they are morally superior. Maybe they need someone to ridicule that notion, from time to time.
Part of the problem is that they have achieved some of their objectives, and are scraping the bottom of the grab bag of nostrums, but a lot of the problem is that there are far better candidates for charitable or government
intervention. The Great Society was largely a bust, ineffectual at best, destructive at worst.
Among the most effective programs for alcoholics and addicts, compulsive gamblers and even sexual obsessives, are the 12- step groups. Alcoholics Anonymous was founded by Episcopalians, and required leaning on a Higher Power, making apologies and restitution if possible, and other faith- based expedients. These have been taken over by the other groups. Yet most liberals are either offended or amused at the idea of putting stock in faith- based initiatives, when the real question should be "do they work (better) when compared to other programs without themes of moral and spiritual renewal?". There is not an imminent danger of having the country fall into the hands of clerics, but the inner city is a cesspool we have an affirmative obligation to clean up.
Similarly, the posting of the Ten Commandments in school is not primarily being proposed by a bunch of budding Elmer Gantry's, but by parents alarmed at the disorder in many schools, and particularly frightened by unexpected outbreaks of violence. Instead of proposing a solution that would alleviate First Amendment concerns, and give a try to showing that such admonitions are honored outside of the pulpit, for example, by surrounding them with wisdom literature from other traditions (the Bhagavad Gita, the Analects, the Diamond Sutra, for example), it is made into a BIG ISSUE, and the parents are portrayed as bigots.
Liberals deplore the use of assessment tests, because teachers might "teach to the test", but then, shouldn't the emphasis in elementary school be on basic literacy and numeracy? In confident schools, they will not "teach to the test", only in ones where the kids are in trouble.
In other words, liberals are often focused on the wrong things. It is rather terrible when do- gooders do not care much about doing good anymore. All that energy, misdirected. Maybe they need someone to yell "hey, what do you think you are doing?"....... |
