Socialism = Scary

I'm a moderate. I don't like (generally) ideology, politics, or philosophies that are extreme in nature. Live and let live – sure.

So a few things have been linked together lately that disturb me:

1. No Tolerance Policy
This is teaching our children at a young age a few things – not necessarily socialistic. It teaches that common, every day actions cause grown-ups to freak out and get mad at you. Things such as a 8 year old little boy sticking his tongue out (as children do when they tease each other) at an 8 year old little girl, then getting suspended from school for “sexual harassment”. Or even better, playing “cops and robbers” with again, the same overreaction all due to zero tolerance insanity.

2. Media Garbage
In either sense, young people today are being bombarded with immediate information – much of it both inaccurate and untrue. While the Democrats claim the media is Republican biased, and vise-versa, the truth is few and far between in any case. If you’re relying on CBS news to give you the “truth”, change the station. If CNN is supposed to provide “fair and balanced”, don’t bother. Oh and Fox is no better. Somewhere in the middle of all the little jibs and jabs from all broadcasting of news, the biased magazines (Time/Newsweek), the ACLU, the NRA, the NAACP and Moveon dot org lies the “truth”. Some of us, no matter if we see the murder happen, take a picture of the murderer, find the gun, and hear the action, we still don’t believe. A favorite quote of mine from a political cartoon says, “Don’t bother me with the truth, my minds made up!”

3. College Nonsense
Colleges are the hot bed for extremist views and have been probably since the early 50’s. Some of these controversies come from professors of Middle Eastern Studies (un-like Sami Al-Arian who was a computer engineering professor. For more Al-Arian info check out the PRO and CON). Also review: Academic Free Speech
Most colleges (yes I know a generalization) are hot beds for these issues. Chomsky and Marx are probably more discussed now than ever before in history – partly because there’s a higher educated (but not necessarily smarter) population in the world and increasingly young people want answers and are not happy with the ones they are hearing.

4. Hollywood Hypocricy
Hollywood is very “left” politically. Yet Hollywood embraces violence as big bucks at the box-office. They can’t have an action film without guns. Violence and killing and the spilling of blood in general must be there for an action film to be successful. Yet more actors speak out against gun ownership, war etc. than anything else! They believe in it so strongly that at the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom, many rally’s were held by the likes of Martin Sheen (star of "The West Wing" where every week it seems he’s conferring with the Joint Chiefs and thoughtfully considers bomb the bejesus out of some other country). Not to say that Republicans/Libertarians don’t also have Hollywood support. Drew Carey, Clint Eastwood, Denzel Washington, Adam Sandler, Kelsey Grammer, Dennis Leary, Kurt Russell and Heather Locklear will not be rallying with Jane Fonda anytime soon.

So, all this writing has WHAT to do with Socialism? I’ve been blathering on now and haven’t tied a thing together so what gives?

I’m suggesting that this country is already starting down a Socialist path. I would urge the reading of the following by Russell: "Proposed Roads to Freedom" which outlines Socialism.

Here’s how I think it’s going to happen still in my lifetime.

1. Our children are being taught inexplicable behavioral lessons as contained in Zero Tolerance – which uses no common sense.
2. Many of these same children are being raised by babysitters, pre-school and after school programs funded by the State, which are “social programs” paid for through taxes.
3. These children grow up and most likely go to a college where ideas and thoughts of a Socialist nature are exchanged. I am reminded of the rally’s and “teach ins” that occurred post-911, where many of the extremists gathered in colleges around the U.S. praising Al-Quaeda for their “fight for freedom” against evil America. Example
4. Once these kids graduate college (hopefully) they have now had 22 years of indoctrination into Socialist thought and practice.

This is why the use of “common sense” is vastly diminishing and why game shows have popped up where two contestants bet on whether or not a young American can get the following question right: “Who was the first President of the United States?” Surprise, they got it wrong with the answer, “Lincoln?” Why self-hating our own country is now “En-Vogue”. To quote Michael Moore regarding Americans: “They are possibly the dumbest people on the planet... in thrall to conniving, thieving, smug pricks.” While I would admit that some graduates of colleges are far from smart, it may be that they’re watching too many Moore movies and not going to class.

The second is that people don’t want to take responsibility for themselves anymore. Everyone wants to ditch the responsibility on everyone else – work, play, school, parenting or whatever. Especially around education and parenting – people want the government to take the responsibility of raising their kids. How many times have I heard, “Well it’s the schools responsibility. I mean, what do I pay taxes for?” Before school programs, after school programs, the television, the babysitter, a nanny or a tutor. Anything or anyone but not the parent because they can’t be bothered.

My parents sat down with me and helped with homework, talked about issues, and passed on their beliefs – not always appreciated by me but they did it anyway. Today’s parents don’t want kids to be kids – if they run around or are hyper – they must have A.D.D. so give them Riddlin. Do you know how many of America’s kids are basically drug addicts? Last time I checked kids were supposed to run around and be inattentive. Want to know the ADD criteria?

• Walking around during class
• Sharpening his pencil often
• Looking out the window, at the other kids, at the floor
• Losing his supplies
• Not handing in homework you know he has done

More info: What to do if your child has ADD

Are you kidding me? Every kid in my classes as a kid did all these things! Holy cow!

People today want to blame someone; anyone but themselves! Some Americans want the government to run our lives so we don’t have to be responsible for it. That way anything that goes wrong it’s not your fault or your kids fault or anyone’s fault. The Presidential candidates say it every day on TV – and Kerry is in the forefront. Did you know it was Bush’s fault that the Flu vaccine wasn’t delivered? See, it’s the government’s fault you’re going to get the flu and DIE this year. It’s the government’s fault that gas prices are so high. It’s the government’s fault that your kid has A.D.D. It’s the government’s fault that we’re going to have a cold winter this year and it’s the government’s fault Florida was pummeled this year with hurricanes. Feel better? You’re off the hook.

Government breeds more government. Giving them control of even a few things means they need more things to control; your land, your work, your money. The government will tell you where to live, what your job will be and how much you will make. This all equates to Socialism; common land, common money all controlled by a government. Worried about big brother tapping your phone and reading your mail? Socialism did that as did Fascism and Dictatorships. Democracies do it too. They just don’t take you out back and shoot you in the head when they hear something they don’t like. Socialist governments also have an unarmed populace. This way the only threat that government has is by the military which is controlled by, um, er, the socialist government. Crushed it's not really because our politicans have a heartfelt need to protect us? If they really were heartfelt they'd improve the things they already control: highways safety, food saftey, drug safety. Besides gun are some of the most regulated items in the country; ever wonder what would happen to thousands of government jobs if the guns suddenly disappeared? Hmm...

I also hear the political spin talk about our children’s future. Unless things change all of our futures will soon look like this:

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!