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Photo from Royalty Free Stock Photos, http://www.123rf.com/stock-photo/children_learning.html
The recent obliteration of
twenty kindergarten kids by some lunatic with an assault rifle sickens me, and
I imagine the overwhelming majority of Americans. I view this incident as worse
that 9/11, both in terms of symbolizing what we have become, and also in
reality, given the innocence of these children: We have become a nation of
humans who've lost all touch for things that truly matter, all contact with things
sacred, and all meaningful connection to people and relations given to us by our
Creator, or if you prefer, that mysterious and miraculous force that seems to
hold the universe together.
I harken back in my mind to twenty
years of teaching elementary school, mostly third, fourth, an sixth grades, but
also including substituting in grades K -- 12. The innocence of young children,
their natural love for those around them, their unbridled curiosity (until we
beat such things out of them), cannot be overstated. I recall a woman in a
neighboring district in Idaho who "got in trouble" with the administration for
refusing to force the use of large crayons on her kindergartners--and eventually
got herself fired, for this and similar bogus charges--while the Idaho Education
Association sat on its hands and did nothing, while the administrator in charge
spent her time concocting utterly asinine charges against this excellent
teacher. I worked with this teacher's niece in another school, and so followed her
aunt's plight closely. I recall reading how this amazing teacher viewed working
in kindergarten, literally, as "working in heaven," since she loved her kids so
much!
This was in the eighties,
and I found the administrative reactions--and lack of them by the IEA and
NEA--absolutely appalling. To see, now, what we have degenerated far beneath
this is more than I can grasp or fathom or even want to. What I do know for
sure, is that if we don't change course in a hurry, meaning immediately, we are
beyond doubt on the fast-track to hell on earth.
Our greatest responsibility
as adults is to protect our young, along with our neighbors' young, to nurture
them, to inspire them, to love them; and to create a future they will find not
just worth living in, but eagerly look forward to participating in.
I just read an article
showing which Congresspersons and Senators receive money from the National
Rifle Association, that consortium of psychopaths who seem to think that every
home deserves an assault weapon or two. No surprise that Senator
The Salt
This is from my website,
voteutah.us: "Put children first. Seriously first, and make decisions in their
interest and that of generations to come. The human mind, educated and guided
by wisdom, is our greatest resource."
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