Solar Systems
We live in the same universe and share the same planet. Can’t we live on it in peace?
Acrylic on Canvas/ 16” x 20”/ $ 299
A Way Out of Madness
People are concerned about how our country is going to heel the current political divide before it leads to a full fledged civil war. If you don’t think that scenario is possible they say, look at Syria. It used to be a vibrant country of 22 million that was considered a political and military heavyweight in the region. It’s rich history is both complex and diverse. Before the war, it boasted bustling marketplaces in Damascus and Aleppo with an innovative IT industry despite economic sanctions imposed by the west. It was known for having a sophisticated literary tradition, film industry, supermarkets and modern shopping centers to go along with the old. Friends and family gathering around tables for celebrations welcomed all who knocked on their door. It was a melting pot of religion and ethnicities, allowing for mixed marriages between Christians and Muslims. Syria was a cradle of civilization in the Middle East. Are we headed in this direction? Is this image from Syria a possibility for us?
A friend told me how upset she was because her conservative brother-in-law made demeaning and nasty comments on Facebook about her liberal leaning brother. She said she now understands how families, split over political beliefs, were devastated by the Civil War. Looking back, hopefully, most people can see that war is not the way forward.
Wars benefits ammunition dealers, financiers and this hungry for power. They rarely help citizens who are instead used as fodder. They kill thousands of ordinary people, destroy homes, and leave families and friends destitute and bitter. As with our own Civil War, some people never heal and put the conflict behind them. PTSD and long lasting grudges spill into future generations. Is war the training we want to give our children?
Who will stop the madness taking over America? It has to be tackled on many fronts but I look to our children. They view the world differently than their elders, are more accepting of differences and better educated in environmental issues. However, the quality of their schooling is not evenly distributed. Our job as adults is to change that trajectory and insure that everyone receives a comprehensive education. Perhaps they will them be able to help us stop this madness.
Let’s start with bullying, a problem that can make a young person afraid to attend classes. Programs to eliminate bullying are now part of curriculums nationwide.They begin in the elementary years and continue through twelfth grade. My hope is that graduates will not stand for the type of name calling and bulling that now invades the highest levels of government.
I was taught that “sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never harm me.” Unfortunately, that’s not true. Labeling people horseface, Pocahantus, bimbo, dumb as a rock, sophomoric, beggar, clown , sleepy-eyes and dumpy-political-pundit is not only hurtful and ugly but is childish. Most parents don’t support this type of rhetoric at home or in their schools. Upset parents are the reason schools now emphasize compassionate communication and bully free zones. With this type of early training, I anticipate our children will lead in more civilized ways.
The study of history provides ways to learn from the past, but only if it is presented in honest, complete and unbiased ways. Reading textbooks that are slanted towards the white race at the expense of other groups will not heel our country’s divide. Subjects need to be included that are often glossed over such as the Indian Wars of the late 1800s, the growth and suppression of labor unions and the racially motivated immigration laws of the early 1990s. By understanding both sides of issues we learn to open our hearts so we can hear divergent concerns. Studying the past enables youth to see what worked and what didn’t so that they can better deal with the world they find themselves in today.
It is important that students learn how to search for truth, but even more important that teachers inspire them to want to do so. Encouraging curiosity is the greatest of tasks. There are consequences to complacency and ignorance. From an early age on, questioning should be encouraged. If a parent or teacher does not have an answer then the two should challenge themselves to discover what it is. Parents can inspire curiosity when visiting national monuments like the Liberty Bell, the Statue of Liberty or the Capital. If the budget doesn’t allow for travel, then videos, books and local museums can provide material for discussion. In either case, there is no substitute for talking to children about what is seen. Exploring deeply will prepare them to be thinkers and intelligent voters.
With the exception of a few states, most school curriculums cover environmental issues around global warming. The teens I speak to are knowledgeable and concerned, often more aware of the human influence on climate change than older adults. It is good that they understand the science but it would also be helpful if economic factors were brought into discussions for they are at the crux of congress’s unwillingness to act. Combatting warmer temperatures requires people to change the way they live, what they eat, and how they move.
Learning where money flows, who benefits and who sacrifices tells a lot about the political debate. It is a subject that should not be glossed over if we want our children to get us out of the mess we’re in. Recognizing that there are winners and losers and debating the pros and cons of various economic, religious and political systems is challenging but also interesting to most young minds. A place to start could be a discussion of “the common good,” for it is at the base of many political and economic beliefs.
My bicycle riding neighbor stop me, “ I don’t believe in the common good. I believe people should sink or swim on their own merits. I started out dirt poor. I’m a self made man. It wasn’t easy, but I was determined. Anyone who works hard can do the same. I probably will wind up living in a gated community.”
This man of color pulled himself out of poverty. He is intelligent, college educated, earned a pile of money that allowed him engage in entrepreneurial ventures. Unfortunately, most people do not have his skills nor the support that helped him become an NBA player. Thousands fall through the cracks of poverty, poor schooling and parental ignorance.
Public education has the potential of being the great equalizer. But adults need to insure schools have resources and teachers who are willing and able to reach out and encourage students to express concerns, to think for themselves and to problem solve. They need to learn when they’re being duped and how to analyze fake news. Collecting and considering information is something curious people do
Public education is under attack and we can not let that happen. The move to use public money for private schooling through vouchers will exasperate the divide. Religious indoctrination doesn’t belong in public education. Integrating schools in the aggregate, works. Giving marginal students extra help, works. Funding pre-schools works. Providing school meals for the hungry, works. Special education for those with disabilities, works. Subsidizing college tuitions, works. Fair programs will allow our children to heal the social divid and make America great again.
I’m not hopeful about our country right now. I don’t like being marginalized and told I’m not a true patriot. We are all Americans and need to work together to keep democracy working. Seemingly we don’t have the ability to get over our differences, so let’s make sure our children do. Five them the tools to govern more rationally.
References:
Saleh,S. (2014) Five things you never knew about Syria before the war. news.com.au. retrieved from https://www.news.com.au/world/five-things-you-never-knew-about-syria-before-the-war/news-story/50aee87307f613edcd8505f7bce12d0b
Krueger, H., Hardiman, K., Kelly, C. (2015)Trump’s most notable insults. The Hill. retrieved from https://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/249102-trumps-most-notable-insults
Lynn,R & Vanhanen,T., (2010)All Countries: What is the Average I! in the United Sates? IQ Research. retrieved from https://iq-research.info/en/average-iq-by-country/us-united-states
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