Controversy, schools, condoms, prospectives, America, selfishness, religion
I've been scratching my head concerning my next topic for quite a while. Thankfully my muse has struck, in what could only be called a late christmas present.
In case you're too lazy to click the link, apparently a town near Seattle is embroiled in controversy over the film An Inconvenient Truth. Apparently some bone-head doesn't think the school should show the film to students because he doesn't want his daughter to see it. Frosty (I swear I'm not making this up.) Hardison, a parent of seven who also said that he believes the Earth is 14,000 years old is quoted as saying "Condoms don't belong in school, and neither does Al Gore. He's not a schoolteacher. The information that's being presented is a very cockeyed view of what the truth is. ... The Bible says that in the end times everything will burn up, but that perspective isn't in the DVD."
I'll pause now until the laughter subsides.... Because it gets better.
His wife, Gayla, was then quoted as saying "From what I've seen (of the movie) and what my husband has expressed to me, if (the movie) is going to take the approach of 'bad America, bad America,' I don't think it should be shown at all. If you're going to come in and just say America is creating the rotten ruin of the world, I don't think the video should be shown."
Really? We're letting idiots like these determine the policy of our schools now? A guy who believes the Earth is 14,000 years old has a say in our educational policies? I'm sorry, I think a prerequisite to having a say in what our children are taught should be a few simple questions: Do you believe the Earth is flat? Do you believe in gravity? Do you believe the Earth is only a few thousand years old? If you answer yes to *any* of those, they should laugh you out of the room.
Secondly, condoms DO belong in schools. Teenagers are having sex, period. Hell 90% of Americans have had premarital sex (link) that seems like a pretty impressive number. Condoms don't encourage teens to have sex, it encourages them to have SAFE sex. If 5% of kids who wouldn't have had sex do because of condoms, and 50% of kids who were doing it anyway now do it safely, I'd say that's a solid win. I think Frosty could have used some education on condoms to save his seven children from being raised by a pair of idiots.
Third, Al Gore IS a schoolteacher. (link) In fact, he was a visiting professor at Columbia University, UCLA, and a few other places.
Fourth, of course prospectives from the bible aren't on the DVD. It isn't a gag-reel. He's dealing in solid scientific theory. Yes, theory, but with compelling evidence behind it. The bible doesn't have much to say in that regard. If you want your kids to learn about the bible, take them to church. Schools are for real learning, with actual facts and solid scientific theories.
Now the wife. First I think she should think for herself. Secondly who cares if it insults America? As if our country hasn't done many terrible things. Hell our country was stolen from a native populace which we then slaughtered. We then enslaved millions of blacks for several hundred years. I won't even get into the last 100 years. We have a sacred duty to criticize our government. America has had a LOT to do with 'creating the rotten ruin' of the world, and what's more we're in a position to fix a lot of the problems, even the ones that we haven't created. However we don't. Instead we spend billions of dollars to overthrow countries for their oil, and incite civil wars in the process. One billion people in the world live on less that one dollar a day. We've spent $350 billion so far on the war in Iraq. I think perhaps we could find better uses for the money.
It's selfishness, which is the same thing that caused Frosty to reveal his ignorance to the world. Too many people have gotten selfish to the point that instead of accepting the world, they want to change it to suit their own viewpoint. Change the channel, leave the room, walk away. There are plenty of things I don't agree with. Idiot preachers in Kansas protesting at funerals, the KKK, caffeine-free anything, but I don't want to out law them. Laws are for the things that keep society running smoothly. Generally things that if you put 100 average people in a room, 95 would agree upon. After that, it's vanity. If you don't want your daughter to see the movie, keep her at home that day. Let the rest of the children get smart while you stunt her development so she can grow up like her mom and have her husband think for her.
If you don't believe in gay marriage, don't marry one. If you are against abortion (and I'm *not* a big fan) don't have one. If you don't believe in evolution, feel free to teach your kids whatever fantasy you believe in. But keep your religion out of *our* government, schools, and laws. Because the rest of us live here too, and we think you're a little nuts.
