Originally Posted by XTC
Leave the children behind! At least, that is, until they learn something. A new survey finds that only half of America's high schoolers think newspapers should be allowed to publish without government approval. And almost one in five said Americans should be prohibited from expressing unpopular opinions. Hey, let me tell you little darlings something: this is my livelihood you're screwing with now! So either learn the Bill of Rights, or you don't deserve Social Security.
Now, to those of you who think I am over-reacting, yes, I understand that being in high school is still very young, and no one really cares what kids say anyway. It's not like priests are dating them for their brains.
But the younger generation is supposed to rage against the machine, not for it. They're supposed to question authority, not question those who question authority. And what is so frightening here is that we are seeing the beginnings of the first post-9/11 generation, kids who first became aware of the news under an "Americans need to watch what they say" administration, kids who've been told that dissent is un-American, and therefore justifiably punished by fine, imprisonment or loss of your show on ABC.
President Bush once asked, "Is our children learning?" He did. He did. "No, they isn't!" And so a more appropriate question might be, "Is our teachers teaching?" In four years, you can teach a gorilla sign language. Is it too much to ask that in the same amount of time a teenager in America -is taught what those crazy hippies who founded this country really had in mind?
Now, I know the "morals and values" folks want us to take time out of the school day for prayer and the Ten Commandments and abstinence training, and to learn at least two theories of evolution--the one agreed upon by every scientist in the world, and the one that involves naked ladies and snakes.
But lest we forget, the people of Iraq risked death and danger to send a simple inspiring message: "America get out of our country!" "But also, that we want the freedoms that you Americans take for granted."
Now, I didn't mind being on the losing side of the last election, but as a loser, I guess I have some unpopular opinions. And I'd like to keep them. I'd even like to say them right out loud on TV. Because if I just sit here and spout Bush Administration-approved talking points, that is not freedom or entertainment. It's Fox News!
